Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Ⅲ: To Changan Episode 1 Recap
> Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Ⅲ: To Changan Recap
In the summer of the second year of the Xiantian era, Lu Lingfeng, Su Wuming, and their four companions were escorting golden peaches, a tribute from the Kang Kingdom, back to Chang'an. As they neared the city, Fei the Chicken Oracle complained about the strenuous journey, noting that Pei Xijun couldn't endure the constant jostling. Lu Lingfeng, however, insisted they press on to reach Chang'an before nightfall, emphasizing the importance of their mission.
Upon arriving at Weicheng Station, they were met by a stationmaster and several men in plain clothes, whom Chu Yingtao identified as likely Imperial Guards. Grand General of the Right Imperial Guard Lu Tong, also in plain clothes, then appeared and directed Lu Lingfeng to the backyard, stating that the honorable guest he was meant to meet was waiting there.
As Lu Lingfeng left with Lu Tong, Su Wuming quietly told Chu Yingtao that he had matters to attend to and would depart, asking her not to follow him. In the backyard, the Emperor stood by a balustrade. He recited a poem about the superiority of military service over scholarship, then pointedly remarked to Lu Lingfeng that he seemed to prefer leading men in battle to standing before the Emperor.
Lu Lingfeng, with composed reverence, reported that he had received eighteen cases of golden peaches in Shazhou Prefecture and had successfully escorted them. He explained that due to internal affairs, the Kang Kingdom's diplomatic mission could not accompany the tribute. He then presented the State Letter. The Emperor bid him rise and inquired about a second document.
Lu Lingfeng explained it was his personal account of his journey to the west, detailing observations on geography, local customs, the people's livelihoods, criticisms of governmental malpractices, and suggestions for improving public welfare. The Emperor, dismissing the State Letter due to the Kang Kingdom's breach of protocol, expressed interest in Lu Lingfeng’s own diligent work.
When Lu Lingfeng mentioned that the memorial was jointly submitted with Su Wuming, the Emperor questioned Su Wuming's right as a commoner to directly advise the court. Lu Lingfeng boldly defended him, stating that Su Wuming had risked his life for the Tang Empire and, as a Tang citizen, had every right to submit his counsel. The Emperor, noticing Lu Lingfeng's immediate defense of Su Wuming, commented that his "unbending nature" remained unchanged.
Meanwhile, the Grand Princess anxiously awaited Lu Lingfeng’s arrival outside the city. She questioned Chancellor Cui about the delay, wondering if Cen Zhi's intelligence was flawed. Chancellor Cui attempted to soothe her, suggesting she return to the city. Su Wuming then arrived, and Cen Zhi quickly led him to the Princess. Su Wuming greeted her, offering a compliment on her radiance.
When asked about Lu Lingfeng, Su Wuming reported that Lu Lingfeng had been extremely careful on the rough journey to prevent damage to the golden peaches, which had slowed them down. He stated that Lu Lingfeng would not reach Chang'an that day and had sent him to relay the message. The Grand Princess took this as a sign that her son knew she was waiting, attributing it to a "mother-son bond," which Su Wuming readily affirmed.
Chancellor Cui, upon seeing Su Wuming, expressed regret that he was still alive and voiced concerns about his own position as Chancellor. Shortly after, Cen Zhi delivered urgent news that the Emperor was privately meeting with Lu Lingfeng. Enraged, the Grand Princess accused Su Wuming of deception. Su Wuming maintained the truth of his earlier report. The Grand Princess then demanded to know why Lu Lingfeng was at Weicheng Station.
Su Wuming attempted to deflect by mentioning the station's famous cuisine, but the Grand Princess, seeing through his excuse, knew that the Emperor must be the one who had stopped Lu Lingfeng. She declared that, as a member of the Li imperial clan, she was more fitting to be Empress than Empress Wu had been, asserting that her ambition was for the good of the entire empire.
She then reminded Su Wuming of her past words: if he genuinely desired the well-being of the Tang Empire, he should assist her, promising that she would usher in a glorious era of prosperity for the people. The Emperor then dismissed his attendants and personally began to open a case of golden peaches. He then instructed Lu Tong and Lu Lingfeng to help open the remaining cases. Though Lu Lingfeng felt a flicker of suspicion, he complied.
From one of the peaches, the Emperor extracted a hidden leather map, intricately detailing mountains, royal courts, and strategic passes across the Western Regions. It was then that Lu Lingfeng fully grasped the true purpose of his mission. The Emperor explained that during Empress Wu's reign, various kingdoms and tribes in the Western Regions had formed alliances, frequently disrupting the Silk Road and cutting off east-west trade.
At that time, the Tang Empire was embroiled in internal conflicts and unable to intervene. While he was still the Crown Prince, he and Grand General Lu Tong had secretly devised a long-term strategy: to dispatch elite agents to infiltrate the Kang Kingdom, gather intelligence on the Western Regions, and relay information back to Chang'an, ultimately compiling this comprehensive map to safeguard the borders and ensure the Silk Road remained open.
However, due to continuous warfare in the Western Regions and widespread hostility towards the Tang, several attempts to transmit the map had failed. Finally, upon learning that the Kang Kingdom would resume tribute, they planned to embed the map within young golden peaches, cleverly disguised as imperial tribute. Lu Lingfeng expressed his profound admiration for the Emperor's foresight and unwavering dedication to the empire's strategic interests.
The Emperor then asked if Lu Lingfeng would choose to serve by his side or return to his post as sheriff in Yunding County. He acknowledged the rumors about Lu Lingfeng’s background, stating that while they mattered, they also did not, and asked for Lu Lingfeng’s own feelings on the matter. Lu Lingfeng remained silent. Not wishing to press him, the Emperor suggested they drink and ordered Attendant Laifu to prepare wine.
Unbeknownst to the Emperor, Laifu, acting on the instructions of Attendant Yang Xu, had already poisoned the wine, intending to prevent Lu Lingfeng from ever reaching Chang'an. Before the wine was served, Lu Lingfeng directly asked the Emperor if he had ever intended to take his life.
He recounted two assassination attempts in Shiyang County during his journey west: one by men sent by Grand General Lu Tong, whose target was actually Su Wuming, and another by a highly trained group employing poisoned arrows, clearly not affiliated with Lu Tong. He also mentioned an incident at Mojia Inn, where he almost died at the hands of bounty hunters who carried assassination orders written on stationery exclusive to the Eastern Palace.
Noticing Laifu's agitation, the Emperor discreetly sent him away to wash golden peaches. He then admitted that Bai Shan was responsible for the second assassination attempt, explaining that Bai Shan, seeking to eliminate perceived threats to the Emperor during his lifetime, had targeted Lu Lingfeng. The Emperor acknowledged that Bai Shan had been a loyal official but urged Lu Lingfeng, given his noble lineage, to show magnanimity towards the deceased's misguided actions.
The Emperor then revealed that Bai Shan had passed away two months prior and symbolically "punished" his misguided actions by drinking a cup of wine. Meanwhile, Fei the Chicken Oracle, captivated by Chang'an's reputation, attempted to compose a poem but struggled to find the words. Pei Xijun and Chu Yingtao spoke of Chang'an as a city where poets flourished, and Xue Huan expressed how deeply their words stirred him. They all toasted together.
Back with the Emperor, he recalled fondly tasting golden peaches at the Grand Princess's mansion in his youth. Lu Lingfeng initially demurred, seeing them as tribute, but the Emperor insisted his efforts in escorting them earned him the right. Lu Lingfeng then requested some for his companions, and the Emperor readily granted three peaches for them to share. As they ate, a fearsome giant bird suddenly swooped down, directly attacking the Emperor.
Lu Lingfeng and Lu Tong immediately moved to shield His Majesty. The bird was vicious, its claws tearing as a broken arrow pierced Lu Tong's right eye. As Lu Lingfeng struggled alone, Fei the Chicken Oracle and Xue Huan rushed to their aid. Xue Huan quickly provided a spear to Lu Lingfeng, and together they confronted the creature. To his shock, Lu Lingfeng recognized the attacker as Liu XVII.
With a provocative smirk, Liu XVII flapped his wings and vanished into the night. The Emperor, desperate to save his Grand General, implored Fei the Chicken Oracle, identifying him as a disciple of the esteemed Medicine King. He offered Fei any official position or a lavish reward in gold if he could save Lu Tong's eye. Fei, however, regretfully informed him that while he could save Lu Tong’s life, the eye was beyond saving, even for his late master.
He requested immediate permission to operate to secure Lu Tong's life. Lu Lingfeng, recalling Fei's divine medical skills, vouched for him. Trusting this, the Emperor granted Fei permission, even bowing in entreaty. Fei diligently performed the surgery, successfully saving Lu Tong’s life, but as predicted, his right eye was lost.
Su Wuming was astonished to learn that Liu XVII was alive and the attacker, finding it hard to reconcile with his supposed execution and the Liu brothers' known lack of martial prowess. He repeatedly suggested that Lu Lingfeng might have been mistaken in the chaos, but Lu Lingfeng vehemently stood by his identification.
Given the critical situation with the Emperor still at Weicheng Station and Lu Tong severely wounded, Su Wuming volunteered to travel to Gantang County to investigate the Liu brothers, reasoning that his unofficial status made him more suited for this task, while Lu Lingfeng should remain to protect the Emperor and pursue leads on the bird attack. Before departing, Su Wuming sternly cautioned Lu Lingfeng to seal Weicheng Station for the night and admit no one, emphasizing "no one."
Soon after, General of Loyalty and Valor Li Feng arrived with his troops, declaring his intent to protect the Emperor. When one of Li Feng's subordinates questioned Lu Lingfeng's authority as a mere county sheriff from Yunding County, a sentiment Li Feng himself echoed with curiosity, Lu Lingfeng presented an Imperial Guard gold token, confirming his official standing. Li Feng accepted this and agreed to establish a defensive perimeter outside the station.
Meanwhile, on his way to Gantang, Su Wuming was intercepted by a group of black-clad assailants who questioned him about his name, "Wuming" ('no name'), and the "noble guest" at the station. Fortunately, Chu Yingtao arrived just in time to assist him in escaping. Elsewhere, Liu XVII confronted the owner of a paper effigy shop, who feared being implicated and intended to avoid trouble. Liu XVII then mercilessly killed the owner with a single strike of a broadsword.
Later, Liu XVII met with a masked man. Initially, Liu XVII suspected the masked man wanted to kill him, but the man quickly dispelled his doubts by pointing out that killing Liu XVII would hinder their shared "grand design." Liu XVII admitted his mistake in doubting the masked man and in killing the shop owner, and they reaffirmed their need to work together to complete their unfinished great undertaking.
The following morning, Du Ming, Chief Administrator of Yongzhou, and Judicial Official Wu Wenbin met the Emperor. They reported that local records contained no prior instances of fierce birds attacking people within Yongzhou Prefecture. The Emperor surmised that the raptor must have originated from outside the city and instructed the Yongzhou government to swiftly investigate and capture it to prevent further harm to the populace.
Du Ming pledged to investigate immediately after escorting the Emperor back to the capital, but the Emperor assigned General Li Feng to the escort, noting that Lu Tong's severe injuries required him to travel by carriage, and the golden peaches also needed specialized transport. Lu Lingfeng offered his assistance in investigating the raptor case, citing his previous encounters with the creatures, but Du Ming politely declined, explaining that official regulations would prevent Lu Lingfeng from interfering.
Nevertheless, Du Ming expressed his profound personal respect for Lu Lingfeng and promised to consult him as needed. En route back to the palace, the Emperor conversed with Li Feng, who revealed that his military career had been stagnated for years due to an offense against the Grand Princess. Meanwhile, Attendant Yang Xu awaited the Emperor at the palace.
He questioned Laifu's trembling before the bird attack, suggesting it was not from fear of the creature itself, and implicitly inquired about who had hired the bounty hunters to assassinate Lu Lingfeng. Yang Xu then posited that the Grand Princess might be connected to the raptor attack, drawing parallels to Empress Wu's use of "anomalous talents" who could construct flying machines, like Shasi.
He pointed out that the bird-man had specifically targeted the Emperor and Lu Tong while conspicuously avoiding Lu Lingfeng, implying this was a deliberate act by the Grand Princess to elevate Lu Lingfeng's standing while harming her rivals. Separately, the Grand Princess, upon learning of Lu Tong's lost eye and the resulting vacancy for the Grand General of the Right Imperial Guard, swiftly resolved to appoint a trusted confidant to the position.
Judicial Official Wu Wenbin began his investigation into the murder of the paper effigy shop owner. The primary suspect was a newly hired assistant who had since disappeared. After obtaining a description of the assistant from the landlord, Wu Wenbin decided against commissioning a portrait and initiating a city-wide manhunt, believing it would only alert the suspect and hinder their investigation.
