"In the 49th year of Kang Xi's reign" "It was the 11th month" "Emperor Kang Xi escorted the Queen Mother" "To stay in the Summer Resort in Changde" "Accompanying them were Prince Yunnai" "Prince Yong, 4th son of the Emperor" "And many imperial concubines and princes" "The Summer Resort has an area of 16 square miles" "With a lake on its left and mountains on its right" "The mountains stretch from north to west" "With green valleys and pine forests" "And verdant paths with scenic views" "A waterfall comes from a valley of the west" "It starts from the tip of an emerald rock" "And is streaming down to the lake" "Seemingly harnessed over the lake is a rainbow bridge" "It is a scenic delight" "On the 11th day of the 11 month, the Emperor went to hunt with Prince Yunnai and Prince Yong" "During a hunting chase in Mulan" "Don't kill it" "Seems like it can't survive" "Don't waste the good stuff" "Drink its blood while it's still alive" "Deer blood?" "It's good stuff, gives you energy" "Makes you strong and live long" "Good" "Kill it" "Drink it while it's still hot" "The fresher the better" "What to do after having this good stuff?" "After having this, you..." "Nonsense" "It's a bit smelly" "Deer blood smells, human flesh has a sour taste" "Human flesh is sour?" "What?" "You ate human flesh before?" "Why not?" "Everyone who went to war with the Emperor has tasted human flesh and horse piss" "But not all human flesh is sour" "Here's a sweet one coming" "Who give you permission to hunt here?" "Tell me, who give you permission to hunt here?" "What?" "You raise these deer?" "Of course not" "But I'm in charge of all the deer in Mulan" "Tell me, who give you permission to hunt here?" "My old man" "Your old man?" "Why your old man can give you permission to hunt in this place?" "Don't you know the Emperor forbids hunting within 200 miles of Mulan?" "Sure, no one is allowed to hunt here" "Except me" "That doesn't make sense" "Why the hell would you be allowed to hunt here?" "It is because... the order is given by my old man" "Come and meet Prince Yong" "Your Highness, here's your humble maid Lijia" "My lord, she's rude and has offended you" "Get up..." "Lijia, you're a member of the Han clan, right?" "Yes" "Where do you live?" "The cottage next to the stable" "So you're in charge of the imperial stable?" "Yes" "Your Highness" "Get up..." "Your Highness" "Your Highness" "In the 8th month the following year" "News of stable maid Lijia's pregnancy" "Has spread through the Summer Resort" "The Resort was guarded as heavily as the Palace" "Then who's the baby's father?" "Emperor Kang Xi was indignant" "It must be him" "Summon Prince Yong" "Yes" "According to Vol.247 of Kang Xi's Chronicles" "In the 50th year of Kang Xi's reign which happened to be the 6th month of 1711A.D." "Prince Yong went to Rehe to visit his father" "The visit was only an excuse" "In fact Kang Xi had known about Lijia's pregnancy" "And was indignant" "He reprimanded Prince Yong" "And Lijia was not allowed to give birth in the palace" "On the 13th day of the 8th month" "A kind old palace maid" "Secretly helped Lijia to give birth" "Prince Yong's 4th son was born at midnight" "Among the 208 emperors in Chinese history" "He was the only one who lived to be 89" "He had ruled for sixty years" "And gave his throne to his heir after he retired" "He was Emperor Chien Lung" "In the 59th year of Kang Xi's reign" "The Emperor was 65" "And was still looking for an heir to his throne" "So worried was he that his hair turned grey" "An unexpected incident happened during this hunting trip" "During a group hunt a ferocious black bear appeared" "Your Majesty" "Your grandson Hongli kowtows to you" "May my grandfather live many thousands of years" "Hongli?" "Who's Hongli?" "Your Majesty, he's the 4th son of Prince Yong" "The one who was born in Mulan" "Good" "Good" "Hongli" "I'm here" "You're raised outside the Imperial Palace and have good martial and equestrian skills" "Have you started learning yet?" "I started learning at four" "I could recite some classic at six" "Do you know how to make couplets?" "A little bit" "Good, I'll make the first part and you the next" "Yes" "What's the matter?" "You know how to make couplets?" "Want to try?" "It's easy." "You do it first" "I say "up"" "I say "down"" "I say "big"" "I say "small"" "I say "man"" "I say "dog"" "I am "big man up" here" "I am "small dog down" below" "Hey you, you..." "Listen" "Yes" "A four-sided pavilion has four sides" "Look out the four sides from the four-sided pavilion" "All four sides are covering the four directions" "Long life to my grandpa who lived long" "Wishing longevity to the one who lived long" "Long live long live to the one who lived long" "Your humble maid Lijia" "Kowtows to Your Majesty" "Arise" "Thank you, Your Majesty" "It's too shabby here" "A small hill is famous for the fairies living there" "A small pond is known for the dragons it has" "A shabby room is decorated with my virtues" "There's green grass and moss outside" "Inside there are scholars but not laymen" "This is far from shabby" "It sounds ambitious at our age" "Grandpa, everyone in this room is either" "Of imperial descent or high officials" "There's no commoners here" "You're right" "You can play the qin and read Buddhist scriptures" "Life in this room is quiet and relaxed" "Good, this analogy is precise and exact" "Come here" "Yes" "Tell me" "What are the eight major families of Qing?" "Yes" "The Gua'erjia family" "The Shumulu family" "The Bangla family" "The Dong'e family" "The Majia family" "The Yi'ergenjue family" "The Huifa family" "And the Niugulu family" "Is that all?" "Yes" "I grant the family name Niugulu to Lijia" "When I go back to Beijing with the Queen Mother" "Hongli and Niugulu should accompany me" "And move into Prince Yong's mansion" "Yes, Your Majesty" "Thank you, Your Majesty" "In 61st year of Kang Xi's reign, on 13th November" "Kang Xi passed away in the evening ...in Changchun Garden" "In the same year, on 20th day of 11th month" "Prince Yong became heir to the throne" "After having reigned for thirteen years he made Hongli his heir" "Hongli's title was Chien Lung" "He remained as an emperor for sixty years" "It was a golden era of the Qing dynasty" "He had won ten wars" "And thus called himself "Old Man of Perfect Ten"" "Now in the Palace Museum in Taipei this is Chien Lung's Diadem" "Mala beads and the queen's phoenix headdress" "And these are Chien Lung's snuff bottles and his treasure box" "It is said that Chien Lung had collected tens and thousands of treasure pieces like these" "Chien Lung liked antiques and paintings" "He had composed volumes of poems and lyrics" "Some of them might be written by his ministers" "He was really an emperor of arts" "These are part of his seals and stationery" "Chien Lung's greatest contribution to literature was:" "To form an editorial team of scholars" "To edit the Classics in Four Categories" "This is a major collection since Ming dynasty" "The editorial team had 16 Editors" "10 Associate editors 15 Sub-editors" "3 Chief editors 2 Proof readers" "And 179 scribes and other supporting staff" "It has a total of 368 staff" "And had edited 3470 titles" "Which has a total of 79018 volumes" "The collection had seven copies" "There were stored in Wen Yuen Court of the Palace" "In Wen Yuen Court of Yue Ming Garden" "In Wen Suan Court of Shenyang" "In Wen Jing Court of Rehe" "In Wen Wei Court of Yangzhou" "In Wen Zhong Court of Zhengjiang" "In Wen Lan Court of Hangzhou" "Chief Editor Ji Xiaolan... led the team to complete the editorial work of this classic collection and an index ...to the entire collection" "Ji was a great scholar of the Chien Lung era" "His works included "Notes from Yuewei Hall" etc" "He was humorous and eloquent" "The eunuchs always wanted a story from him" "Master Ji" "Hmm" "This is the new editor from the Imperial Academy" "Master Chang Fengwu" "Master Ji" "Fengwu, good, it's a good name" "The day before I was born, my mother had dreamt of" "A phoenix on a parasol tree" "So I was named Feng(phoenix)Wu(parasol tree)" "Fengwu, a phoenix on a parasol tree" "So you were called Fengwu, it's a good name" "Fengwu... oh dear" "That's too close" "To what?" "Your mother dreamt of a phoenix on a parasol tree" "So you're called Fengwu, you're lucky" "Had she dreamt of a chicken on a banana tree ...that's not very good" "What does that mean?" "A phoenix on a parasol tree" "That's why your name is Fengwu, right?" "If a chicken lands on a banana tree" "Then it must be Ji..." "Old master..." "Wait" "Don't leave now" "Old master..." "What's the matter..." "Please tell us a joke" "I'm busy now, maybe next time" "Don'tjust leave" "You have to tell us one..." "Just a short one" "Okay... a short one" "Once upon a time" "What happened?" "There was a eunuch" "Once upon a time there was a eunuch, what next?" "Next?" "Right, what next?" "Nothing" "It's that short?" "Short?" "There's nothing" "Nothing?" "Nothing" "It's that short" "Ah... this old bastard" "What?" "He's right, do you have anything down there?" "I don't" "That old bastard, he's making fun of us" "Right, I'll make him pay for this some day" "When I get the chance" "I'll make it very difficult for him" "Right..." "Your Majesty" "Your Majesty" "Arise" "Thank you, Your Majesty" "Where's Master Ji, the Chief Editor?" "He..." "Must be somewhere to get some fresh air" "Right, it's too hot here" "You're busy, please sit down" "Let's go" "Yes" "Long live Your Majesty" "That laotouzi (old guy) has left?" "You..." "Oh my laotouzi" "Laotouzi?" "No..." "long live Your Majesty" "Laotouzi?" "What does that mean?" "Your Majesty" "You're not properly dressed, it's already an offence" "And you call me laotouzi" "Right, this is really impolite" "And you even dare to call His Majesty laotouzi" "Yes, this is too much" "Tell me what laotouzi means" "Am I really old (lao)?" "You have to give me a good explanation now" "Otherwise I'll have your head chopped off" "I'll explain..." "Hurry up" "Hmm..." "Lao means to live as long as Heaven" "To live as long as Heaven" "Then how about "tou"?" "Men can't walk without a head" "Your Majesty is the head of all people" "So this is "tou"" "How about "zi"?" "It means Your Majesty is the son of Heaven and Earth" "Son of Heaven and Earth" "Laotouzi" "Good, Laotouzi" "Lao means to live as long as Heaven" "Tou means you're head of all people" "Zi means your parents are Heaven and Earth" "So Your Majesty is loatouzi" "Loutouzi, my loatouzi" "Come here" "Yes" "It's hot but Master Ji is allowed" "To work here without a shirt" "It's not your business" "Yes" "You four stay here to sever Master Ji from now on" "To keep him cool and comfortable" "Yes" "Ji Xiaolan was not the only scholar who was renowned for his humour" "There was also Liu Yong, another scholar" "Who was humorous and eloquent" "Liu had been a high ranking government official ...and a scholar of the Imperial Academy" "Because of his humour and eloquence" "He won Chien Lung's favour" "They often made fun of each other" "And here's a story about them" "Rong An" "Yes, Your Majesty" "Does he look like a hunchback?" "Yes, exactly" "It might take him all day to climb all the 864 steps" "See, he's breathing heavily" "And really looks like a hunchback" "Yes..." "Come here" "Yes" "Tell him to hurry up" "Yes" "Master Liu, His Majesty wants to talk to you" "Please hurry up" "Okay" "Hurry up, Master Liu" "Your..." "Oh, my dear Master Liu" "It's not easy for you to climb all these steps" "Your Majesty, Liu Yong kowtow..." "Long live..." "long live" "Arise" "Thank you, Your Majesty" "Liu Yong" "Yes, Your Majesty" "Why are you so slow today?" "You're becoming a hunchback" "Thank you, Your Majesty" "What for?" "Thank you for giving me the title "Hunchback"" "What's that title good for?" "From now on, I can have an extra salary of 20 thousand a year" "Why is that so?" "It was established by the ancestors of Qing" "Established by our ancestors?" "Yes, it came from the ancestors" "At the time of Emperor Shun Zhi, his titles included:" "Titian, Longyun, Dingtong, Jianji" "Yinrui, Qinwen, Xianwu, Dade" "Honggong, Zhiren, Chunxiao" "You're an erudite" "For each extra title" "An extra sum of 20 thousand was added" "I have blessings from my ancestors" "And thus get the title "Hunchback" from Your Majesty" "I should say thank you to Your Majesty" "I am not giving you the title "Hunchback"" "It's nothing serious, it's just a joke" "A monarch always speaks seriously" "You can't deny what you've said" "If you don't take this seriously" "How can we believe in you?" "You're the Emperor, you have to keep your word" "Okay, I grant you the extra 20 thousand every year" "Thank you, Your Majesty" "Your Majesty..." "Think of something to trick him" "So I can revoke his title" "Yes..." "Okay, arise" "Thank you, Your Majesty" "The Emperor is leaving now" "Enjoy your extra salary" "Yes" "Oh, that's right" "This extra money is really enough for you" "Master Liu, let's wait and see" "Rong An" "Yes, Your Majesty" "Master Liu, when His Majesty was climbing the steps" "I had wished him good luck" "Wish him to ascend higher with every step" "Yes" "Now His Majesty is coming down the steps" "You go and wish His Majesty good luck" "And make His Majesty feeling happy" "Doesn't matter, take your time" "It's not too late if he can do it... before I set foot on flat ground" "Otherwise I'll take back his title" "With 20 thousand dollars a year" "After 10 years it'll add up to 200 thousand" "If you are going to live to 80 or even 100" "Then I end up paying pay you a fortune" "Yes, that's a huge amount of money" "So?" "You see..." "Down with every step" "Missing every step" "Slipping with every step" "Sliding with every step" "Lowering with every step" "A step is worse than the next" "Your Majesty" "I have made a wish for you..." "Your Majesty, I wish you to have smarter descendents" "Each generation is smarter than their elders" "Good..." "Thank you, Your Majesty" "Oh shit, let's go" "Master Liu, you're really smart" "And you can keep your extra salary" "Your Majesty, is that title... really worth 20 thousand dollars?" "He has a reason for this, I can't help" "His head is full of vicious ideas" "You have to think of something" "He can't have that extra money for free" "I'm thinking as we speak" "Your Majesty, I have an idea" "What idea?" "This..." "Tell me" "You haven't rewarded him for his good wish yet" "A reward?" "That old bastard" "No, just set up a trap to trick him" "How?" "Give him that ring you're wearing" "If Liu took it and put it on then he would have offended the Emperor" "But you should spare his death punishment" "And only revoke his title" "What if he didn't put the ring on?" "Then he is disobeying the Emperor's order" "His title should be revoked" "Good idea" "Liu Yong" "Wait for the imperial order" "You've just said something very nice" "I give you this ring as a reward" "Thank you, Your Majesty" "Master Liu, you may put it on" "Thank you, Your Majesty" "Liu Yong" "Yes, Your Majesty" "Why don't you put it on?" "I dare not to" "Why?" "You must think it's cheap, right?" "This is a reward from Your Majesty" "I dare not to think it's cheap" "Then why don't you just put it on?" "If I do, I'm offending the Emperor" "If I don't, I'm disobeying the Emperor" "But you can't keep holding it just like that" "I'll give it to my servants and ask them... to take it back to my home in Shandong" "And place it in our ancestral shrine" "But now I'll put it over my hat" "He wins that ring" "You must think of something to trick him" "Yes" "Forty skating beauties from Korea are here" "They're ready to perform for Your Majesty" "Okay, start the performance" ""Celebration Hall"" "Your Majesty, I have an idea" "What idea?" "There's an ice hole under that bridge" "When the performance is over" "You ask Liu to jump into that ice hole" "Jump into that ice hole?" "You may ask him" "If a father asks his son to die but the son refuses" "What is this?" "This is impious" "If a monarch asks his subject to die but he refuses" "What is this?" "This is disloyalty" "Exactly." "Your Majesty, if he refused" "Then he's disobeying you" "You can revoke his title" "What if he did jump?" "Then you call for rescue" "He's still disloyal because he hasn't died" "You can revoke his title" "And take back that ring" "Rong An" "Yes, Your Majesty" "Yes" "Pass the Emperor's order" "Reward each performer with 4 large rolls of silk" "4 small rolls of silk" "Five pairs of silk pouches" "Reward each ambassador with 3 rolls of fine silk and 3 rolls of wool" "And have a banquet in Ziguang Hall" "Thank you, Your Majesty" "Liu Yong" "Yes, Your Majesty" "There's an old saying" "I remember only the first part but not the second part" "Please tell me what I've forgotten" "I don't deserve to do this" "A father asks his son to die but the son refuses" "What is this?" "This is impious" "A monarch asks his subject to die but he refuses?" "This is disloyal" "So" "I'm the monarch and you're the subject" "Now I am asking you to die" "And you go to die now" "This..." "Master Liu, accept the imperial order" "Now I..." "I'm waiting for the imperial order" "What order?" "I told you to die and you just go and die" "Your Majesty only told me to die" "But haven't told me how to die" "There's an ice hole over there" "You can justjump into that hole" "I accept the order" "Is he really jumping?" "What happened?" "Yes..." "Right, I'll go and ask" "Thank you for reminding me, see you later" "Liu Yong has completed your order" "Completed?" "What?" "If you're dead then you've completed my order" "You haven'tjumped into the ice hole yet" "And you think you've completed my order?" "Your Majesty, before I jump a man in the water stops me" "Oh?" "And he speaks to me" "He tells me to come back and ask Your Majesty ...before I jump into that ice hole" "There's even a man in the water, who's he?" "He's Qu Yuan of the Chu State" "Is he the one who was forced to jump into" "Miluo River by a tyrant and killed himself?" "Yes, that's Qu Yuan who was forced to jump into the Miluo River because a tyrant listened to slanderous talks" "What does he tell you?" "He tells me thus:" "I had met a tyrant so I had to die" "You've met a smart emperor so you should live" "Go back and ask the Emperor ...before you come back and die" "And I think" "I'm nothing, but Your Majesty's name is important" "Though Qu Yuan was killed by a tyrant" "Yet people keep remembering him" "Every year during Dragon Boat Festival" "We still have dragon boat races and rice dumplings" "We remember Qu Yuan when we have rice dumplings" "When we remember Qu Yuan" "We also remember that tyrant" "So he asks me to come back and make sure" "You're an intelligent and virtuous monarch" "How can you force an official to die just because of paying an extra salary of 20 thousand dollars?" "My life is nothing but a feather" "Your Majesty's name will last for generations" "So I want to make sure" "My intelligent and virtuous monarch" "Do you want me to die or not?" "Well..." "You don't have to die" "If I told you to die" "Then I would become that tyrant" "Okay, you don't have to die" "You stay alive and keep annoying me" "Yes, Your Majesty" "The 1st month of the 16th year of Chien Lung's reign" "Chien Lung went to the south with Queen Mother" "He had taken six trips to the south" "Some say he went to visit his real parents" "But this is totally groundless" "The emperors of Qing dynasty" "Went to the Summer Resort in Rehe every year" "Not only to hide away from the heat in Beijing" "But also keep a leeway for themselves" "And to make connections with the Mongolian tribes" "Trips to the south is also public relations work" "To maintain good relations with Han people" "Minor taxes would be waived" "And visited those retired ministers and officials" "Elders were invited to banquets as well" "And of course the Emperor mightjust" "Go to the south for his own pleasure" "Ministers and officials around him" "Would never offend him" "By telling the truth" "If he wanted to know the truth" "He had to go to the people" "So he left the Imperial Palace alone" "And posed as a merchant" "If someone asked questions" "He would say he's Gao Tianci from Beijing" "Honestly, this was a pompous name" "Boss, is your business good?" "Just so so..." "Excuse me" "Sir, how may I be of any help?" "People in Yangzhou are serious about their tea" "Which is the best teahouse here?" "Do you wantjust tea or tea with food?" "Well, what's the difference?" "You northerners only have tea with melon seeds or peanuts" "We here are serious about having tea with food" "Here's the best teahouse" "The Merry Teahouse over there" "Merry Teahouse" "Go straight ahead, then turn right and there's an arch" "That's the Merry Teahouse" "Thank you" ""Merry Teahouse"" "Where are you going?" "Come with me now" "Sir, please go upstairs" "Old gentleman, this is hot water" "It's bad to scald you, it's also bad to scald me" "It's bad if someone is scalded" "You're not the emperor, stop dashing around" "Lao San" "Waiter" "Ignore him" "Waiter" "Waiter" "Looks like he's a newcomer" "Bring me tea, bring me tea" "Want to have tea?" "I'm here for the tea" "You haven't been here before, have you?" "This is the first time" "That's why you don't know our custom here" "What custom?" "Have you brought the tea leaves?" "I come here for tea" "I know you're coming for tea" "But you haven't brought your own tea leaves" "I come here for tea" "We don't have tea leaves here" "No?" "How can you have tea without tea leaves?" "You have to buy your own tea leaves" "We only offer water but not tea leaves" "Then don't call it a teahouse, this is a waterhouse" "This is our custom here" "Where should I go to buy the tea leaves?" "See, that shop opposite the street" "Tea leaves are packed into small packages" "Old gentleman, this is the best Longjin tea" "Old gentleman?" "Waiter" "Coming..." "Yes, old gentleman" "Is this for one pot or two pots" "For one pot" "Old gentleman, is this your first time in Yangzhou?" "Do you think I'm old?" "Calling me "old gentleman" all the time" "Sir, there's a saying which goes:" "Boats all become small when they come to Guazhou" "Because the harbour of Guazhou is very big" "All boats seem small in comparison" "We Yangzhou folk are very polite" "We call those in their thirties "old gentleman"" "This is because you are polite" "If you're going further south" "People in Guangzhou are even more polite" "They call everyone lao (old)" "Tall ones are gaolao" "Fat ones are feilao" "Bald ones are guangtaolao" "Those with beard are husulao" "Crazy ones are dianlao" "Idiots are shalao" "Weaklings are Kuilao" "Strong ones are daizilao" "Drunkards are zuijiulao" "Womanizers are hanshilao" "Thieves are zeilao" "Policemen are chailao" "Older brother is dalao" "Younger brother is xilao" "The ignorant is menglao" "Gossipy like me is yashualao" "Singles are gualao" "I have a wife..." "She calls me shuailao all the time" "Why does she call you shuailao?" "Because I'm a kuilao" "What kind of lao is this fellow?" "He's not a lao, he's the older brother of lao" "He's xilaoge" "How about in Yangzhou dialect?" "We call him xiaolaodi" "Xiaolaodi" "Come here..." "What is this for?" "For having tea" "What are the chopsticks for?" "People here are serious in tea drinking" "So you eat the tea leaves as well?" "No... this is for the meatjelly" "Meatjelly?" "Right... meatjelly is famous in Yangzhou" "Try some..." "At least have one piece" "Is it okay to have meat with tea?" "It's okay." "Don't worry, old gentleman" "Meat is not the only food we have here" "We have ribs, chicken and crab dumplings too" "You can also have wine here" "If you don't drink wine you can have tea" "No wonder they call this tea with food" "A while back didn't you say you have crab dumplings?" "Yes, dumplings with soup" "So you put dumplings in the soup?" "No... it's soup within the dumplings" "You can't have this in the north" "The emperor's cooks might be able to" "Prepare a grand imperial banquet" "They can't make dumplings with soup inside" "Even the emperor would have never tasted this" "Don't you believe this?" "I believe" "People said the emperor has been in Yangzhou" "He should try this delicacy" "Right..." "I want to try this delicacy too" "Bring me some crab dumplings" "Okay" "Old gentleman, your crab dumplings" "Would you like to add one or two extra ingredients?" "What does that mean?" "You can add more pork" "And more crab meat, just cost you a little bit more" "Okay, add whatever you like, just make them tasty" "Money is not a problem" "Sure" "One order of crab dumplings, add 3 extra ingredients" "One order of crab dumplings, add 3 extras" "Please go upstairs" "This meatjelly is good" "Very tasty" "Here's your dumplings" "Bastard, waiter" "Coming..." "Old gentleman, can I help?" "Bastard, there's so much soup inside" "How can crab dumplings be without soup inside?" "And why didn't you warn me about that hot soup?" "It doesn't look hot from the outside" "That's why they're good dumplings" "You don't know there's hot soup inside" "People often remark that the imperial banquet" "Has all sorts of delicacies" "Except the crab dumplings of Yangzhou" "Bastard" "Waiter" "Coming" "Old gentleman, what else would you like?" "No wonder there are many scholars from the south" "Even a vegetable hawker can read" "He must be poor and can't afford to study" "He has to work and to study" "So now he's reading because the business is slow" "Poor fellow" "Poor?" "Old gentleman, poor people are annoying" "You tell people what you're selling" "You do what you have to do" "But people like him" "Just sit there reading but not selling his veggies" "Who knows what he's reading?" "Must be some sort of erotic writings" "Orjust rubbish" "He's reading the Chunqiu, he can be a scholar" "Waiter" "Coming..." "How may I help?" "Go and get that young man here" "There's something I wish to ask him" "What do you want to ask him?" "I've heard that the emperor is coming to the south in search of those well-learned scholars" "My relative is a court official" "He comes to the south with the emperor" "If that young guy is really a scholar" "I'll take him to my relative" "He might be offered a job in the government" "It's better than being in the street" "Old gentleman, just mind your own business" "I know this young guy" "His name is Zhou Reqing" "His uncle is Zhou Jianfeng" "Zhou Jianfeng?" "The one who used to work in the Imperial Academy?" "Yes, he used to work there" "Now he's retired and returned to his hometown" "Zhou is a just and virtuous official" "So he didn't make much money" "He has some paintings that could be worth something" "But he insists not to sell them" "His nephew is now supporting him" "But Reqing is not working hard enough" "He doesn't care about his business" "And keeps studying all day" "Always talking about books" "If he doesn't study, he practices martial arts" "Thinking he's both a literary and martial arts master" "He has such pride and ambition" "If you give him the job of a military general" "He might think this is too trivial for him" "He has high aspirations but he's unfortunate" "He can't earn his capital back" "Let alone making a profit" "He also owes huge debts" "Trouble will find its way to him" "I think you should forget about this guy" "Military general" "Veggie military general" "Carrot military general" "See, I told ya trouble will find him" "Now here comes the trouble" "Officers" "You should pay up now, shouldn't you?" "I don't have the money" "No money?" "And you're studying here, bastard" "Why don't you do your business now?" "Yes..." "I am going to do business now" "What?" "You're not convinced" "This is too much" "This is the fifth day, 5 dollars a day" "The total adds up to 25 dollars" "It'll be 30 tomorrow" "So how about paying up... the 25 dollars today?" "Do you hear me?" "Please, I really have no money" "What do you mean by no money?" "We wouldn't have a cent if everyone was like you" "I know you're poor so I let you delay for a few days" "But now you're delaying day after day" "Every day you say "tomorrow"" "What kind of tricks you're playing" "I'm not playing tricks" "See, I can't even sell vegetables" "Can't sell?" "Then why don't you just go and sell them now?" "Study?" "If people like you can study" "Then everyone can be an official" "If you can study, you can be the emperor" "Now give me the money" "Sorry... my uncle is sick" "I need the money to buy medicine for him" "If he could get well again..." "No" "If you don't pay, you can't leave" "Officers, please be kind..." "What?" "Let me tell you" "It's no use to delay" "Tomorrow is the 6th day, day after tomorrow is 7th" "Your debt rolls bigger and bigger, like a snowball" "If you pay a little today and a little tomorrow" "Then you'll clear up your debt" "Well, we want to be kind to you" "But our situation is difficult too" "Our supervisors think we've spent the money" "In fact we haven't got any" "If everyone delays like you" "Then we'll be finished" "You have to understand that" "We can't spend event a cent of this money" "This is imperial taxes" "All the money has to go to Beijing" "And be given to Emperor Chien Lung to spend" "What money?" "For me to spend?" "I never use this money" "It's so strange" "Waiter" "Old gentleman, what's the matter?" "What kind of money they're collecting downstairs?" "This?" "Downstairs?" "What money?" "What money?" "You tell me" "I'll tell you" "Come here" "Come here" "You can tell me just right here" "Why are you being so stealthy?" "Idiot, just come with me" "I want you to tell me right here" "You idiot, come here" "Come..." "Come..." "Come here" "Come here" "This money..." "Come here" "Come here" "Sit down..." "Tell me, what's this money for?" "Old gentleman, this money" "I'm okay if I didn't talk about it" "When I start talking about it I'm getting angry" "What's this money for?" "Tell me" "You can't blame other people" "But that Emperor Chien Lung, son-of-a-bitch" "He gives us citizens a hard time" "I wonder how such an emperor will die in the future" "Don't curse people" "Why are you cursing people?" "Honestly" "Well, this is me" "I only curse those who deserve to be cursed" "Honestly, even if Emperor Chien Lung was here" "I won't shut up." "I won't be polite to him" "That son of a bitch" "Tell me, what's that money for?" "This money..." "Actually we didn't have to pay this money before" "Last spring, when Emperor Chien Lung was having fun in his imperial palace" "He passed an order" "Shit, this emperor really spends a lot of money" "On what would be spend so much on?" "Shit, he has dozens of imperial concubines" "They have shark's fin and other delicacies every day" "There's not enough money in the national treasure" "And he knows that Yangzhou is a wealthy place" "So he sends over a minister" "Ye Hongjun" "To come here and set up a tax office" "Tax office?" "Everyone doing business has to pay tax" "Shop proprietors have to pay 100 dollars" "Or maybe 50 dollars" "Those small businesses and hawkers" "They might have to pay 10 to 20 dollars" "Even the smallest business has to pay tax" "He has to pay at least 5 dollars" "If you didn't have 5 dollars you couldn't do business" "When the money is collected" "Every cent is sent to Beijing for Chien Lung's pleasure" "Old gentleman, not only Yangzhou" "It'd be okay even if it's just Yangzhou" "Even areas around Yangzhou have to pay tax" "You see, this is a huge amount of income" "The taxing period was for a year" "From last spring to this spring" "Now Dragon Boat Festival is approaching" "And he's still getting good money" "So the period is extended for another year" "Then the people will have more difficult times" "Old gentleman, do you still think I'm wrong?" "Son of a bitch, bastard" "Damn it, bastard" "If I had used this money" "I really deserve to be cursed" "But I'd never use a cent" "You?" "It's good if he gave you some" "Officer, please give me a few more days" "How much should he pay?" "I'll pay for him first" "You'll pay for him?" "You have a big family" "How can you pay for him?" "It's none of your business, get lost" "Son of a bitch" "Give me the money" "I don't have any" "No?" "No" "Even if you beat me to death" "You really want to die?" "I have no money" "You sure have a lot of nerve!" "I have no money" "Good" "Good... very good" "Want to fight back?" "What are you doing?" "Good" "Very good" "Good" "Left strike, right strike" "Don't look like a fool" "Good, good strike" "Son of a bitch" "Watch your back" "Be careful" "Five Phoenix Facing the Sun" "Monkey stealing the Peach" "Good" "A turtle rolling over the door" "Shit, I'll kill you" "At your back" "Good... beat him... good..." "Tell me, what do you want to eat" "I am going to bring you food" "Son of a bitch" "Go... get lost..." "Who's yelling?" "Who's there?" "Come over, come over now" "Who's yelling?" "Crab dumplings with 3 extras" "Don't you know there's a dish in the imperial banquet?" "What dish?" "Make a hole in the center of the table" "A head pokes out, strike it with a hammer" "Use a spoon to have some fresh brain" "Human brain?" "No... monkey brain" "Take that table away" "Take it away now" "Chief, I would take it away if I could" "But it's stuck on you" "It does have a hole at the center" "Bring it back and have a hot pot then" "Bullshit" "This is bullshit, son of a bitch" "It's you?" "It's me" "Well done" "Come on" "Kid, if you did have guts, don't go" "Come here, I'm waiting" "I dare pull the emperor down even if I have to die" "Bastard" "Old gentleman, it isn't the bastard" "It's getting lost" "Kid, let's have tea" "Go and have some tea" "I..." "Old gentleman, I can't have tea with you" "It doesn't matter." "Come..." "Old gentleman, I don't want to..." "Forget it, come and have tea with me" "It's closed" "Old gentleman" "Thank you for helping us" "But this is big trouble you've made" "It's because of me, it has nothing to do with you" "I'll take all the responsibility" "Please leave now or you'll be in trouble" "What?" "I'm a colleague of your uncle in the Imperial Academy" "Don't worry, whatever happened" "I'll take care of it" "No, old gentleman, I'll be responsible for this" "I dare pull the emperor down even if I have to die" "Old gentleman, my uncle is sick now" "If something happened to me" "Please help me to take care of him" "Because you're his ex-colleague" "I'll pay back your generosity in the hereafter" "Get up..." "Let's get inside and have some tea" "And get some rest too" "Open up..." "Old gentleman, you both have to leave now" "I can't be responsible" "For the trouble you've made" "Don't worry, we just want some tea" "Tea?" "We have family events today" "And we're closed" "Don't worry" "I'll take care of everything" "You?" "Are you serious?" "Well, I haven't paid my bill" "The boss said it's on him" "How about those broken things?" "They can't be just broken like that" "I'll pay for them too." "Tell me how much" "The boss said" "You don't have to pay for those things" "We're just having bad luck" "To be born in such a bad time" "With such a bastard emperor" "Son of a bitch" "Why... are you cursing again?" "Dear old gentleman, let me tell you" "If you're lucky you would have a good emperor" "The country would be peaceful and prosperous" "But now we have this shitty Emperor Chien Lung" "This Chien Lung" "Chien Lung means "too much dryness"" "All the water is drunk by him alone" "And we're all finished" "Chien Lung is really awful" "When he comes over" "Don't even think of having water" "Let alone having tea, old gentleman" "Please bring us two stools" "Stools?" "What you should have is the prison" "Even if you don't want to be there" "Bastard" "Old gentleman, please sit here" "Okay..." "Why are you sitting here?" "Would you please sit somewhere else?" "People have to go through this door" "Okay" "Old gentleman, this is a doorway" "We have to use this doorway, please go away" "It's just minor trouble" "See... you're so frightened" "Minor trouble?" "It's not minor, dear old gentleman" "You see, this big building is almost torn down by you" "Listen" "You've interfered officers' duty" "And you've beaten them, this is against the law" "And you've disturbed public order" "Now you're sitting here and this is loitering" "If you don't have to be executed for these crimes" "At least you have to stay in jail for life" "Please, old gentleman" "If you don't want to leave" "At least you keep the way clear, okay?" "Okay, I don't want to bring trouble to you" "So I'll sit in the middle of the road" "This should be okay, bastard" "You're obstructing traffic, it's an offense too" "It's them" "Is that him?" "Yes" "It's me" "It's you?" "None of your business, ignore him" "I'll be responsible for everything" "How dare you" "Who make the first move?" "Both of them" "It's him, he made the first move" "Want to disobey government officials, right?" "And dare to beat up police officers" "State your names and where you're from" "I'm Gao Tianci" "From Beijing" "Are you Ye Hongjun of the tax office?" "You're impolite to call my name and title like that" "You do have some nerve, Ye Hongjun" "You're lying about the Emperor's order" "And collect taxes for your private use" "This is very serious, don't you know?" "Master..." "Master" "Who is this guy?" "I don't know who he is" "What's his background?" "What's he doing here?" "He has Beijing accent, his name is Gao Tianci" "Gao Tianci?" "There's an implication in his speech" "He must be sent by Beijing" "He's from Beijing?" "Looks like he's the Emperor" "The Emperor?" "You've met him, don't you?" "Yes" "Take a closer look" "I'll take a good look" "Isn't he the Emperor?" "I'm not sure" "He's just right here and you're not sure?" "It's too close" "When I met the Emperor, he was miles away" "Then stay further" "Isn't he the Emperor?" "If he's not the Emperor, who could he be?" "Your Majesty" "Rong An is late, please forgive me" "Long live Your Majesty" "Your Majesty" "Now I am a "shuai lao"" "I'm a "shuai lao"" "Arise..." "Old gentleman... no..." "Your Majesty" "Don't be afraid" "I come here to look for virtuous people" "And to understand the lives of my people" "And I want my people to know more about me" "You didn't know who I am, so I'm not mad at you" "Zhou Riqing" "Yes" "You just said even if you have to die" "What's next?" "I'll pull the horse for the Emperor" "Good" "The 11th month of the 16th year of Chien Lung's reign ...was the Queen Mother's 60th birthday celebration" "At her birthday banquet all the common people were as drunk as if they were some lords" "Chien Lung was 41 at that time" "It was 1752A.D."