The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Episode 14 Recap
> The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Recap
Tang Fan and Sui Zhou located Well-doer-Zhu, who readily agreed to help find Duo Er La. Sui Zhou mentioned knowing Well-doer-Zhu from royal banquets in his youth, describing him as the "beacon of hope among the royal members" in the capital, someone who has consistently performed good deeds for decades and whose conduct is beyond reproach.
However, Tang Fan found Duke Well-doer-Zhu's extreme kindness unsettling, questioning why a duke with limited income would dedicate nearly all of it to charity, calling it "a bit too showy, almost too good to be true." Tang Fan pondered if good deeds require a reason, positing two types of philanthropists: those driven by compassion and those seeking to atone for past wrongdoings.
Unable to get further leads from Well-doer-Zhu, Tang Fan and Sui Zhou shifted their investigation to the cliff where Wuyun had fallen. There, they discovered distinctive limping footprints, identical in pace and posture to those found at the previous female victim's scene. Tang Fan surmised that Wuyun had been pushed off the cliff in a crate.
The presence of these footprints and nearby wheel ruts led Tang Fan to conclude that Duo Er La had been abducted by the same heart-extracting serial killer. Tang Fan decided on a risky strategy: he spread false information that ""Pei Huai"" had been apprehended as the heart-extracting killer. He explained his intent to Pei Huai, stating that this would buy crucial time for Duo Er La, as the real killer would refrain from further crimes for fear of exposing himself.
This, Tang Fan believed, was their only method to prolong Duo Er La's life and give them more time to solve the case. The tragic death of Minister Yu, ordered by higher command and with Wang Zhi's involvement, resurfaced. Minister Yu’s passing left his wife gravely ill, and his eldest son, Yu Zhengpeng, a newly returned General from the borders, along with his second son, both came back to the capital to mourn.
Her Majesty Zhou, taking pity on the Yu family, expressed her desire to arrange a marriage between Sui Zhou and the Yu family’s third daughter. She advised Sui Zhou to first meet Yu Zhengpeng. Meanwhile, Yu Zhengpeng, filled with resentment over his father’s death, held a strong grudge against Wang Zhi and frequently provoked him. During one such instance, Wang Zhi, despite his annoyance, chose to tolerate Yu Zhengpeng’s unruly actions to avoid further complications.
Later, Sui Zhou went to meet Yu Zhengpeng as instructed by Her Majesty Zhou, only to find him drunk and causing a scene at Huanyi Brothel, yelling for Wang Zhi to come out. Sui Zhou intervened, brought Yu Zhengpeng home, and then spoke with his second son. " "During their conversation, the second son revealed that the family's recent misfortunes, including his father's death, his mother's illness, and his own resignation, began because he had fabricated military merits.
He also introduced their loyal family cook, Zhang, who had stayed with them despite the family's decline." " Eastern Depot Commander Shang Ming, who had years ago thoroughly investigated a similar heart-taking case, came to Shuntian Prefecture Governor Pan's office. He inquired whether the re-emerging cases might be connected to his old investigation and if they should be merged. Governor Pan initially mistook the visit for his gambling transgression but quickly corrected himself.
He vehemently denied any connection, insisting that Commander Shang's prior case was fully resolved with the culprit executed, suggesting the current incidents were merely the work of a copycat. He also asked who was handling the current investigation, learning it was Tang Fan. Tang Fan sought out Dong, offering a sincere apology for his previous stubbornness and lack of trust in her judgment. He praised her exceptional memory and analytical abilities, acknowledging his own mistakes.
He then presented her with nearly two decades' worth of missing persons case files, requesting her help to swiftly identify any cases related to the heart-taking murders, stressing the dire situation of Duo Er La. Dong meticulously reviewed the files, focusing on those marked with the character "外" (foreign). She discovered that the victims in these 36 cases were consistently foreign women aged 15 to 25.
The earliest related incident she found was a missing Tatar maid from 22 years prior. Concurrently, Sui Zhou's investigation yielded a significant lead: he identified unique short-wheelbase carriage axle prints near the cliff. These specialized carriages were rarely sold and required annual maintenance, allowing for meticulous records. Sui Zhou discovered that Zhu Jianmou's mansion owned such a vehicle, and his carter, Tuo San, was notably lame, walking with a limp.
Combining this with Dong's findings—a total of 62 related cases spanning 22 years where foreign women were victims—Tang Fan realized they could roughly map the killer's operational patterns. The next crucial step was to ascertain Tuo San's whereabouts and activities over the past 22 years, which would serve as definitive evidence if they matched the murderer's movements. Tang Fan sought Wang Zhi's assistance, requesting access to the last 25 years of records for Zhu Jianmou’s household servants.
Wang Zhi initially hesitated, pointing out the immense difficulty of investigating Zhu Jianmou, who held the esteemed title of hereditary duke and was revered as the "beacon of hope among the royal members." He also mentioned that the Western Depot had only been established recently. Tang Fan, however, pressed on, reminding Wang Zhi of the Western Depot’s extensive surveillance network over various ministers and royal family members.
He appealed to their complex relationship, suggesting that even if the Western Depot didn't hold the records, Wang Zhi possessed the means to acquire them. Eventually, Wang Zhi relented, implicitly agreeing to leverage his informant within the Eastern Depot to obtain the requested information, but not without warning Tang Fan of the inherent risks and the need to bear full responsibility should anything go awry.
Armed with the compiled information from Dong, who had chronologically detailed the 62 heart-taking cases, Tang Fan conclusively identified Tuo San as the mastermind behind the abductions and murders. He swiftly informed Zhu Jianmou, revealing that Tuo San was not only Duo Er La's kidnapper but also the perpetrator of over 60 murders of foreign women over the past 22 years.
When Zhu Jianmou requested proof, Tang Fan presented the compelling match between Tuo San's movements and the killer's documented tracks. Zhu Jianmou feigned shock, claiming he had harbored vague suspicions but never acted due to Tuo San’s long-standing loyalty. He pledged to hand over Tuo San to the authorities if the accusations proved true. Tang Fan suggested Tuo San might be at a house he owned outside the city.
Zhu Jianmou then offered to personally escort Tang Fan to Tuo San's residence, insisting they go alone to protect the mansion's reputation and prevent alarming Tuo San, which could endanger Duo Er La. Tang Fan agreed to this seemingly helpful offer. However, en route, Zhu Jianmou cunningly drugged Tang Fan, causing him to lose consciousness. Duo Er La managed to escape her confinement, only to discover walls adorned with offerings to numerous spirits, a chilling sight.
Despite her momentary freedom, she was ultimately recaptured. Later, Tang Fan regained consciousness to find himself imprisoned alongside her. Duo Er La explained that she was captured because she was a "foreign woman," fitting the Duke's criteria for his "prey." When Tang Fan failed to return through the night, Sui Zhou grew concerned. He arrived at Zhu Jianmou's mansion under the guise of looking for Tang Fan, who had reportedly visited earlier to investigate a case.
Zhu Jianmou denied Tang Fan's presence and initially refused Sui Zhou's request to search his premises, asserting his status as a hereditary duke and claiming such an intrusion was an insult. However, a clever subordinate of Sui Zhou's suddenly "reported" seeing Dugu Buning, a notorious class-A wanted criminal and habitual rapist with distinct facial features, scaling the mansion walls.
Seizing this opportunity, Sui Zhou declared an urgent need to search the entire mansion to ensure the safety of its inhabitants and apprehend the dangerous fugitive. Faced with this new development, Zhu Jianmou reluctantly agreed. Sui Zhou then swiftly ordered all units of the Imperial Guards to thoroughly search the royal residence. As the Imperial Guards meticulously searched the vast mansion, one of Sui Zhou's officers remarked on a strangely high Buddhist shrine that was difficult to properly view. Meanwhile, from a hidden location, Tang Fan and Duo Er La frantically called out for help, their voices eventually reaching someone on the outside.
