Timing and subtitles brought to you by ⚖Defenders of the Law ⚖ Team @ Viki
["Water and Flame" by Shu Linzuo]
♫ The boundless world is pitch-dark as the night ♫
♫ Your appearance is like a lightning bolt that tore through the night ♫
♫ My birth is neither impure nor pure, neither born nor destroyed ♫
♫ Perseverance is in my heart behaving atrociously, who can comprehend? ♫
♫ The sharp sword that penetrates desire is stained with blood ♫
♫ The season tainted with the hypocrisy of the world is prosperous yet withering ♫
♫ Give me some time, I can change everything ♫
♫ The courageous moth can also extinguish a sea of flames ♫
♫ Sorrow and delight are interweaving with colors ♫
♫ Layers upon layers covered by a dense fog ♫
♫ Numerous obstacles cannot stop me ♫
♫ To uncover the truth ♫
♫ A region of burning fire and deep waters ♫
♫ Calm and blazing both existing ♫
♫ Who will indulge the wicked flames ♫
♫ To boil the deep sea ♫
♫ This is the era of survival of the fittest ♫
♫ Everything will be planned by oneself ♫
♫ Even if it is a proud and aloof predestination ♫
♫ Even if completely incompatible, I’m still here ♫
[🔎👁‍🗨The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty👁‍🗨🔍]
[Episode 2]
Did you make the minced meat noodles?
Yes.
There are minced meat, chopped scallion, ginger, and garlic.
The appearance might look like any other minced meat noodles,
but they taste totally different.
Did you add anything else to it?
- Egg. - Egg?
Mixing some egg white with the minced meat when you season the meat
can maintain the tenderness of the meat,
and taste softer and smoother on your tongue.
And when the minced meat sauce is over half done,
you add the egg yolk in the pan and stir well.
This way you can get rid of the excess fat.
The minced meat will taste succulent but not greasy.
Bravo!
Combining the characteristics of different ingredients
to make a dish of unique food.
You are a person paying attention to details.
Unfortunately…
What?
Unfortunately, you are not a real cook.
I know from your standing position that
you used to serve in the army.
Broad shoulders, wide back, firm hips, and thighs.
You must be good at martial arts.
A tall and straight figure, with the intensity of your stare.
This is definitely not the look of a man who takes orders,
but someone good at giving orders.
Most importantly, your hands.
These are hands skilled at using a knife.
A cook also uses a knife.
A cook uses his wrist to hold a knife.
The knife just does the work. And look at your arms.
Obviously, these are strong arms
which can break rocks when you want.
Based on these, I'm sure Sire is not a cook.
Then, who do you think I am?
You are a 7th rank officer in the Imperial Guard.
I heard that there is a magistrate named Tang Fan
in Shuntian Prefecture who is good at deduction.
You really deserve your reputation.
You're giving me too much credit.
What I said just now is nothing but wild guesses.
There is actually one thing that gives your identity away.
What is it?
You are wearing uniform boots of the 7th rank military officers.
What is your name?
Sui Zhou, a Zongqi at the Northern Administrative Court of Imperial Guards. (zongqi is a low-ranking commander in the Imperial Guards)
Nice to meet you.
I am Pan Bin, the governor of Shuntian Prefecture.
Official Pan.
To what do I owe the honor of your visit?
Give me a bowl of minced meat noodles.
I don't like eggs. Just cook the noodles the usual way.
You don't have to hide it from me.
Anyway, I'll know sooner or later.
Official Tang, is this your friend?
I thought he was your friend.
Sorry. Where's my manners?
I forgot to introduce myself.
I am Wang Zhi from Western Depot.
- I am… - Commander Wang of Western Depot.
I heard so much about you.
Thank you.
Sui Zhou, a Zongqi at the Northern Administrative Court of Imperial Guards.
I heard so much about you, too. Please take a seat.
And I am…
What is Commander Wang doing here?
It seems that you and I share the same thought.
You need to mix the minced meat noodles well.
What are you kicking me for?
Sorry. Sorry.
Commander Wang is always well-informed.
I don't know what news this place has
that has interested you.
Give it back!
I heard the son of Marquis Wu'an
didn't die from a sudden stroke during intercourse.
Can I finish my noodles before I am asked to work?
This was found on the bed at the scene of the crime.
There might be a secret hidden behind Zheng Cheng's death.
But Marquis Wu'an doesn't want others to know the scandal.
That's why Official Pan is keeping the case a secret among a few people
in order not to bring shame to the court and the noble family.
This is how Shuntian Prefecture justifies their incompetence?
So Commander Wang is here today for Marquis Wu'an's case?
No, no.
I just want to have a proper chat with Your Excellencies.
We are His Majesty's servants.
We shall be happy to die with His Majesty's one sentence, right?
Yes, that's right.
Mr. Sui, is there any progress with
the Crown Prince's Companion Missing Case?
The reason Young Master Han's carriage was last seen on the street
was because two people were having a fight
and therefore blocked his way.
Of the two men fighting,
one was none other than Marquis Wu'an's son, Zheng Cheng, who suddenly died.
And the other person,
was Magistrate Tang from Shuntian Prefecture.
What a small world!
Official Tang is involved in both cases.
Did Shuntian Prefecture forget a person of interest
must withdraw from the investigation?
- I– - So I came to ask Magistrate Tang…
Official Tang, I'd like you to come with me to Northern Administrative Court.
I have a few questions to ask you.
Zongqi Sui, take it easy.
I also want to invite Magistrate Tang
to go to Western Depot with me.
Commander Wang, I came first.
So you said so, as you wish.
I have official business to handle.
Excuse me.
You think I'll just go with you like that?
My chopsticks, chopsticks!
I… I will pay Your Excellency's bill for the noodles, too.
No matter what, I am the lower 6th rank magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture.
That means I am half a rank higher than you, a 7th rank Zongqi!
How can you be so rude to your superior!
When the Imperial Guard are investigating by order of His Majesty,
we can call any officials for questioning no matter what rank he is.
Your Shuntian Prefecture is no exception.
Are you scaring me with the Imperial Edict Prison?
This is just the Northern Administrative Court's prison.
The Imperial Edict Prison only receives courtiers of 3rd rank or above.
What are you getting at?
Your rank is not high enough.
Official Sui! There must be some misunderstanding.
No matter what, I am a magistrate!
You Imperial Guard can't treat me like this!
Zongqi Sui? Official Sui?
Find out the ingredients of this medicine.
I will find out within three days!
Two days?
By noon tomorrow,
Yes, Sir.
Zongqi Sui! You are finally here.
I thought about it all night but I still can't figure out
how I could possibly kill Zheng Cheng.
Look.
I met Zheng Cheng downtown at half-past 3:00 in the afternoon.
Then I wanted to go to Dong's Restaurant for meat noodles.
But I did not expect on my way there,
Official Pan Bin made me return to Shuntian Prefecture to study the case files.
I did not expect that I wouldn't come out of the office until 6:00.
I didn't even go to the toilet once during the period.
Official Pan and several officials of Shuntian Prefecture can be my witnesses.
Then I went home along Nanshi Street.
Along the way, I bought a piece of braised pork at Dongle Restaurant.
Green Flower Wine at Clear Cloud Shop,
and then I bought the last box of osmanthus cake at Lucky Noble Store.
When I got home, it was already 8:30.
Zheng Cheng was killed sometime between 7:00 to 11:00 at night.
And during that period,
it was only between 8:30 to 11:00 that I didn't have an alibi.
In other words, if I were to kill Zheng Cheng,
within just two and a half hours,
I had to arrive at Joyous Brothel, kill him,
and rush home before Old Zhang from Shuntian Prefecture
arrived at my house.
However, there are five routes
from my house to Joyous Brothel.
You see.
The first, turn into a shortcut from the main street.
[One]
Where I can ride a fast horse.
But it takes at least one and a half hours for a single trip.
I can't finish the killing on time.
So it's impossible.
The second route, where I only take small paths.
[Two]
Even if I am as fast as a martial arts master,
I have to walk for two hours to get there. So not possible.
The third route, I can pass through He Mansion.
[Three]
For this route I not only have to run fast,
but also have to climb through walls and walk on roofs.
It still takes about two hours.
So impossible.
The fourth route, I need to cross Qingshui River,
[Four] and take a boat to Joyous Brothel.
Even if two people paddle,
it still takes one hour to get there.
Then in the rest one and a half hours,
I need to cross the five courtyards of Joyous Brothel
until I arrive at the executive lounge where the regular customers are,
find out Zheng Cheng's room, and kill him.
And I can't be seen by anyone during the whole process.
And after I kill him,
I have to get back home before 1:00 a.m.
And the fifth and final route.
[Five]
Where I take Liuyin Street, go past Zhang's Wonton stall, and go north.
I have to arrive at Joyous Brothel and kill him and then get back home
within two and a half hours.
I am not that good.
Unless I am some kind of secret martial arts master.
But Official Sui. Look how skinny I am.
Are you hungry?
Do you know why I took you into custody yesterday?
If it were not for me to take you last night,
Wang Zhi would have taken you with him. The crown prince's studying companion,
Grand Preceptor Han's second son Han Zao,
disappeared around 3:00 yesterday afternoon.
This matter has nothing to do with me!
But at 3:00, the missing carriage
once stopped in the downtown area where you two had a dispute.
It went missing after that.
But His Highness's studying companion,
Han Mansion's carriage, downtown, and Zheng Cheng?
None of these are related!
What does this Han Zao look like?
13 years old, thin, about five chi tall. (chi is a Chinese foot; about .333 meter or 1,094 feet)
Is this him?
What should I do?!
What should I tell my master?
Don't be too sad.
Get up first.
Don't be too sad. Let's go. Don't be too sad.
Is Zheng Cheng's body also in Shuntian Prefecture?
Can I see it?
Zheng Cheng's body has been taken back by Marquis Wu'an for the funeral.
Before the body was sent back, it was examined by a medical officer and a coroner.
Preliminary judgment is he died of poisoning.
What kind of poison?
I don't know yet.
But we found a bottle of scattered Fuyangchun pills on the bed.
We asked Zheng Cheng's servant.
He said Zheng Cheng would take the pill around 9:00 to 11:00 every morning.
He took the medicine prescription
to buy all the ingredients at Returning Spring Pharmacy in town.
- Xue Ling. - Yes, Sir.
Go to Marquis Wu'an's mansion.
Bring Zheng Cheng's body back to the Northern Administrative Court.
Yes, Sir!
Let's go!
Where are you going?
Returning Spring Pharmacy.
Why are some records missing?
I don't know, Your Excellencies!
Were you responsible for getting all the ingredients of this prescription?
No, no, no!
I started to be in charge of filling prescriptions only a few days ago.
Before that, it was a clerk named
Lin Chaodong who was responsible for the job.
But he asked for leave
saying he needed to take care of something back in his hometown
in Weihui of Henan.
During the period of the missing records,
this Lin Chaodong was in charge of filling prescriptions. Right?
Yes.
What does Lin Chaodong look like?
He is in his 20s. Not too tall nor too short.
Not too fat nor too skinny. Looks quite gentle.
He looks like a scholar.
And also… Right, there is a soybean-sized mole on his face.
Right here.
Do you know the apothecary?
Tall and thin.
Here... no, here, he has a mole here.
Excuse me.
I want perilla leaf, wrinkled giant hyssop,
radix sileris, Nepeta cataria, Honeysuckle flower, astragalus,
and rhizoma atractylodis, 10 grams each. And then 3 grams of liquorice.
Owner Li, are you leaving so soon?
Why won't you let me go?
Owner Li, stop acting.
You are the shopkeeper of Returning Spring Pharmacy.
First, when you entered this store,
this clerk didn't greet you like he normally greets customers.
Because he knew you were not a customer.
Second, during the whole process of you getting the herbs,
the two of you deliberately avoided eye contact.
And also, Owner Li, you moved your eyes
to each ingredient drawer
even faster than this clerk every time.
If you weren't the shopkeeper, who else could you be?
Owner Li, please come with me to the Northern Administrative Court.
Bring him in there.
Yes, Sir!
The Eastern Depot is one step ahead of us.
They took Zheng Cheng's body.
Magistrate Tang, sorry but you can't go in.
What does it mean?
We are working on a case, so no outsiders allowed.
No outsiders allowed?
When you arrested me yesterday, why didn't you say outsiders are not allowed to come in?
Outsider! Outsider!
When did I become an outsider again?
You kicked down the ladder after you crossed the river,
cast aside the bow once the birds are gone, beat the monk once the funeral is over!
The more I think about it, the more I get angry!
Official Tang, Commander Wang would like to see you.
[My Sexy Lady]
"My Sexy Lady," "Lust,"
"In Her Boudoir,"
"Hard Illusion,"
"Red Blossom."
You are really a productive writer.
Although you only used pen names, it's not so hard
for Western Depot and me to find out it was you.
Shuntian Prefecture gives low salaries.
Plus, I'm just a lower 6th rank official.
My annual salary is only twenty taels of silver, so…
This copy has been my well-thumbed novel for a long time.
You must leave your signature for me.
Thank you!
I racked my brains writing this one.
But since I've met a big fan,
all those sufferings are worth it.
How can a respected lower 6th rank magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture
write erotic novels in private?
Not to mention you were personally picked by His Majesty in the imperial exam!
You almost won the first place at that time!
If people found out,
I wonder what the other officials would think of you.
Commander Wang, this is so mean!
Now, don't be so angry.
I said it from the bottom of my heart.
If you want to blame, you can only blame
Shuntian Prefectures salary is too low.
This is not your fault.
Besides, you would rather write novels to make up for your salary
than illegally accept bribes.
You're a good official in this sense.
Whether I am a good official or not is totally up to your words.
This is the same with everything.
The destinies of you and me rely on
just a few people's opinions.
Public clamor can confound right and wrong.
All right, let's get back to business.
Today, I brought you a gift.
- Fuyangchun? - Exactly.
I asked doctors who work for me to check the ingredients.
There were two ingredients that are not in the original prescription.
Which two ingredients?
Bupleurum and Western Xia grass aconitum.
Western Depot is really efficient.
But I don't understand why you're telling me this.
Didn't I say it from the beginning?
Instead of killing and bloodshed,
information is the most adorable thing.
Today, I helped you, and you will help me, too. Right?
Han Zao is dead.
His Highness the Crown Prince is heartbroken.
We have to find this murderer as soon as possible.
Commander Wang is right.
The Western Depot can send someone
to assist in the examination of Han Zao's body.
You already know that?
I already knew even before
the butler who identified the corpse went back to Han Mansion.
Now, Western Depot is more than impressive.
In my opinion, it is terrifying.
Don't be afraid.
You have nothing to be afraid of.
Commander, can I see you for a moment?
I am sorry that you have to excuse me
to take care of some trivial matters.
Make yourself at home. I have to go now.
Enjoy.
Just put it on my account if you need to buy anything.
Poisoned? This is clearly a scheme targeting me!
Your Highness, you should not let anger harm your health.
Now everyone thinks I wanted to kill the crown prince!
Investigate for me!
I'd like to see who is so bold
to frame me for it!
Yes.
Your Highness, don't lose sleep over it.
Whether you did it or not, you didn't do it.
Even you suspect that I did it?
Your Highness, you always entrust me to do whatever you want to do.
Since even I didn't know anything about it,
of course, this has nothing to do with Your Highness.
I will find out the truth as soon as possible
and give you the answer.
You can go now. Let me think about it myself.
Sir, there are still three dishes not served.
Do you still want us to serve them?
Of course!
Yes.
What is this song?
Sir, this is Lady Qingzi playing the zither.
I want to ask Lady Qingzi to play a song for me.
I've been waiting for a long time.
I am so sorry
to have kept you waiting for a long time.
Today, you look...
a little different from the last time I saw you.
Different how?
Your clothes are messed up.
Why are you so stiff?
The hem of this kind of gown is easy to get messed up.
I'll help you fix it.
Your hat is crooked, too.
Sorry! I can't.
I asked you to come today
to ask you some questions about Zheng Cheng.
So this is an interrogation.
What do you want to know?
I heard that Zheng Cheng was obsessed with you.
He's already bought your freedom back from the brothel.
Now he's dead, but you don't seem…
You want to ask why I don't look sad.
Since I have degraded myself to work here,
if I felt heartbroken over every client who left me,
then I would have died a long time ago.
So how do you feel about him?
In Joyous Brothel,
everyone just joined in the fun on occasion.
But he bought my freedom.
Thus, I owe him a big favor.
Speaking of which, Your Excellency,
is there any progress with this case?
There are many doubts in this case.
I don't think Zheng Cheng died of a sudden stroke.
And there are signs the crime scene was cleaned up.
What's more…
Do you recognize this?
Is this Fuyangchun?
This is the prescription you gave him.
No matter how strong he was,
Young Master Zheng could not maintain his health by indulging in sensual pleasure day and night.
If he was not fit enough to do something,
he wouldn't have fun here,
then he wouldn't spend money.
Even if I didn't give him this prescription,
someone else would have.
Have you noticed anything strange about him recently?
Or did he have any enemies?
I didn't notice anything unusual about him.
But with his bossy temperament,
it's natural he had enemies.
But whether there is anyone who hated him enough to kill him,
is unknown to me.
Your Excellencies! I really told you everything I knew.
Please!
He's still alive and kicking.
Lin Chaodong came to Returning Spring Pharmacy two years ago.
I heard he came to the capital for a girl he grew up with.
He started as doing some odd jobs in the store.
Later, I found out he was literate, hard-working, and smart.
It didn't take long for me to put him to the job as an apothecary at the counter.
He never got into trouble,
and he kept everything to himself.
I never heard of anything standing out with him.
Anyway, I said all I know.
Even if you kill me,
I don't have anything else I can tell you.
If that's true,
when we were in Returning Spring Pharmacy, why did you try to avoid us?
Let me be honest with you.
I have been trading medicinal herbs
in the Iron Market with the Oirats for years.
They don't want money but wrought iron. So I…
Wrought iron is a controlled product by the imperial court.
The Ming government strictly forbids selling it to the Oirats and the Jurchens.
Please spare my life! I won't do it again!
I won't!
So did you also buy
that Western Xia grass aconitum from the Oirats?
Western Xia grass aconitum?
It is very toxic with mediocre medicinal effects.
Drugstores normally don't use it for medicine.
Why would I need it?
Maybe not so good as medicine,
but it's quite good for poisoning.
I don't understand what Your Excellency is saying.
You don't? It's okay if you don't understand it now.
I have hundreds of ways to make you understand.
You, and you.
You two come out.
Kill him, and you can leave here.
Your Excellency!
Hurry up.
Or I might regret my decision.
Your Excellency!
Your Excellency! Have mercy!
Your Excellency!
Spare my life!
Your Excellency! Spare my life!
He really doesn't know.
It's no use killing him.
I know.
I just wanted to see how long he can hang in there.
What is your name?
Jia Kui.
Commander.
Eastern Depot?
Are you all right?
Why are you here?
I came looking for you.
You want to arrest me again?
There was a fire at Eastern Depot which burned the morgue.
Why are you telling me this?
I didn't set it on fire.
Zheng Cheng's body was taken away by Eastern Depot this morning.
Zheng Cheng's body?
Have you never seen a body before?
I have. But this is just too much.
Don't you feel disgusted?
I got used to it.
There are three stab wounds in the chest and abdomen.
Every wound is more than three cun deep. (equal to 3,333 centimeters or 1,312 inches)
This body is not Zheng Cheng.
We checked Zheng Cheng's body before.
There were no external injuries.
Could it be that someone swapped the body
and set a fire to destroy evidence? Or...
What?
My neck hurts.
I have a headache, too.
I can't do it anymore.
I have to go.
Who is it? Can't you knock?
No snacks today?
Madam is in a bad mood today.
Why?
Isn't your master coming back home soon?
This is exactly why she's in a bad mood.
The master sent a letter back saying he's got a concubine
and I heard that the concubine is pregnant.
Madam has been devastated these days.
Who is it?
Zongqi Sui.
You didn't finish your sentence yesterday.
What?
You said Zheng Cheng's body was fake.
Somebody destroyed the body to destroy the evidence.
My neck hurts.
I can't speak.
Do you want to have a pear?
Zongqi Sui is such a good cook.
You can make delicious food with pears.
You mean Marquis Wu'an
handed over a fake body to Eastern Depot?
- Yes. - Why?
I haven't figured this out yet.
But at least it suggests there is something fishy about the death of Zheng Cheng
and definitely has something to do with someone in Marquis Wu'an's Mansion.
Wang Zhi looked into it and told me there were two extra ingredients.
Bupleurum and Western Xia grass aconitum.
Grass aconitum is inherently toxic
but the bupleurum can retain its toxicity in the human body.
If you continue to take the medicine,
the nourishing Fuyangchun can become a chronic poison
that gradually poisoned the heart and lungs and weakened your body.
Brother, Han Mansion's carriage has been found.
Official Tang, your hat!
- Here you are. - Thank you, Dong'er.
Why did you stop me?
Why stop me?
There is law in this country!
Sir Zongqi Sui.
Guys on duty in the morning
found the carriage left very deep tracks behind.
They stopped and checked the carriage and found a hidden compartment.
In it, there were more than 70 ingots of wrought iron
which weigh up to hundreds of kilos in total.
After further investigation of the axle,
we found plum blossom heraldry of the Han family.
We double-checked and confirmed this is
Han Mansion's carriage that was lost a few days ago.
Did he explain where he got the carriage?
This man's stubborn and just keeps talking nonsense.
What are you doing? What are you doing?
Let go of me!
He is only responsible for delivery.
They bought it from a carriage dealer in Iron Market.
Is this how you, the Imperial Guard, usually solve cases?
It depends.
You can speak Oirat's language?
During my few years guarding the borders,
I had fought with the Oirats many times.
Over time, I learned it naturally.
I see.
Then, why are there Oirats living in the capital?
They migrate to wherever water and grass are available
and eat cattle and sheep as a staple food.
What they have to offer are herbs and horses.
And for some daily necessities such as salt, tea, and iron wares,
they need to trade with Central Plains to get them.
In the early years when Ming and Oirats fought against each other constantly,
the vast majority of Oirats businessmen could only stay outside the border.
But war has decreased in recent years,
so in pursuit of higher profits, some Oirats
went south to the capital.
Among these people, although most of them are businessmen,
there are also bandits and spies hiding.
The imperial court has been wary of the threats from the North
so it is strictly prohibited to export weapons outside of the border.
And wrought iron does not need to be smelted
before it is turned into a weapon directly.
The Oirats cannot buy weapons,
so they turn to buy a large amount of wrought iron.
So in the capital,
there is a bazaar where Oirats gather which is called Iron Market.
I have lived in the capital for years,
yet I didn't know there was such a place.
Where is this Iron Market?
We will see it on the next block.
Owner Li of Returning Spring Pharmacy traded medicinal herbs with the Oirats.
The Han Mansion's carriage
ended up in the hands of the Oirats.
And it was also an Oirat who ambushed me last night.
I have to see this Iron Market.
I don't think you understand.
The reason why the Oirat Cavalry has such a strong mobility
is because they never waste time on the disposal of captives and civilians.
They never show mercy to their captives,
not even to old people, children, and women.
Oirats are brave and extremely united.
A fragile person like you
will be torn into pieces
within half an hour when you go in there.
Do you still want to go?
Yes.
- Come on. Buy one. - Let me take a look at this.
I saw your excellent hunting skills that day.
We should do this again.
Definitely.
Let's go hunting next time.
Okay!
What do you want? (Oirat language)
I'm looking for a carriage.
Carriage? Wait a minute.
Who is looking for me?
We are looking for a carriage.
An official carriage with plum blossom marks on the axles.
What marks or plum blossoms?
I don't know what you're talking about.
Are you looking in the wrong place?
These are my jade chopsticks!
Move!
Stop!
Get out of the way!
Freeze! Catch him!
Go! Don't let him get away!
Keep up with him!
What took you so long?
Timing and subtitles brought to you by ⚖Defenders of the Law ⚖ Team @ Viki
♫ Out of the mud but not tainted with the world of mortals ♫
♫ The sea drifts along while the heart is calm for a fraction ♫
♫ All alone in the world with no love nor hate ♫
♫ Being too slow-witted is also an innate intelligence ♫
♫ The cold fireworks branded the palm lines of predestination ♫
♫ New wounds cannot easily conceal old scars ♫
♫ The naked eye cannot easily break through worldly affairs, it can only hold on to one’s pure inherent quality ♫
♫ Hold his hand, don’t let him sink into degradation ♫
♫ In this mortal world together, both wandering to the end of the world ♫
♫ Brushing past each other, there’s no need to be bothered with the past ♫
♫ A fish leapt over the dragon gate (after becoming successful), you eventually forgot your original identity ♫
♫ I only ask for you to always remember my expression as I gazed back ♫