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 10]
What the hell is this?
You call this a delicacy?
Sir, which part of it do you not like?
Is it too salty or too plain?
Tell me.
- Next time... - Do you know who I am?
I can tell you're an important person at a glance.
I never have the chance to meet someone like you.
No problem.
Sooner or later you will know me.
Hey!
Sir, you haven't paid yet!
Money... Money...
Let me see...
I have no money.
Sir? Hey!
Don't joke with me.
It's only right and proper that you have to pay for your meal.
You don't look like someone who can't afford a bowl of rice noodles.
Then go report to the local government.
I'll wait here for you.
What?
Liu Si,
I heard you recently got a new big brother to follow in prison
and have become a totally different person now.
I shall not dare to do so.
Please spare my life!
I just wanted to live.
I am sorry!
Please spare my life!
You want to live? Very well.
I'll give you a chance to live.
Let that imperial guard
eat it.
When he eats it,
you will live.
Wait a minute. There's a newcomer.
Hurry up!
Faster!
Let's go! Let's go!
Hurry up!
Hurry up and stay close!
What happened?
It's okay. Nothing happened.
My family bribed the jailer so they could come in to visit me.
They brought me some white square rice cakes.
To thank you for your kindness,
I want to give them to you.
Please. Take them.
Thank you.
Liu Si's family brought some white square rice cakes.
Let's share them together.
No! No! These are not for you.
These are just for His Excellency as a thank you gift!
Your Excellency, eat some!
Come on.
Can I have some? Give me a little bit.
Thank you.
What's going on with him?
He's bleeding.
What is going on?
Feeling sick?
Not at all!
I am just wondering what my next move should be!
I like to see how he is reluctant to admit he's seasick.
But it's a pity no one is playing Go with me.
Bored!
Little girl. Dong'er, right?
I won't take your food.
I paid for the snack in your hand.
Do you know how to play Go?
No. But you can teach me.
This is quite difficult to learn.
This doesn't look difficult at all.
Wuyun, you could have just ridden back to the capital directly from Guangning.
Why did you want to embark on this miserable journey with me?
Aha, he is asking why we want to go to Jiangxi with him.
Because I have something that I need to take care of.
Aha has something to do.
What things do you have to do in Jiangxi...
Is it really your first time playing Go?
Yes.
What are you thinking?
This game is over, right?
This is a draw.
A draw?
Are you holding back on me?
Yes.
I don't need you to hold back.
Let's have another round.
Your Excellency, this is not the way to go.
I have a way to do it once and for all.
I don't know if Your Excellency would like to try.
Why are you putting so much straw here?
It's getting cold. Official Huang is kind
so he gave you some straw to keep you warm.
They are going to take action.
I have observed them these days.
Every night the jailers change shift at midnight.
That is when the guard is the weakest.
They let their guard down with the least guards of two people.
We can take out guards of the inner prison area.
But the hardest part
is still in the outer prison area.
Instead of calling the jailers in the inner part as guards,
- they might as well be a bait to tempt people to escape. - Hurry up!
In the outer area, be it day or night,
there is no vulnerable spot in security.
And the guards are equipped with sufficient bows and arrows.
Even if all prisoners escape, they won't get away.
No, we're fighting a losing battle.
So we can only take out the two jailers before they change shifts,
and then we must take out the guards who come to take over
at top speed without anyone noticing.
So only the two of us can get out.
What about the other people?
My task is to protect you from dying.
I don't care about the others' lives.
No way.
We must save everyone.
In terms of sentiments,
no one here has committed a crime that deserves to be killed.
In terms of logic, every prisoner is an important witness in this case.
So we must save them all.
How?
Nie Ping,
go get Old Li.
Okay.
Old Li, for the exit you said last time,
if everyone starts digging together, how soon can we get through?
If we're lucky, in about 20 hours.
Okay. Let's start.
Got it!
Come on! And you, too.
Faster! Come on, let's go!
Brother! Brother!
What are you doing?
Chopsticks.
What?
Chopsticks.
Chopsticks. Say "chopsticks."
You have a serious problem.
What problem?
You are not honest.
Neither you nor the people around you are honest.
What are you talking about?
When I was little, it took me three days to memorize "Three-character Classic."
Dong'er memorized it in less than 6 hours without even trying hard.
Dong'er learned Go in just one day and yet she has entered a high level.
Is this the legendary gifted talent?
I think so.
I have only seen one genius like her in my life before.
Who is it?
Official Wang, you're so good at praising people.
No wonder you have achieved so much at such a young age.
That's my mirror.
Are you two still playing Go or not?
Hurry up.
Commander.
We have passed Taicang. Liujiagang is ahead.
Is it time to change to another boat?
Tomorrow morning we will change to another boat to sail into the Yangtze River.
Make a move, come on!
I'm almost done with this bowl of rice.
Let's go! We need to pack!
I can't play anymore. Hurry up and go packing!
We need to change boats tomorrow.
There's still a day for you to pack!
You sore losers!
Hey. Did I hurt you last time?
Sorry.
I mean, did I use this
to hurt you last time?
Sorry.
I didn't realize you were so beautiful.
Why does he look like a fool?
Are you still seasick?
Thank you very much this time,
and Sui Zhou also needs to thank you properly.
You keep talking so much but I don't understand a word.
This is really annoying.
The stars here are different from those we see on the grassland.
Stars.
Yes, stars.
- Oden. - Oden?
Oden.
Do you call the stars Oden?
Stars.
Sea.
Sea. Yes, the sea.
Sea.
- Tangus. - Tangus?
Tangus.
- Boat. - Boat.
Yes, boat.
Boat.
- Oengque. - Ohengque.
Oengque.
Ohengque.
- Oengque. - Ohengque.
- Chopsticks. - Chopsticks.
Chopsticks.
Yes, chopsticks.
Chopsticks.
You still have my chopsticks with you. When will you give them back?
Boat.
Boat? No. Chopsticks.
When will you return the chopsticks to me?
Fire!
It's really on fire! Let me out! Let us out!
- I want to go out! - Let us go out!
Fire!
Anyone? There's a fire!
Everyone, calm down!
Calm down!
Calm down.
Shut up!
Shut up.
Shut up, if you want to live!
Move the straw and quilt that are inflammable to the back!
Hurry up!
Now!
How's it going?
Almost done! Let's go!
Take them with you first.
What do you mean?
I need to keep you alive. I don't care about their lives.
We must save the people outside.
I'll leave this place to you.
Official Sui! Official Sui.
You might need it.
Fire! There's a fire.
Step aside!
Stand back, all of you!
Hurry up! Go away! Don't crowd!
What are you doing?
Want to escape in the chaos?
Whoever comes one step closer will be killed!
Step back!
Let us out!
Anyone!
Help!
Anyone there?
Help! Help!
Help!
Let us out!
Come on!
Let us out!
Hurry up!
Now!
Come out!
Hurry up!
Watch your steps. Be careful.
- Watch out. - Hurry up!
Be careful.
Jia Si hasn't come out yet.
Brother Si kept asking us to leave first.
He is behind us.
Take them out of here first.
Come back!
Five hundred lives are gone just like that.
A pity, right?
They deserve it.
It's not a pity. Not a pity.
Then maybe killing you is also not a pity.
Five hundred lives
in exchange for the peace and safety of Ji'an.
It's worth it.
Don't act without orders from now on.
Do what I say.
Maybe I can spare your life.
Yes.
Come on! Brother!
Brother, easy and steady.
- Brother! - Brother! Are you okay?
Brother. Wake up! Wake up!
- Brother! - He's awake!
That's great!
Count all the luggage.
Get off the boat.
What are you doing? Why aren't you getting off?
Runqing, calm down.
I can't get involved in this in public.
I'm a eunuch in the palace.
Me getting out of the palace is already an extremely sensitive thing.
And also, I didn't tell anyone that I was going to Jiangxi before I privately came here.
If the news gets out, I will get into trouble.
You even went to Liaodong. Now you tell me you'll get into trouble?
I went to Liaodong with His Majesty's edict.
Whose order did I have to come to Jiangxi?
A word from you, a lower 6th rank magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture?
What about that fake Wang Zhi?
If you don't come along, how do I get him under control?
I almost forgot him.
Then I can't come forward even more.
Do you know more than half of the officials in the imperial court are from Jiangxi?
If this is not handled properly,
I will become the target of criticism in the imperial court.
You're already a target of criticism.
What should I do then?
Follow the procedure.
Procedure?
If you want to investigate a prefecture governor,
you have to find officials one level higher than him and have a joint hearing by three departments.
I have sent someone to notice Official Chen, the administrative commissioner of Jiangxi,
Official Cai, the chief prosecutor, and Official Sun, the military commander.
They will arrive in Ji'an soon.
I see.
Don't worry.
When you need me, I will appear by your side.
You're giving me brocade bags? (T/N: usually containing hints and tips)
I am usually the one giving other people brocade bags.
Enough talk. Hurry and go!
Hurry up!
Aha says we will bid goodbye to you now.
You're just leaving like this after you circled a long way here by boat?
Didn't you say you have something to deal with in Jiangxi?
It's already done.
Done? It's already done when you just got off the boat?
Your Excellency.
Official Chen, Official Cai, and Official Sun are all here.
Your Excellencies, I wonder why you suddenly came to visit me.
You don't know?
Didn't you invite us to come and try the case together?
Since the three of you are all here,
this is a joint hearing by three departments?
But I really don't know
there was such a serious case in Ji'an.
This is ridiculous!
Do you know who delivered the fake news?
Report! Your Excellencies.
Someone is beating the drums outside the court to appeal for justice.
I know you.
Kong Liu!
You have some nerve!
You argued with some excuses in the court and were held in contempt of court a few days ago.
I heard...
the plaintiff of that case already cleared your name and so the court let you go.
Do you know what the charge is for beating the drum without a justified reason?
Do you want to go to prison again?
Your Excellencies, I didn't beat the drum randomly.
I'm here to file a case.
And also, my real name is not Kong Liu.
You bold rabble!
How dare you tease me?
- Take him to custody! - Yes, Sir!
Wait!
You said you came to file a case.
Then was it you who lied that there was a serious case so the three of us all came to
do a joint hearing of three departments?
Official Chen, it was me.
My name is Tang Fan,
a magistrate in Shuntian Prefecture of the capital.
Capital?
But this is Jiangxi.
Even if you are really from Shuntian Prefecture,
this is already far beyond your jurisdiction.
Official Cai, I am here today as a civilian.
I am filing a case to sue him,
Huang Jinglong.
I was wondering where this sharp-tooth bold rabble was from.
Turns out you are an official from the capital.
All right.
I want to hear what you are suing me for.
First charge, I sue you for abuse of authority and misconduct.
Last time, I pretended to be a defendant in your court.
Without any evidence, you gave me two major charges of
stealing money and contempt of court.
The reason was nothing but because you couldn't outargue me.
The second charge is corruption.
When the plaintiff had already cleared my name,
you still didn't agree to release me until your subordinates
extorted a large amount of property from him
with the excuse that he wronged innocent people.
The third charge is your abuse of lynching
and overkill on prisoners.
From the 11th to the 13th year of the Chenghua reign, a total of 387 prisoners
were tortured to death in the prison of Ji'an under your rule.
What!
Each one is a serious charge.
Okay.
Let's talk about the trial that day first.
Let me ask you.
Did I give you a chance to prove yourself?
I did.
But you changed the concept with your fine words.
As a suspect,
you accuse the trial officials who cannot prove you guilty.
Thus you disturbed the order of the court!
Your Excellencies, what was wrong with my verdict?
Besides, you pretended to be arrested while you had another plan in mind.
No matter what your purpose was,
what do you think Ji'an court is?
Now, it seems I went too easy on you.
You said I am guilty of corruption?
Your Excellencies, you can come to my house anytime to check.
No matter where you dig,
you won't see any treasure or dirty money.
Under my rule, Ji'an is peaceful with good law and order.
There are not even petty crimes such as theft or pocketing things found on the road.
You can ask anyone on the street.
If there is a civilian who says I am corrupt,
I will plead guilty.
But if it's you who accuses that,
I won't acknowledge it.
As for the charge of
abuse of lynching and torturing prisoners,
I won't even explain it.
I want to see
what evidence you have to accuse me?
An imperial guard Sui Zhou came here to investigate you,
but he is now in prison after being framed by you.
If we go to jail and we find him, he will be my witness.
It's nonsense!
I tried all the prisoners in Ji'an personally.
I remember all of them.
As for this Sui Zhou,
I've never heard of him.
Then, do you dare to lead me to find him right now?
Sure.
Your Excellencies, if you don't mind, let's go together.
Guangchuan, I'm too late!
Official Huang, how did a restricted place like prison catch fire?
Your Excellency, it has been dry recently.
This is an unexpected accident.
Where is the coroner?
- Your Excellency. - How many bodies are there?
Um...
Just tell the truth.
Your Excellency. On the scene... No corpses were found.
What? There aren't any dead bodies?
These criminals!
They must've set a fire to burn down the prison after they escaped!
Give my order! Search and find them in Ji'an!
Kill them on the spot once you find them!
Yes, Sir!
Your Excellencies, this is a dereliction of duty on my side that this happened.
Allow me to receive punishment for this at a later time.
The top priority now is that I need your assistance to
arrest the criminals throughout Jiangxi!
Your Excellency!
- Something happened! - Why are you so panicked?
The prisoners...
What happened?
All the prisoners are at the court!
Your Excellencies, we can return to the court now and the truth will be revealed.
You listen to me carefully.
You must remember the three officials.
Official Chen, the administrative commissioner,
Official Cai, the chief prosecutor,
and Official Sun, the military commander.
- Memorize them! - Yes, I remember.
Let's go.
Wait! I haven't gotten in the carriage yet!
Stop! Out of the way!
You bastard!
You're seeking your death!
Let's go!
This is the witness I mentioned.
I am Sui Zhou, a baihu at the Northern Administrative Court of the Imperial Guard.
I came to Ji'an this time
because His Majesty received a letter of impeachment of Huang Jinglong.
I was sent here to investigate the case of prisoners being tortured to death.
Baihu Sui, what is the result of the investigation then?
It is true with unambiguous evidence.
This...
In addition,
someone here can prove that
those prisoners who died tragically in the past few years
were all tortured to death by his subordinates under Huang Jinglong's orders.
I can prove it!
Me, too!
I can prove it!
We are all witnesses!
- I can prove it. - Me, too!
Everyone, please be quiet!
Other than that, while Huang Jinglong knew
I was an imperial guard, he still framed me and put me in prison
where he tried to morganize me. (T/N: to assassinate or do away with secretly in order to prevent or punish disclosure of secrets)
I am the witness of the charge of framing an imperial court official.
Governor Huang, do you have anything to say?
Your Excellencies! Don't be deceived by this person!
When I first met this Sui Zhou, I also believed his story
and even assisted him in the investigation,
but then he asked me for money in the name of the investigation.
I didn't know better until
someone told me later this Sui Zhou was an imposter.
And I suspect he killed the real imperial guard
and impersonated him.
After I put him in prison,
I've been tracking down his accomplice.
Now I know for sure
this Tang Fan is his accomplice,
and also a criminal pretending to be an imperial court official!
Do you have evidence?
I have a witness!
Do you know who told me this Sui Zhou was an impostor?
Commander Wang Zhi, the Commander of the Western Depot!
He is nearby...
waiting to reveal these two imposters' lies!
Since Commander Wang is here, let's ask him to show himself.
[Clear Origin Yield Clear Rivers]
The three people standing in front, from left to right,
are Official Chen, the administrative commissioner,
Official Cai, the chief prosecutor,
and Official Sun, the military commander.
You talk too much.
- Commander Wang. - Commander Wang.
Official Chen, you haven't been to Virtuous Fragrant Brothel in a long time recently.
All the girls there miss you so much.
Official Cai, Doctor Li is good at treatments of trauma,
but not so much for other diseases.
I will recommend to you another good doctor.
I...
Official Sun, your second son is almost the age to take the imperial exam.
Come to the capital to find me next time.
I'll arrange it for you.
No need, no need.
Commander Wang.
Commander Cai, your hemorrhoids relapsed again?
Stop it, Official Chen, the ladies of Virtuous Fragrant Brothel all miss you.
Official Sun also has good luck with the ladies.
He's my illegitimate child.
His mother is not my wife.
Keep it low profile.
You are an imposter!
Impersonating a court official is a felony!
You will get killed for it!
Commander Wang, I wonder if you know the Sui Zhou and Tang Fan standing here?
Recently in the capital, there were two mysterious cases.
The son of Marquis Wu'an was killed
and the crown prince's studying companion was killed.
And they both died on the same bed.
This can be said to be the most mysterious case
since the founding of the Ming dynasty.
But it was solved by the Northern Administrative Court and Shuntian Prefecture together.
The two people handling the case were Tang Fan and Sui Zhou.
I also participated in this case.
So, of course, I know them.
Commander Wang, are these two people imposters?
You came all the way from Liaodong,
you were supposed to be travel-worn.
Why did you put on weight?
[It's me]
Commander Wang, I am confused.
Since these two are really whom they claimed to be, why did you
tell Governor Huang they were fake in the past?
If I didn't set up a trap for him,
he wouldn't have walked into the trap himself
so that I could arrange this joint hearing of three departments.
Huang Jinglong, your charges include abuse of your power to get bribes,
abuse of lynching, and the attempted murder of a court official.
Now, we have witnesses and evidence.
Do you still have anything to say?
Commander Wang is right. The evidence is unambiguous.
Commander Wang, you shall decide his sentence.
Come forward!
Put Huang Jinglong and his associates in prison.
Bring them back to the capital for the final verdict!
Go!
Go! Go!
Go!
So, how did you swap with the imposter?
What a great substitution of the genuine for the fake.
Amazing!
Halt! Commander.
Take a break!
Official Sui, I am thirsty.
Can you give me some water?
Winner takes all.
It's true since ancient times.
You deserve this outcome.
I can understand your philosophy,
but the punishment for perpetrators
should depend on the situation.
As for how to decide,
there is no individual who can decide the standards.
Not to mention you, Huang Jinglong.
Can the law be the standard?
Yes, it can.
I acknowledge that there are loopholes in the law.
But compared to people, the law is the most objective standard.
So we as officials should keep in mind,
the law is both a tool and the norm.
If you don't obey the law yourself, how can you rule people by law?
So you think the law is above human sentiments.
Easier said than done. (T/N: lit. your back doesn't hurt when talking standing up)
Sui Zhou,
someday, you will lose
everyone you love in your life like I did.
I'd love to see
if you can still say the same thing by then.
I don't think the law is above human sentiments.
I think they are equally important.
The loopholes in the law can be compensated by human sentiments.
The law is the foundation and sentiment as is the supplements.
In my opinion,
this system is the closest to what the world calls justice.
I sympathize with your personal tragedy.
But you can't go to extremes.
You can fight crime,
but you have to accept the fact it cannot be completely eliminated.
We can only guide slowly and minimize crime as best we can.
I understand your philosophy,
but I can never agree with you.
But where did that Yang Fu go?
We do look exactly the same.
Your Excellency! Please spare my life.
Do you want to live or die?
Live! I want to live!
Then you might have to suffer a little.
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 ♫