Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Ⅲ: To Changan Episode 26 Recap
> Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Ⅲ: To Changan Recap
Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming stood in Chang'an, reflecting on the poets' contest. Su Wuming observed that the verses depicted the strength of Tang poets, who were not only scholars but also martial artists who valued righteousness above all. He noted how Wang Youbo, Gao Da, and Ruan Daxiong demonstrated unwavering loyalty to their friends, and Leng Ji risked his life for love, concluding that all participants were indeed heroes.
Lu Lingfeng added that they, too, were heroes for having taken part. Lu Lingfeng then asked Su Wuming to define the Tang Empire, to which Su Wuming responded that swords and poetry embody the Tang Empire. When asked about Chang'an, Su Wuming said it is a place where poetry and danger coexist.
Lu Lingfeng expressed his belief that poetry is crucial to both the Tang Empire and Chang'an, but a poetic heart is even more important, enabling Tang people to perceive poetry even amidst hardship. Enlightened by this profound understanding, Su Wuming thanked Lu Lingfeng for his help in capturing two ringleaders through his network of investigators.
Meanwhile, in a private chamber in Chang'an, a young woman named Wei Jia, adorned in a bridal phoenix crown and robes, chatted joyfully with her sister-in-law, Jujia. Jujia urged her to drink a bitter medicinal soup, which Wei Jia drank, trusting Jujia's assurance that it would make her even more beautiful. Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached, and Wei Jia's brother, Wei Tao, the Chang'an County Sheriff, burst in with a furious expression.
Wei Jia cried, fearing her brother disapproved of her marriage. Jujia followed, trying to calm her husband. While Wei Tao could solve countless cases as sheriff, his own household affairs remained a difficult challenge. A murder was reported in Fengle District, where Hua Fu, the owner of Qianzi Florist, was found dead. Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming arrived at the scene, as did Sheriff Wei Tao. The initial coroner was inexperienced, leading Su Wuming to examine the body himself.
He determined that the primary cause of death was a severe blow to the back of the head, with a secondary serrated wound on the right side of the neck, consistent with a sickle. Since the crime was discovered rather than reported, Lu Lingfeng deferred the investigation to Sheriff Wei Tao, who immediately summoned Manager Zhang for questioning.
Zhang recounted that Hua Fu was in good spirits that day, allowing staff a lunch break while he personally arranged new peonies in the front hall. When the staff returned, they found Hua Fu deceased. During the investigation, Su Wuming found a bloody sickle. Following up on a tip, he and Wei Tao learned that Qingcong, a debt collector from the An Society, had visited the shop around noon.
Manager Zhang further revealed that Hua Fu, originally named Wu, was a former charcoal seller who had accumulated massive debts due to poor business. He had borrowed 50,000 coins from the An Society and, after learning from a tip in the Ghost Market that peonies were popular in Luoyang, transformed his charcoal shop into a flower shop, even changing his surname to "Hua."
The new business thrived, and Hua Fu had prepared the principal and interest for the An Society's collection. Wei Tao ordered Qingcong's arrest. Qingcong confessed that he and Dou Lang, known as the "Debt Collection Duo" for the An Society, collected debts in four districts. Dou Lang, a compulsive gambler who frequently consorted with married women, had used a secret rendezvous as an excuse to send Qingcong to collect the debt alone.
Dou Lang had also urged Qingcong to demand an additional 20% interest, suggesting they split the extra money, despite Qingcong's concerns about the High Priest's strict rules. Qingcong initially attempted to intimidate Hua Fu with the sickle, but Hua Fu refused to pay the extra interest, revealing his membership in the Jinguang Society and threatening to report them. Qingcong then left the shop.
Shortly after, Qingcong encountered Meimei, a dancer from the Persian House whom he loved, who demanded 10,000 coins to marry him. Desperate for the money, Qingcong returned to the flower shop to steal from Hua Fu. Upon entering, he discovered Hua Fu's lifeless body, panicked, dropped his sickle, and fled after stealing one silver ingot, heading directly to the Persian House to find Meimei.
Dou Lang and Meimei were apprehended in the alley behind the Persian House by Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng. Dou Lang admitted to manipulating Qingcong but denied the murder, accusing Qingcong instead. Meimei confirmed receiving only one ingot from Qingcong and stated that Dou Lang had found no other ingots on his own subsequent search of the shop, planning for her to support him as a songstress if they fled to Luoyang. The two men argued vehemently in court.
Meanwhile, Chu Yingtao, who was tasked with shadowing Manager Zhang, observed him attempting to flee with a suspicious bundle. When the bundle burst open during the pursuit, several silver ingots scattered. In court, Manager Zhang confessed to being greedy. He admitted to hiding in the shop to discover where Hua Fu kept his money. While hiding, he witnessed a masked person in a white robe, resembling a Zoroastrian, attack Hua Fu from behind.
He was about to steal the money when Qingcong returned, leading to Qingcong's discovery of the body. Combining these revelations, Lu Lingfeng, Su Wuming, and Wei Tao deduced that the true murderer was a Zoroastrian. They decided to split up to investigate Zoroastrian temples in Chang'an. Wei Tao proceeded to the four temples located in Chang'an County—Liquan, Puning, Buzheng, and Chonghua—while Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng headed to Jinggong District in Wannian County.
Upon their arrival in Jinggong District, they found a lively deity procession for the "Seven-Saint Blades" underway. Su Wuming explained to Lu Lingfeng that the "Seven-Saint Blades" was an illusionary ritual to summon gods. Historically, this ritual involved seven participants using real blades for mutual stabbing or self-mutilation to demonstrate piety, aided by illusionists to create a blurring of reality. However, due to its bloody nature, Emperor Gaozong had banned it.
After the Cantian Tower Illusion Convention, the prohibition relaxed, and the ritual evolved into a performance with paper or wooden weapons, using animal blood and makeup to simulate wounds. As night fell, they watched the ceremony from the crowd. People were crawling under a "flame cloth" for good fortune. Suddenly, as the cloth was lifted, Ma Kui, one of the "Seven-Saint Blades" and the East Market's largest pepper merchant, was discovered dead with a blade in his neck.
Lu Lingfeng swiftly moved to control the chaotic scene. Wannian County Sheriff Du Yu arrived and immediately clashed with He Bi, a Zoroastrian Priest from the Sabao Residence, indicating a pre-existing animosity between them. He Bi attempted to deflect suspicion by pointing out that many people had crawled under the flame cloth. Du Yu, suppressing his anger, ordered the remaining six "Seven-Saint Blades" and Ma Kui's body to be taken to the county office for investigation.
He Bi, however, insisted on continuing the procession, asserting the ritual's timing was crucial and reminding Du Yu of his official status. Du Yu dismissed He Bi's position as an "unranked official," emphasizing that all must adhere to the laws of the Tang Empire. Despite this, He Bi led the remaining, un-detained participants in continuing the procession.
