Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Episode 2 Recap
> Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Recap
Upon arriving at Dou Yulin's residence, Lu Lingfeng observed that Dou Yulin had consumed porridge that morning, indicating the murderer had not long fled the scene. He promptly ordered Guo Zhuang to pursue the culprit. Su Wuming, examining the body, noted that a person who hangs themselves typically has shut eyes and an open mouth; the position of the tongue depends on where the rope is tied. Dou Yulin's hands were also not clenched.
From these observations, Su Wuming concluded that Dou Yulin had been throttled before being hung. Lu Lingfeng instructed Xiao Wu to gather all Dou family members for questioning. The stableman revealed that Dou Yulin had personally chosen, fed, and driven the horse, and had been seen adding something to its water. A servant later confirmed that Dou Yulin had returned home drunk late on the night Dou Cong disappeared, visibly distraught and questioning where things went wrong.
Lu Lingfeng also found crushed tiles on the backyard wall, suggesting the killer's escape route. Su Wuming noticed the maid Ling'er acting suspiciously and questioned her privately. Ling'er tearfully stated her belief that Yin Shilang had killed Dou Yulin and pleaded with Su Wuming to avenge him. In a separate location, Yin Shilang boasted about narrowly escaping the Imperial Guards.
He recounted how Dou Cong's "foolish" younger brother had asked him to kidnap his sister because he disliked the arranged marriage. Yin Shilang, needing a bride, seized the opportunity, abducting and killing Dou Cong. He then killed Dou Yulin to silence him. Su Wuming later explained to Lu Lingfeng that Dou Yulin, knowing Song Chai was a gambler, had desperately sought to prevent his sister from marrying him.
Despite Dou Cong's insistence on upholding the engagement, Dou Yulin, through word-of-mouth, learned of Yin Shilang's "omnipotent" reputation in the Ghost Market and sought his help with a large sum of money. However, Yin Shilang, a villain, not only kidnapped and killed Dou Cong but also murdered Dou Yulin to cover his tracks. Su Wuming concluded that Yin Shilang was the prime suspect, emphasizing the need for thorough investigation before jumping to conclusions.
The revelation that Ling'er had an affair with Dou Yulin also emerged. Su Wuming announced his intention to venture into the perilous Ghost Market. However, the Chang'an County constables, including some who had previously accompanied the former Sheriff Wu Daqi to the Ghost Market and witnessed his subsequent bizarre behavior and death, all offered various excuses to avoid going.
Su Wuming, dismissing their fears of ghosts, decided to go alone, also planning to investigate the strange spice used on Dou Cong's body. His old servant, Su Qian, despite his concerns about the dangers, insisted on accompanying him. Su Wuming, drawing on his knowledge, described the Ghost Market as an underground world near Xuandu Temple, a result of a sinking depression, where the city's strict curfews led homeless people and night traders to gather.
He confidently recalled his own experiences visiting it multiple times with his teacher, Detective Di. While in the Ghost Market, Su Wuming was accidentally knocked over by a chicken thief. The thief, noticing the distinct scent of the spice on Su Wuming, panicked and repeatedly screamed, "Ghost!" , before fleeing. Su Wuming and Su Qian then located Yin Shilang's establishment.
Outside, Su Wuming questioned a tea peddler about "Chang'an black tea," learning it was a highly sought-after commodity among the wealthy. As Su Wuming prepared to enter, he told Su Qian to wait outside, but Su Qian insisted on accompanying him. Upon entering the seemingly empty room, they were both ensnared in a net.
Lu Lingfeng and his Imperial Guards were revealed to be behind the trap, having targeted a tea peddler who had previously bought Chang'an black tea from Yin Shilang. Lu Lingfeng mocked Su Wuming for his inability to catch the real culprit and for disrupting his trap, accusing him of disgracing Detective Di's name. When Su Wuming appealed for Su Qian's release due to his age, Lu Lingfeng ordered them to be hoisted even higher, belittling a county sheriff's authority.
Suddenly, a ferocious tiger appeared, causing panic among the Imperial Guards who scrambled to jump out of the windows. Su Wuming, from his suspended position, urged Lu Lingfeng not to abandon his post and to fight the beast, reminding him of his noble family lineage. Lu Lingfeng, spurred by the insult, confronted the tiger. After striking it, he discovered it was merely an illusion crafted from several tiger skins.
Su Wuming explained his deduction: such a massive tiger would have left the Ghost Market filled with bones, not living people. He warned Lu Lingfeng that those who jumped out of the windows were likely dead, as the illusion was a ploy to force them outside where the real danger lay. Lu Lingfeng then looked out the window and found Xiao Wu and the tea peddler dead, having been killed by a volley of arrows.
As Lu Lingfeng ordered a search for the enchanter, a commotion outside announced "Immortal flying up to heaven!" Yin Shilang had escaped, transforming himself into a beautiful woman named Shi Yiniang, declaring that from now on, all transactions for Chang'an black tea would be conducted through her. The Dou family brought Ling'er to the county office, accusing her of theft. Ling'er denied stealing, stating she had merely taken Chang'an black tea left for her by Dou Yulin.
She explained that Dou Yulin had planned to sell the valuable tea in Luoyang to provide for Dou Cong and for her. After dismissing others, Su Wuming privately explained to Dou's father that Dou Yulin had acquired "Sweat Blood Powder," a Lingnan herb that induces horses to run wildly until death, to cause the carriage accident. Dou Yulin's intention was for Yin Shilang to abduct Dou Cong and take her to Luoyang until her father's anger subsided.
However, Yin Shilang proved to be a villain, turning Dou Yulin's plan into a tragic fate for his sister. Dou's father expressed deep regret for insisting on the marriage and blamed himself for the deaths of both his children. Su Wuming further revealed that Ling'er was also part of Dou Yulin's plan to go to Luoyang. He clarified that Ling'er had not stolen the tea but intended to sell it to raise her child.
Ling'er confessed that Dou Yulin, distressed by his sister's refusal to break off the engagement to the gambler, had drowned his sorrows in drink, leading to their affair. Hearing this, Dou's father, acknowledging the child as his family's flesh and blood, agreed to take Ling'er back and care for her. Su Wuming then examined the Chang'an black tea Ling'er had, and Su Qian found similar tea among former Sheriff Wu Daqi's belongings. Su Wuming decided to investigate both samples.
Meanwhile, Pei Xijun, still distraught, insisted on marrying "Xiao Lang" despite her father's pleas that General Xiao had died in battle. She claimed to have seen Xiao Lang the previous night and that he was alive. Pei Jian attempted to console her with Chang'an black tea, stating it could alleviate her pain, but she defiantly knocked it away, reiterating her sole desire to marry Xiao Lang.
Su Wuming visited Pei Jian, who appeared fatigued, and gently suggested he stop drinking Chang'an black tea, suspecting it contained illicit substances. Pei Jian, while admitting the tea hadn't helped him sleep, defended its quality, citing even the Princess drank it. He then recounted how he had once fainted after drinking it, mistaking its color for blood, and accused Su Wuming of making baseless claims due to personal aversion.
Su Wuming clarified his warning was not for personal gain but out of respect for Pei Jian, whom his teacher, Detective Di, held in high regard as a virtuous and knowledgeable pillar of the country. Su Wuming then inquired about General Xiao, noting Pei Xijun's vivid portrait. Pei Jian explained he had only met General Xiao a few times as a child and hadn't seen him since.
He revealed that General Xiao had briefly visited Chang'an to meet the Emperor but hadn't called upon him. Unbeknownst to Pei Jian, Pei Xijun had secretly hosted a farewell banquet for General Xiao, an act Pei Jian had overlooked, attributing it to youthful romance and their existing engagement. Su Wuming silently grasped the implication. Later, Su Wuming found Lu Lingfeng drinking heavily at home, consumed by guilt over Xiao Wu's death.
Lu Lingfeng expressed shame for being deceived by the illusion, feeling that Detective Di had been right to choose Su Wuming over him. Su Wuming attempted to console him, reminding him that everyone makes mistakes. Su Wuming then revealed he had learned that General Xiao Bozhao was Lu Lingfeng's cousin.
When Su Wuming described General Xiao as a tall man wielding a silver spear, Lu Lingfeng vehemently corrected him, stating Xiao Bozhao used two maces, was shorter, and wouldn't have died in the Western Region if he possessed such martial prowess. This exchange confirmed Su Wuming's suspicion: the man depicted in Pei Xijun's portrait was indeed Lu Lingfeng, not General Xiao. Lu Lingfeng, enraged by the realization, threatened Su Wuming, but his anger only further validated Su Wuming's deduction.
A messenger then arrived, summoning Lu Lingfeng to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince informed Lu Lingfeng of several high-ranking officials—Helan Mieming, Li Buqi, and Sun Xiu—who had mysteriously committed suicide in recent months. Lu Lingfeng reported that all three had been secretly consuming Chang'an black tea, which he declared to be "diabolically poisonous."
He cited the recent death of Professor Cui Dongwang, a respected official, who, after spending all his money on the tea and claiming to hear celestial calls, drowned himself. Lu Lingfeng explained he had infiltrated the Ghost Market to investigate Yin Shilang, the tea's seller, but fell victim to an enchanter's illusions, almost losing his life.
Recognizing the danger of the "demon tea" bewitching the populace, the Crown Prince ordered Lu Lingfeng to work with the Capital Tea Alliance to thoroughly investigate Chang'an black tea, also advising him to drink less alcohol. Returning home, Lu Lingfeng found Su Wuming still there, perusing his personal case records. Su Wuming acknowledged Lu Lingfeng's thorough documentation and praised some of his analyses while dismissing others.
Learning that the Crown Prince had tasked Lu Lingfeng with the Chang'an black tea case, Su Wuming proposed they collaborate, pointing out that his predecessor, Sheriff Wu Daqi, had also been drinking Chang'an black tea before his strange death. Su Wuming emphasized the synchronized appearance of Chang'an black tea and the bride disappearance cases a year ago, with one new bride missing and the tea's price changing each month, strongly suggesting a connection.
However, Lu Lingfeng, asserting his authority under the Crown Prince's direct order, angrily rejected the offer, ordering Su Wuming to leave and focus solely on the bride murders, as the monthly disappearances were causing widespread fear in Chang'an. Despite the rejection, Su Wuming noted the superior detail in Lu Lingfeng's personal records compared to official county files.
He concluded that the four bride bodies discovered in the cardinal directions of Chang'an suggested the killer deliberately disposed of them as part of a ritual, and that more bodies could likely be found with a diligent search.
