Luoyang Episode 1 Recap
> Luoyang Recap
When the empress was enthroned, the dynasty was in turmoil. To solidify her domination, she popularized the practice of tipping off, allowing commoners to enter the capital city to disclose secrets and grievances. This trend boomed in the capital city of Luoyang until the fall of oppressive officials during the Daqing period, when it gradually declined, and informers disappeared. However, in the third year of the Dacheng period, an informer suddenly reappeared, disrupting the capital city's peace once more.
The South of the Capital was the capital city's largest commercial hub, filled with merchants and bustling crowds. An old man, Lin Zhong, accompanied by his daughter Lin Yan, asked for directions to Dangyang Tavern, where he intended to tip off. Their movements were being watched by Grand Court mortician Gao Bingzhu and an assassin who had been following them. Meanwhile, Interior Guard Services officer Wu Siyue was escorting Princess Yongchuan, who was mesmerized by the vibrant market.
Wu Siyue stayed close, concerned the princess might get separated in the throng. Dangyang Tavern was packed with spectators. Baili Hongyi, an official from the Ministry of Works and a discerning gourmet, was a regular. He meticulously critiqued the preparation of a snakehead fish dish, asserting that only Dangyang Tavern among those he had reviewed held his approval. The assassin who followed Lin Zhong and his daughter to Dangyang Tavern.
Lin Zhong approached Baili Hongyi, reporting that he and his daughter had traveled from Mount Lian to the capital city to blow the whistle, but had been attacked on their journey and their escorting soldiers scattered. Before he could reveal more, an assassin attacked Lin Zhong. Baili Hongyi quickly threw a bowl of hot soup at the assailant, covering Lin Zhong and Lin Yan’s escape.
Baili Hongyi also intended to follow, but Shen Fei, a guard from his mansion, called him away, reminding him of his responsibilities at the Heavenly Hall project. As the assassin pursued Lin Zhong and his daughter, chaos erupted. In the ensuing pandemonium, another assassin, disguised as a merchant, suddenly attacked Princess Yongchuan. Wu Siyue bravely fought back, while nearby Interior Guard Services guards rushed to protect the princess.
She commanded her guards to capture the assassin alive, but the assailant committed suicide immediately upon being apprehended. From a second-story vantage point, Gao Bingzhu observed the entire melee. He briefly intervened to stop the assassin's suicide attempt before quickly disappearing. Wu Siyue, having noticed him, attempted to follow, but Gao Bingzhu vanished without a trace, prompting her to return to the palace to report on the incident.
Princess Yongchuan returned to the palace in distress, tearfully recounting her ordeal to Crown Princess Du. Sir Wu, Wu Youjue, and Wu Siyue then presented themselves to apologize, with Sir Wu assuring the Crown Princess that they would provide a full explanation. Wu Siyue attempted to report on the suspicious details of the incident, but Wu Youjue quickly interrupted her, inquiring if Princess Yongchuan had already met the empress, who was greatly concerned.
Later, Wu Siyue pressed Wu Youjue for his reasons, highlighting three key suspicious points: why Princess Yongchuan, who was not involved in politics, was targeted; why innocent bystanders were killed; and why the assassin committed suicide so swiftly after capture. Wu Youjue, however, dismissed her concerns, stating that the Interior Guard Services' duty was solely to protect the empress, the imperial clan, and the capital city, not to investigate such matters, which fell under the Grand Court’s jurisdiction.
He gently chastised her for being reckless and outspoken. At the site of the Heavenly Hall project in Taichu Palace, Baili Hongyi conducted an inspection, much to his guard Shen Fei’s quiet exasperation at his unauthorized absence. Baili Hongyi discovered that pinewood, which is prone to dampness and expansion, had been used for the "dougongs" instead of willow. He immediately ordered the artisans to redo the work, explaining that pinewood could not adequately support the main hall’s beams.
The artisans expressed concern that it would take over half a month to transport willow to the capital city, potentially delaying the project and incurring the empress's displeasure. Despite their worries, Baili Hongyi remained resolute in his demand for a rework, stating that it was his last day in the Ministry of Works. Baili Yan, the Minister of Works, arrived, attempting to dissuade his son, Baili Hongyi, from his decision.
Baili Hongyi, having already submitted his resignation in defiance of an arranged marriage, refused to engage and departed abruptly. Baili Yan, acknowledging his son's motive, sternly reminded him that the marriage was set and he could not escape it. Meanwhile, Gao Sheng, Officer of the Grand Court, arrived at the South of the Capital.
Witnessing the chaos and numerous innocent casualties, and learning that the Interior Guard Services had taken both the deceased assassin (who committed suicide after attacking the princess) and a sole living captive, he promptly ordered his men to retrieve the captive and transport all bodies, including those of other assassins, back to the Grand Court for thorough investigation. Among those carrying the bodies, Gao Bingzhu, the mortician, was surprised to discover the corpse of Lin Yan, the informer's daughter.
Chen Que, the registrar of the Grand Court, visited the dungeon, sternly instructing the guards to keep the sole captured assassin under strict watch, as he was crucial to the South of the Capital case. Shortly after Chen Que’s departure, Gao Bingzhu, masked, stormed into the cell and stabbed the assassin three times. Believing he was fatally wounded, the assassin revealed that the informer father and daughter were dead and that the Divine Way's great mission was nearing completion.
Gao Bingzhu, impatient, pressed for information about "the man who used a polearm" and his current location. The assassin, recognizing Gao Bingzhu was not from the Divine Way, refused to answer further questions. Gao Bingzhu then revealed that none of his stabs were fatal, ensuring the assassin's survival for future interrogation, and promised to return.
Wu Siyue led a night raid on the Grand Court, demanding to participate in the interrogation of the captured assassin, whom she insisted was originally apprehended by her Interior Guard Services. Gao Sheng, Officer of the Grand Court, adamantly refused her request, citing procedural rules and her lack of a stamped official document from Sir Wu. He firmly dismissed her, subtly referencing the empress's authority. Moments later, a guard burst in, reporting a jailbreak and a stabbing in the dungeon.
Gao Sheng, along with Pei Jian, the managing clerk of the Grand Court, rushed to the scene, finding the assassin gravely wounded. Gao Sheng immediately dispatched him for medical treatment, prioritizing his survival. Gao Bingzhu located Lin Zhong's body. He retrieved an official document from Lin Zhong, which confirmed that he and his daughter originated from Mount Lian. Gao Bingzhu noticed a distinctive cross-shaped wound on Lin Zhong's body, caused by a curved saber.
Upon examining Lin Yan’s corpse, he found an identical wound, and a sudden realization dawned on him. Restaurateurs clamored for Baili Hongyi’s approval, as his “not bad” rating could turn any dish into a popular sensation. Shen Fei diligently managed the long queues of eager proprietors. Baili Hongyi was invited to a lamb soup restaurant in the west of the capital, where he was approached by Gao Bingzhu.
Gao Bingzhu informed him that Lin Zhong and his young daughter were dead, observing that such a young lady had not even had the chance to experience the capital city’s splendor. Gao Bingzhu revealed an intimate knowledge of Baili Hongyi's habits, stating he had been following him for a month, knew he frequented over seventy food stalls, had rated more than twenty as "acceptable," and only one, Dangyang Tavern, as "excellent."
He remarked that the informers did not seem like patrons of Dangyang Tavern, and implied that Baili Hongyi had been present when they escaped. Gao Bingzhu then confirmed he had left his money at home, suggesting Baili Hongyi pay, before departing with a cryptic promise that their paths would cross again. Wu Siyue reported back to Wu Youjue.
He was well aware that Gao Sheng, Officer of the Grand Court, was attempting to seize credit for the case and frame the Interior Guard Services, suggesting that the assassin's near-fatal stabbing was part of this scheme. Wu Youjue then assigned Wu Siyue the task of investigating the whereabouts of Lin Zhong and his daughter. Wu Siyue proceeded to the Grand Court, where she located the bodies of Lin Zhong and Lin Yan.
She questioned the morticians who had handled the corpses, asking if they had found any hidden letters or tokens. The morticians denied any such discovery, explaining their strict professional rule against taking anything from the deceased to avoid eternal damnation. Later, a guard reported that the captured assassin, previously stabbed by Gao Bingzhu, had succumbed to his injuries despite being sent for medical treatment.
Wu Siyue was taken aback, observing that the man had survived three stabs but died after being sent for care. She immediately suspected a traitor within the Grand Court, implicitly accusing them of an intentional killing to silence the captive. At that moment, Gao Bingzhu stepped forward and confessed that he was the one who had stabbed the assassin in the dungeon.
