The Story of Ming Lan (知否知否应是绿肥红瘦)

The Story of Ming Lan

Episode 23

Go.

Xiaotao, jump in.

I can't. - Jump in.

I can't swim.

Hold your breath. Hold your breath. Go.

Hold your breath.

Miss.

Hurry.

Miss. I can't go.

Hurry. Jump in.

Hurry.

She's in the water.

Hurry. Catch her.

Someone's in the water.

Get her. Over there.

Brothers, get her!

Get her.

She's fled!

Hurry.

Chase her.

Chase her.

Hurry.

Little girl, where is this place?

Did you change my clothes for me?

These are auntie's.

Auntie brushed my hair too?

Yes.

Drink ginger soup to warm.

Did your family's master save me?

My father saved you. You are cold. Drink ginger soup.

- Rong'er. You're awake? - Father!

Was it you, Hero, who saved me?

Just a handy gesture. No need to thank me.

I wonder what is Hero's name.

I'm a daughter from Bianjing's Sheng House.

I don't have anything on me right now, but once I return home, I will reward you graciously as gratitude.

I'm a man. I rescued you from the water.

You shouldn't tell me your last name.

That can tarnish your reputation in the future.

Hero went into the water in dark night to save me.

It shows you are righteous and what reputation to harm?

I never thought in this life that the sixth daughter of Sheng House would call me righteous.

What a rarity.

How did you know?

Second Uncle?

Second Uncle Gu?

You! How are you here?

I'll give you something nice.

Very warm.

Where's my grandmother?

Did you save my grandmother? Did you see her?

Rong'er, go out and find Shitou brother to play.

Don't worry. Your grandmother is fine now.

I've already sent people to send her to the command battalion to get settled.

Your Sheng family boat is fine too, with no damage and your girl.

Xiaotao?

Yes, they were all rescued.

But both the water and ground ways

are getting cleaned up from the tragedy and people can't pass through.

After they're done, I'll find a small boat,

and send you back to your Sheng house ship.

Later, when you see your second brother,

tell him I'm well in all ways.

So he needn't worry about me at all.

Second Uncle. Why are you here?

You were right.

That Manniang has a black heart.

She took away my son.

I couldn't find her all over the Bianjing capital.

At first I had some leads.

But after entering Guilin County, there were no trails anymore.

Guilin County to here is quite very far.

Since I lost leads at Guilin County, I suddenly remembered,

Shitou's sister-in-law is already the chief of the canal gang.

This canal gang makes their living by water.

Manniang has to find a way either through water or ground.

So if I'm here, I can get more news.

I didn't think Shitou's family and that gang that attacked your boat had some clash.

And I made a plan for them.

But ended up saving you coincidentally. That's a fate too.

What about the canal gang?

Canal gang is a group of men and women that make a living carrying and loading things around the docks.

By the way, they played a part in saving you too.

Fine. We've got enough firewood, right?

You're awake?

Sixth miss is awake.

She's awake, Sister-in-law.

Shitou.

You're awake/

Look at you. You're still so pretty wearing my coarse clothing.

- Let's get by the fire there to warm up. - Thank you, Auntie.

So pretty. Sit here

- You must be cold. - Come, sit, sit.

I'm not cold.

Sit, sit.

I missed.

Second Uncle said you guys saved me.

Thank you.

What's there to thank? It's a given.

Those fish! They just kill blindly.

If they continue,

we won't be able to make our living.

And everyone will starve to death.

Thankfully my brother Shitou brought the young master here.

He led us to handle those guys a few times.

We saw they were going to rob the ships and we went on a stakeout.

Young Lord said that this is called striking on half water...

Sister-in-law, what are you saying?

It's called striking the enemy midway.

When your sister-in-law is talking, you just listen. Why are you cutting in?

Anyway, what Young Lord meant was to make them rob a ship first.

Once they are less vigilant,

we'll attack them.

But while were staking out,

when Young Lord saw the fire burning,

he said that he knows the owner of the ship.

He doesn't care about them robbing midway anymore.

He just fiercely jumped into water and saved people.

Never thought that the one he saved was a pretty girl.

You totally look like a princess.

Thank you, everyone. Thank you.

The wind here outside is strong. Just stay in your room.

- Brother! Brother! - Brother, we won't fool around anymore.

Second Uncle...

I have something to tell you.

Second Uncle, when I asked about how you've been doing after leaving the capital, I wasn't gossiping.

I just want to bring my Second Brother some good news.

When my Second Brother mentions you,

he would always worry.

If you want to convince me to go back, don't do it anymore.

I want to repay you for saving my life.

Last time you told me that you're repaying me for seeking a doctor for you.

Then, you told me that Manniang was harboring evil intentions.

Now, you want to repay me again.

I'm scared of you now.

The one that's bad is the news and not the person relaying the news.

What bad news are you going to tell me this time?

Are you going to say that Rong is also harboring evil intentions?

No. No.

While in the room, I saw

how Rong kept was so afraid that I'm cold,

that she would fix my blanket

and feed me ginger soup.

In my heart,

I sincere hope that she'll live well.

And?

And she's your daughter.

Whatever kind of person you are, that's how she will be.

If you are the young lord of the marquis house, then she's the noble daughter of the marquis house.

Now, you are...wandering jianghu.

She'll then become a daughter of a water pirate or bandit.

With the same sky and earth, that's like cloud compared to mud.

Aren't you just changing means to convince me to go back in behalf of your Second Brother?

Chang has been taken away.

Rong then must stay by my side. I will never return to the House of Gu.

I'm not telling you to leave Rong and go back to the House of Gu. It's the opposite.

I hope that you don't foil the rest of her life

just because of a moment of ardent emotions.

At a small age and still unmarried,

how would you know about the life of one's children?

Although I don't have a daughter,

I'm still someone's daughter. Don't I know the days of being a daughter?

Second Uncle, do you know?

Look at how happy Rong is.

She's happier here than in the capital.

Happier than when she was in Tianshui Alley.

She most probably will be happier here too than in the Marquis Manor.

But you mustn't decide on the rest of her life just based on what you see now.

When I was little, my mother told be about "Strategies of the Warring States".

Chu Long convincing Empress Dowager Zhao?

Yes. Yes. That part.

In there, it was written that if parents love their child, they should think about their future.

How could you just consider the present?

At age 3, you should be thinking about her situation at age 10.

At age 10, you should be thinking about how she should be at age 16.

If you don't have foresight, you surely will have present worries.

Your mother even read the "Strategies of the Warring States"?

Second Uncle Gu, you don't know that the happenings inside a home

would not pale in comparison with the battlefield.

How would I not know?

That stepmother of mine

doted and spoiled me when I was little.

She treated me better than all my brothers.

I lost a mother when I was little.

It's just natural that I treated her like my real mother.

But never thought that one day, she would suddenly turn against me.

She is really the demon.

Before attacking the city, attack its heart first.

Superb. Don't even talk about the "Strategies of the Warring States".

Even if I have read all the military strategy books in this world,

I fear that I would still end up to my present state.

Aren't I too?

I watched how my Little Mother died from hemorrhage.

My own unborn little brother suffocated inside her womb.

I went around crying and begging,

but only you, a stranger, was willing to get me a doctor.

Afterwards, no one wanted to admit their mistake.

Everyone crying so realistically.