A League of Nobleman Episode 8 Recap
> A League of Nobleman Recap
After Wang Yan's search proves unsuccessful, coroners arrive to examine the scene. Lan Jue observes that the scroll repaired by the Feng brothers before their deaths depicts the legend of the Six Sages, suggesting the murderer intentionally chose this theme. He also notices the presence of red poison mixed into the pigments used on the scrolls. The scene contains three headless and armless corpses.
Three heads, six arms, and one complete corpse are missing, and the scattered limbs could be assembled to form the image of the Wisdom-sage Morengen, a figure with one body, four heads, and eight arms.
Recalling that Dr. Sun was frozen in the posture of checking herbs when poisoned, and Chu Qi'er was fixed in a dancing pose, Zhang Ping deduces that the killer uses poison to kill and fix the victims' bodies, intending to arrange them into the images of the Six Sages. This means the murderer would also need the corpses of Dr. Sun and Chu Qi'er.
Lan Jue notes that the gavel and silk found at the scene might be clues about the remaining victims. The autopsy confirms the three victims died from the same poison as Chu Qi'er. Their blood had been drained before their heads and arms were removed, leaving only a small amount of blood on the bodies. Strangely, no blood is found within the pavilion, and all three corpses bear flea bites.
Considering the esteemed background of the Feng family and the cleanliness of Wuming Pavilion, Zhang Ping finds the presence of fleas, which thrive in dark and damp places, highly unusual. He deduces there must be another passage the killer used to enter, poison the victims, and transport the bodies and severed limbs, as Wuming Pavilion is heavily guarded.
Following a faint sound, Zhang Ping and Lan Jue discover a secret channel dug behind a cabinet, emitting a strong smell of blood. The channel leads to a secret underdrain. Realizing the killer operates through these underdrains, they follow drag marks left behind. The water flow makes tracing difficult at a fork in the tunnel. Zhang Ping suggests closing the sluice upstream to lower the water and reveal footprints.
Xu Dong goes to close the sluice while Lan Jue and Zhang Ping continue the pursuit. The water level drops, revealing clearer tracks. They find the discarded body parts of the victims along the path, confirming the killer is close by. They enter a nearby opening and find themselves in a strange place resembling a prison cell with jars containing what appear to be poison formulas. Suddenly, a Shocking Thunder Bomb explodes.
Lan Jue quickly pulls Zhang Ping to safety, but the explosion causes the passage to collapse, trapping them. A figure appears, identifying himself as a ghost from the lightless underdrains. He speaks cryptically about life and death being two sides of a coin, stating that one must taste death to truly understand life. He describes the place as a "poison sore" within the city's veins, where those who enter taste poison. Lan Jue demands to know Gong Yuzhen's whereabouts.
The killer states she is his Musician-sage Ronakin, and it is not yet time for her to 'descend'. He implies that this place is a death trap for outsiders, and those inside can only leave by 'dying' to get out alive. Lan Jue notices Zhang Ping is injured and offers to bandage him, suggesting they cooperate in their dire situation.
Zhang Ping acknowledges Lan Jue saved him and thanks him, but maintains that Lan Jue was wrong regarding Gong Yuzhen, stating that right is right and wrong is wrong regardless of reasons. Lan Jue appreciates Zhang Ping's integrity. Zhang Ping realizes the killer is targeting people in the order of the Six Sages' descent, which explains why Gong Yuzhen, the Musician-sage, is the last target and not yet killed.
He concludes they must find the remaining two intended victims before the killer reaches Gong Yuzhen. Recalling the clues found earlier, Lan Jue remembers the silk on the Six Sages painting, identifying it as Red Gilding Silk from Yunchang Community, a tribute woven with gold foil and silk yarns, a skill only Miss Wu possesses. He deduces she is likely the chosen Farmer and Sericulturist Sage, Zansang.
Zhang Ping points out the gavel left at the scene has the mark of the Court of Judicial Review. Lan Jue connects this to the Warden-sage Uyu, realizing the next target must be Mr. Tao, the judge of the Court of Judicial Review. Alarmed that the killer is targeting Miss Wu and Mr. Tao, they realize they must escape quickly. Zhang Ping muses that the killer seems to be playing a game, leaving clues and riddles.
He interprets the killer's words about life and death, suggesting a riddle based on mutual existence and dependency. He posits that if the entrance is a 'life gate' for outsiders leading to death, there must be a corresponding 'death gate' for those inside to leave alive. Looking around, they see an incinerator and realize it is the 'death gate', and the chimney is their exit.
They call out from the chimney, and their voices are heard by Xu Dong and Wang Yan, who locate and rescue them by removing the debris blocking the passage. Wang Yan reports that Miss Wu has already been killed. With time running out, Wang Yan goes to investigate Miss Wu's death while Lan Jue and Zhang Ping rush to the Court of Judicial Review to save Mr. Tao.
They find Mr. Tao, Tao Zhoufeng, unharmed, engrossed in studying methods for educating criminals. There is no trace of poison powder. Lan Jue warns him of the murderer targeting him and urges him to take refuge in a quiet room. Mr. Tao expresses confusion, wondering why criminals would target him when he advocates for their reform. Lan Jue explains the killer is the same person who murdered Chu Qi'er and Dr. Sun, using unpredictable, traceless methods.
Mr. Tao remains bewildered but agrees to hide. Just then, Wang Yan arrives, confirming Miss Wu's death. Mr. Tao is distraught by the savagery, but Lan Jue redirects focus to capturing the killer. Mr. Tao offers Wang Yan full cooperation in setting up defenses within the Court of Judicial Review. Later, Zhang Ping returns home and is asked by Mr. Ma to read a letter from his son, Ziyi, stationed at the southern border.
The letter discusses Ziyi's well-being, asking about his father, and expressing longing to return home. After reading the letter, Mr. Ma mentions that the manner of Chu Qi'er's death reminds him of a southern legend Ziyi told him. He describes a mysterious, isolated tribe in the southern wilderness and deep mountains who possessed the ability to "deprive people's souls." Because of this power, they broke a taboo and suffered divine retribution overnight.
According to the legend, a rumbling sound was heard, the sky instantly became bright as day, a vast blood mist covered the village, and the entire tribe instantly stiffened and died on the spot, their bodies cracking as if their souls had been drawn out. Inspired by Mr. Ma's story, Zhang Ping seeks out Wang Yan, and they go to the Court of Judicial Review archives to search old case files from various prefectures and counties.
They find a scroll from 20 years ago, the first year of Yongxuan, detailing a mass death incident in Moluo Village, Yuechang County, Lingnan District. The record states the entire village perished, becoming stiff. It mentions a blood mist enveloping the area and notes that due to a mountain flood destroying a gallery road, repairs took several months.
The investigation concluded the deaths were due to practicing evil sorcery and suffering divine retribution in the blood mist, and the case was closed without objection after review. Zhang Ping finds it hard to believe in divine retribution and suspects the Moluo villagers might have died from the same red poison powder.
He calculates the approximate travel time from the Capital to Moluo Village at that time, estimating it would take about 90 days due to complex terrain, about a month longer than the official road. Wang Yan then dismisses Zhang Ping, telling him to return and guard Mr. Tao while he speaks with Lan Jue. Outside, Zhang Ping insists he should know about the case if it's related, as it could help catch the killer.
Lan Jue asserts it's his private matter and repeats that Zhang Ping should go back to check on Mr. Tao, as the Court of Judicial Review is unguarded. Lan Jue then tells someone to see Zhang Ping out. Lan Jue reveals to Wang Yan that Moluo Village was located on the old post road. His father left the Capital in early April of Yongxuan's first year and encountered a mountain flood that destroyed the road.
A letter from his father mentioned taking a detour, which would add three months to his journey. Adding three months to early April would place his father near the village in early July, the exact same time the Moluo incident occurred. His father returned to the Capital in early October and was condemned. Calculating the dates, Lan Jue realizes his father started his return journey from near Moluo Village.
Lan Jue finds the timing too coincidental and suspects the Moluo incident is linked to his father's case. He recalls his father's words before leaving, feeling his father would not have committed treason despite the danger, remembering his father spoke of "great bravery" and gave him a sachet, only for Lan Jue to see him next on the execution ground.
Lan Jue believes his father was framed and that if the current killer is connected to the Moluo case, catching him might unravel the mystery of his father's wrongful conviction. Wang Yan questions why Lan Jue hasn't told Zhang Ping, noting his clarity of thought and knowledge could be helpful. Lan Jue explains that the defeat of the Southward Crusade army and the deaths of tens of thousands were events the court preferred not to revisit.
His father's confession of treason was quickly accepted, and the court avoided investigating the strangeness of the case, indicating something significant was hidden. Reopening the case would challenge the court's authority. Lan Jue fears that the straightforward and reckless Zhang Ping, unaware of the depth of officialdom's darkness and lacking discretion, would cause greater trouble within days if he knew, risking harm.
He asks Wang Yan to handle this matter, promising to uncover the truth of his father's case at all costs. Later, as Lan Jue and Wang Yan are guarding the Court of Judicial Review, a subordinate reports that the bodies of Wu Niangzi and the Feng brothers, as well as Dr. Sun and Chu Qi'er, have all been stolen. The hole under the underdrain has also collapsed.
The subordinate confirms Mr. Tao is fine, having used the bathroom and eaten snacks normally throughout the night, and no poison or anomalies were found despite continuous guarding and searching. The subordinate recounts how he and Zhang Ping met a mute embalmer pulling a cart of corpses after finishing their shift. The embalmer indicated he needed help pulling the cart and pestered them.
Zhang Ping went to help him but apparently mocked the subordinate, telling him, "Even pepper made you feel pungent, not to mention smelly corpses," and dismissed him by saying Mr. Lan would arrive soon and he should wait there, adding that Zhang Ping's home was on the way, but returning to Lan's Mansion was not.
Lan Jue immediately realizes Zhang Ping's words about their homes not being on the same route were a coded hint, as Zhang Ping's home is in Xiaohaozi Lane (southeast) and the yizhou (place for unidentified/unclaimed bodies), where the embalmer was likely headed, is to the west, a completely different direction. Recognizing this as a message from Zhang Ping, Lan Jue orders Xuexiao to stay and guard while he leads others to the yizhou.
