The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Episode 41 Recap
> The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Recap
After his successful appointment as the Governor of Shuntian Prefecture, Tang Fan also welcomed former Governor Pan back, appointing him as the fourth-rank Vice Governor. Pan, expressing mock resentment, lamented Tang Fan's refusal to become Minister of Punishments, which would have allowed Pan to attain a higher position as Assistant Minister of Punishments.
Tang Fan, feeling guilty for Pan losing his previous governor role, offered to let Pan manage all the governor's duties while he himself would continue his work as a magistrate, a gesture Pan jokingly accepted only if it included Tang Fan's salary.
Their first day in office was immediately met with a major case: Mrs. Gao, the widow of the meritorious General Gao Yi, beat the drum of injustice, claiming that the man who had returned after thirty years was not her husband but an impostor. Mrs. Gao insisted that her husband had died a long time ago and that the person currently residing at the official courier hotel was a sham, asking the court for justice.
However, when asked to provide specific identifying features of her husband, she vaguely stated that she would recognize him no matter what, but couldn't recall precise details about old injuries due to her age. Wang Zhi reported Mrs. Gao’s accusation to the Emperor. The Emperor, surprised by the claim, ordered Wang Zhi to conduct a thorough investigation, emphasizing that the truth must be uncovered before General Gao Yi’s scheduled knighting ceremony.
Wang Zhi provided Tang Fan with General Gao Yi’s detailed medical records, which included information about his past injuries. Tang Fan then visited General Gao Yi at the official courier hotel. General Gao Yi, to prove his identity, removed his shirt, revealing a back covered in severe burn scars.
He explained that after killing Esen Taishi's horse to protect the former Emperor, he was captured and tortured by Esen, who used burning linoleum to destroy all the skin on his back, causing lifelong pain. This torture had rendered any distinguishing marks unrecognizable. Gao Yi expressed his deep sorrow that even his own wife, whom he instantly recognized despite the years, did not acknowledge him. Tang Fan, seeing no further identifying marks, returned.
Tang Fan, frustrated by the lack of physical evidence, shared his dilemma with Sui Zhou, hoping Sui Zhou’s military background could offer a fresh perspective. Sui Zhou agreed and visited General Gao Yi under the guise of admiring his courage in killing Esen Taishi’s horse. Sui Zhou, a seasoned veteran who had defended the borders in Yansui Town for three years and fought the prairie cavalry multiple times, immediately recognized Gao Yi's military bearing.
Gao Yi also recognized Sui Zhou's military background and offered comfort, assuring him that surviving a battlefield where comrades fell was not a fault, but a sign that they still had purpose in serving the country.
Despite affirming Gao Yi's authentic military spirit and skill in warfare, Sui Zhou found his demeanor too composed for someone who had endured thirty years as a prisoner of war, as such an ordeal would typically leave indelible psychological and physical marks, which Gao Yi seemed to lack. Meanwhile, Tang Fan revisited Mrs. Gao to clarify her statements. Mrs. Gao spoke of a deeply loving and respectful marriage with Gao Yi before his departure with the late Emperor.
She recounted years of hoping for his return, followed by despair when only the Emperor was released. She tearfully shared her sorrow, mentioning how the late Emperor later honored her husband posthumously, confirming his sacrifice in killing Esen Taishi’s horse to protect him. However, when Tang Fan specifically asked about the location of General Gao Yi's back wound, she claimed her old age made her forget the precise details.
As Tang Fan prepared to leave, he met Gao Xiang, Mrs. Gao’s adopted son, whom she claimed to have taken in to continue the family lineage. Later, Tang Fan and Sui Zhou met at a noodle shop to exchange their findings.
Both expressed suspicion about Mrs. Gao's inconsistent statements: claiming deep love but forgetting key physical details, while also asserting instant recognition of a husband not seen in thirty years, which contradicted Gao Yi's statement about their short time together before his capture. Believing Mrs. Gao was lying, they decided to investigate her past, as she had remained in the capital. They went to Huichun Pharmacy, a time-honored establishment, to retrieve Mrs. Gao’s medical records.
The proprietor initially refused to release the confidential information, citing privacy and only complying with requests from the Eastern and Western Depots or the Imperial Guards. Sui Zhou, donning his Imperial Guard Flying Fish suit, quickly obtained the detailed medical records. They then brought the records to Pei Huai for analysis. Pei Huai, after examining the prescriptions from the past three decades, identified that approximately twenty years ago, Mrs. Gao had been pregnant.
He explained that the records showed prescriptions for abortion, followed by prescriptions to prevent miscarriage, indicating a failed attempt to end the pregnancy. Subsequent entries included tonics for post-birth recovery, and later, for an infant and toddler's growth, confirming that she had indeed given birth and raised a child. Unbeknownst to them, Wang Zhi had already dispatched Jia Kui to Oirat to investigate General Gao Yi's thirty years of captivity.
Jia Kui overheard local songs praising a "Black General," an alien general captured by Esen Taishi who later served the Oirats with great distinction. As Jia Kui probed further, his inquiries were noticed, forcing him to flee from an attack, which he narrowly survived and managed to return to the capital. He later found a brown carriage with a black horse, which appeared to be the same one Wang Zhi had been seen using.
Armed with Pei Huai’s discovery, Tang Fan confronted Mrs. Gao, unraveling the full story. He recounted a tale mirroring her situation: a lonely woman, whose husband was long gone, fell in love and became pregnant. Pressured by societal expectations and her established chaste widowhood, her lover left. She initially considered aborting the child but ultimately gave birth, adopting him as her "righteous son" to ensure the Gao family line continued.
However, the unexpected return of the real General Gao Yi threw her into a panic, leading her to falsely accuse him of being an impostor. Mrs. Gao, deeply moved, confessed her actions and pleaded for her son, Gao Xiang's, innocence. General Gao Yi, understanding the circumstances, embraced his wife and, without a trace of resentment, accepted Gao Xiang as his own son, expressing joy at having a child in his old age. The knighting ceremony proceeded as scheduled.
The Emperor, praising General Gao Yi's bravery, loyalty, and unwavering spirit during his three decades of captivity, officially bestowed upon him the title of Earl Anding and hosted a celebratory banquet. During the feast, the Emperor inquired about his father's demeanor as a captive. General Gao Yi affirmed the late Emperor's unwavering integrity in the face of Esen Taishi's threats.
Gao Yi then subtly advised the Emperor against trusting eunuchs, drawing parallels to the disastrous Tumu Fortress incident where the late Emperor's undue reliance on Wang Zhen led to calamity and the deaths of many officials, including Wang Zhen himself, who was killed by Fan Zhong to prevent further harm to the nation. Gao Yi urged the Emperor to learn from history and keep treacherous officials at bay.
After the banquet, Wang Zhi, still concerned about Tang Fan's earlier refusal of a promotion, privately returned to the imperial study to intercede on his behalf and discuss the remaining "Bo Lang" weapons. Sui Zhou, his personal emotional burdens lifted, happily resumed cooking for Tang Fan and Dong'er. However, Tang Fan, in good spirits, playfully critiqued Sui Zhou's cooking, leading to a humorous spat where Sui Zhou chased Tang Fan out of the kitchen.
Later, as they enjoyed the meal together, Wang Zhi joined them, jokingly scolding Tang Fan for his reckless behavior during the recent explosion, to which Tang Fan, acknowledging his fault, humbly served him food.
