The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Episode 33 Recap
> The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Recap
Following the crucial abduction of Imperial Son-in-Law Wang Xian, Sui Zhou and Wang Zhi requested Tang Fan's assistance. Tang Fan meticulously examined the bodies at the scene. He concluded that, besides the Princess's Mansion guards, two groups of assailants were involved. Five individuals arrived first and killed the guards. Then, six black-clad men arrived and killed the first five before themselves being struck down by hidden arrows fired from the carriage.
The first group of five, though dressed as Han people, exhibited foreign physical traits and prairie totem tattoos, along with strong leg muscles indicative of long-term horseback riding. They used scimitars. The six black-clad men, on the other hand, used Po Knives or long swords, and their clothes were made from identical fabric. Their robust physiques suggested extensive training, but their bodies offered no identifiable clues.
Tang Fan humorously claimed he could sense a "vibe of killing," before explaining the true clue: two of the foreign men had new and old scars on their left hands but clean right hands, a clear sign of professional butchers who press meat with their left hand and cut with their right. Meanwhile, Ding Man held Wang Xian captive. Despite threats, Wang Xian remained silent, clutching a silk scarf.
Ding Man forcibly took the scarf and demanded the secret of the "incendiary device." Wang Xian then wrote "The third day of the third lunar month in the eleventh year of the Chenghua reign" on a piece of paper, a message that visibly alarmed Ding Man. Sui Zhou led Imperial Guards into Iron Market for a house-to-house search. During the search of a carriage shop, Wuyun angrily opened the door, only to freeze when she saw Ding Man.
Despite a subordinate pointing out Wuyun's non-cooperation, Sui Zhou, taking full responsibility, let his men proceed without further incident. Wang Zhi initiated his own investigation into Wang Xian's personal and professional life. He met Princess Gu'an, who expressed deep concern for her missing husband. She led Wang Zhi to their backyard, revealing a "flying machine." Princess Gu'an clarified that Wang Xian, despite public rumors labeling him as intellectually disabled, was a brilliant armament expert whose lifelong dream was to fly.
She believed he withdrew from society because others misunderstood his ambition, only seeing him as someone to be exploited. She implored Wang Zhi to rescue her husband. Later, Wang Zhi asked Tang Fan about the handwriting on some precious medicinal materials' entry/exit records. Wang Zhi immediately recognized it as Ding Man's signature, but Tang Fan, seemingly hesitant, denied any records pertaining to Ding Man. Wang Zhi then visited the Bureau of Provisions.
Mr. Ma, the attendant, claimed ignorance regarding Wang Xian's specific armament research and directed Wang Zhi to Wang Xian's assistant, Zhang Gongzhu. Wang Zhi asked Zhang Gongzhu if they had met before, but Zhang Gongzhu denied it, stating he rarely left Wang Xian's side. Once alone with Wang Zhi, Zhang Gongzhu explained "Biri," a new weapon designed to counter the highly mobile Oirat Rangers.
He noted that the Ming Dynasty lacked sufficient cavalry, and training skilled archers was costly and slow compared to the Oirats' innate horsemanship. " Biri," he asserted, would minimize casualties and maximize defense by allowing an ordinary city guard to wield the power of thirty archers, firing a dense volley of arrows with a wide range. He displayed prototypes, from an initial design firing seven arrows to improved versions firing fifteen, twenty-one, and thirty.
He added that the prototypes sent to the front could fire fifty arrows. Zhang Gongzhu then showed the latest "Biri" model, which Wang Xian had been developing before his abduction, capable of firing seventy-two arrows in a single launch. He emphasized that mass deployment of these new weapons to the northern frontier would allow the Ming to secure its borders with minimal troops and repel foreign incursions.
Zhang Gongzhu stressed the project's secrecy, known only to a few high-ranking Ministry of War officials, and urged Wang Zhi to bring Wang Xian back safely, highlighting his indispensable value to the Ming. Before leaving, Wang Zhi instructed Ding Rong to discreetly audit all staff, including janitors and servants, at the Bureau of Provisions, and admonished Mr. Ma to be more diligent in his duties. Meanwhile, Sui Zhou's search efforts in Iron Market yielded results.
His team identified several suspicious residences and placed them under twelve-hour secret surveillance, with orders to report any sign of Wang Xian or suspicious activity. Xue Ling's investigation uncovered a butcher's shop that, despite expensive prices, poor business, and a bad reputation, had been operating for over four years. It changed owners two years prior, and the current owner seemed indifferent to profit, often closing early.
Records showed discrepancies between the building's original design and its current size, and reports indicated Oirat delegation members frequently visited the area. Sui Zhou suspected this was an Oirat secret stronghold, believing Wang Xian's abduction was linked to them. However, Wan Tong, the commander, cautioned against impulsive actions, emphasizing that direct confrontation could jeopardize diplomatic relations with Oirats, prioritizing caution over immediate success. Tang Fan continued his investigation into Aras, but also noted the unusual behavior of Wuyun and Dora.
Wuyun, typically easygoing, was now working tirelessly. Dora repeatedly missed appointments and, surprisingly, urged Tang Fan to abandon the search for Aras and forget about the antidote. Tang Fan was perplexed by her sudden change. When he shared his frustrations with Sui Zhou at Dong's Restaurant, Sui Zhou revealed his findings: the five abductors, including the butchers, were indeed connected to Oirats, and an Oirat secret stronghold had been discovered in Iron Market.
This information immediately clicked for Tang Fan, connecting it to Dora's strange behavior. He rushed back to Iron Market to question Wuyun, who remained tight-lipped, vaguely mentioning Imperial Guards and a carriage order. Later, Qingge, witnessing Dora's emotional state, suggested Dora was lovesick for Aras and advised Tang Fan to help her move past it.
Ding Rong reported his findings to Wang Zhi: the previously deceased staff members at the Bureau of Provisions were all low-level janitors who couldn't have had access to critical information about Wang Xian's core research. He specifically mentioned a low-level clerk who, despite a small salary, recently became wealthy and bought a house, but then suspiciously drowned in the moat, leading Wang Zhi to suspect a hurried silencing.
Wang Zhi suspected a security breach and ordered Ding Rong to extend the investigation to individuals around the Emperor. At this opportune moment, Ding Man feigned a severe cold, excusing himself from attending to the Emperor, claiming he wished to avoid infecting His Majesty. Other eunuchs, expressing concern for his well-being, assured him they would diligently serve the Emperor, to which Ding Man cryptically replied that serving the Emperor came with both blessings and dangers, urging them to be careful.
