Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Ⅲ: To Changan Episode 17 Recap
> Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Ⅲ: To Changan Recap
Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming bid farewell to Du Ming, who was demoted to Ninghu for dereliction of duty, a move orchestrated by the Princess. Despite feeling wronged, Du Ming maintained a cheerful demeanor, looking forward to his new posting. Su Wuming sarcastically commented on Ninghu's prosperity and its crocodiles, to which Du Ming playfully accused him of being a fraud for deceiving the Emperor.
Before leaving, Du Ming praised Lu Lingfeng as a true gentleman, capable in both civil and military arts, and a rare talent. He expressed his belief that Lu Lingfeng should have succeeded him as Chief Administrator of Yongzhou. Du Ming also mentioned his past service under Master Di and stated his confidence in finding his purpose in Ninghu.
After Du Ming's departure, Su Wuming reflected on the Emperor’s shrewdness, noting how he leveraged a crisis to his advantage, proving himself to be no ordinary ruler. In the palace, the Emperor lamented the difficulty of filling the vacant Yongzhou Chief Administrator position, especially after Du Ming, who had recently sided with him, was removed from the capital.
An Attendant, Yang Xu, seized the opportunity to recommend Xiong Qiannian, assuring the Emperor that Xiong Qiannian had kept to himself since returning to Chang'an, avoiding any contact with the Princess’s faction. The Emperor, realizing Xiong Qiannian's suitability, promptly issued an edict appointing him as the Chief Administrator of Yongzhou, responsible for critical judicial affairs in the capital region.
Upon taking office, Xiong Qiannian, acting on Yang Xu's subtle instruction that Su Wuming was aligned with the Princess, immediately began to undermine Su Wuming's authority. He questioned Su Wuming's official status, stating that the position of Criminal Investigation Scholar, bestowed by the Princess, was not recognized by the Ministry of Personnel. Although Lu Lingfeng tried to defend Su Wuming, Xiong Qiannian reiterated that while Su Wuming could continue as Chief of Secret Agents, his previous role was invalid.
Su Wuming, discerning Xiong Qiannian's intent to render him powerless, merely excused himself from the Yongzhou Prefecture Office, stating he had personal matters to attend to. That night, Hongyao, after finishing her makeup, mounted a large jar and flew into the sky for a secret rendezvous with her lover in the countryside. Her husband, Meng Buyi, was hidden inside the jar, accompanying her unbeknownst to her.
When they arrived, Meng Buyi, concealed in the grass, watched Hongyao embrace Yan Junxian, their intimate whispers fueling his rage. He leaped out, shouting at them, but as Yan Junxian turned, Meng Buyi was startled by a stiff, wooden puppet face, waking him from his nightmare. Meng Buyi, a Secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, was an avid enthusiast of the supernatural.
He frequently wrote strange tales during his night shifts at the county office, and his work, "Strange Tales of the Divine Capital," was widely circulated and well-received by the public. A senior clerk brought Meng Buyi tea and snacks, and shared a story about a snake demon, suggesting it would be a good addition to Meng Buyi's collection of strange tales. With his monthly salary reduced and his Criminal Investigation Scholar title revoked, Su Wuming faced financial hardship.
He decided to write strange tales to earn money, proudly presenting his work. However, Lu Lingfeng disapproved, reminding Su Wuming that as Master Di's disciple and Chief of Secret Agents, his duty was to protect the capital, not to write "ghost stories to fool children." Su Wuming argued that he needed a livelihood and that his stories appealed to a wider audience, but Lu Lingfeng firmly stated that such a path was unsuitable for him.
Seeing their predicament, Pei Xijun proposed an idea she had long harbored: introducing sushan, a dessert from Dunhuang, to Chang'an by opening a specialized shop. She suggested several bustling locations and spoke of innovating the sushan recipes with local seasonal fruits. Recognizing the exorbitant cost of living in Chang'an, Pei Xijun offered to sell one of her properties to fund the venture, surprising everyone with the revelation that she owned multiple residences in prime districts.
She clarified that these were acquired through prudent investment of ancestral assets, not from any ill-gotten gains by her father. Lu Lingfeng, concerned that Pei Xijun's noble lineage from the Pei family of Hedong might suffer if she engaged in commerce, deemed it inappropriate for her to be the shop owner.
Su Wuming considered taking on the role but was dissuaded by Lu Lingfeng, who pointed out that a Chief of Secret Agents needed to remain anonymous, a difficult feat if he became a public shopkeeper. Ultimately, Chicken Fei volunteered to be the shop's proprietor. The group agreed, and Chicken Fei named the establishment the "Liuhe Sushan Shop."
Lu Lingfeng gently corrected Chicken Fei's use of a common phrase for 'booming business,' as it contained the word 'Xinglong,' a taboo imperial name. Upon learning that Xiong Qiannian had aligned with the Emperor and removed Su Wuming from the Yongzhou Prefecture Office, the Princess was furious. Chancellor Cui suggested that Su Wuming was untrustworthy and unworthy of her patronage.
However, the Princess saw Su Wuming's current predicament as an opportunity to win his loyalty through a significant appointment in her mansion. To her surprise, she then learned that Su Wuming had abandoned officialdom and become a merchant. The "Liuhe Sushan Shop" soon opened with much fanfare. Chicken Fei, flustered, struggled with his opening speech, prompting Pei Xijun to step forward.
She passionately described sushan as a delightful, cooling, and even health-boosting delicacy, assuring the skeptical crowd, who suspected it was merely crushed ice and a scam to sell medicine, of its quality and legitimacy by presenting all their business permits from various government offices. The Princess then made an unexpected appearance. She sternly questioned Su Wuming's commitment to serving the Tang Empire, mistaking him for the shop's owner. Su Wuming clarified that Chicken Fei was the true proprietor.
Recognizing Chicken Fei as the man who had saved her life in Luoyang, the Princess publicly honored him with the title "Chicken Master of Tang," decreeing that local officials throughout the empire must present him with a chicken wherever he traveled. She then entered the shop to taste the sushan. After trying it, she praised its "special" and "wonderful" flavor, immediately swaying the hesitant crowd, who eagerly rushed to purchase the dessert.
Later, the Princess summoned Su Wuming and offered him prestigious positions within her mansion, including Consultant Official, Chief Administrator, or even Princess's Consultant. Su Wuming respectfully declined, explaining that he could not abandon Lu Lingfeng, who, despite establishing the Mobile Court to serve the people, faced an overwhelming backlog of cases in the vast capital.
Su Wuming expressed his commitment to remain by Lu Lingfeng’s side as Chief of Secret Agents, offering advice and support to prevent him from collapsing from overwork. The Princess, though suspecting his refusal stemmed from fear of offending the Emperor, accepted his rationale. She acknowledged Lu Lingfeng's need for such assistance and predicted that both men would rise to prominent positions in due course.
Before her departure, the Princess called Pei Xijun over and advised her that while Lu Lingfeng might appear reserved and unromantic, he was a man of deep loyalty and integrity. She reassured Pei Xijun that Lu Lingfeng would always treat her well, despite their occasional quarrels. Meanwhile, in Qinglong District, Lu Lingfeng was setting up his Mobile Court to hear cases.
However, he found that no one was coming forward with disputes; instead, the residents were abandoning their lawsuits to gather and watch Hongyao, a renowned former courtesan from Pingkang District, perform on her pipa. Seeing the peace and the general excitement, Lu Lingfeng decided to join the crowd to enjoy Hongyao's performance.
