The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Episode 44 Recap
> The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Recap
With assistance from Wuyun Bulage, Wang Zhi successfully identified and mitigated numerous security vulnerabilities for the upcoming Beginning of Spring ceremony, significantly reducing potential threats. Wang Zhi explained to Wuyun Bulage that, based on his own assessment, the four strongest marksmen were Hua Yuhu, Gurijabatu, Strong Liu Bai, and Wuyun Bulage himself.
Since assassinating the Emperor from a distance during the ceremony would be extremely difficult for anyone else, Wang Zhi regretfully informed Wuyun Bulage that he and the other three marksmen would need to remain in the Western Depot's custody until after the ceremony for the Emperor's safety. Wuyun Bulage, though disappointed, accepted this and asked Wang Zhi to find Tang Fan, dead or alive, for the sake of closure.
Wang Zhi was struck by the deep loyalty Tang Fan's friends displayed. Wang Zhi reported to the Emperor that critical intelligence about the assassination plot during the Beginning of Spring ceremony had been obtained from Li Zilong, a situation that involved Tang Fan risking his life and Gao Yi exchanging himself to gain Li Zilong's trust. The Emperor, concerned about the stored Bolangs, instructed Wang Zhi to personally oversee their security to ensure no mishaps occurred.
Wang Zhi then went to Sui Zhou's residence, hoping to find him, but only found Dong. Noticing Dong's unawareness of the situation, Wang Zhi, despite his hesitation, told her that Tang Fan was in trouble. Dong, though worried, held onto the hope that her brothers would eventually return home, describing how wontons symbolized family reunion. Meanwhile, Sui Zhou and Xue Ling returned to Ms. Jin San's territory, seeking her help to locate Tang Fan.
Ms. Jin San's subordinates, wary of the Imperial Guards, initially challenged Sui Zhou to a "game of chicken" before allowing him to see their boss. After Sui Zhou won the contest, a distress signal flared, indicating Ms. Jin San was in danger. Her subordinates, now convinced, helped Sui Zhou find her severely wounded.
Sui Zhou and Ms. Jin San's men brought her to Pei Huai, who, with the help of his assistant, diligently applied Ten Ashes' Styptic Powder and hastily prepared Jiuhuai Decoction. After much effort, Pei Huai managed to save Ms. Jin San's life. Once she was stable enough to speak, Ms. Jin San recounted that she had attempted to aid Tang Fan but was subsequently attacked by Li Zilong and his associates.
She then revealed that Tang Fan was being held captive in the Iron Market. Sui Zhou immediately contacted Wang Zhi, conveying the urgent news and requesting Western Depot reinforcements to assist the Imperial Guards in searching the Iron Market for Tang Fan. Wang Zhi quickly dispatched his men, emphasizing that Tang Fan must be found, regardless of his condition.
During his captivity, Tang Fan analyzed his surroundings, using details like sunlight and the scent of food to deduce his approximate location. Realizing Li Zilong must have a specific purpose for keeping him alive, Tang Fan directly confronted him, demanding to know his intentions. Li Zilong posed a chilling hypothetical: would Tang Fan sacrifice the Emperor to save a million common people?
Tang Fan countered that personal gain should never be built upon the sacrifice of others, arguing that the true villain was the one who imposed such a choice. Li Zilong scoffed at Tang Fan's idealism, asserting that rules were inherently cold and unyielding. He then dramatically unveiled a finished Bolang, claiming that all the Bolangs were now in his possession, having been stolen from the Western Depot due to the self-importance and incompetence of their guards.
Tang Fan was shocked, having believed the Bolangs were securely hidden. Li Zilong explained that he wanted Tang Fan to experience the power of standing above the rules, deciding the fate of others. To emphasize his point and ensure Tang Fan's message would be believed, Li Zilong handed him the finished Bolang and then severely wounded Tang Fan.
Unbeknownst to Tang Fan, Li Zilong's faction was struggling to locate the Bolangs safeguarded by the Western Depot, which hindered their assassination plan. Qing Ge, secretly hoping to save Tang Fan, suggested to Li Zilong that they release Tang Fan. She reasoned that Tang Fan could then be used to pinpoint the exact location of the Western Depot's Bolangs and to pressure the authorities into surrendering the Emperor. Li Zilong, oblivious to Qing Ge's true motive, agreed to the strategy.
Tang Fan, desperate to prevent harm to the populace, frantically rushed out of the Iron Market upon his release, completely unaware that he was now an unwitting pawn in Li Zilong's scheme. As Sui Zhou continued his search within the Iron Market, he stumbled upon a severely injured Tang Fan. Sui Zhou immediately wanted to take him to Pei Huai for medical attention, but Tang Fan, preoccupied with the imminent danger, insisted on being taken to Wang Zhi at once.
At the Huanyi Brothel, a relieved Wang Zhi met with Sui Zhou and the wounded Tang Fan. Tang Fan presented the finished Bolang he received from Li Zilong, which Ding Rong confirmed was a genuine, active explosive. Tang Fan relayed Li Zilong's audacious demand: the surrender of the Emperor in exchange for the lives of millions of common people.
While the three found the demand absurd, they realized that a Bolang attack during the Beginning of Spring ceremony would indeed be the most effective assassination method. Despite Wang Zhi's unwavering belief in the Western Depot's impenetrable Bolang security, the appearance of Li Zilong's finished Bolang cast a shadow of doubt. They collectively decided to take the risk and personally inspect the Western Depot's Bolang storage.
Wang Zhi, acknowledging his responsibility, jokingly blamed Tang Fan for often causing trouble, but affirmed that if anything went wrong this time, he would take full accountability. With that, they prepared to depart for the storage site.
