Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Episode 29 Recap
> Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Recap
Su Wuming, observing Lu Lingfeng's newfound composure in Luoyang, probed if he had met a high-ranking official who promised him a bright future. Lu Lingfeng grudgingly acknowledged Su Wuming's cunning and scheming, and Su Wuming, in turn, deduced that His Highness was also in Dongdu. Su Wuming reasoned that as a trusted aide of His Highness, Lu Lingfeng would prefer the case remain unsolved, as finding the antidote and saving the princess would complicate His Highness's path to the throne.
Su Wuming vowed to diligently investigate the case, not only for the innocent victims but also to honor his master, Detective Di's teachings. He shared his changed impression of the princess after meeting her at the Blessing Temple, describing her as strong yet a victim of the Face Flower poison. He urged Lu Lingfeng to visit her, believing it might change his perspective, and stated that the country, comprising all its people, including the princess, deserved his efforts.
Lu Lingfeng visited the Blessing Temple, which an old man informed him was formerly the Serenity Temple, renamed two years prior at the princess’s behest. It had become Luoyang’s largest temple, cherished and frequently visited by her. Inside, Lu Lingfeng discovered a school for orphans. A young monk explained that the princess, known as the Living Bodhisattva, had ordered the temple to accept all homeless children of Tang, providing them with food and education, even funding the teachers herself.
The princess herself appeared, asking about the number of children, and was told there were over 360. She reiterated her commitment to caring for all children who came to the temple. However, when she tried to embrace a small child, he ran away, leaving her heartbroken and convinced the child hated her and would not forgive her. Upon returning, Lu Lingfeng found Su Wuming preparing to go out and offered to join him in investigating Paradise Inn.
Su Wuming affirmed his belief that new clues awaited them there. They decided to return to the inn posing as exorcists from the south, invited to Dongdu to subdue devils. At Paradise Inn, Hu Shisi angrily confronted them, blaming them for scaring away all her customers, including the pipa players, with their prior antics, and demanded compensation.
However, after witnessing Lu Lingfeng's martial prowess, she changed her tune and enthusiastically invited them to stay, offering the best rooms, food, and service, eager for their help with the "ghosts." Lu Lingfeng accepted but requested the room in the backyard where the Tocharian woman had died, claiming the strong "yinqi" there would help them catch ghosts. In the room, Su Wuming pondered the inn’s motive as a "black inn," given their initial lack of money.
He also questioned why the bronze devil had specifically targeted Lu Lingfeng. Lu Lingfeng remarked on his own lack of official position or wealth, then speculated that the assassin might have "mistook me for someone else," quickly brushing off Su Wuming’s sharp inquiry. Hu Shisi brought them sweet pear syrup, a drink she claimed was her favorite in the palace. Su Wuming seized the opportunity to question her about her alleged Sui dynasty origins.
Hu Shisi, after realizing Su Wuming was testing her, passionately praised Emperor Yang of Sui as the most handsome man she had ever seen, with flawless skin. She claimed he ordered the Face Flowers from Persia for his own use to maintain his appearance. After she left, Su Wuming reflected on the inn’s name and concluded that if an attack came tonight, it would be by a "devil of the Sui Dynasty."
He predicted the bronze devil would surely return to kill Lu Lingfeng, as its previous attempt had failed. Su Wuming also expressed skepticism about Hu Shisi being over a hundred years old, despite her claims of using Face Flowers to preserve her youth. He hinted that he already knew her true identity. Later, Hu Shisi invited them to drink. Su Wuming expressed apprehension and did not drink the wine, but Lu Lingfeng drank it, initially feeling no ill effects.
Hu Shisi, reminiscing about Emperor Yang of Sui asking her to play the pipa, offered to do so for Lu Lingfeng. As she played, both Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming developed severe headaches, realizing it was the pipa music, not the wine, that caused their disorientation. The bronze devil then appeared, attempting to assassinate Lu Lingfeng, while Hu Shisi continued to play, mocking him and stating his life was "worth a lot" to someone.
Su Wuming urged Lu Lingfeng to escape through the back door to get away from the music. As Lu Lingfeng fled, Hu Shisi pursued him. Just then, Yingtao arrived, cutting the pipa strings and engaging Hu Shisi in combat. Xue Huan and Fei Jishi also appeared, with Xue Huan tossing a spear to Lu Lingfeng and Fei Jishi firing oil arrows at the bronze devil.
Su Wuming, declaring his intention to "subdue her," threw a bag of flour at Hu Shisi, blinding her temporarily, allowing Yingtao to tie her up. Fei Jishi's fire arrows caused the bronze devil to ignite and reveal its true form: the inn's strong man and dwarf, disguised by being stacked together. Su Wuming interrogated the bound Hu Shisi, challenging her false claim of being an imperial concubine by listing various Sui palace ranks, concluding she was merely a palace maid.
He then exposed her true identity as Ms. Caihan’s daughter. He revealed that Ms. Caihan was the culprit of bizarre cases in Luoyang twenty years ago, and Hu Shisi, then a teenager, was an accomplice whom Detective Di had intentionally spared. Su Wuming explained that a palace maid had indeed escaped from Emperor Yang of Sui’s palace after his death in Jiangdu, bringing the Face Flowers with her.
This maid, seeking revenge on the Tang dynasty, taught her martial arts and Sui palace rules to her daughter, passing down the vendetta. Hu Shisi, Su Wuming stated, was at least the fifth generation in this lineage. He accused her of opening the Paradise Inn to kill people for money, hiring the strong man and dwarf.
Hu Shisi confessed to being hired by someone to kill a "noble and tall young man" and his servant, and had mistaken Lu Lingfeng for the target. She admitted to using Husband Incense on him. Lu Lingfeng displayed his knowledge of the incense, identifying its main ingredient as the banned "Baohuang" from the Western Region. Hu Shisi, under pressure, revealed that she acquired the banned ingredients from Shangshan Shop and Hall of Medicine.
Su Wuming ordered Yingtao to take Hu Shisi to the Administrator's Residence to describe her employer and have Xijun draw the portrait, while Xing Ying was instructed to jail the two inn employees. Xue Huan also reported finding three skulls in the woodshed, evidence of many deaths at the inn over the years. Su Wuming then asked Lu Lingfeng if His Highness had stayed at the inn. Lu Lingfeng led Su Wuming to His Highness, who confirmed his presence.
His Highness explained that he had previously ordered Lu Lingfeng's exile from Chang'an as a strategic move to protect him from a more severe charge planned by the princess. Lu Lingfeng, realizing his misunderstanding, expressed remorse for having harbored resentment. His Highness praised Lu Lingfeng’s honesty and asked about his journey south. Lu Lingfeng described encountering the struggles of the common people in remote areas, emphasizing that their well-being was essential for a truly prosperous Tang dynasty.
His Highness, moved by Lu Lingfeng's words, promised to create a true golden age for all people if he ascended the throne. His Highness further revealed that he had chosen to stay at Paradise Inn to investigate the Face Flower case, as the suspect who sold the flowers had committed suicide there. However, Lu Tong had advised him against leaving his room due to the inn’s suspicious nature.
Lu Lingfeng, now understanding, realized that Hu Shisi had mistaken him for His Highness due to the Prince's discreet entry, which explained the assassination attempt. Su Wuming questioned if Lu Lingfeng’s apparent indifference to solving the case was an order from the Eastern Palace. Lu Lingfeng vehemently defended His Highness, stating the Prince remained in Dongdu not to passively await the princess’s demise, but out of concern for his aunt, with whom he had grown up.
Despite Lu Tong's urging to return to Chang'an for safety and political advantage, His Highness refused to abandon his aunt. He rejected Lu Tong's suggestion to secretly order Su Wuming to abandon the investigation, declaring that while a smooth ascension was desirable, abandoning family for it was not his way. He then explicitly instructed Lu Lingfeng to return to Su Wuming's side and fully assist him in solving the case. Su Wuming, deeply impressed by His Highness’s magnanimity, proclaimed that such a Crown Prince was a great fortune for the Tang dynasty.
