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 9]
I'm here to borrow a horse from you.
I have made my repayment plan.
Listen to this.
"I want to go to Liaodong, so I, Tang Fan, am hereby borrowing..."
Aha said she will only ask you one thing.
Why should she help you?
I...
Take a seat.
Official Sui, I respect you.
I heard you became the boss in prison,
and share your food with other prisoners.
You have a benevolent heart and care for others.
You and I are birds of a feather.
I disdain the thought of being compared with you.
Have you ever thought about right here, right now,
why you and I are so different in status?
Because of our different levels of vision.
Your benevolence is just petty kindness,
which can save one or two people, but it can't save the world.
Can you then?
The true benevolence will show in the form of ruthlessness.
Only by iron and blood can you save the world.
Nonsense!
Once upon a time there was an official,
who worked hard and cared about the people.
Much like you,
he was kind to prisoners.
One day he arrested a wicked criminal,
yet he went easy on him.
He would never dream that after the prisoner was released from prison,
he came to his house
and killed his whole family.
I sympathize with the official,
but that didn't give him the right
to go above the law
and decide the destiny of these prisoners at will.
You didn't look at the bigger picture, Official Sui.
Without the determination to eradicate all evildoings in the world,
how can you save the world and our country?
In the end, you can't even save yourself.
Why would you say this to me?
Like I said, we are the same.
I hope you can join me to save the people.
I am nothing like you.
I only act based on the Law of the Ming Dynasty.
That's a pity.
Listen to me!
Do you want to know who your new boss used to be?
He used to be an official.
Official?
Is that true?
He was a member of the Imperial Guard.
Imperial Guard?
What did he do?
Isn't the rule always one-on-one?
That's the rule for us!
Why should we play by the rule
with this damn official?
That's right!
I'm going to die anyway, I don't care anymore!
What are you all doing?
Come on!
Did you forget who fought for food for you
when you were starving to death?
Why are you all just standing there? Come on!
You guys will be the next to die.
Well... this...
Hurry up!
Fellow, have you thought of a reason?
First of all, when you arrive in Liaodong, you'll be just in time for the reopening of the horse market in Guangning.
You can go and have a look.
Whether you want to purchase or sell horses,
it's definitely a chance for you to make money.
Second, look at your gorgeous horses.
What a pity they are stuck in the stables every day.
When we are at the frontier grassland,
you can let your horses run freely.
I am willing to give you my chopsticks as collateral.
Sui Zhou is my best friend
and he is in grave danger now.
If I can't get to Liaodong, he might die.
You know how important this pair of chopsticks are to me.
If you lend me a horse this time,
I'll say yes to anything you ask me to do.
Aha, he said you can name your terms.
To answer your first point,
it's not easy to transport horses to such a distant place.
For the second point, we have plenty of room to walk the horses here.
Why bother going so far to Liaodong?
The third point, you and Sui Zhou are good friends,
but what does it have to do with us?
And Aha surely doesn't want your crappy chopsticks.
I'll help you this time,
but you owe me a favor.
You need to help me do one thing.
Aha says she can lend you a horse.
But you owe her a favor, so you have to promise her one thing.
Sure, no problem.
But I have three conditions.
I won't help her do illegal things, outrageous things,
or things that will hurt others.
He said he will do it under three conditions.
Nothing outrageous, illegal,
or things that will hurt others.
Don't worry. I just need you to investigate a case for me.
But we'll talk about the details later.
You are in a hurry to save him now, right?
Don't worry.
Aha just needs you to find someone for her.
Okay, when will we leave?
Now, go pack your things.
We're ready to go when you are.
Liaodong is more than five hundred kilometers away.
If we want to arrive there as fast as we can,
each person needs at least two horses to take turns.
The horses, including the saddles that need to be changed along the way,
will be paid by you.
You still owe me one, and you also have to pay for the expenses.
All the expenses for the three of us to get there
are all written down here.
So, you pay back the favor and the money.
No, it's the four of us.
We'll need to add two more horses then.
Dong'er, why are you going, too?
Last time, you went out with Brother Xue Ling without me
and ended up in big trouble.
I am even more worried that you are going there on your own this time.
So this time I have to go with you.
I forgot to ask, can you ride a horse?
She asked if you are able to ride a horse.
Yes, I guess.
At this speed when will we get there?
What did he say?
He said this is too slow.
Commander, I sent people to follow the horse fodder.lead,
and they did find something.
These days there were people who
purchased forage in large quantities like you said.
The Jurchens.
So the horses were indeed stolen by the Jurchens.
Commander Wang.
This is not good.
My men told me
the horses you stole are here.
If that's true,
we are going to have an inevitable battle today!
That's not true.
Commander Wang,
after we lost the horses,
we transported another batch of horses here at top speed
in order to sell them for a good price when the horse market reopens.
Don't lie to us.
I am not lying.
Come forward.
Commander Wang, look.
So what if it has this brand?
You Jurchens' witchcraft
can even make horses disappear.
Not to mention a brand.
I don't care.
The horses must've been stolen by you Jurchens.
Today, you must give us a good explanation!
- That's right! - Right!
- Give us an explanation! - What explanation?
I have shown you the evidence,
but you are still being unreasonable!
The only reason I explained so nicely to you
is because of Commander Wang!
What? Do you really think the Jurchens are weak?
Brothers! Go get them!
Commander Wang.
The explanation you want is here.
Get down.
I can't.
You're the second person I've ever helped get off the horse in my life.
Who is the first?
His Majesty.
Something serious happened.
Calm down. Take your time.
Would you like another roasted lamb?
Sui Zhou is in danger this time.
He went to Ji'an to investigate the local prefecture governor
but got arrested himself instead.
Ji'an?
Yes, in Jiangxi.
I met that prefecture governor.
His name is Huang Jinglong, a perverse man.
He used force to arrest him when he found out he couldn't outargue me.
As a local governor, he acts recklessly without respect to the law and justice.
He's a local tyrant.
This Huang Jinglong is so bold.
- Yes! - He deceives His Majesty!
- Indeed! - He deserves to die!
Yes, that's right! Let's go get him!
But I can't leave.
Why not?
This time I came to Liaodong with the task of reopening the horse market.
I can't leave here if the horse market is not opened.
Then just open it!
I wish I could.
The Doyan Guard's horses went missing.
If we can't find the horses, the horse market can't open.
If we cannot reopen the market, I can't leave.
If you want me to help you find the horses, you can just say so.
By the way, there's one more thing.
I saw someone who looked just like you in Ji'an.
Just like me?
Yes. It's not just his face.
His way of speaking, tone and even behavior are just like you.
I almost thought that was you.
If he looked just like me like you said,
how could you be sure it wasn't me?
Because he didn't know me.
Curiosity. This is a good method.
You know I'm a curious person.
But between my curiosity and His Majesty's order,
which one do you think I would choose?
So as long as I help you find the horses,
you can go to Ji'an, right?
We can leave as soon as the horse market opens.
Let's go solve the case!
Wait. Just refresh and settle down first.
Come on, eat it.
Dig in.
Your Excellency, Sui Zhou is not dead yet.
This imperial guard is good.
The prisoners couldn't overpower him,
but instead he gained influence there.
If the prisoners can't kill him, let me get rid of him
to eliminate a potential danger.
Don't worry about this.
I have other plans for him.
Yes.
I think it's time for us to get out of here.
Just the two of us.
Are you okay?
I woke you up.
I'm afraid my mother will die before I get out of here.
She kept saying she wanted to eat sweet bean curd pudding from the south of the city.
I always refused to take her there because I didn't want to spend money on that.
Your mother knew you were saving money to buy her medicine.
She won't blame you.
She will try to live to see you come home.
You cannot give up hope, you know?
His surname is Li.
He used to participate in building this prison.
The northwest corner of the prison was built above the river beaches,
so the foundation is just adobe.
As long as everyone takes turns digging round the clock,
we can dig an exit in a few days which connects to the outside.
Everyone trusts you.
As long as you agree, we'll get started.
It's not difficult to escape from prison.
But can you not go home all your life?
Huang Jinglong broke the law.
The imperial court will punish him.
You will also get milder sentences according to your situations.
But in here besides you guys,
there are also some
really evil and unpardonable criminals.
If they all escape,
the people of Ji'an will suffer.
Dong'er! Dong'er?
Dong'er!
I want you to go to Ji'an for three things.
The first thing is to find out
if there really is a person who looks exactly like me.
Second, contact Western Depot's liaisons there,
ask them to stand by for my orders anytime.
The last thing is to make sure Sui Zhou is safe.
You can leave tomorrow.
I'll leave now.
I'm still worried about Sui Zhou.
He can die at any time now.
Don't worry about it.
I've already got someone to see to that.
Your priority is the horse theft case.
But I'm worried about Sui Zhou now and I can't set my mind at ease in solving the case.
Go back to sleep.
Let's solve it now!
Tell me about the case. Come on!
You were on the road nonstop for two days. You must be tired.
Go back and get some sleep. We'll talk tomorrow.
But now Sui Zhou is in grave danger!
How can I sleep?
Things can only be solved one by one.
It's pointless to be anxious.
Since we are in Liaodong,
we'll cross the bridge when we come to it.
Okay, I get it.
Do you want your whip?
I kept it in a very safe place.
I will return it to you tomorrow morning.
I mean...
I went into the wrong tent.
So don't get me wrong.
It was so dark outside that I couldn't find my own tent.
So I wanted to stay here for the night.
Because it's too cold outside,
I will freeze to death.
If you don't speak, I will take that as a yes.
Let me help you.
Why does this cloak mean so much to you?
It has such a big hole on it,
but you treat it like a priceless treasure.
And with this size,
it should be a man's cloak. Right?
Is it your lover's cloak?
How about it?
My needlework is okay, right?
My parents passed away when I was little.
So my older sister and I
grew up with only each other to depend on.
This pair of chopsticks you broke
are the only things left by my parents.
I didn't want any other properties or assets,
because I gave them all to my sister
as her dowry.
I hoped she wouldn't be looked down on, be despised,
or wronged by the in-laws in her husband's home.
It's done.
Did you find anything?
I didn't find any useful clues.
Focus.
No trace of horses whatsoever.
The horses disappeared into thin air.
Where are the horses?
It's as if the horses were never here.
What came to your mind?
You said you interrogated the servants who herded the horses, right?
Yes.
I want to see the record.
Suspect One: Yirentai.
Suspect Two: Meng'en. Three: Batu.
"The last assembly point was Bajiazi."
"How far can a horse travel a day?"
"It can travel 50km a day."
"Why would you travel at night?"
"Because of the reopening of the horse market."
"So why reopen the horse market?"
"Whose idea was it to travel at night?"
"It was Batu's proposal."
"Because Batu can navigate at night by observing the stars."
"What time did you arrive at the assembly point?"
"Probably around midnight.
The team was too tired at the time
so we wanted to camp for the night,
but Batu proposed to keep going."
The destination was not far away!
"What time did you find out the horses were gone?"
"About 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning."
So? Do you have any clue?
The suspect named Batu. I want to interrogate him again myself.
Ding Rong, there is one more thing I need you to do for me.
Sure.
Do you have copper coins on you?
Prepare another eighty-one copper coins.
This is where we are now.
Ding Rong, summon eighty-one cavalrymen.
Separate them into three teams.
The first team goes forward from the character Xuan above.
The other two teams go to these two corners under the character Xuan.
In every 4 km, each cavalry team will split into three teams again
going to three different directions using the way I just said with a coin.
Also, they can turn back when
their road ends with dangerous terrain, cliffs, or rivers.
At last, when each team is down to only one person,
this person can ride another 4 km and return here.
Ask them to find a place with a lot of horse dung.
Come back to report as soon as someone finds it.
Report! They found a lot of horse dung at a place about 10 km away!
Let's go.
Right here.
Go towards this direction and you can find the stolen horses.
How did the horses get lost?
The key is not "how" the horses were lost,
but "where" they were lost.
These horses never just "disappeared" from the crime scene
because they have never been to the crime scene.
Actually there were two assembly points, a real one and a fake one.
That night, because the road was too dark,
those three servants didn't know
they actually entered the fake assembly point.
I guess the suspects slipped some drugs into their food.
After they were unconscious, our suspects appeared.
And there should be a lot of suspects.
They didn't need to bother covering up those horses' trail.
They just needed to move the servants together with the tent
to the real assembly point and staged them.
In the end, they just needed to
remove the decoration of the fake assembly point
and drive those horses away.
Just like that, the horses disappeared into thin air.
I see.
After I interrogate Batu, we'll find the suspects within one day.
It's fine. The case ends here.
You're doing it again.
Every time at the most critical part of the case, you end it.
Do you still want to go to Ji'an or not?
Okay! The case ends here.
Go pack immediately. We'll leave tomorrow.
Ding Rong.
Is the Doyan Guard's commander here?
He's waiting at the door.
Let him in.
Come in.
Commander Wang, although you have found the horses,
we must keep pursuing until we find the suspect!
I still think the Jurchens did it!
Commander, overindulgence nurtures evil!
Actually, I found the suspect.
So soon?
When I went to find the horses,
I also sent someone to investigate the suspect.
Because I had leads,
I found the suspect in less than an hour.
Commander, take a look at this.
This...
Brother!
Commander Wang, what exactly do you want?
These are his receipts for a loan for the money he lost in gambling,
with specific dates and amounts.
7,880 taels of silver in total.
He couldn't pay the debt.
So he used the horses for the market reopening
as collateral for his gambling debt,
and those horses were stolen by his subordinates.
And this Batu operated with them from the inside.
Am I right?
The commander just said,
overindulgence nurtures evil. Right?
You are wrong.
We Han people have another saying.
Wash your dirty linen at home.
This matter ends here and no further.
You can rest assured that no one else will know.
Commander.
We don't need to say more about it.
The peace of Liaodong relies on you all to maintain.
Commander, rest assured. If we are needed,
the Doyan Guard are at your service.
I appreciate your devotion.
I act under one simple rule.
I help you and you help me.
Everyone, this is a feast with two purposes.
To celebrate the reopening of the horse market...
Bravo!
And to see Commander off.
I'd like to make a toast to everyone!
To Commander!
Come on! Fill your glass.
Such good wine!
Let's enjoy the festivities tonight!
General Chen, I didn't get to drink with you when I came.
I am leaving tomorrow. Let's have a drink together!
Sure.
Commander.
General Chen has a good tolerance for wine.
Come on. Refill the glass!
After I return to the palace, I will report to His Majesty that
with you stationed in Guangning,
Liaodong's peace will be guaranteed.
Thank you.
Why are you sighing?
All the other people have the wrong impression about you.
I really think you don't deserve such misunderstandings.
With you by His Majesty's side assisting him,
the country will be governed well.
This is how things are.
Outsiders always know little about what things really are.
A human can live for only a few decades.
A hundred years from now, everyone here will be ashes.
Fame and reputations are not important.
There are so many things
His Majesty needs to worry about.
We as courtiers must help him out as much as we can.
Only then will the country be peaceful.
I will do my best to guard Liaodong.
General,
thank you in advance.
If we keep waiting, we can't wait any longer.
But this lamb is so delicious!
But it'll be too late if I keep eating...
What should I do?
What was she doing just now?
Do you know how long it takes to travel from Guangning to Ji'an by land?
A long time.
It takes at least ten days even if we ride on horses nonstop.
But it's different by boat.
If we sail south to Taicang of Jiangsu by sea,
turn into the river and enter the Yangtze River after we arrive at Liujiagang...
After we arrive at Poyang Lake,
we enter Gan River from Jiaolong Bay.
We can reach Ji'an in two days.
Yes.
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 ♫