Resumo do episódio 1 de The Four
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Twenty years ago, the Four Murderers terrorized the capital with their cruel methods and profound martial arts, committing heinous crimes against honest officials and ordinary citizens alike. It was Lord Zhuge Zhengwo of the Shenhou Mansion who ultimately subdued them with his formidable "stunning spear" technique and imprisoned them in the supposedly impregnable Tianshan Dungeon. Sixteen years later, the Four Murderers managed to break free from their confinement, driven by a desire for revenge.
An Shigeng, who had been observing the capital for these sixteen years, orchestrated their escape and prepared for a confrontation with the Four Famous Constables, who had been trained by Zhuge Zhengwo. The Four Murderers were eager to settle scores with the Famous Constables and their mentor. A fierce battle erupted between the Four Famous Constables and the Four Murderers. During the intense fight, Leng Xie, one of the Famous Constables, faced Yan Zhao, a prominent member of the murderers.
Leng Xie was subjected to freezing ice, but instead of being defeated, he used the extreme cold to successfully cultivate his "Sirius Shifting Hand" technique, which he previously couldn't master due to his inherently hot blood. As the Four Famous Constables were in the process of apprehending the Four Murderers at daybreak, officials from the Six Doors, led by Commander Han and accompanied by Yu Chuntong, arrived on the scene.
They immediately moved to take custody of the captured criminals, including Tu Wan. The Six Doors asserted their jurisdiction over the capital, presenting an imperial token as proof of their authority. Yu Chuntong's arrogant demeanor further fueled the Famous Constables' resentment. Zhuiming and Tie Shou, among others, openly expressed their frustration, accusing the Six Doors of consistently arriving late to claim credit and abusing the imperial token. They defiantly refused to hand over the prisoners.
However, at that moment, urgent news arrived: four high-ranking government ministers and their entire households had been brutally massacred during the night. Lord Zhuge Zhengwo had ordered the Four Famous Constables to investigate the crime scenes immediately.
Recognizing this as a deliberate "lure the tiger away from the mountain" tactic orchestrated by an unknown mastermind—the Four Murderers having been used to distract the Shenhou Mansion and Six Doors while their puppet master attacked the officials—the Famous Constables had no choice but to abandon the captured murderers and split up to investigate. At one of the murder sites, the Famous Constables carefully examined the scene.
They noted that the victims had multiple non-fatal injuries and leg fractures consistent with falls after death. The fatal wounds were to the neck, yet curiously, there were no external marks. This suggested an extremely efficient killer who could dispatch many victims in the shortest time, using a peculiar method—perhaps with just two fingers or a light object—requiring minimal force and leaving no obvious traces for a superficial inspection. Adding to the mystery, the bodies of the victims were missing.
While some citizens whispered about demonic activity, Leng Xie dismissed such superstitions, firmly believing that human hands were responsible for the atrocities. Ji Yaohua, a female constable from the Shenhou Mansion, returned to report their findings to Lord Zhuge. Meanwhile, Chu Yingxue, a spirited young woman, tried desperately to avoid being selected as a royal concubine. Despite her attempts to escape, she was apprehended and brought back to her family home.
Her father, fearing the consequences of defying an imperial decree, pleaded with her on his knees, explaining that refusal would lead to the execution of their entire family. Chu Yingxue, however, was resolute, threatening suicide rather than marrying the Emperor, whom she considered old enough to be her grandfather. Her stepmother suggested a drastic measure. Unable to sway her, her father reluctantly had a sedative mixed into a cup of tea, which Chu Yingxue drank, causing her to fall unconscious.
She was then delivered to the imperial officials for transport to the palace. Chu Yingxue woke up inside a carriage, surrounded by other young women who shared her unwilling fate as concubine candidates. While another girl attempted to comfort a crying girl, Chu Yingxue grimly outlined the bleak realities of palace life: the dangers of jealousy if favored by the Emperor, or a lifetime of loneliness if not, always separated from family.
Soon after, another showgirl, He Xiaoyu, who had attempted to escape, was recaptured by the escorting officials. He Xiaoyu tearfully confided in Chu Yingxue that she was in love with a Mr. Zhang and had pledged her life to him, unable to abandon him, especially as he had fallen ill due to their separation. Chu Yingxue revealed her own predicament, having been drugged by her stepmother and forced into the carriage.
Recognizing their shared desire for freedom, Chu Yingxue quickly began formulating an escape plan. That evening, while lodged at an inn, Chu Yingxue generously offered to pay for all the food and wine for the escorting officials and her fellow showgirls. She and the other girls then entertained the guards with song and dance. Chu Yingxue personally served the commander, expressing her sorrow at her impending royal fate and flattering his imposing presence, successfully coaxing him into drinking more.
Unbeknownst to the guards, the drinks were laced with a powerful sedative. Once all the officials had fallen unconscious, Chu Yingxue quickly rallied the other showgirls, and they successfully made their escape from the inn. Back at the Six Doors prison, female constable Ji Yaohua and her constables arrived to investigate. A mysterious red smoke filled the prison cells. Once the smoke cleared, the guards were found dead, and the Four Murderers had vanished.
It was later revealed that Yu Chuntong, a constable from the Six Doors, had, in fact, aided the Four Murderers in their escape and brought them to An Shigeng. An Shigeng promptly presented the Four Murderers with poisoned tea, effectively ensuring their continued obedience, as they would require regular antidotes from him to survive.
An Shigeng also revealed to his subordinate, the Nine-tailed Fox, that she had more important tasks to fulfill after successfully executing his previous orders, such as the murder of the four ministers.
