Original subtitles

[Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty]

[Episode 15]

I went to the ancestral hall

to worship Confucius by the way.

I pray you

can pass the exam next year.

But someone crazy

threw a book in through the window

and hit my head.

It still hurts.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Didn't you say

you didn't go out in the afternoon?

Are you out of your mind?

I said it was a dream.

Dream.

Understand?

Yes.

A dream.

You just said it.

I was distracted.

A dream.

Dream.

Dream.

The rain

is distracting me.

Why do you blame the rain?

You're just absent-minded

and haven't listened to me at all.

You haven't been home for days.

And now you're back, but act strangely.

Tell me,

do you

have an affair or not?

How is that possible?

I study in the Confucian temple,

being with Liu Youqiu all day.

Ask him if you don’t believe me.

Liu Youqiu.

These days,

how do you

get along with him?

Fine.

Honey,

what else did you dream about?

I also dreamed that...

Why should I tell you?

You haven't eaten, have you?

Bored. I have no appetite.

Cook your own food if you're hungry.

You even don't want

to cook for me.

Do you have an affair?

What did you say?

Dugu Xiashu!

You stay in the Confucian temple every day,

reading those stupid book.

You leave me alone at home

as a widow.

How dare you say that?

As a widow?

So you can't stand loneliness?

As soon as I moved to the Confucian temple,

you dismissed all the old servants.

You're afraid that someone will spy on you

and prevent you from finding a lover.

Am I right?

Shameless!

You are shameless! You bastard!

You bastard! You bastard!

Get out!

Go back to the Confucian temple

and find Liu Youqiu.

What did you say?

What did I say?

I don't want to live anymore.

Qinghong.

Qinghong.

Qinghong.

Let me go!

Let me go!

Let's stop.

Let's stop.

Stop being unreasonable, okay?

Unreasonable?

You always think I'm unreasonable.

You can get a divorce!

Divorce?

Don't even think about it!

Did you go out this afternoon?

What do you mean?

I ask you

did you go out this afternoon?

I did go out this afternoon.

I wanted to visit you at the Confucian temple.

But it was raining heavily.

I thought I was stupid.

I was also afraid you would be angry if you saw me.

So I came back.

Really?

Yes.

Why are you looking at me?

Did you have a nightmare?

Who were you pinching?

You...

You and Qinghong…

What did you do?

Cheap!

Who are you talking about?

Me or Qinghong?

I'm talking about myself.

[Nanzhou Scholar Liu Youqiu]

I just like

someone else's wife.

What did you dream about?

You must tell me.

Why?

Because you called my name.

Tell me.

What kind of dream did you have?

It wasn't a dream.

It wasn't a dream.

It wasn't a dream.

It wasn't a dream.

It wasn't a dream.

It wasn't a dream.

[The Confucian Temple]

The deceased, Liu Youqiu,

is from Benzhou.

His family has been in government for generations.

He's unmarried.

His old father wants him

to be a government official too.

So his father takes him to the Confucian temple.

Let him to study hard

and get a good score.

When did he

move here?

At the beginning of March this year.

At that time, Dugu Xiashu

had lived here alone for three years,

preparing for the exam.

Does the beggar

who found treasures last time

also live here?

Yes.

You have a such good memory, Minister Lu.

He lives in the woodshed

next to the ancestral hall.

Lead the way.

Okay.

I'm gonig, too.

I-I...

I-I didn't steal anything.

A-All my treasures

w-were found here.

I found them.

I've been dreaming a lot lately.

I dreamed that there was a little ghost holding my leg,

but I couldn't kick him away.

In the end,

I kicked the wall down.

That's why there is a hole.

Dong Lang.

Do you know Liu Youqiu?

I do.

How does he treat you?

Not kind.

He doesn't want to give me

his leftovers every time.

And he always asks Ji Xiang to drive me away.

He says he could always smell

the sourness on me.

I live here, he lives there.

and there's a yard between us.

How is that possible?

So you hate him.

Yes.

I wish I could kill him.

He's not the murderer.

He probably doesn't know

Liu Youqiu is dead.

Don’t scare him.

Ask him patiently.

Try to see

if we can find any new clues.

Minister Lu,

this beggar is a tricky one.

Don't be fooled by him

and miss the real murderer.

Not to mention killing someone,

I'm afraid

he can't get out of this woodshed.

Ask him who is Ji Xiang.

He is the one who found the body first.

I'm Ji Xiang.

Greetings, my lords.

When did you find the body?

[The Servant of the Confucian Temple]

At 5 p.m. yesterday.

5 o'clock?

Are you sure?

Yes.

Every day at 5 p.m.,

I would prepare the dishes

and deliver to them on time.

I always do.

But last evening,

I found no one when I delivered the meal to the eastern hall.

So I called them to dinner.

My lords,

the dinner is ready.

You can have the meal in the eastern hall.

My lords…

Was Dugu Xiashu

absent from the Confucian temple all yesterday?

He was there at lunch.

He said, after lunch,

he would buy some books at the Hangu bookstore in the eastern city.

Is there anybody else

in Dugu Xiashu's family?

He...

He has a wife,

and no children.

His wife occasionally comes to the Confucian temple,

bringing him some clothes to change.

Go on.

That's all.

That's all?

My son!

Master.

-Master. -My son.

Master.

Where is my son?

Master.

Where is he?

My little master.

My son!

My son!

My little master.

-Why do you die before me? -Sir.

I'm sorry for you loss, sir.

Please get up.

Get up, sir.

You, you...

My son studies in your Confucian temple.

Now he's dead.

Give my son back!

Give my son back!

My son!

Give my son back!

My son!

I'll find Dugu Xiashu.

Dugu Xiashu.

Yes.

You're in a hurry.

Where are you going?

Who are you?

Why do you stop me?

I'm Lu Lingfeng, the acting Minister of Justice.

The Minister of Justice?

What do you want from me?

Where are you going?

I...

I'm going to Chang'an to prepare for the exam.

What's wrong?

I heard that you lived in the Confucian temple alone,

studying hard for three years.

Today, why do you suddenly leave Nanzhou,

to prepare for the exam in Chang'an?

Although you are an official,

I don't need to answer

this kind of question.

What are you doing?

Liu Youqiu is dead.

[The Nanzhou Prison]

My lords,

please catch the murderer

and avenge my classmate.

You don't go to Chang'an

to prepare for the exam at any other time,

but you leave

after Liu Youqiu is killed.

Dugu xiashu,

what a coincidence.

I failed twice before,

so I studied hard in Nanzhou for three years.

Now I'm confident.

That's why I want to travel thousands of miles

to go to Chang'an early

and prepare for the exam next spring.

That's why...

Let me ask you.

Yesterday, from lunch to 5 p.m.,

where were you?

Because I planned

to go to Chang'an today,

so yesterday, after lunch,

I went to the Hangu bookstore in the eastern city

to buy some books.

It's a long journey to Chang'an,

so that I can read these books on the way.

How long have you been there?

When did you return to the Confucian temple?

The bookstore is not close to the Confucian temple.

It took me a lot of time.

After I bought these books,

I wanted to go back to the Confucian temple

and say goodbye to Liu Youqiu.

But I remembered that

he didn't approve of my going to Chang'an.

So I thought about it for a moment,

then turned around halfway

and went straight home.

Juren Dugu.

Where is your wife?

Since I go to Chang'an for the exam,

I couldn't go home until next spring or summer at the earliest.

So my wife, Qinghong,

went back to her maiden home this morning.

If I pass the exam next year,

I'll bring her back.

But if I fail,

I'm too ashamed to pick her up.

There are…

There are all mountain roads between Nanzhou and He County,

which are far and dangerous.

Your wife goes back to her maiden home,

but why don't you see her off?

Qinghong is a tough woman.

Every time she goes back to her maiden home,

she wears a hood

and leaves alone.

In order to get a good score,

you live in the Confucian temple all the year round.

You even don't see your wife off when she goes back to her maiden home.

For you,

Qinghong is not important.

I have concentrated on books.

So…

You just mentioned Liu Youqiu.

He objected to your going to Changsha to study for the exam.

Did you two ever have a quarrel

about this?

Yes.

But...

that was a few days ago.

These days,

we have ignored each other.

What about yesterday?

Before you left the Confucian temple,

did you quarrel with him?

Y-Yesterday...

Y-Yesterday...

I can't remember what happened yesterday.

What?

How can you forget the things that happened yesterday?

Don't think you are a Juren,

so you can talk nonsense in front of the minister.

It's been raining heavily lately.

It makes me feel absent-minded.

Let me think again.

Let me think again.

Yesterday...

Yesterday...

We probably didn't quarrel yesterday.

Probably?

We definitely didn't quarrel yesterday.

I haven't killed Liu Youqiu.

I’m just a scholar.

Usually, I would run away from the scene of killing a chicken.

How could I kill someone with my own hands?

These two things have no connection.

Many murderers

are cowards usually.

But in a certain situation,

they can be cruel and heartless.

I'm not saying

you are the murderer.

It is just

a routine inquiry.

Minister Lu.

I think we can let him go.

Commander Su,

we can't let him go.

Here,

are you in charge

or am I?

Go.

But

you can't leave Nanzhou

before the case is clear,

no matter what reason you have.

If you dare to run away,

we will arrest you immediately.

Got it.

Commander Su, this man has a silver tongue,

He is the most suspected one.

H-How can we let him go?

What's your opinion?

We should execute severe punishments on him.

There are three kinds of solutions.

Executing punishments

is the most unwise one.

But...

But someone just deserves to be punished.

They won't confess unless you torture them.

Commander Su let him go,

which is more beneficial

for handling this case.

Mr.Xie,

I asked you to keep an eye on Ouyang Quan last time,

you did a good job.

Go.

This time, it's Juren Dugu.

Don't let him know.

Got it.

It turns out that you two

have already reached an agreement.

I-I'm the only fool.

Go.

Yes.

It's an brilliant idea to let him go.

But with his shifty eyes,

he must be up to something.

You've observed carefully.

That's why we have to pretend to let him go.

I'll go to He County

and bring Qinghong

back.

You're so thoughtful.

All right.

Let's not flatter each other.

I just

understand

what you are thinking about.

My sister?

She doesn't come back.

What happened to her?

Is something wrong?

Dugu Xiashu,

he is a bastard.

He always asks my sister

to come back by herself.

From Nanzhou to HeCounty,

the mountain road is so dangerous.

How can he be at ease?

If anything happens

to my sister,

I will not spare him.

Are you the only relative she has

in He County?

Our parents died when we were young.

It was me who brought her up.

I thought she married

a scholar,

I can rest assured.

Who could knew

Dugu Xiashu

treated her like this?

Why did you just say

the mountain road is dangerous?

You...

Don't you officials know?

Minister Lu.

What are you doing?

The mountain road is dangerous.

What happened?

There are bandits on this road.

They rob women,

rape and kill them, and dump their bodies in the wild.

At most,

there are over 10 cases a year.

Why didn't you tell me earlier?

The mountain road is under He County's jurisdiction.

Although we are from the city,

we can't arrest the murderer directly.

Ridiculous!

How about this?

No, no.

You don't look like a woman.

Practice with a woman's dress.

Yes.

Xue Huan disguised himself as a woman.

Even if he wears a long dress,

it is easy to recognize that he is a man.

My lady,

you are right.

I heard everything.

You want to use women

to lure out the bandits,

Since I'm here.

why are you bothering Xue Huan?

No way.

How can I let you take this risk?

If you're worried,

you can let Xue Huan

pretend to be my sister.

This way, Xue Huan can protect me

and prevent the bandits from being suspicious.

What do you think?

In that case,

we can definitely find Lady Dugu.

Master, with your protection,

we won't be in danger.

Mr. Woodcutter.

How far is it from He County?

Go faster.

Otherwise,

you can't get there before dark.

Thank you.

Let's go.

Fresh honey!

Honey for sale!

Brother,

how much is the honey?

Ten copper coins per pot.

Do you want it?

Sure.

Okay.

I forgot to bring those pots.

Could you please

come with me?

Turn this corner and that's my home.

I'll ask my wife

to pack two pots of the best honey for you.

Great！

Okay.

It's okay, sister.

It's still early.

After we buy the honey,

we can walk faster to get to He County.

Yes.

Very close.

Let's go.

Go.

There's no honey in his baskets.

I've smelled the aroma of wine.

Didn't you say it was close?

Why haven't we arrived yet?

We're in a hurry to return to He County.

Forget it.

We won't buy the honey.

Go in.

Go in.

Hurry up.

I'm so happy

to catch two girls at once.

Yes.

Let's go.

Let's have a drink with elder brother.

Help!

Let us out!

Where is Lady Dugu?

Where is Juren Dugu's wife,

Qinghong?

Drink, brother.

You seem unhappy, brother.

I'll get two beauties to drink with you.

I want the two newly caught girls.

Don't worry. I can see that.

You have a good taste.

Come on. Cheers.

Come out.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Why is there a man?

Brat.

How dare you!

Help!

A man is taking those girls away.

-Help! -Get your weapons!

Let’s go.

Hurry up.

Master.

Give me a weapon to kill the bandits!

Protect your lady.

I'll teach you how to use the spear.

Please spare my life. Please!

[Nanzhou Prison]

You've come.

How is the interrogation going?

The leader who used the axe

was once a rebel general.

When the court put down the rebellion,

he was lucky to escape.

He has been here for many years,

occupying the mountains

between Nanzhou and He County.

He County is in charge of that place.

The sheriff didn't do a stroke of work

and the magistrate did nothing.

That's the reason why these bandits

are so rampant.

But they didn't kidnap

Dugu Xiashu's wife.

Yes.

Maybe that Juren Dugu

lied from the beginning.

Minister Lu

How is it?

He is either buying books or drinking.

His life is so boring.

When does he usually stop drinking?

I think it will take another two hours.

I really wait to pour that pot of wine

into his stomach.

I'm worried for him.

Who?

You broke into aother's house late at night.

How dare you ask me who I am?

You want to leave?

Can you?

I am the Minister of Justice of this city.

How dare you fight against me?

If you don't surrender now,

I'll cut off your head immediately after arresting you.

My lord, please listen to me.

Go ahead.

Lu Lingfeng.

Although you are just scratched

by the hidden weapon,

the thief has smeared poison on it.

If I didn't apply it to you

with herbs

that could counteract it.

You're already dead.

Really?

Fed.

Do you want me

to owe you something?

Well...

If you don't believe me,

y-you can ask Xue Huan.

Yes, Master.

When Headman Huang and I

found you,

a large part of your neck was black.

Listen!

And there was a strange smell.

Listen!

Chicken Fed said

if we were one hour late,

you would have died.

Listen.

It is just a frightening saying.

This...

Tell me.

I've already owed you

chickens for your whole life.

You still rack your brain like this.

What else do you want?

Well...

You're right.

So,

even if you saved me again,

I wouldn't thank you anymore.

You are just afraid that after I die,

no one will offer you chicken to eat.

You...

Remember.

This time, you are in more danger than

the time you were shot in Chang'an.

This man is skilled in using poison.

You must be careful.

Got it.

Got it.

I'm thirsty.

Pour some water.

Is Lu Lingfeng awake?

T-T-This...

Why...

Why do you come in without knocking?

Stop covering.

When I treated you before,

it was Miss Xijun

who took your clothes off.

What?

Master.

you've been unconscious

for twenty hours.

My lady

had been by your side all the time.

I thought she was too sleepy,

so I came here

to let her rest

for a while.

How dare you!

You are my disciple.

You don't take care of me,

how can you let your lady work so hard?

Have you noticed that

after General arrived in Nanzhou,

he became a lot more interesting?

What do you mean?

I just

find happiness in suffering.

I even said I cared about the whole country.

But I

almost died here.

Xue Huan taught me a lesson before.

He did it well.

I can't even

do a good job as Nanzhou's acting Minister of Justice.

How can I say I cared about the country?

It's really gratifying

to hear you say so.

Don't laugh at me.

Laugh at you?

I'm here to visit you

by the order of the prefectural governor.

Don't worry.

He won't die with me here.

You can tell the prefectural governor

it is me who save his life.

He can treat me

at Gourmet Restaurant

to thank me.

Don't bother the prefectural governor for such a trivial matter.

I can afford it with my salary.

You usually are penny-pinching.

Why are you so generous today?

I'm hungry too.

Can you bring me back

a bowl of soup?

It's good to be hungry.

No chicken soup.

It's too greasy.

Rice soup is the best.

I'll cook it.

Wait, I haven't finished yet.

Rice soup is not enough.

Okay, I'll listen to you.

What happened?

Ji Xiang?

Where is Ji Xiang?

Ji Xiang.

It's raining outside

I thought you wouldn't go out.

Commander Su.

You're here.

Greetings, Commander Su.

The mountain behind is full of plants.

There are always pheasants.

They can't fly far in rainy days.

I happen to be free today,

so I have gone hunting.

Unfortunately,

I can't cook it for

those two scholars.

Would you like some tea?

I'm really thirsty.

Commander Su, please.

My tea is of poor quality.

Commander Su, don't laugh at me.

People in the Central Plains seldom drink tea.

For me,

it's tasty.

You also love reading?

Many books here

belong to those two scholars.

Sometimes when I'm free,

I'd like to read books

to kill time.

This is a good habit.

I admire people

who love reading bookes.

Thank you, Commander.

I'm just influenced by them.

Without these two scholars

studying hard for the exam here

how would I have the chance

to read these books?

May I

ask

if the murderer who killed Juren Liu

has been caught?

Not yet.

That is why I'm here.

How heavy the rain is!

It really makes people feel dizzy.

I'm here to ask you

if you have any clues.

Something you forgot to tell me last time.

Well...

I saw you hesitated

last time.

No.

There should be no other clues.

I've already told you.

Ji Xiang.

The murder is a serious case.

You should tell me the truth.

I'm indebted to both of them.

If I speak ill of them on the sly,

then

I have received their help in vain.

Solving the case as soon as possible

is the greatest consolation to the deceased.

Fine.

I'll tell you everything then.

Go ahead.

Actually,

Dugu Xiashu once said

he wanted to kill Liu Youqiu.

When did this happen?

It should be ten days ago.

Dong Lang heard it too.

Why would you do this?

Tell me.

Why?

Liu Youqiu,

you have to make it clear today.

What do you want?

Tell me.

Dong Lang.

What are you doing?

Tell me!

Tell me, Liu Youqiu!

Are you crazy?

Yes.

I'm crazy.

That's because you forced me.

Liu Youqiu, I...

I will kill you.

Come on, kill me.

Do it now.

It's better to be killed by you

than be beaten to death by my father.

Come on.

Take it.

Come on.

What?

You don't kill me?

I thought you were really

going to kill me.

I can't

do that to you anyway.

Do you know the reason?

It seemed that

Juren Dugu

suspected that Liu Youqiu seduced his wife.

Did Qinghong come here often?

She came here about every ten days.

Is there any evidence

for Dugu Xiashu's suspicion?

It seemed that

once Qinghong came,

it happened that

her husband was away.

Liu Youqiu...

I didn't see

what happened exactly.

I wouldn't dare to make irresponsible remarks.

♫The storm rises with no reason♫

♫In the night of illusions♫

♫I go into the maze♫

♫In a world of prosperity♫

♫A heart burns with obsession♫

♫With the darkness rising♫

♫I can't stop wandering through the night♫

♫With light in my heart, I'm not afraid of the storm♫

♫It's because of justice♫

♫That I seek a truth for this long, lonely night♫

♫The heaven and earth are held together by a strong will♫

♫The people are in peace♫

♫Carving right and wrong into a clear heart♫

♫The truth♫

♫Will reinterpret this justice♫

♫Even if there is fog♫

♫Even if there are invisible waves♫

♫I'll tell the story of the fate♫

♫Tell the love of the world♫

♫For the memory of grace♫

♫And the resentment is not yet over♫

♫The rivers and mountains are immortal, the clouds are overturned♫

♫To be consoled by the truth, even with thorns on my back♫

♫Only for justice♫

♫That I seek a truth for this long, lonely night♫

♫The heaven and earth are held together by a strong will♫

♫The people are in peace♫

♫Carving right and wrong into a clear heart♫

♫The truth♫

♫Will reinterpret this justice♫

♫Even if there are a thousand sails, it's not a waste of time♫

♫What I am afraid of is the unrighted wrong♫

♫What is the meaning of life and death?♫

♫I'll paint the sunshine into the landscape♫

♫The spirit of righteousness♫

♫Exists for the one I care♫