The Wanted Detective Episode 36 (Ending) Recap
> The Wanted Detective Recap
Yunji Taoist gravely led Xiao Beiming and his companions back to the courtyard where the Bosuo Flowers had been traded. Upon careful search, they discovered a hidden passage in the wall behind a cupboard. This deep, narrow passage twisted to the other side of the mountain, ending in a courtyard with three willow trees. This courtyard was surprisingly close to Dingfeng Pavilion.
Xiao Beiming realized that when they were wanted throughout the city and had to hide in Dingfeng Pavilion, Chief Zhuge had deliberately avoided patrolling this specific area to protect them, making it the safest place in the capital for a fugitive. Yesha had evidently exploited this circumstance, setting up a secret base of operations, including this hidden passage, right under their noses. Yesha, already anticipating their movements, had arrived in the passage ahead of them.
He had been informed by a subordinate that Yunji Taoist had escaped and their location was about to be exposed. While his subordinate urged retreat, Yesha confidently stated it was too late and that Xiao Beiming's group was likely already above them, with all exits surrounded. He reassured his subordinate that everything was according to his plan and sent him away, despite the subordinate's offer to hold them off.
Yunji Taoist, grateful for their rescue, then departed, promising to perform for three days if Yesha was captured. As Xiao Beiming's group entered the passage, Yesha appeared, acknowledging that he had underestimated them, yet asserting they could not win. He revealed he had intentionally let Yunji Taoist discover the place and was waiting for them. As Zhuge Kongyun moved to apprehend him, a chilling sound echoed, and a mechanism activated, trapping everyone in a sealed room.
Yesha mockingly told them they were a nuisance and would be released only after he achieved his goal: to destroy everything they protected and completely transform the Qi Kingdom. Trapped, the group realized they had fallen into Yesha's trap. Xiao Beiming observed that the secret passage was interconnected with more than one exit, meaning their men outside wouldn't be able to capture Yesha.
He then deduced that the bricks in the room were from an official kiln, indicating it was an ancient abandoned underground waterway, part of the Qi Kingdom's vast flood discharge system, large enough for boats. Xiao Beiming realized that with Gong Fu's help, Yesha could control the entire underground waterway system.
He connected this to Yesha's threat of destroying everything and concluded Yesha's final plan was to poison the entire Qi Kingdom's population using these waterways, turning them into man-eating monsters. Initially, some doubted this was possible, as the drinking water channels and street wells were separate to prevent contamination.
However, Xiao Beiming recalled the Heaven Worship Ceremony custom: the Emperor’s water, sourced from the Imperial Spring, was bestowed upon the common people as "sweet dew" through shallow "Blessing Wells" on every main street. These wells were specifically built water channels leading directly to the Imperial Spring. If Yesha poisoned the Imperial Spring via the underground waterways, the entire Qi Kingdom would be doomed. Knowing Yesha wouldn't be far, they focused on escaping the sealed room.
Initial attempts to force the heavy stone door failed. Desperate, Zhong Xueman volunteered, revealing she had taken three Swift Wind Pills. She explained that while the pill was a deadly poison, it granted immense temporary strength, which she intended to use to break the door, citing Xiao Beiming's past teachings about a constable's duty to protect. With a powerful strike, she shattered the stone door but collapsed, gravely injured by the immense internal energy surge.
Seeing her critical condition, Xiao Beiming told Zhuge Kongyun to lead the others to stop Yesha, while he stayed with Zhong Xueman. Though reluctant, Zhuge Kongyun and the others heeded Xiao Beiming's plea not to let Zhong Xueman's sacrifice be in vain and left to save the people. Zhong Xueman lay weakly in Xiao Beiming's arms, her eyes filled with sorrow and concern. She confessed her fear of the poison taking effect, worried she would forget and harm him.
Xiao Beiming held her tightly, promising to find a way to save her, asserting she would be alright. Despite her struggle, the Swift Wind Pill's corrosive effects took hold, and she transformed into a monster, suddenly lashing out at Xiao Beiming. Meanwhile, Zhuge Kongyun and his team arrived at the Dragon Mouth Waterfall, the source of the Imperial Spring.
They found Yesha and his accomplices already poisoning the water, having opened the palace's sluice gates for the bestowing of sweet dew. A fierce battle erupted, but despite their efforts, they couldn't prevent Yesha from dropping Swift Wind Pills into the spring. Elsewhere, the citizens eagerly gathered at the Blessing Wells, drinking the supposedly blessed water bestowed by the Emperor. Yesha, observing from the shadows, smiled, confident his plan was unfolding as intended.
Three days later, Yesha walked through the streets, expecting chaos and monsters. To his astonishment, the city was peaceful, and people lived their lives normally. An old man he encountered, who had drunk from the Blessing Well, stated he was perfectly fine and had gained longevity. Suddenly, Xiao Beiming appeared behind Yesha. He revealed that his Blood-freezing Frost, which had been in his body since Old Bug modified his meridians, was the antidote to the Swift Wind Pill.
When Zhong Xueman, in her transformed state, attacked and bit him, the Blood-freezing Frost in his body not only protected him but also neutralized the Swift Wind Pill poison in her, curing her. Knowing this, he had promptly released Blood-freezing Frost into the Imperial Spring, thus protecting the entire populace. Yesha, enraged that his meticulously planned revenge was thwarted by his own brother, refused to accept defeat.
Xiao Beiming tried to reason with him, explaining that the Blood-freezing Frost had been in his body since Old Bug modified his meridians. He also revealed that the Unstoppable Old Man, knowing Blood-freezing Frost was the antidote, had tragically died because he prioritized fulfilling their fathers' mission to create the antidote, undergoing multiple self-tests and missing his own detoxification window after being poisoned by Old Bug.
Xiao Beiming tried to make Yesha understand that while he might have "won" against Xiao Beiming in some aspects, he had lost to righteousness and the collective spirit of countless good people. He argued that suffering and hatred should never justify harming the innocent, and that Yesha's actions against the Qi Kingdom were no different from what the Qi Kingdom had done to Haiya, only perpetuating a cycle of hatred.
Yesha, consumed by his belief that fate and heaven always favored Xiao Beiming and denied him victory, proclaimed that he had known there was no turning back the moment he aligned with Miao Jie. He admitted he had only trapped Xiao Beiming and Zhong Xueman in the underground passage, not killed them, because he wanted them to witness the Qi Kingdom's downfall.
He then acknowledged seeing the cenotaph built for Tong Shuang in Haiya, admitting some things were beyond his reach. With a final, chilling statement that it was best they never meet again in another life, Yesha committed suicide, bringing his tragic life to an end. One month later, the Emperor publicly disclosed the Haiya incident and the full details of the Yesha case.
Xiao Beiming and Zhong Xueman planned to return to Haiya to help rebuild their homes, fulfilling their promise to the Haiya people, a journey that might take a year or more. Zhuge Kongyun wanted to join them, but his father had assigned him duties, making him the new Chief of the Secret Investigation Unit, much to his chagrin. He complained about the loss of freedom but reluctantly accepted. The friends agreed to reunite in one year.
A year later, Xiao Beiming and Zhong Xueman held a second wedding ceremony at Dingfeng Pavilion. True to their playful rivalry, Zhuge Kongyun, now Chief of the Secret Investigation Unit, was again the one leading the horse, having lost a bet to Xiao Beiming the night before. He comically lamented his loss of face, but accepted his unique role in history as the Chief who led the greatest detective's horse twice for the same bride.
As Zhong Xueman's father expressed his peace at seeing her marry, Xiao Beiming playfully asked his wife if she was impatient. She admitted she had waited long enough. Just as they shared a tender moment, an urgent report arrived: a major new case required their immediate attention. The couple, along with Zhuge Kongyun and others, immediately set off to face this new challenge.
