Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Episode 26 Recap
> Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Recap
Zeng Sanyi apologized for his inability to attend the upcoming God Sighting Ceremony, stating his schedule was already set. Chief Shen, infuriated by Zeng Sanyi’s consistent absence from the ceremony, accused him of deliberately opposing the Shrine. Chief Shen then ordered his guards to take back the Tuo God Wine he had brought, despite Zeng Sanyi's attempts to persuade him to stay for a drink.
Administrator Gu questioned Zeng Sanyi's stubbornness, to which Zeng Sanyi retorted that he was an official of the Tang Dynasty, not of the Shrine, and called Administrator Gu "completely gaga" for questioning him. Administrator Gu then turned to Su Wuming, reminding him that the next day was the final deadline for the case, and that Su Wuming had made a military pledge.
Su Wuming assured him he had not forgotten, revealing that the key to the case lay in Prefectural Governor Li’s whereabouts. He confidently stated that he knew where Prefectural Governor Li was, on Tuo God Island, and that he would appear at the God Sighting Ceremony the following day. Meanwhile, on Tuo God Island, Tuo God was enraged by someone who had stolen wine and escaped, ordering his subordinates to jump into the Swamp of Alligators as punishment.
The Right Guardian pleaded for mercy, suggesting the escapee might have been swallowed by a giant alligator, and reminded Tuo God that they needed people for the upcoming ceremony. Tuo God accepted this explanation but demanded the thief be caught before the ceremony, threatening the Right Guardian with the same fate.
Tuo God then ordered the death of Su Wuming, who was also expected on the island the next day, stating that the Shrine would be in danger if Su Wuming lived. Tuo God also commanded his subordinates to bring Lu Yong, who was imprisoned in Ninghu Prison, to the island. Shrine members, posing as officials, forcibly took Lu Yong from his cell. Lu Yong protested, but a Shrine member asserted that in Ninghu, the Shrine "was" the government.
They informed Lu Yong he was being taken to the island on Tuo God's orders to be fed to Tuo God at the ceremony. After Lu Yong was taken, members of the merchant association lamented their failure to rescue him but resolved to sneak onto Tuo God Island that night and save him even if it cost their lives.
Su Wuming gathered his companions, ensuring everyone understood their roles, and assigned Chicken Fed a crucial task that only he could perform. The next day, as Administrator Gu and Ninghu officials sailed to Tuo God Island, Chicken Fed, a guest of Commander Su, was caught secretly drinking Tuo God Wine from his gourd. Chief Shen demanded an explanation.
Su Wuming, feigning surprise, suggested that Lu Lingfeng, who had previously stolen divine wine, must have given some to Chicken Fed, knowing his love for alcohol. Chief Shen then asked Su Wuming how to deal with Chicken Fed. Chicken Fed, begging for help from Su Wuming, was ignored, prompting him to call Su Wuming "heartless."
Chief Shen ordered his men to follow the rules, which meant throwing Chicken Fed into the Swamp of Alligators with other disobedient individuals once they landed. Chicken Fed protested, lamenting his lack of meat and jokingly suggesting Su Wuming should be tied and thrown in with him. Administrator Gu, annoyed by Chicken Fed's behavior, complained to Su Wuming about his choice of guest. Concurrently, Lu Lingfeng was on Tuo God Island, searching for the Blood Silkworm Tree.
He muttered his doubts about Su Wuming's certainty that the tree was on the island. After a thorough search, he eventually found a tree with blood-red leaves, confirming it was the Blood Silkworm Tree. His discovery, however, disturbed a group of giant alligators, forcing him to flee. He accidentally fell down a cliff but landed safely on another Blood Silkworm Tree.
From his precarious position, he spotted members of the merchant association climbing up the cliff face, presumably coming to rescue Lu Yong. At the God Sighting Ceremony, Su Wuming and the officials prostrated themselves before the unseen Tuo God. Chief Shen declared the Shrine’s prosperity and the peace bestowed upon Ninghu by Tuo God.
However, he denounced those who "forget their ancestors," "break their faith," "desecrate the god," and "fight against the Shrine," announcing they would be thrown into the Swamp of Alligators. He singled out Lu Yong for forming a private merchant association to oppose the Shrine, and Chicken Fed for drinking divine wine without permission, condemning both to be fed alive to the alligators.
Lu Yong defiantly cursed Tuo God as an evil god, proclaiming he died without regret for the people of Ninghu, his only sorrow being unable to personally slay the "evil god." Chief Shen condemned Lu Yong's "nonsense." Officer of Merit Song Jiangbo challenged the Shrine’s authority, declaring that the Tang Dynasty had its own laws and no entity, not even Tuo God, had the right to arbitrarily decide life and death.
He questioned the very existence of Tuo God, asking where the god was amidst the many alligators in the lake. From behind a red curtain, Tuo God’s booming voice responded that God was in their hearts, asserting his divine mandate to protect Ninghu. When Song Jiangbo, an imperial official, defiantly proclaimed Tuo God couldn't harm him, Tuo God ordered him thrown into the Swamp of Alligators, which was swiftly carried out amidst his protests.
Tuo God then admonished Administrator Gu for his long tenure and current role as acting prefectural governor, warning him to respect heavenly destiny and control his subordinates, lest the entire state face eternal doom. Administrator Gu meekly pledged strict discipline. Tuo God then questioned Su Wuming, who stood behind Administrator Gu, asking if he admitted his crime. Su Wuming retorted, asking what his crime was, other than drinking Tuo God Wine.
At that moment, Lu Lingfeng, having survived his fall, arrived and announced himself as Ninghu Commander's personal staff. Tuo God, surprised that Lu Lingfeng had not died from falling off the cliff, ordered him seized. Su Wuming intervened, stopping the guards. Su Wuming then directly challenged Tuo God, ridiculing the idea of a god who simply killed all who opposed him.
He accused Tuo God of causing the deaths of many, from merchants to state officials, who ended up in the alligators' mouths. Su Wuming declared that Prefectural Governor Li had exposed these evil deeds in his "Tuo God Shrine Records," meticulously detailing all their crimes. Su Wuming revealed that Prefectural Governor Li had made a critical error by underestimating Zeng Sanyi, who feigned opposition to the Shrine.
Su Wuming then presented his own copy of the records, asserting that even though Prefectural Governor Li was dead, his legacy lived on through these records. Su Wuming then directly accused Zeng Sanyi of being the imposter behind Tuo God. When officials expressed disbelief, Su Wuming explained that he recognized Zeng Sanyi's voice, despite attempts to disguise it.
He recounted how Prefectural Governor Li's secret investigations into tax accounts at the Minister of Warehouse's (Zeng Sanyi’s) office must have aroused Zeng Sanyi's suspicion. He also pointed out Chief Shen’s public comment at Zeng Sanyi’s retirement banquet about Zeng Sanyi’s consistent absence from the annual God Sighting Ceremony, which, while seemingly disdainful of Tuo God, actually served as a cover for him to perform as the "god."
Su Wuming highlighted the irony that while many who opposed Tuo God had died, Zeng Sanyi remained unharmed and had even retired peacefully. Furthermore, Chicken Fed, on Su Wuming's instruction, had delivered a gift to Zeng Sanyi after the banquet and distinctly smelled Tuo God Wine in his room, solidifying the suspicion. Su Wuming concluded that Zeng Sanyi’s love for the divine wine had ultimately led to his unmasking.
Chief Shen still found it hard to believe, citing Zeng Sanyi’s small, humpbacked stature compared to Tuo God’s imposing, gigantic figure. Su Wuming explained the secret: the red curtain in front of Tuo God. He produced a leaf from a Hitholon Tree, also known as the Blood Silkworm Tree, found by Lu Lingfeng.
He explained that the tree's resin could produce fine, semi-transparent gauze that, when illuminated by high temperatures, could magnify a human figure several times over, which was why fire altars were always present in the hall. Su Wuming declared it was time for the people of Ninghu to see the true face of their "god" and called for Lu Lingfeng. Lu Lingfeng swiftly cut down the red curtain, revealing Zeng Sanyi sitting behind it.
Chief Shen and the other officials were stunned, realizing they had been worshipping Zeng Sanyi all along. Zeng Sanyi, now exposed, confessed his past. Born into poverty, he studied diligently, topping every exam, yet was repeatedly rejected from officialdom due to his low social standing, ugly appearance, and hunchback. He was deemed a disgrace to the Tang Dynasty, his governance ideas suppressed, forcing him to remain a minor Minister of Warehouse in Ninghu.
Out of resentment, thirty years prior, he began impersonating Tuo God to force high-ranking officials, especially those who gained positions through family connections, to prostrate before him. Su Wuming interrupted, noting that Zeng Sanyi had become intoxicated with power. Zeng Sanyi, unheeding, commanded his Shrine disciples to kill all the officials present, promising them all his wealth accumulated over thirty years, and even their victims' official positions if they wished. Chaos erupted. Lu Lingfeng single-handedly fought against multiple Shrine disciples.
Administrator Gu, urged by Su Wuming to uphold his duty as a local official, called upon the people of Ninghu to fight the evil cult alongside him. Su Wuming untied Lu Yong and Chicken Fed, who also joined the fray. Though the Shrine disciples were quickly subdued by the combined forces, Zeng Sanyi managed to escape.
The ground then dramatically collapsed, sending everyone falling into the Swamp of Alligators below, where Zeng Sanyi intended for them to be devoured by giant alligators. Just as the alligators began to attack, Pei Xijun and Xue Huan arrived with carts of Tianzhu Incense. They quickly lit the incense and threw it into the cavern, causing the alligators to lose their ferocity and fall into a deep sleep, saving everyone from certain death.
Enraged, Zeng Sanyi, hidden in the shadows, fired an arrow at Su Wuming, but Yingtao courageously shielded him with her body, taking the arrow herself. Lu Lingfeng, catching a spear thrown by Pei Xijun, then launched it, striking and killing Zeng Sanyi. Later, Su Wuming reflected on Yingtao's earlier account of her father, Chu Xiaosheng. Chu Xiaosheng, a scholar, faced repeated failures in the imperial examinations.
Fifteen years prior, after another failed attempt, he returned home to discover his wife had been raped and murdered by the villain Li Yu. The influential Li family bribed officials to imprison Chu Si, Chu Xiaosheng's servant who reported the crime, and even silenced him by pouring molten iron down his throat. Chu Xiaosheng, after entrusting young Yingtao to his master, returned to his hometown seeking revenge but was unsuccessful.
He later learned that Li Yu had bought an "informal official" position. Consumed by rage, Chu Xiaosheng secretly followed Li Yu south, poisoned him, altered his letter of appointment, and assumed Li Yu's identity, bringing the mute Chu Si with him to Ninghu. After the Tuo God Shrine was dismantled, Su Wuming contemplated that the alligators themselves were innocent, and the true guilt lay within human hearts.
He ordered Administrator Gu to release all the alligators from Tuo God Island, advocating for a natural coexistence between humans and all creatures as the true way of heaven. Administrator Gu hosted a celebratory banquet for Su Wuming. Despite many officials present having been former members of the Shrine, Su Wuming chose not to pursue them, asserting that with the primary evil eliminated, their focus should be on rebuilding Ninghu.
He then ordered the incriminating documents of the cult to be burned, trusting the officials to contribute to the city's revival. The officials proposed renaming the "Tuo God Wine" back to its original name, "Nantian Wine," which Su Wuming endorsed. Once Yingtao had recovered from her injury, Su Wuming accompanied her to Chu Xiaosheng's tomb. The tombstone still bore the name of Li Yu, her father's enemy.
Yingtao explained that her father had wished for it, believing that even under an enemy's name, he could still do good for the people, an ambition he carried despite a lifetime of studying the classics. Soon after, an urgent letter arrived from Prefectural Governor Gao of Luozhou, sent from Dongdu, ordering Su Wuming to proceed to Luoyang immediately. Administrator Gu speculated that it must be a promotion to an important position.
However, Su Wuming found it peculiar that the order came from the Prefectural Governor of Luozhou, albeit in the name of the imperial court, and decided to depart for Dongdu at once.
