Tientsin Mystic Episode 2 Recap

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> Tientsin Mystic Recap

Driven by curiosity and ignoring his master's reluctance, Guo Deyou, the Junior Tientsin Mystic, attempted the "analysis by lighting cigarette" ritual himself, despite his weak physique. In a chilling hallucination, he waded through icy river water, disoriented, as floating red floral fragments guided him. Following them, he discovered Ding Yiqiu, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, lying dead before him, with a mysterious red substance slowly entering Ding Yiqiu's nose.

The acrid smoke of the ritual overwhelmed Guo Deyou, and he thrashed, attempting to clear the air, before collapsing into the darkness of the vision. Meanwhile, at the ancestral hall, Ding Mao discussed the burning of paper effigies and horses for his deceased father with Supervisor Hu. Ding Mao found the practice wasteful and without meaning, but Supervisor Hu explained it was to offer comfort to the living and a gesture of companionship for the deceased.

Shortly after, Ding Mao, recalling a familiar silhouette of a worker moving paper horses, came downstairs to unexpectedly find Guo Deyou unconscious on the ground. Before he could process the sight, Gu Ying, the young shamaness, struck him with a stick, knocking him out. When Ding Mao regained consciousness, he was bound. He was furious and initially intended to call for help to apprehend Guo Deyou for trespassing. However, Guo Deyou's words stunned him.

Guo Deyou revealed that he had used "analysis by lighting cigarette" to uncover the details of Ding Yiqiu’s death, which was his true reason for entering the Chamber of Commerce. He asserted that Ding Yiqiu did not drown in the river, but in the sea. He had been tied to a Xuanwu bronze statue, thrown into the ocean, and then dragged along with the statue by a ship to the spot where his body was recovered.

Ding Mao confirmed that this matched his own autopsy findings, but then accused Guo Deyou of being the murderer, as only the culprit could possess such precise details without being present. Guo Deyou countered by citing tiny red algae residue found in Ding Yiqiu’s nose and mouth, a species that only grows in the sea, and pointed to the deep rope marks on Ding Yiqiu’s wrists, indicating he was dragged a long distance by a heavy cargo ship.

Such an operation, conducted at night to avoid detection, could only be orchestrated by the Chamber of Commerce itself, implying an inside job. Realizing the implications, Ding Mao immediately confronted Supervisor Hu, demanding records of any large ships (over twenty tons) that left port during the nights his father went missing. Supervisor Hu initially hesitated, claiming such large vessels rarely moved at night due to poor visibility and potential problems.

However, Ding Mao’s insistence led him to provide the records, further solidifying Ding Mao's suspicion that someone within the Chamber was involved in his father's death. Frustrated by the police's inaction, Ding Mao marched to the police station to demand an explanation. He found the police chief and his officers idle, despite numerous unresolved cases. Ding Mao, with his sharp observations, exposed the department’s lack of personnel and progress.

The Police Chief, hoping to divert public attention and media scrutiny from his incompetent force, offered Ding Mao a temporary special detective badge to investigate his father’s case personally, without pay or a firearm. Ding Mao accepted, determined to find the truth. Armed with his new authority, Ding Mao went to the Dragon King Temple, Guo Deyou's residence, to interrogate him, still convinced he was the prime suspect.

He found Guo Deyou repairing his tools, grumbling about Gu Ying, who had broken them. Guo Deyou defiantly stated that he was the murderer to provoke Ding Mao to present evidence. The Senior Tientsin Mystic, Guo Chun, intervened, emphasizing that the official legal process differed from the unwritten rules of their trade. He advised Ding Mao to consider the "speechless" green-haired infant found alongside Ding Yiqiu. He stated, "Corpses in the same place, floated on the same day.

Unravel one, and you’ll know the other." Following Guo Chun's advice, they began to examine the infant's body. Guo Chun forbade a full dissection, instructing them to rely solely on observation, as he wanted to respect the deceased's family. Guo Deyou speculated that the infant, judging by its robust physique, likely came from a wealthy family whose mother had a good diet, and believed it had drowned, based on his experience as a corpse retriever.

Ding Mao disagreed, arguing that affluent families would not easily abandon a child with a minor illness, suggesting the infant must be from a poor family who couldn't afford medical care, and therefore likely not drowned. Guo Chun listened intently but refrained from declaring a winner in their debate. Back at the temple, Guo Chun instructed them to prepare a trap in the courtyard: scattering dried leaves and oil in one area and spreading soybeans across the floor.

He cryptically warned them to "watch your step at night." That night, a thief silently entered the temple, but the trap worked, causing him to slip on the soybeans. Guo Deyou swiftly recovered the infant's body from the thief. The thief, despite being in pain, made no sound, adhering to a "thieves' code" where silence distinguished stealing from robbing. Impressed by Guo Chun's uncanny foresight, Ding Mao decided to seek him as a master.

Guo Deyou found the idea amusing, and Guo Chun initially rebuffed Ding Mao, claiming their paths were too different and he lacked the necessary qualities, suggesting he needed more tempering. Undeterred, Ding Mao humbly insisted, vowing to meet any conditions. Guo Deyou mockingly listed exorbitant demands: a thousand silver dollars tuition, a three-day feast at Taifeng restaurant, ten years of absolute loyalty where his fate was his own, and additional gifts for festivals and birthdays.

Ding Mao, without hesitation, agreed to all. The very next morning, Ding Mao arrived at the Dragon King Temple with an entourage, moving in with a large tortoise (which he claimed was proof he met the condition to become an apprentice) and expensive gifts for Guo Chun: a luxurious African Padauk chair for his comfort, and a German-made clock for Guo Deyou, intended to help with his punctuality (unaware of the cultural taboo of "sending a clock" symbolizing a funeral).

He also brought in a lavish feast from famous restaurants and even prepared some dishes himself. Guo Deyou was visibly annoyed by Ding Mao's ostentatious gestures and attempted to enforce household rules, such as not sitting directly in front of the Kitchen God, which he considered great disrespect.

Ding Mao, however, asserted his authority as a special detective and argued that he had every right to be there to investigate, as he was a witness and investigator, and as a special detective, he outranked the auxiliary corpse retrieval team. Guo Deyou, in turn, accused Ding Mao of being disrespectful and unfilial by so readily seeking a new father figure after his own father's recent death. Over dinner, Guo Chun asked them about their investigation plans.

Ding Mao proposed to first establish the infant's identity, believing it was the most convenient way to uncover the truth. Guo Deyou, drawing from his street smarts, hypothesized that the infant was likely an illegitimate child, which would explain why the "owner" attempted to steal the body rather than claim it openly, as their identity could not be exposed. Deciding to pursue both angles, they agreed to split up.

Ding Mao returned to the police station to request access to missing persons archives, especially for infants and children. The Police Chief, again citing regulations and his position, refused. Ding Mao then skillfully pointed out details in the Chief’s office: a teacup with lipstick and animal fur on a chair. He inferred that the Chief had a mistress, observing that the Chief’s devoutly Buddhist wife would neither wear fur nor heavy lipstick.

Cornered and exposed, the Chief quickly relented and led Ding Mao to the archives. Meanwhile, Guo Deyou visited a local brothel, inquiring discreetly about pregnant women. He asked the madam hypothetically what a "friend" should do if they got pregnant "on the wild side" (meaning, an illegitimate pregnancy). The madam, understanding his coded question, directed him to the Black Witch in the ghost market, a figure known for handling such sensitive matters.

She cautioned him, however, to "mind the ghosts’ rules and seek good fortune." Unaware of these developments, Supervisor Hu visited Guo Chun at the temple, concerned about Ding Mao's decision to stay and become an apprentice. He feared that the ongoing turmoil at the Chamber of Commerce meant they "couldn't afford to gamble" on Ding Mao's risky endeavors and that Ding Mao shouldn't be put in danger.

Guo Chun gravely informed him that since Ding Yiqiu and the Xuanwu statue were discovered together in the water, everyone connected to a twenty-year-old incident had already been drawn into this perilous "gamble," and whether they could afford it was no longer relevant. Supervisor Hu immediately understood that Guo Chun was referring to the sinister Demonic Cult.

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