Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Episode 1 Recap
> Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Recap
In the Jingyun Reign of the Tang Dynasty, a black cat stealthily entered the residence of Wu Daqi, the Sheriff of Chang'an. Startled from his sleep, Wu Daqi, enraged, tried to strike down the creature, calling it a "beast." However, the black cat transformed into a woman in red, who melodiously recited, "Spring wind is sentimental, too, Blowing my silk dress flapping loose." She then softly inquired if Wu Daqi had forgotten her.
Briefly bewildered, Wu Daqi quickly regained his composure, branding her a "demon" and declaring that as the Sheriff of Chang'an, he would "kill the demon and get rid of an evil for the people." Yet, in his pursuit, he accidentally fell into a lake and drowned. The next day, his body was discovered. Lu Lingfeng, a General of the Imperial Guards, arrived to investigate and noted the persistent presence of a black cat in the courtyard.
Su Wuming, a direct disciple of Detective Di, took office as the new Sheriff of Chang'an. As he stood atop the city walls, he mused that beneath Chang'an's seemingly "peaceful and bright" and "prosperous just like a dream" facade lay deep, unpredictable shadows where "ghosts are everywhere," quoting his esteemed teacher. Lu Lingfeng sternly warned Su Wuming not to "show off" Detective Di's quotations in front of him.
He pressed Su Wuming to swiftly uncover the truth behind Wu Daqi's "many strange and suspicious" drowning, assuring that he would "supervise" the investigation to ensure Sheriff Wu did not "die without a clear reason." Meanwhile, a wedding procession was taking place below. Dou Cong, daughter of a prominent family, was to marry Song Chai, a man from a declining noble household, outside Chang'an.
Dou Yulin, Dou Cong’s brother, repeatedly cautioned Song Chai to treat his sister well, mindful of their differing statuses, but Song Chai pledged his devotion, calling the marriage a "blessing." According to Tang custom, after the bride was escorted out of the city, the groom had to return to the bridal chamber first to await her. Song Chai departed, leaving Dou Yulin to continue escorting his sister. Unexpectedly, thunder boomed on a clear day, startling the horses.
Dou Cong’s carriage bolted, causing her to fall out. A masked man suddenly appeared behind her, terrifying her into a scream. As the incident unfolded, Dou Yulin watched, a slight smirk playing on his lips. Later that evening, a body was discovered in a secluded garden. Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng arrived to investigate. Su Wuming observed that the red cloth shrouding the body had been disturbed, implying someone had already examined it.
He indirectly accused Lu Lingfeng of interfering, stating that "turning over the body at will can greatly hinder the effect of the autopsy." Su Wuming pointed out that the Imperial Guards were meant for "guarding His Majesty and patrolling Chang'an," not for investigating homicide cases in Chang'an County, thus accusing Lu Lingfeng of "overstepping his authority."
Lu Lingfeng countered that the capital had seen "many murders" over the past year, leading him to suspect a conspiracy against the court and the emperor. He dismissed Su Wuming's query about old case files as irrelevant to the Imperial Guards and urged him to focus on solving the case, so as not to "humiliate Detective Di" by failing. Su Wuming, however, believed Lu Lingfeng was trying to test him.
Upon examining the deceased, Su Wuming identified her as a new bride, clad in a wedding dress. She wore a Fang Xiang mask, a "divinity that leads the way" used for exorcising ghosts at funerals, which, according to Tang ritual, was reserved for officials of the fourth rank or higher. The mask was deeply embedded in her skin, fused with her face, a gruesome detail that suggested the murderer's methods were "bizarre and terrifying."
Su Wuming instructed his subordinate to find out which family had lost a bride, noting that similar cases had begun "a year ago," in early July. Lu Lingfeng jokingly asked if Su Wuming aspired to be the President of the Supreme Court, given his keen interest in homicides, then warned him against being "beaten" for his insolence before leaving for night patrol.
That night, Assistant Minister Pei Jian, having heard of Su Wuming’s success in solving a case for the princess, hosted a banquet in his honor, attended by Wen Chao, the Minister of the Household, and Magistrate Yuan. During the feast, Pei Jian’s daughter, Pei Xijun, burst in, carrying a portrait of General Xiao.
She declared her unwavering resolve to marry Xiao, even if it meant marrying his portrait, despite her father’s insistence that Xiao had "died on the battlefield" and that she was "crazy." As Pei Xijun was escorted away, Su Wuming noted the striking resemblance between General Xiao in the portrait and Lu Lingfeng. Meanwhile, Lu Lingfeng, while on patrol, apprehended a thief who had stolen golden cakes.
He returned the gold to its owner, who mentioned that he had intended to use it to buy Chang'an red tea, a rare and popular "immortal tea" in the capital, highly sought after by nobles and even the emperor and princess. Back at the banquet, Pei Jian, to soothe the awkwardness caused by his daughter, offered to treat his guests to Chang'an red tea.
Magistrate Yuan praised the tea’s unique ingredients and preparation, claiming it could invigorate the elderly and imbue the young with "infinite energy," even potentially allowing one to "reach the fairyland." However, as Su Wuming accepted his cup, he unexpectedly collapsed. The next day, Su Wuming awoke in his new residence, which happened to be the very place Wu Daqi had died.
His old servant, Su Qian, found the house ominous, but Su Wuming dismissed such superstitions, asserting that the truth of the case was always "so close to us." Magistrate Yuan visited, expressing concern over Su Wuming’s fainting spell. Su Wuming confessed that he had suffered from "hemophobia since childhood," and the tea’s "blood-like color" had triggered his collapse.
Magistrate Yuan, impressed by Su Wuming's ability to solve cases despite this, then informed him that all the old case files regarding the missing brides had been "confiscated" by the Yongzhou Government, the Supreme Court, and the Imperial Guards after Wu Daqi’s death and had "not been returned." Su Wuming later sought out Lu Lingfeng, asking if he knew Pei Xijun, specifically mentioning the portrait that looked like him.
Lu Lingfeng flatly denied any acquaintance, accusing Su Wuming of "clinging to powerful people" and "looking at paintings" instead of focusing on his duties. He then abruptly told Su Wuming that the deceased bride was from the Dou family, and the Imperial Guards had already notified them for identification. Su Wuming, sensing Lu Lingfeng’s discomfort, deduced that he indeed knew Miss Xijun. At the mortuary, Su Wuming met Dou Cong's grieving parents and her brother, Dou Yulin.
Despite the damage to the body, Dou Cong was identified by a red mole behind her ear and a birthmark on her waist. Su Wuming pledged to find the killer. Dou Yulin immediately accused Song Chai, the groom, of the murder. Su Wuming questioned Song Chai, who denied the accusation. Song Chai explained his impoverished background, stating that his parents were dead and his family had fallen apart.
He revealed that the Dou family had long wished to cancel the engagement, with Dou Yulin frequently "speaking rudely" and sabotaging the wedding. Song Chai lamented that if it weren’t for his father-in-law's insistence and Dou Cong’s genuine affection for him, the marriage would never have happened. Su Wuming also questioned Dou Yulin about why he hadn't pursued the carriage when the horse bolted. Dou Yulin claimed he went to "drink" out of unhappiness with the marriage.
Concluding that Song Chai was a gambler and thus unreliable, Su Wuming instructed his subordinate to have Song Chai report his whereabouts to the county government daily, fearing he might flee. Unbeknownst to Su Wuming, Lu Lingfeng had also independently deduced that Song Chai was a gambler based on his late return home and destitute living conditions.
He tracked Song Chai to a gambling den and, pretending to be a fellow gambler, attempted to learn his secrets to "getting seed money," subtly hinting at marrying a wealthy wife. Suddenly, two men confronted Song Chai, accusing him of cheating them after he had shown them Dou Cong, whom they intended to sell to the eastern region. They claimed Dou Cong never arrived at his home as promised and demanded their money back.
Lu Lingfeng, revealing his true identity as a General of the Imperial Guards, intervened to fend off the traffickers. Song Chai seized the opportunity to escape with his winnings. However, he encountered night patrols who, in accordance with curfew regulations, ordered him to stop. When Song Chai, desperate to keep his money, refused and kept running, he was shot dead.
Su Wuming arrived on the scene, furious, accusing Lu Lingfeng of repeatedly "obstructing his investigation" and threatening to report him to the princess. Lu Lingfeng challenged his authority, but Su Wuming, though an eighth-rank sheriff, asserted his position as "an official of Tang" in the "county of Chang'an," not a place for "palace guards like you to act tough."
Su Wuming pointed out that Imperial Guard protocol for curfew breakers required three warnings: a plucked bowstring, an arrow shot at the feet, and only then a fatal shot. He demanded to know how many arrows were used to kill Song Chai, implying a direct, unprovoked killing. Lu Lingfeng conceded that the Imperial Guards' actions were "improper," but claimed it was done "in emergency, not on purpose," trying to downplay the incident.
He acknowledged Su Wuming's sharp deduction that Song Chai was a gambler. Back at the county government, Su Wuming interrogated the captured human traffickers. They reiterated that Song Chai had brought them to "check the goods"—Dou Cong—whom they found beautiful and planned to sell. They claimed Song Chai had promised delivery after the wedding procession, but the bride "didn't even come in," leading them to believe he had cheated them.
Su Wuming then re-examined Dou Cong’s corpse, noting its unusual lack of decay and a lingering, unfamiliar fragrance. He deduced a "preservative spice" had been used. In the West Market, a hub for foreign merchants and exotic goods, Su Wuming spoke with Kang Yuanli, the government official of the West Market, about various spices.
Kang Yuanli confirmed that no such preservative spice was available there, suggesting it might be found in the ominous "Ghost Market," but warned against visiting it due to its ill effects on one's vitality. The abandoned bridal carriage was eventually located in a village 17. 5km outside Mingde Gate.
Lu Lingfeng went to investigate and learned from the villagers that the horse pulling the carriage had been "exhausted to death," its body covered in "sweat," which Lu Lingfeng suspected was actually "blood." He then found Su Wuming at Wu Daqi's old residence, sitting in the pond, trying to mentally recreate Wu Daqi's final moments to understand how he could have drowned in such shallow water.
Lu Lingfeng called him "crazy," but Su Wuming insisted Wu Daqi must have been in a "frenzied state." Discussing the horse, they theorized that someone had "tampered with the horse" to cause its violent reaction. Considering Dou Yulin’s hostility towards Song Chai and his failure to pursue his sister’s runaway carriage, their suspicions turned to him. They immediately proceeded to the Dou residence.
A servant informed them that Dou Yulin had been severely depressed, crying nightly, but she had seen him drink porridge that morning. Upon forcing open his door, Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming discovered Dou Yulin hanging dead in his room.
