【Multi | FULL】EP26 | A Love Never Lost 人生若如初见 | iQIYI
[Episode 26] You’ve already surprised me enough, Shuhong. Just now, my radio technician confirmed— those really were four of Siemens’ newest T100 telegraph machines. Top-tier performance and power. You won’t find better in all of China. Is that so? What a shame for you. It’s nothing. Are you sure it was not a trap set by your people? You’re giving your money way too much credit. To be honest with you, this time, I was just doing Mr. Song a favor. He helped me once. Besides, he’s done business with the royal family more than once. Is that really so? It’s strange how quickly people change. Back then, on the mail ship to Tokyo, you were just a naive military student, chasing me all the way
to the laundry room, trying every trick
to start a conversation. Liang Xiang, how long has it even been? How did you become like this? Are you still in touch with that Mr. Wu of yours? Does that have anything to do with you? Of course it does. Six months ago, I saw his name on an inspection list from the court. I hope he’s still alive. To be honest, Shuhong, maybe it’s because of what we once had. Every time I see a list like that, I think of you. I don’t want to see your name on it or the name of anyone connected to you. That’d be too cruel, wouldn’t it? You should worry about yourself first. Figure out a way to get yourself out of here. You haven’t changed, except that now, there’s a touch
of motherhood on your face. You, follow me. Tell me. Who’s really buying this shipment? Isn’t it obvious? I am. You? And who are you? Isn’t that obvious too? I’m a friend of Vice Chairman Song. Don’t bring him up. Mr. Song is currently vying for a Chinese seat
on the Municipal Council. Getting involved
in shady business like this could ruin his chances. Shady? Why? Trading of military supplies
is strictly prohibited in the Settlement. Then who should I bring up for you to release the shipment? Your government, of course. If your government agrees to vouch for it, we can let the shipment through. Fine. Sheriff, do you have a phone here? What for? To contact the Viceroy of Liangjiang’s official residence in Shanghai. You’ve got powerful connections. Please call him for me now. No, no, no. Even if he vouches for it, the Settlement police
will still impose a heavy tax. Very, very heavy. We won’t just let it go for nothing. You should’ve just said so. It’s money you want, right? Let me put it this way, Sheriff. Those four military telegraph machines are part of
a regular national defense procurement by our military. According to the Sino-British Port Treaty, you Brits have no right to obstruct this in any way. Who on earth are you? Excuse me. Hello. What? He is General Liang Xiang? Sheriff, you should go outside and check. The patrol battalion
has set up machine guns. You indeed have powerful connections. Sheriff, we have a saying in China: “A gentleman loves wealth, but he earns it the right way.” According to the regulations of the police committee of the Settlement, Chinese people are prohibited from carrying guns into the Settlement. I order you to put down your guns, or you’ll be at your own risk! I don’t understand! You foreign bastards. I’m telling you right now, if you dare lay a finger on our young master, I’ll tear the whole place down! Load up! Laixi! Let him pass. Don’t do anything stupid. Young Master! W-Why are you only coming out now? I-I was worried sick. If something had happened to you, how could I possibly take responsibility? Get up, get up. Withdraw your men now. Back to the patrol battalion. Hurry up. Let’s go! Sheriff, about the tax, are you still charging it? What are you waiting for? Move! Yes, sir. It’s a bumpy road to a good outcome. General Liang, sorry you had to spend the night at the police station. That’s nothing. I’ve spent time in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Am I right, Miss Shuhong? You two… Old acquaintances from Tokyo. Is that so? In that case, this deal really does have some fate behind it. It certainly does. Goodbye, Mr. Song. Shuhong, goodbye. Come to Beijing if you get the chance. Oh, by the way, my mother still mentions you often. You’ve really surprised me again. Tufang. Is that shipment on board? Yes. But… Viceroy Duanfang of Liangjiang instructed me to wait here. Viceroy Duanfang wants to meet General Liang immediately. He’s waiting at his official residence. But… I’ve rescheduled your ship’s departure to tonight. General Liang, please. [Duanfang’s
official residence in Shanghai] You must pay close attention to this matter. Alright. I’ll take my leave. Tufang, you should’ve come earlier. Come on. Have a seat. You came to my turf and planned to slip away without saying hello? I’ve got urgent business. Whose business? A higher-up’s, of course. You mean His Highness, right? If it’s His Highness, then there’s no need to rush. Right now, he’s quite preoccupied. Have some tea. Just yesterday, the Empress Dowager
and the grand councilors decided to name His Highness’s son, Puyi, as heir to the throne. Her Highness ordered that the boy be delivered to the palace today to be raised by the Empress. Prince Chun’s household is in total chaos now. I’d say it’s a mix of joy and worry. Let’s have dinner together. The food’s all ready. Come on. Why rush back at a time like this? Come on, come on. Tufang, I’ll let you taste some
authentic Shanghai cuisine today. Come on. Have a taste. You didn’t expect this to happen, did you? I suppose Prince Chun didn’t expect it either. Wasn’t it the same with his older brother back then? Now it’s happening to his own son,
who’s not even three years old. Although the Emperor has no sons, he’s only in his early thirties. Why rush to name an heir? Besides, with the nation in turmoil, making a child so young the heir… A weak father and an infant son. All the better for Her Highness to guide things from behind the scenes. I just don’t know if fate will give her that much time. You mean… Her days are numbered. She’s dying. Then… why is she still so determined
to make a kid the heir? It can’t be helped. The final burst of energy has given her false confidence. She thinks she can still command like before,
wielding power with ease. This is too… The world is vast. No one can see through it all. Cheers. Here, let me fill your cup. That’s why I wanted
to keep you here for a chat. I know His Highness
holds you in high regard. Not quite. At least you can
speak your mind with him, right? I just handle some specific tasks. You need to influence him and ensure the country stays on the path of reform under His Highness’s leadership. Tell me honestly, did His Highness originally hope to be named heir himself? [Holland Electrical Appliance Store] Look at you. Instead of going home, you came here for a free meal. Your family’s cook just learned Huaiyang cuisine. His Lion’s Head Meatballs
are quite special. Others put pork on a chopping board and mince it
into a paste with random cuts. Your family’s cook? Nah. No random chopping. He said chopping like that makes the fat lose its juices. The meatballs made this way are too dry, not springy at all. The meatballs your family’s cook made are tasty, tender, and springy. The secret is in the knife work. Can you stop saying
“your family” all the time? But it is your family, not mine. Fine. If my family is that great, why didn’t you marry me back then? Guess I had poor judgment. Then consider me again. Do you have good judgment now? Don’t start with me. Just eat your food. After you finish, go home. Get on the ship tomorrow morning and go back to Tokyo for your studies. I’ve made up my mind. I’m not going back to Tokyo. I’ll stay in Shanghai to be with you. Have you lost your mind, Song Chen? I’m an adult. I don’t need you here. Focus on your cadet training. After you come back, land yourself a decent post. Cadets are in high demand these days. One blink, and you’re a general. Of all the early cadets, how many rose straight to the top like Liang Xiang did? Liang Xiang? Did I mention him? You were talking about him. I know what you’re implying. So what am I implying? You’re comparing me to him. What’s so good about him? His high rank, I suppose. Song Chen, let me tell you, Wu Tianbai is way better than you in that aspect. He doesn’t give a fig about rank. It’s just dirt to him. He’s spent his whole life fighting against those in power. Whoever has power, he goes against them. It doesn’t matter if it’s a court official or the head of the Alliance. He’s never bowed to anyone. Even our brother-in-law was brought down by him. You’re right. That’s why I like him. I also like the woman he likes. Knock it off. I’m warning you, don’t ever say that again. If your aunt and your father hear it, who knows what they’ll think of me? Does it matter what they think of you? Of course it does. We are working so closely now. If they found out I was seducing their son, do you think they’d still work with me? They’d surely think I’m after the money in their villa. Why do you want to work with him? I warned you before. My father is far more cunning than you. You’re not using him. He’s using you. So what? Use me then. Business is just mutual use anyway. You really want to be a businesswoman? My Tianbai looks down on everyone, but he really likes something Sun Wen said. What’s that? Sun Wen said, “There’s one thing I urgently need. It’s more important
than troops or weapons. Without it, I won’t have troops or weapons at all.” Do you know what it is? Money. Look at you, so smart. Hurry up and eat. Then go home. I need to close up the shop soon. [Prince Chun’s Mansion] My son… he hasn’t even been weaned yet. Why do I have to suffer this? Why? I don’t care about the throne! Leave it to whoever wants it! Is one kid not enough? Now they want to take the second. Why? -Get her inside.
-Madam. “To raise him with care?” He’s my son. Why should I let someone else raise him? Isn’t locking up the Emperor at Yingtai enough? My son! My son! My son! Drillmaster Liang. My sister-in-law has gone mad. Mad? Nonsense. She’s just devastated. She doesn’t know what she’s saying. It’s understandable. The kid’s not even three yet. Where is His Highness? Waiting outside Yiluan Hall
in the Western Garden for the Empress Dowager. At this late hour? All the officials close to Her Highness are there too. They’re just waiting for her final breath. His Highness left a message. He wants you to go see him as soon as you return. Well then, how do I get there? There’s a way. I’ll get two palace guards to escort you there. Tonight, I must go? You must go. It’s probably happening tonight. His Highness needs you. Come with me. I’ll take you there. [Yiluan Hall in the Western Garden] [Empress Yehe Nara Jingfen] [Yiluan Hall] Your Highness. You’re back from Shanghai? Yes. See that? Everyone’s been on edge day and night. The telegraph machines
have been distributed to the Jianrui Battalion, Peking Field Force,
and the Three Outer Battalions. However, they’ll still need
over half a month of calibration. Leave that for now. Liang Xiang, you’re staying here tonight too. If anything happens, I need you close. Understood? Understood. Her Highness has dysentery. It’s been three days and two nights. If this goes on for too long, she’ll become very weak. Look at the chaos all around. Come back. What’s in the box? Sir, this is yogurt prepared by the imperial kitchen
for His Majesty. Yogurt? His Majesty has been
worried about Her Highness and hasn’t eaten or slept. He just got a bit of his appetite back, so the kitchen prepared this. Shall I deliver it to His Majesty now? How’s His Majesty doing? He has some minor ailments, but I haven’t heard
of any serious illness. Hurry! Quick, quick! His… His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His… His Majesty has passed away! What’s going on? His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! His Majesty has passed away! Your Highness! Your Highness! Imperial physician! Get the imperial physician! Get the imperial physician! What’s going on? Tell me! This is driving me crazy! What happened to Her Highness? What’s going on? Her Highness. What happened to Her Highness? Her Highness. What happened to Her Highness? What happened to Her Highness? [On November 14, 1908,
Guangxu Emperor, Zaitian, died.] [The next day,
Empress Dowager Cixi died too.] [Aisin Gioro Puyi, son of
Prince Chun, Zaifeng, was made emperor.] [Zaifeng was appointed as Prince Regent.] You young people wouldn’t understand. Then have you seen Her Highness before? Of course I have. That year, Her Highness
passed by the Firearms Battalion on a boat from the Summer Palace. My father and his soldiers were all kneeling by the Chang River. Even my grandmother ran out to kneel. We kids squeezed through the crowd just to get a peek. Did you get a look at her? That was so long ago. I don’t remember. We were just there for the excitement. Mother. Can you stop thinking about all this? You’re sitting here sobbing, and I’m over there trying to work. I can’t focus. Mother, why don’t we
go out to the courtyard? That silver-threaded chrysanthemum
in the backyard bloomed last night. Isn’t it strange? It’s like the flower
understands what’s going on. Really? That’s a sign from heaven. A sign from heaven. Do you want to take a look at it? Maybe I should. Come on, let’s go. That’s truly a sign from heaven. Trust me. Where is it? Over there. See it? That’s the kind of devotion the older generation had
for the Empress Dowager. Just mention her, and they’re in tears. You, on the other hand, haven’t shed a single tear. Why should I cry? The Empress Dowager was an iron-willed ruler. Even at her final moment, she still clung to power. I’ve heard that
the late Emperor’s death was suspicious. Yeah. What are the odds? One right after the other, so perfectly timed. Don’t spread rumors. No good will come of it. Hurry up, don’t stop. The Prince Regent will need it soon. I still haven’t recovered from the shock. Tell me, is His Highness really in power now? Is that one final edict really enough? That’s exactly what you are working on now. The draft you’re preparing will be the Prince Regent’s first decree
after the passing of both sovereigns. Tighten gate control; strengthen palace security. What will that do? It’ll declare his authority and put the court on notice. Mr. Liang. The Prince Regent asks whether the draft he needs is ready. Almost. Please wait just a moment. Serve tea. Hurry up. [Holland Electrical Appliance Store] Hurry, Fa. Every shop has put up
white mourning cloths. We’ve got to hang ours too. Got it. Right here. I didn’t scare you, did I, Shuhong? I can walk again. Look, Shuhong. What a meaningful scene. That iron-fisted woman has fallen, but I, Wu Tianbai, am still standing tall before you! The tide of history is roaring forward. Those who follow it thrive;
those who resist it perish! Go. Call in all our comrades in Shanghai. Right now. Also, remove the white cloths downstairs. Tianbai, this is wonderful. We’ve waited so long for your return. Indeed. Yeah. After the defeat
in Zhejiang and Anhui, the Restoration Society
suffered huge losses. We don’t even know how to move forward. We received
news of your death several times. I refused to believe it. I just couldn’t. I didn’t think I’d make it either. I was hunted again and again
by government troops. The most dangerous escape happened in Sheng County, in the village where Xia lived. [Xia] I thought I was only wanted in big cities, but even in remote villages, there were also wanted posters of me. When I had nowhere to go, it was Xia’s father, a country gentleman I’d never even met, who took me into his home. That’s how I escaped. There’s no denying it— the revolution is at its lowest point. We need time to gather our strength. Local uprisings cost lives and money. And if handled poorly, they could even provoke foreign interference. Therefore, for the time being, the Restoration Society
will focus solely on assassination. Simple, swift, and effective. It’ll deliver a shock powerful enough to awaken the masses. The foreign firm was bought from a Swede. I mainly do import-export business. I import machinery
and electrical appliances and export tung oil and pig bristles. So far, there’s a small surplus in the accounts. Shuhong, you’re really something. This is already quite impressive. Let’s start by making a fortune to fund our operations. If we don’t take out
a few high-ranking officials, how can we encourage the people? We haven’t earned a fortune yet, and you’re already
planning how to spend it. Shuhong,
you’ve got to have a goal in life. Those people just now, why are they so mediocre? It’s because they have no goals. You need a goal. Once you’ve got that, you’ll have the will to fight. I overheard a bit of Haoming’s suggestion just now. What was that nonsense? So absurd. What did he say? I barely remember. Didn’t he suggest opening a brothel in Beijing? Recruiting a bunch of beauties to seduce high-ranking court officials and then poison them all
at once during a banquet. Is he crazy? Haoming’s imagination is a bit too wild. Typical of a scholar. If he’s really doing that, he won’t see a single coin from me. The feminist mindset, huh? Did Utako Shimoda teach you that? Girl, you need a place to sleep tonight. I’ve talked with Aunt Du next door. You can sleep over there. No need, Fa. I need to take care of Mr. Wu. I’ll just sleep on the sofa downstairs. Fa, you can go home now. It’s not your concern anymore. Alright then, Tianbai. You and Xia stay here at the shop. I’ll move out. Whatever works. Shuhong, it’s your call. Shuhong. Are you really going
to live separately from Mr. Wu? We already have. So, can I stay or not? No, I mean, you really plan to stay at my place? If you stay at my place, I’ll have to go back and deal with my father. I have to deal with two people. One more than you. I mean, why are you doing this? I don’t get it. He’s finally back,
and now you’re splitting up? You don’t get it, but I think it’s great. Breaking up just like that is so unfair to you. How can it be so casual? It’s not casual. I’m very serious. Come in. You’ve kept the place clean. How much is rent per month? Let’s not talk about money between us. The best thing about this flat is that it has a bathroom. Don’t take it home. Leave it here. I’ll wash it for you. Well, I won’t take the razor either. My father has one anyway. You need to shave? It’s kind of prickly. You… You should go to bed. Oh, tell your father Mr. Wu suggested meeting with Zhang Jian if possible. Just a sit-down. Do you think it’s possible? Aren’t you two living separately now? Different things. Don’t mix them up. Do you understand? [The 3rd Division
of Beiyang New Army in Baoding] Where’s Li Renjun? Go get Li Renjun. Tell him to come see me. Yes. Sir. Renjun. Looks like I didn’t promote you for nothing. Tell me honestly, how have I treated you? You’ve treated me like your own son. Exactly. Even my own son doesn’t get more than this. Renjun, I need you to make a trip to Beijing for me. Whatever you command. That classmate of yours has followed Zaifeng and risen to power. Figured as much. The new Prince Regent has always valued his military insight. I want you to stay in Beijing. You must do everything you can to get close to him. Understood. This time, Mr. Yuan might be doomed. How could that be? How could it not? Mr. Yuan and the late Emperor had a grudge from the Wuxu Reform. For that alone, the Prince Regent might very well behead Mr. Yuan to avenge his brother. That can’t be. He’s not even on the throne. The throne? What is the throne? Just a few pieces of wood nailed together into a cold seat. Renjun, you must find out what the Prince Regent thinks of Mr. Yuan and whether Mr. Yuan’s life is in danger. Once you know, report to me. Understand? Yes, understood. Take these things. Make sure you’ve got everything. Alright. Hurry up, hurry up. Come on. Keep up with me! Be careful, all of you. Come on. Put everything here. Quickly, put them all here. My dear sir. Tell me, where did you get all these things? Don’t touch them. Those aren’t ours. They’re not?