Detective L Episode 10 Recap
> Detective L Recap
Luo Fei, lost in thought during a game of billiards with Benjamin, couldn't shake the previous case from his mind. He expressed deep regret, believing that Xiao Lu's death was his own oversight, that he had unwittingly sent him to Captain. Luo Fei questioned if Captain, long deemed to be suffering from dementia, might have recovered and was secretly controlling an underground organization, especially after Xiao Lu wrote "Captain" before dying.
To address Luo Fei's persistent doubts, Qin Xiaoman brought in Dr. Huo Wen Si, a top psychologist. Both Benjamin and Dr. Huo affirmed that structural damage to the nervous system, like Captain's gunshot wound, was irreversible, making recovery a medical miracle with no known precedents. However, Luo Fei wasn't convinced.
He pointed to the unidentifiable fake police car and the two fake police officers who had disappeared without a trace after taking Xiao Lu, solidifying his theory that Captain was not only mobile but also commanded a secret syndicate. If recovery was impossible, Luo Fei speculated, then there was only one other explanation: Captain had been faking his dementia for ten years.
Dr. Huo dismissed this, arguing no one could maintain such a facade for so long without succumbing to genuine dementia. Despite the professional opinion, Luo Fei remained steadfast. Dr. Huo conducted another thorough examination of Captain, reaffirming that the dementia was indeed real. Unwilling to accept this, Luo Fei attempted to force his way into the prison, believing Captain would be most vulnerable to exposure when he felt safest.
Qin Xiaoman and the prison guards intervened, restraining him and preventing his unauthorized entry. Detective Superintendent Savoy summoned Luo Fei, scolding him for causing a disturbance at the prison. Qin Xiaoman tried to intercede, explaining Luo Fei’s actions were driven by the Xiao Lu case, but Savoy cut her off. Savoy then reminded Luo Fei that he had smoothed over the prison incident and now Luo Fei owed him a favor.
He needed Luo Fei's help to solve a high-rise theft involving the ambassador's wife's stolen jewelry, "The Tears of Venus," which he promised to resolve within three days. Luo Fei reluctantly agreed, despite accusing Savoy of cheating at their chess game. Luo Fei explained the thief was not human, but a highly trained macaw.
He cited a blue feather found at the crime scene, which his men had dismissed as belonging to the ambassador's wife's hat but was actually from a macaw. Savoy immediately recalled that the ambassador's wife had visited the Dumas Circus the day before the theft and promptly issued a search warrant for the circus. Luo Fei, seeing the case resolved, then suggested solving a more "interesting" case, rather than just theft.
Just then, Qin Xiaoman burst into Savoy's office, reporting a murder on 4th Road that required police support. Savoy quickly assigned the case to Ye Chang Qing, telling Qin Xiaoman it was "not suitable" for her as 4th Road was not a place for "girls." Qin Xiaoman argued vehemently, asserting her identity as a "lady cop" and emphasizing that "ability is important in crime-solving, not seniority."
Luo Fei, amused, jokingly praised Qin Xiaoman's fighting prowess before deciding to head to the crime scene himself, with Qin Xiaoman following, ignoring Savoy's stern warning not to interfere with Ye Chang Qing's investigation. At the Tian Xiang Hotel, Ye Chang Qing was already on the scene, confidently declaring the case a typical burglary homicide, based on visible signs of a struggle and a missing wallet.
Luo Fei and Qin Xiaoman arrived, and Luo Fei immediately contradicted Ye Chang Qing, pointing out that valuable items like the victim's rings and jade bangle were still present. Ye Chang Qing fumbled for an explanation, suggesting the killer fled prematurely. Luo Fei then dramatically found the "missing" wallet hidden under a bag, exposing the inadequacy of the initial search.
Undeterred, Ye Chang Qing revised his theory, claiming the victim must have been an unlicensed prostitute killed over a dispute about payment. Luo Fei again refuted this, highlighting the victim's expensive, tailor-made cheongsam contrasted with her old shoes, cheap jewelry, and inexpensive cosmetics, indicating she was not a typical prostitute. Feeling undermined, Ye Chang Qing angrily accused Luo Fei of being drunk and speaking nonsense, urging him to show some respect.
Luo Fei offered a deal: if he and Qin Xiaoman were allowed to participate, Ye Chang Qing would take all the credit. Seeing the benefit, Ye Chang Qing agreed, but warned them never to question him in front of his subordinates again. Luo Fei and Qin Xiaoman then examined the body more closely, noting a triangular cut on the right carotid artery, suggesting a small knife as the weapon.
Luo Fei also observed that the killer had intentionally slashed the victim’s face after death, possibly indicating deep-seated hatred or an attempt to send a message. At the hotel, the manager informed them that Room 201 had been registered by a "Mrs. Wang." She arrived alone in the late afternoon, but a "Mr. Wang" appeared around 6 PM, just as a singing competition featuring Zhou Xuan was playing on the radio.
He left quickly, before the first song concluded, within approximately three minutes. Qin Xiaoman suspected Mr. Wang, but Luo Fei dismissed him as a suspect, reasoning that three minutes was insufficient time to commit a murder. He concluded that the victim must have already been dead when Mr. Wang arrived, placing the time of death between 4 and 6 PM.
Luo Fei then decided to investigate the unique, tailor-made imported serge fabric cheongsam worn by the victim, believing it held a key clue. After visiting several tailor shops in the French Concession, they located Wang's Tailor on Tong Fu Road, which used the distinctive fabric and stitching. The shop assistant's records initially listed only three customers for the specific material, whose sizes didn't match the victim.
However, Luo Fei, calculating the fabric remnants, deduced that a fourth cheongsam had been made. The assistant then remembered it was made for the owner's wife, Mrs. Wang, which perfectly explained the discrepancy between the expensive qipao and her modest accessories. They requested to speak with the owner. They found Wang Jia De, the tailor, who was initially dismissive.
He said his wife, Zhao Qi Meng, had gone to Mrs. Li's house across the street to play mahjong yesterday after receiving a phone call and hadn't returned. An assistant confirmed that Zhao Qi Meng frequently played mahjong and often won money. Wang Jia De angrily yelled at his assistant and cursed his wife, saying she was always out and it would be good if she died outside.
Luo Fei confirmed Zhao Qi Meng's attire with him—the green cheongsam, gold necklace, jade bangle, and white handbag. When questioned about his whereabouts between 4 PM and 6 PM yesterday, Wang Jia De stated he was making clothes at his shop and saw no need for proof. Luo Fei then bluntly informed him that a female corpse matching his wife's description had been found, and he needed to identify it at the police station.
Qin Xiaoman suggested to Luo Fei that Wang Jia De might be the killer, but Luo Fei doubted it, noting Wang Jia De's current behavior didn't appear to be deceitful, and no murderer would brandish a weapon in front of detectives. They then visited Mrs. Li, Zhao Qi Meng's mahjong partner, who expressed sorrow over Zhao Qi Meng's death. Mrs. Li described Zhao Qi Meng as kind, beautiful, and soft-spoken, making it unlikely she had enemies.
However, Mrs. Li revealed that Zhao Qi Meng had stopped playing mahjong recently due to the tailor shop's poor business, directly contradicting Wang Jia De's claim about her playing yesterday. Mrs. Li then confided, "secretly," that Wang Jia De was not a good man, frequently drinking, beating his wife when business was bad, and even threatening to kill her with scissors, which Mrs. Li had personally overheard.
At the morgue, Wang Jia De was overcome with emotion upon seeing Zhao Qi Meng's body, crying out her name and demanding the police find her killer. He became agitated when officers tried to question him, violently resisting and protesting his innocence, shouting that he couldn't have killed his wife. He was ultimately restrained and taken into custody. Luo Fei and Qin Xiaoman consulted Benjamin, who had conducted a toxicology report on Zhao Qi Meng.
The report showed traces of strychnine, but in a dose too small to be fatal. Benjamin also detected musk in her stomach. Luo Fei quickly recognized the combination as a cheap contraceptive commonly used by prostitutes on 4th Road, leading him to conclude that Zhao Qi Meng was an unlicensed prostitute, or "dark whore," operating secretly without her husband's knowledge. Luo Fei advised Qin Xiaoman to get some rest to be energetic for further investigation.
Meanwhile, Ye Chang Qing brought Wang Jia De from his cell for interrogation, having instructed his subordinate to keep him awake all night. Wang Jia De, exhausted, pleaded for sleep, insisting he hadn't killed anyone. Ye Chang Qing presented Wang Jia De's own pair of tailor's scissors, demonstrating how they could be separated into two blades, approximately three inches long and half an inch wide, which created a triangular cut precisely matching the victim's wound.
He then accused Wang Jia De of murdering his wife with the scissors after tracking her to the Tian Xiang Hotel on 4th Road, where she was supposedly meeting a lover. Wang Jia De was visibly shocked by the mention of a lover and dating on 4th Road, vehemently denying any knowledge of an affair, though he cursed his wife, saying he wanted to kill her for such betrayal.
Ye Chang Qing left, telling his subordinate to continue the relentless interrogation and prevent Wang Jia De from sleeping until he confessed. Later, Ye Chang Qing returned and told Wang Jia De that they had made a mistake, and his wife did not have a lover. Wang Jia De seemed relieved but was still held for questioning. Ye Chang Qing then presented Zhao Qi Meng's autopsy report, which revealed she had been taking contraceptives.
Wang Jia De reacted with disbelief, asserting they were trying to have a child. Ye Chang Qing probed about their home telephone, which Wang Jia De explained was for tailoring business but was mostly used by his wife's mahjong partners, specifically Mrs. Li, who called every Wednesday and Friday afternoon. He confirmed Zhao Qi Meng always won at mahjong, bringing money home to supplement their income.
Ye Chang Qing then delivered the crushing truth: Zhao Qi Meng had not played mahjong in years, and the calls were from a contact for a syndicate of unlicensed prostitutes. His wife had been secretly working as a "dark whore" under the guise of playing mahjong.
Ye Chang Qing then painted a scenario where Wang Jia De, suspicious of her late nights, had followed her to the hotel, and in an uncontrollable rage after discovering her secret, killed her with the scissors. Wang Jia De's face transformed, a mixture of profound shock and immense anger washing over him.
