The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Episode 5 Recap
> The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Recap
Wang Zhi's interrogation methods were harsh, driving people to madness in his search for clues, a style Sui Zhou criticized as ineffective. Sui Zhou believed such torture yielded no useful information, while Wang Zhi retorted that sometimes a lack of leads was a lead in itself. Late one night, Dong knelt at Tang Fan's door, desperate for help. Her master, Mr. Li, and his second wife had returned home and planned to sell their property and move south.
As a "dead contract" servant, Dong was to be sold. Tang Fan assured her he would try to buy her contract. Sui Zhou went to Tang Fan’s residence to discuss the stagnant Han Zao case, only to find Tang Fan’s rented place had been sold by the Li family, requiring him to vacate within three days.
Tang Fan, a sixth-rank magistrate, took advantage of his predicament, inquiring about Sui Zhou’s spacious three-entrance house in the prime area of Chongbeifang, which Sui Zhou lived in alone. Tang Fan claimed he could not focus on the case without a place to stay, effectively moving into Sui Zhou's home. Despite Sui Zhou's initial surprise, Tang Fan settled in quickly, even trying to assert himself as a paying tenant.
Later, at Shuntian Prefecture, Duo Er La, accompanied by her subordinate, confronted Tang Fan again. She demanded her cloak back within three days, accusing him of theft and damaging her property from their previous encounter, which had led to their original dispute. To ensure Tang Fan's compliance, she seized his personal chopsticks. Tang Fan managed to gather the fifty taels needed for Dong’s contract, only to discover the second wife had already sold Dong to the proprietress of Huanyi Brothel.
The proprietress, however, drastically inflated the price, demanding two hundred taels for Dong's freedom. With no other options, Tang Fan decided to seek Sui Zhou’s assistance. Attempting to curry favor, Tang Fan tried to cook for Sui Zhou, but his culinary skills were so poor he nearly set the kitchen ablaze. He then relayed Dong’s tragic story, appealing to Sui Zhou for help.
Sui Zhou responded by dispatching Imperial Guards, in conjunction with the Water and Fire Association, to inspect Huanyi Brothel's fire safety. This disruption drove away all the customers, forcing the proprietress to quickly hand over Dong and her contract to the Imperial Guards to preserve her business. The Imperial Guards brought Dong directly to Sui Zhou’s residence and gave her contract to Tang Fan, who immediately tore it up.
Dong was welcomed into the household, and the three began living together. However, Tang Fan and Dong’s attempts to organize Sui Zhou’s belongings, such as airing his books and ordering a new arhat bed, led to chaos. Sui Zhou, a man of meticulous habits, became furious, but Tang Fan managed to appease him by mentioning he had spent the entire night reviewing Han Zao’s case files.
Tang Fan informed Sui Zhou that to uncover more clues for the Han Zao case, he needed to enter the palace. Sui Zhou, making an exception, escorted Tang Fan inside, pointing out significant locations like the Imperial Kitchen, the Crown Prince's Ciqing Palace, Empress Dowager Zhou's Ningshou Palace, Noble Consort Wan's Anxi Palace, and Wenhua Hall, where Han Zao had last been seen before his death.
Tang Fan revealed his true objective was to speak with the Crown Prince, the last person to have seen Han Zao alive. Sui Zhou acknowledged this was an extraordinary and difficult request. Leveraging his family's long-standing connection with Empress Dowager Zhou, Sui Zhou sought her assistance. He explained the complexity and slow progress of the Imperial Guards' investigation into the Crown Prince's studying companion case, emphasizing the Emperor's close attention to the matter.
He requested Empress Dowager Zhou to facilitate a meeting between Tang Fan and the Crown Prince. Empress Dowager Zhou agreed and took them to the drill ground, where the Crown Prince was practicing archery. During a break, she inquired about the events of the day Han Zao died. The Crown Prince cooperatively recounted the day's events.
He recalled studying "Historical Records of the Later Qin Dynasty," the third chapter of "Abridged Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government," and taking a short nap around Wei Shi (1-3 PM). Palace maids then brought mung bean soup, a gift from Noble Consort Wan's palace. However, his eunuch, Liu Xiang, intervened, stating that the decoction the Crown Prince was taking for internal fever and external cold (a Ficus tea prescribed by the Imperial Hospital) was incompatible with mung beans.
Consequently, the Crown Prince did not drink the soup, and Han Zao consumed both bowls. They continued their studies until Shen Shi (3-5 PM), when Han Zao departed. Noble Consort Wan, having been informed that Empress Dowager Zhou and a magistrate were questioning the Crown Prince, quickly arrived at the drill ground. Meanwhile, a subordinate reported the situation to Wang Zhi, who immediately ordered a carriage to the Imperial Study, intending to involve the Emperor to resolve the escalating confrontation. The Emperor arrived just as Empress Dowager Zhou and Noble Consort Wan's dispute over the matter intensified.
