The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Episode 30 Recap
> The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Recap
In the morning, Tang Yu discovered her son, Cheng, secretly taking an osmanthus crunchy candy. Despite her initial frustration with him for pilfering snacks, Cheng explained he was trying to save it for Uncle Pei. Tang Yu, already annoyed, declared that all men were the same and none of them were good. Later, Tang Fan, disguised as Ms. Cui (Madam Cui of Huanyi Brothel) and looking remarkably attractive, entered the black market. He was immediately accosted by several men.
Suddenly, a carriage sped past, and a man, Mr. Jin (Jin San), swiftly pulled Tang Fan into it before disappearing. Sui Zhou, who was monitoring the situation, quickly followed but lost track of the carriage. Inside the carriage, Tang Fan, maintaining his disguise as Ms. Cui, initiated negotiations with Mr. Jin. He proposed to buy all of Mr. Jin’s ice at a very favorable price, reassuring him by claiming to have powerful connections who could handle any trouble.
After some thought, Mr. Jin was swayed by the offer but stated he needed to consult his associates before making a final decision. They agreed to meet again at the same spot the following day. Still in his female attire, Tang Fan happened upon Wang Zhi's carriage on the street. Jia Kui let Tang Fan into the carriage. Wang Zhi found Tang Fan’s appearance amusing, struggling to contain his laughter.
Tang Fan, observing Wang Zhi’s attire, accurately deduced that he was investigating the black market ice trade, which he linked to the royal ice cellar theft. Tang Fan asserted that the theft was clearly an inside job due to the ice cellar’s tight security, suggesting that torturing the guards would quickly yield confessions. Wang Zhi, however, dismissed the ice theft as a "small case" and sought Tang Fan's expertise on the whereabouts of Li Zilong.
Tang Fan theorized that Li Zilong, being audacious and unconventional, would have anticipated being searched for in the capital and likely fled. Despite this, Wang Zhi insisted on a thorough search of the entire city, stating that even a minimal possibility of danger warranted maximum effort. The next day, Tang Fan again donned his female disguise and waited for Mr. Jin, with Sui Zhou now discreetly following in a different carriage.
Mr. Jin's men, however, grew suspicious of Sui Zhou, fearing that "Ms. Cui" and her companion were government spies. To overcome this, Tang Fan dramatically feigned being in distress, grabbing a knife as if to stab himself. Sui Zhou, quick to react, pulled Tang Fan away and embraced him, playing the part of an enraged lover.
This bold act, along with Sui Zhou's indignant outburst against Mr. Jin's men for bullying a woman and Tang Fan's show of "ruthlessness" towards himself, convinced Mr. Jin of their genuine intentions. With trust established, they finalized the deal, confirming Mr. Jin as the mastermind behind the ice thefts. More importantly, they realized that the Imperial City's security was severely compromised, as Mr. Jin boasted an inexhaustible supply of ice, hinting at direct access to the royal ice cellar.
Mr. Jin then led Tang Fan and Sui Zhou to his hideout. There, they discovered that Mr. Jin and his gang were not malicious criminals but rather "righteous thieves" who stole from the wealthy to aid the impoverished. This revelation presented a moral dilemma for Tang Fan and Sui Zhou, complicating their mission to apprehend him. In another part of the capital, Qing Ge, the newly popular flower queen, was revealed to be an informant for Li Zilong.
They shared a quiet understanding regarding the situation with the Imperial City's ice cellar. Tang Fan later met with Pan Bin, his senior schoolmate, at the Office of Transmission. Pan Bin had been demoted three ranks due to his involvement in the Zhu Jianmou case, a consequence Tang Fan felt responsible for.
However, Pan Bin expressed no resentment, stating that his demotion had allowed him to shed his political ambitions and find a more grounded and honest purpose in his new role, where he was able to accomplish practical work.
Tang Fan playfully remarked that he should have gotten Pan Bin demoted sooner, to which Pan Bin responded by challenging Tang Fan to tackle the immense backlog of petitions and cases that flooded their office daily from across the empire, jokingly implying that Tang Fan could now share his burden. Meanwhile, Pei Huai found himself locked out of Tang Yu's residence.
He explained to Tang Fan that Tang Yu had witnessed a misunderstanding at his clinic where another woman had embraced him. Tang Fan advised Pei Huai to apologize sincerely, offer genuine compliments, and bring a gift as a token of his sincerity, warning that if these steps failed, he should prepare for Tang Yu's "punishment." Following Tang Fan's advice, Pei Huai attempted to apologize to Tang Yu.
She, however, responded with overly polite and formal expressions of gratitude for his past kindness to Tang Fan and her son, effectively sidestepping his apology and leaving him frustrated. Back at the Imperial Guards' headquarters, Sui Zhou informed Tang Fan that he had managed to gather only six Imperial Guards, including Xue Ling, for Mr. Jin's arrest. Tang Fan deemed this force insufficient and dangerous.
He pointed out that Mr. Jin’s gang, despite their illegal activities, were not inherently evil, as they consistently helped the poor. Tang Fan, recalling the tragic fate of the Li brothers (Li Fei and Li You), expressed his reluctance to involve official authorities and risk Mr. Jin’s life. Instead, they decided to devise a strategy to outsmart the thieves rather than confronting them directly with force. Separately, Tang Fan went to Huanyi Brothel, seeking to speak with Qing Ge.
Madam Cui attempted to block his entry, claiming Qing Ge was busy with another client. Tang Fan, asserting his status as a "lifetime VIP" and threatening to monopolize all the girls, compelled Madam Cui to grant him access. Inside, Tang Fan found another man, also attempting to see Qing Ge. Tang Fan, introducing himself as a "poor scholar," exchanged sharp words with the other man, who had boasted about his wealth and talent.
Qing Ge intervened, proposing a poetry duel to determine who would gain her audience. They exchanged verses, showcasing their literary wit. After the duel, Qing Ge acknowledged Tang Fan's talent, then subtly prompted him about the true reason for his visit. Concurrently, Wang Zhi gave private instructions to his subordinate, directing him to coordinate with the palace guards. In two days, an official from the Ministry of War's Armory Department would present a mysterious item to the Emperor.
Wang Zhi strictly forbade his subordinate from inquiring about the item's nature, emphasizing that since the Emperor had not revealed it to him, it was not for anyone else to know, underscoring the extreme secrecy of the matter.
