The Wanted Detective Episode 2 Recap
> The Wanted Detective Recap
In the Emperor's court, a furious Emperor berated Zhong Yunchi for failing to solve the case within three days and for the assassination of Grand Secretary Shen Bi on the street. At that moment, Xiao Beiming of the Elite Constabulary Unit sought an audience and, to the Emperor's astonishment, presented Shen Bi alive and well. Xiao Beiming explained that he had faked Shen Bi's demise by having a death row prisoner, disguised with a lifelike mask, die in the carriage.
The plan was a ruse to lure out the true culprit, Yesha, though it had not yet succeeded. Despite this, the Emperor remained stern, demanding a full explanation and reminding Xiao Beiming that his three-day deadline had arrived. Xiao Beiming began his report, revealing the truth behind the mysterious deaths. He explained that the "blood tears" on the statue were not a divine omen but a special substance called Mara Candle, or Phoenix Wax.
This rare wax is colorless at room temperature but melts into a blood-red liquid when heated, creating the illusion of a divine curse. The perpetrator had bribed the eunuch guarding the Lang Hua Pavilion to apply the wax, and the eunuch was later found dead, either from suicide or silenced by Yesha.
Next, he detailed that Lu Wenzhong was killed by a Melted-in-Blood Thread, a near-invisible but incredibly tough line tied between trees, which was crafted to dissolve upon contact with blood. Qin Ye’s death by fire was caused by a special fuel containing nitre applied to his clothes; being nearsighted, he leaned close to a candle, and the fuel caused him to be instantly incinerated.
Lastly, Mr. Fan, who suffered from facial ulcers and used a daily medicinal wash, was paralyzed by an overdose of wolfsbane in his medicine and drowned in his basin. The name "Yesha" on his mirror was pre-written with acid, appearing only when exposed to steam. Xiao Beiming confidently concluded that although Yesha had seen through his trap, this was a calculated part of his plan, and he was now close to identifying the killer.
Despite Xiao Beiming's progress, his master, Zhong Yunchi, was furious. He chastised Xiao Beiming for audaciously using a death row prisoner as bait without permission, calling it an arrogant and dangerous act. Xiao Beiming defended his methods, arguing that the prisoner’s heinous crimes made his death a worthy sacrifice to save Shen Bi, and that extraordinary times required extraordinary measures. His master, though still angry, agreed to table the argument until the case was closed.
Xiao Beiming then shared his theory: Yesha was a high-ranking court official. He had narrowed the suspects to three men who had been privy to the fake route information for Shen Bi: Yin Er of the Army's Assassination Unit, known for his martial arts and underworld connections; Mei Baiyu, an Assistant Director from the Court of Judicial Review with legendary hidden weapon skills; and Miao Jie, Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, a former ranger with access to all court dossiers.
Lacking direct evidence, Xiao Beiming proposed a bold plan: to use his own wedding to Zhong Xueman as a pretext to gather the three suspects and expose the true Yesha. His master was deeply worried, but Xiao Beiming remained resolute, believing the risk was necessary. That night, Xiao Beiming played chess with his master, whose unease was palpable. The master noted his apprentice's unusually risky strategy and warned him against overconfidence.
He explained that Yesha was a master manipulator of human emotion, far more cunning than any opponent Xiao Beiming had ever faced. He cautioned that Xiao Beiming's pride was his greatest weakness and that Yesha might be deliberately letting him win small victories to set up a devastating final move. Despite the grave warning, Xiao Beiming won the game, seemingly unshaken.
On the wedding day, Xiao Beiming and Zhong Xueman made a spectacle, riding together on a single horse led by Zhuge Kongyun. The banquet was held at Dingfeng Pavilion, where Yin Er, Mei Baiyu, and Miao Jie arrived to congratulate Zhong Yunchi. Their conversation was a web of polite congratulations and subtle, probing remarks.
Zhong Yunchi skillfully parried their questions about the lavish security, explaining that his adopted son's wedding required a scenic venue and that he had enlisted Yulin Commander Huo Zongyao for safety. During the ceremony, Zhong Xueman stood by Xiao Beiming, her expression a mix of love and tension. A constable herself, she had fully committed to his plan, viewing the capture of Yesha as the greatest possible wedding gift.
After the ceremony, Xiao Beiming stood alone, troubled by his master's solemn words from the night before, which had sounded like a final farewell. He feared for his master's safety. Zhong Xueman felt a similar sense of foreboding, recalling how her father had given her a family ring as a dowry, an act that felt more like a final entrustment than a gift. Soon after, Miao Jie suggested a boat trip on the scenic Fengbo Lake.
Zhong Yunchi attempted to delay, but the suspects were insistent. Xiao Beiming, after sealing Zhong Xueman's acupoint to keep her safe in their room, offered to join the men. Zhong Yunchi refused, but the three suspects pressed the issue, claiming they wished to celebrate with the groom and implying that Zhong Yunchi had something to hide. Relenting, Zhong Yunchi allowed Xiao Beiming to board the boat with them.
Once on the lake, Xiao Beiming presented the three officials with dossiers, openly accusing them of being Yesha. Outraged, they denied the charge and threatened to report him to the Emperor, only for Xiao Beiming to calmly reveal the entire operation was sanctioned by the Emperor himself. Stunned, the officials began accusing one another. The confrontation escalated when Miao Jie shockingly declared that Zhong Yunchi was the real Yesha.
He claimed the wedding was a trap to kill them all and that Xiao Beiming was an unplanned complication, which was why Zhong Yunchi tried to keep him off the boat. As Miao Jie prepared to reveal a damning story from Zhong Yunchi's past, Zhong Yunchi drew a dagger and lunged at him, plunging the boat into chaos. At that moment, Zhong Xueman, having forcefully broken her acupoint seal, leaped onto the boat.
She was met with a horrific sight: Miao Jie, Mei Baiyu, Yin Er, and her father, Zhong Yunchi, all lay dead. Xiao Beiming stood amidst the carnage, holding a bloody weapon, his eyes vacant as if he couldn't recall what had just happened. Before a devastated Zhong Xueman could even process the scene, arrows rained down from the shore. Xiao Beiming was struck and fell into the lake. Overwhelmed by the twin horrors of her father's death and her lover's apparent guilt, Zhong Xueman collapsed into unconsciousness as the water turned red.
