Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Ⅲ: To Changan Episode 11 Recap
> Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Ⅲ: To Changan Recap
Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming, disciples of Master Di, pledged in their mentor's name and with the reputation of the Lu family of Fanyang, to swiftly investigate the Chengfo Temple case within ten days, clear the rumors, and restore Abbot Guangxiao's and the temple's innocence. Despite their promise, the case was at a standstill, as Wu Yang remained missing, and the Ever-changing Master was dead. Lu Lingfeng voiced concern over the lack of leads.
Su Wuming, however, believed there were many, questioning how Wu Yang's clothes ended up on the victim if the Ever-changing Master was telling the truth. He even considered the possibility that the Ever-changing Master rescued Wu Yang only to kill her later. Lu Lingfeng regretted his forceful kick, which made the Ever-changing Master's dying words unreliable. Su Wuming decided the only course of action was to re-examine the female corpse to identify her.
Unbeknownst to the men, Pei Xijun and Chu Yingtao, sharing a similar intuition, ventured to the morgue themselves. Pei Xijun, driven by urgency, insisted on seeing the corpse despite Chu Yingtao's hesitation about going without permission. Upon examination, Pei Xijun confirmed that the body was not Wu Yang's. She later explained to Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming that she recalled seeing an exquisite plum blossom brand on Wu Yang's arm when they first met, a detail absent from the deceased.
This new information proved invaluable. Chi Ying was then brought to identify the body again. Overwhelmed with grief at first, she initially recognized the clothing. However, upon closer inspection, she realized the corpse lacked the distinctive plum blossom brand on its arm, confirming it was not her daughter. Distraught yet hopeful, Chi Ying revealed that she had the brand put on Wu Yang's arm when her daughter was six years old.
Wu Yang had been almost abducted by someone who said she strikingly resembled Empress Wu Zetian. Fearing for her daughter's safety, Chi Ying sought advice from a Taoist priest, who suggested the plum blossom brand to symbolically "bind" Wu Yang to her forever. Su Wuming admonished Chi Ying for trying to control her daughter's life and for failing to mention such a critical identifier earlier, stressing the importance of calmness in such dire situations.
To draw out the hidden Wu Yang, Su Wuming devised a plan: Chi Ying was to publicly feign acceptance of her daughter's death, cease her search, and resume operating her Meixiu Skincare Shop with renewed vigor. She was to openly accept Xia Sheng's offers of help, creating the impression that she was moving on with her life. Soon, Woody arrived at the shop, announcing his departure for his hometown in Hanzhou Prefecture.
He bid Chi Ying farewell, implying that Wu Yang's disappearance might be a blessing in disguise, offering peace to both mother and daughter. Chi Ying reacted with furious indignation, questioning how she could ever find peace with her daughter missing and angrily ordered Woody out of her shop. Woody's departure was soon intercepted outside Chang'an by Lu Lingfeng and his companions.
Lu Lingfeng, playfully alluding to Su Wuming's perceptiveness, suggested Su Wuming had foretold that a certain "person" Lu Lingfeng cared about would be accompanying Woody, implying Wu Yang's presence. From the carriage, Wu Yang finally emerged, offering apologies to Pei Xijun and Chu Yingtao for having used their trust.
She confessed that her earlier plans to meet them at Qu River were a deliberate act to camouflage her planned elopement with Woody, making her disappearance appear accidental and protecting her mother from the pain of believing her daughter had willingly abandoned her. It was revealed that Woody had indeed assisted Wu Yang's escape through a back window.
Wu Yang expressed regret for not leaving sooner, admitting she stayed behind for one last glimpse of her mother's secret lion dance performance. Woody then shared his tragic past: his father, a low-ranking official, was unjustly framed and died in prison, leaving him an orphaned sanitation worker. He explained that he delivered letters for the Ever-changing Master, whom he knew to be a nefarious individual, partly for payment and partly as a means to secretly meet Wu Yang.
Su Wuming remarked on the intricate web of deceit and misfortune that unfolded, likening it to a complex chain of predators, but acknowledged Woody's constant, silent protection of Wu Yang throughout. The elaborate fake kidnapping plot tragically spiraled into genuine danger, involving Shen Yu's obsession, Li Fengjie's illicit possession of the golden tablet, and the Ever-changing Master's grotesque pursuit of faces. Lu Lingfeng confronted Woody, accusing him of abduction for not returning Wu Yang home.
Wu Yang quickly interjected, asserting that her refusal to return was her own decision. Lu Lingfeng then pressed Woody on why he withheld information about Physician Bai's crimes, revealing his knowledge of Woody's visits to Physician Bai's residence. Wu Yang again intervened, claiming it was her idea to eliminate the Ever-changing Master, whom she knew as Physician Bai. Having overheard him mention his home, she suggested to Woody that they should kill him to prevent further harm to others.
They tracked him to the Ghost Market, where Wu Yang was horrified to witness the Ever-changing Master kill a girl her age. While Woody urged reporting the crime, Wu Yang saw an opportunity: she decided to switch her clothes with the deceased, faking her own death to ensure her mother believed she was gone forever. She affirmed that she personally changed the clothes, asking Woody to keep his distance, thus making him innocent of that particular act.
Woody, terrified, confirmed he only watched over her from afar. Lu Lingfeng, though serious, acknowledged Wu Yang's audacious courage in her desperate bid for freedom. Despite Wu Yang's earnest claims that she willingly accompanied Woody, Lu Lingfeng sternly declared that Woody's actions still constituted abduction under Tang law. Wu Yang knelt, desperately pleading for mercy for both herself and Woody.
She expressed a profound longing for a life of freedom, to marry and raise a family on her own terms, rather than being perpetually constrained by her mother's overwhelming love, even stating she would prefer death to such confinement. Pei Xijun and Chu Yingtao, moved by Wu Yang's plight, interceded on their behalf, with Pei Xijun acknowledging Wu Yang's defiant spirit mirrored her own.
Chicken Fei offered practical support, giving Wu Yang his enhanced formula for the Fairy Beauty Powder, assuring her it would guarantee better sales than her mother's original. Lu Lingfeng, while upholding the law, ultimately chose compassion. He instructed Woody to meticulously document their entire story in Chang'an, read it to Wu Yang for her consent, and have both of them sign and fingerprint the document.
They were then to report to Judicial Official Ma Meng upon reaching Hanzhou Prefecture, who will determine their fate, implicitly offering a path to leniency. He also delivered a stern warning to Woody, emphasizing he must never betray Wu Yang. Just before their departure, Su Wuming paused them, inquiring about Wu Yang's hiding place in the preceding days.
Wu Yang gestured towards a humble abode and admitted that, despite Chang'an's secret agents actively searching for her, she had remained hidden directly across from her mother's skincare shop. She confessed to watching her mother, observing Chi Ying's initial desperate attempts to find her and her profound loneliness at night. Wu Yang waited until she saw her mother gradually adapt to a life without her, resuming her business.
Only then, convinced her mother had accepted her perceived death, did Wu Yang decide it was time to leave Chang'an. Su Wuming thoughtfully concluded that Wu Yang's departure was not fueled by hatred, but rather by the overwhelming nature of her mother's love.
As a parting message, Su Wuming encouraged the couple, telling them that the vast Tang Empire offered countless mountains and rivers for them to explore, and through these arduous journeys, they would undoubtedly grow into better versions of themselves. Chi Ying was overcome with joy upon learning her daughter was alive. She promptly closed her Meixiu Skincare Shop, purchased a horse and carriage, and set off for Hanzhou Prefecture to find Wu Yang.
Lu Lingfeng and his companions rode out of the city to see her off. Chi Ying explained her determination to go, believing Wu Yang, whom she felt was helpless, still needed her support. She hoped Hanzhou's remoteness would protect Wu Yang from being recognized for her resemblance to Empress Wu Zetian. Chi Ying admitted her past over-controlling nature but vowed to change, citing her responsibility to Wu Yang's father.
When Su Wuming suggested waiting, she refused, expressing fear that Woody might mistreat Wu Yang. Lu Lingfeng, though unable to legally prevent her journey, worried about her traveling alone. Chi Ying, however, declared her independence, recalling her solo journey to Chang'an while pregnant. As she departed, Su Wuming mused that this ordeal would undoubtedly change Chi Ying, helping her understand how to truly interact with her daughter, a sentiment Lu Lingfeng echoed.
Soon after, Xia Sheng, having disbanded his lion dance troupe and distributed his savings, also appeared, intent on pursuing Chi Ying on foot. Impressed by Xia Sheng's unwavering dedication to follow his heart, Lu Lingfeng generously gifted him his horse, urging him to catch up and protect Chi Ying. Later that evening, while dining, Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming discussed the upcoming Circuit Trials in Chonghua District.
Su Wuming suggested inviting Chicken Fei to join them, with Lu Lingfeng presiding over cases and Chicken Fei offering medical consultations. Chicken Fei initially demurred, citing his free-spirited nature and disdain for official protocols. However, Su Wuming expertly tempted him with the promise of a rare, special recipe Gourd Chicken, which an old friend would deliver to Chonghua District. Chicken Fei, unable to resist, promptly agreed.
The following day, as Lu Lingfeng conducted the Circuit Trials, Li Nai'er observed the proceedings. Lu Tong was also present, noting Li Nai'er's presence. Li Nai'er later reported to the Grand Princess, praising Chicken Fei's medical prowess and Lu Lingfeng's judicial acumen. The Grand Princess, pleased, revealed that Chancellor Cui had recommended Li Nai'er for the position of regimental commander of her guards.
The Grand Princess, expressing ambitions that paralleled Empress Wu Zetian's, offered Li Nai'er the promise of future promotion to Grand General of the Imperial Guards, tasked with commanding armies to expand the Tang Empire's borders and achieve unparalleled glory. Li Nai'er, though grateful, humbly declared her sole wish was to remain by the Princess's side. She also informed the Grand Princess that Lu Tong had accompanied Official Lu to the palace after the trials.
Meanwhile, Grand General Lu Tong, tasked with compiling a guest list for a banquet honoring Tang Long meritorious officials, located Lu Lingfeng. Su Wuming joined Lu Lingfeng at the imperial banquet, where the Emperor personally lauded Lu Lingfeng for his loyal protection three years prior and offered him any reward. To the court's surprise, Lu Lingfeng forewent personal gain, instead earnestly requesting His Majesty to visit Chengfo Temple.
When a minister questioned his seemingly inappropriate request, Lu Lingfeng boldly declared that as the Yongzhou Judicial Official, his first case involved Chengfo Temple, and its resolution was not merely about religious reverence but vital for the Tang Empire's stability. He warned that the rampant rumors and public unrest threatened the peace of Chang'an.
