The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Episode 18 Recap
> The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Recap
Wang Zhi was held in the Imperial Edict Prison. A guard informed him that his superior had given instructions for Wang Zhi to voice any requests he had. Wang Zhi asked for a small carving knife, but the guard refused, citing prison rules. However, the guard hinted that if Wang Zhi happened to "find" a knife, he wouldn't interfere. Later, Tang Fan devised a plan to punish the He family.
He instructed Dong'er to approach He Lin, presenting corn as a valuable medicinal herb from the Western Regions and offering him a free sample. Wuyun and Duo Er La, disguised as wealthy Western merchants, then arrived and identified the corn as "Jade Bamboo Core," a life-saving holy grail in their homeland. They offered a substantial price, much higher than He Lin's alleged cost, and paid a 600-tael deposit for a portion of the stock.
Convinced by their apparent wealth and eagerness, He Lin became greedy. To fulfill an order for 500 pieces, he pawned his family's property and shop deeds to gather the necessary cash. However, upon returning to the agreed location, He Lin discovered he had been scammed; the merchants were gone, and the "Tongfu Inn," the supposed meeting place, was merely a dilapidated temple.
Meanwhile, Wan Tong visited Wang Zhi in prison, claiming that Commander Shang Ming of the Eastern Depot intended him harm and urged Wang Zhi to hand over any incriminating evidence against the Eastern Depot. Wan Tong implied his influence over the Imperial Guards would protect Wang Zhi. Wang Zhi, feigning distress with "superb acting," rejected Wan Tong's offer, asserting that any secrets he held would die with him.
Shortly after, Commander Shang Ming also visited Wang Zhi, attempting to convince him to merge the Western Depot with the Eastern Depot under Shang Ming's leadership, and to hand over evidence against Wan Tong. Wang Zhi, again acting tearful and distraught, cunningly revealed his knowledge of Shang Ming's own misdeeds, implying he had enough dirt to implicate Shang Ming, but stated that these secrets would remain with him regardless of his fate. Both men left frustrated.
Back in the capital, Tang Fan continued to assist Sui Zhou in investigating the Yu family's murder. Pei Huai's autopsy revealed that all victims, except Chef Zhang, had consumed porridge containing a significant dose of knockout drops, indicating they were killed while unconscious. Chef Zhang's wound, however, was peculiar, and his stomach contained no porridge. Returning to the crime scene, Tang Fan observed fragmented remains of a wardrobe.
He deduced that Chef Zhang, angered by Yu Zhengpeng's repeated insults and Miss Yu's rejection of his advances, had first drugged the family. After killing them in their sleep, Chef Zhang had committed suicide by impaling himself on a sharp object after smashing into the wardrobe. Unaware of the new findings and despairing over the unresolved case and Wang Zhi's apparent impunity, Yu Zhenglin decided to publicly self-immolate to protest.
Sui Zhou and Tang Fan arrived just in time to rescue him, immediately informing him that the true murderer had been identified as Chef Zhang, and explaining his motive and the sequence of events. On the imperial court, ministers continued to press the Emperor to punish Wang Zhi, citing his alleged corruption and involvement in the Yu family murders. The Emperor, however, dismissed all accusations.
He revealed that Wang Zhi consistently submitted all "bribes" to the national treasury, a fact meticulously recorded by the Ministry of Revenue. Accusations of Wang Zhi manipulating the military were found to be baseless, as his alleged "confidant," Chen Yue, was a decorated veteran. Furthermore, the Emperor stated that all officials supposedly "murdered" by Wang Zhi were, in fact, guilty of severe crimes and deserved their fates.
The Emperor reprimanded the ministers for their jealousy and warned them to exercise restraint. Having lost all his property and now pursued by creditors, a destitute He Lin was found by Tang Fan in a dilapidated temple. Tang Fan offered He Lin money in exchange for a mutual divorce agreement, stipulating that Cheng'er would live with Tang Yu and all her dowry would be returned. Desperate, He Lin signed the agreement.
With the divorce finalized and Wang Zhi's name cleared, Tang Fan and his friends celebrated. Duo Er La and Wuyun subsequently departed from Tongzhou. The Emperor intended to send Wang Zhi to Yunhe to investigate the case of "Lead in official silver ingots." However, Wang Zhi explained that as a palace chamberlain, investigating a local case was inappropriate. He also reasoned that his appearance in Yunhe would immediately signal a crisis, making it impossible to contain the scandal.
Instead, Wang Zhi recommended Tang Fan for the assignment, praising his investigative abilities despite his perceived lack of political acumen. The Emperor agreed. Meanwhile, Commander Shang Ming of the Eastern Depot met with Wan Tong, expressing frustration that they almost brought down Wang Zhi, but Sui Zhou's intervention saved him.
Enraged, Wan Tong planted several banned books, including the "Sutra of Sansha Jiegui," "Sutra of Zhaoxianlu," and "Sutra of Fantianjiedi Soushen," in Sui Zhou's home, then reported him to the authorities for possessing forbidden texts. This was a severe charge, punishable by exile or even execution. The court debated how to handle the situation, especially since it involved Sui Zhou's status as a high-ranking Imperial Guard with imperial family connections.
When asked by the Emperor, the Crown Prince advised suspending Sui Zhou and having an independent department investigate to ensure fairness. He also recommended severe punishment for anyone proven to have framed Sui Zhou, a suggestion the Emperor accepted.
