The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Episode 19 Recap
> The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Recap
Sui Zhou faced unjust dismissal from his position, and Wan Tong relentlessly pursued his humiliation by having his subordinates demand that Sui Zhou surrender his Flying Fish Embroidered Suit, a symbol of royal appointment. A group of Jinyiwei surrounded Sui Zhou, attempting to take his uniform as a form of harassment, but he managed to fend them off. Upon his return to the capital after receiving an edict from His Majesty, Tang Fan learned of Sui Zhou’s dismissal.
He tried to comfort his friend, suggesting that Sui Zhou’s dismissal might not be a bad thing. Tang Fan proposed they pool their resources and invest in Dong'er's Restaurant.
He envisioned expanding "Sui and Tang's Bistro" across the country, with Sui Zhou contributing his culinary skills and family wealth, Tang Fan providing ideas and new recipes, his sister handling purchasing, Pei Huai researching ingredients and herbal diets, Duo Er La and Wuyun supplying fresh meat from the prairie, and Cheng'er learning the business for the future. As a joke, he added that Dong'er could eat the leftovers.
Meanwhile, Wang Zhi brought Tang Fan to a brothel for a private audience with the Emperor. Tang Fan apologized for his previous conduct. The Emperor revealed the dire state of the imperial treasury, which had been dangerously low on silver since Emperor Hongwu's reign due to constant warfare and famine. He tasked Tang Fan with investigating the Yunhe silver matter, not only to uncover the truth but, more importantly, to find a way to replenish the national coffers.
Tang Fan, however, declined the mission, stating he was merely a magistrate meant for investigations, not someone skilled in profiting from chaos like Commander Wang. He suspected he was being used as a mere cover, while Wang Zhi would handle the actual operations, and reiterated his refusal. Separately, Yu’s second son decided to renounce the mundane world and become a monk, seeking true wisdom to escape the suffering and confusion of life.
Before his departure, he entrusted Sui Zhou with his final worldly concern: his third sister, Yu Xiu Lian. Though she had awakened, Yu Xiu Lian still required time to recuperate. He asked Sui Zhou to assist her until she could return to their hometown, where clan elders would care for her. Sui Zhou readily agreed.
Despite Tang Fan's initial refusal, Wang Zhi relentlessly sought to secure the Yunhe prefecture governor position for him, deeming the Yunhe case, which involved official silver, as fundamental to the nation. Tang Fan, however, remained determined to evade the appointment. First, he bribed Pei Huai to fake a severe illness, complaining of a splitting headache and angina.
Pei Huai played along, diagnosing him with a serious internal heat condition but then forcing him to drink a foul-tasting, non-lethal herbal tonic, much to Tang Fan's chagrin. Wang Zhi, however, was not fooled, having been tipped off by Tang Fan's sister.
Next, Tang Fan attempted to feign a hasty marriage, meticulously planning a lengthy engagement period—including a search for a propitious date, formal ceremonies, a return to his hometown to inform ancestors, and a grand reception—hoping to delay his departure until the end of the year. Wang Zhi saw through this ruse as well, warning him against deceiving the crown.
As a final dramatic attempt, Tang Fan staged his own elaborate funeral, complete with a coffin and mournful wailing, claiming that the Yunhe assignment was a certain death sentence. Wang Zhi, unfazed, knelt before the "coffin," praised Tang Fan's "heroic sacrifice" for the country, and declared he would personally "send him off." Defeated in his attempts to evade, Tang Fan finally accompanied Wang Zhi to receive his imperial decree.
Before the Emperor, Tang Fan declared he desired neither the Shangfang Sword nor the Danshu Iron Voucher, explaining his fear was not of death itself, but of dying without successfully resolving the Yunhe matter. He then humbly requested to handle the Yunhe issue in his own way and asked for a seemingly insignificant item from the Emperor as a reminder of his promised autonomy.
After a moment of suspicion, the Emperor granted his wish, bestowing upon him a box of Scholar's Candies, promising that the candies could be used to save anyone's life. Tang Fan, seemingly joking, even asked if the candy wrapper counted, which the Emperor dismissed. The Yunhe mission was fraught with danger; what appeared to be a promotion was, in reality, a perilous assignment to recover funds for the imperial court.
Tang Fan explained the risks to Sui Zhou, noting the "murky water" of Yunhe was under many watchful eyes, and suggested Sui Zhou, currently idle, accompany him for protection and the chance of reinstatement if they succeeded in recovering the silver. After being subjected to continuous harassment, with people throwing dog excrement at him, Sui Zhou saw no end to the indignities he faced and agreed to accompany Tang Fan south.
As stated in the plot summary, Dong'er also went with them. Pei Huai promised to look after Tang Yu and Cheng'er while they were away. As Tang Fan and Sui Zhou embarked on their journey, ominous news reached the capital: the two officials who had reported the lead in Yunhe's official silver, along with the former Yunhe Prefecture Governor who was on his way back to the capital, had all met suspicious ends.
Mr. Su had hanged himself, Mr. Wang had drowned in his own pond, and the former governor’s horse had been startled, causing him to fall off a cliff. Wang Zhi, however, advised against sending more personnel, believing Tang Fan's light travel was an advantage and that Sui Zhou’s presence was sufficient for protection. On their journey, Tang Fan and Sui Zhou sensed they were being followed. Sui Zhou discovered it was Duo Er La and Wuyun.
Wuyun explained that Duo Er La had closed her carriage business and sold all her horses, keeping only one carriage, to follow Tang Fan, much to his delight. The group later woke to find themselves surrounded by local villagers, who led them to a hidden cave. This turned out to be a small, self-sufficient settlement. Tang Fan, through a scholarly discussion on the meaning of "zhongyong" with the village teacher, Li Mao, quickly befriended him.
Li Mao explained that the villagers were all former residents of Yunhe, either expelled or having fled, who had gathered there to survive and establish their own community. Their initial wariness towards Tang Fan's group stemmed from their need to guard against various external forces, especially local bandits. Li Mao revealed that Yunhe's peaceful days ended when Ma Lin discovered a silver mine.
This discovery led to widespread corruption, with officials colluding with merchants to seize farmlands from households and forcibly conscripting labor for the toxic mine. Many miners developed strange illnesses, their lives uncared for. The land, contaminated by mining waste, became barren. The people living in the cave were those who refused to succumb to this fate or who had lost their family's laborers.
Li Mao stressed that Yunhe was now entirely under the control of the Ma family, and anyone wishing to survive there had to obey them. Tang Fan, upon presenting his official permit, cleared up the misunderstanding about being a spy. Li Mao then guided them on the path to Yunhe and accepted Tang Fan’s offer of supplies, requesting books for the children. Following Li Mao's directions, Tang Fan and his companions arrived at the outskirts of Yunhe.
Before entering the city, they saw a line of officials waiting, which Tang Fan initially believed was a welcoming party for himself. However, he soon realized they were waiting for "Boss Ma," a figure so influential that he was referred to as the singular "Boss Ma" across Yunhe, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and even the entire land. Boss Ma then arrived with an extravagant display of power, even grander than Tang Fan's own arrival. He proceeded to greet Tang Fan.
