Original subtitles

[Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty]

[Episode 18]

Until one day...

Excuse me,

does Juren Dugu live here?

Yes,

and you are?

I'm his wife.

So you're Lady Dugu.

He is studying in the ancestral hall.

Please come in.

You are...

Ji Xiang?

He told me about you.

Thank you for taking care of him.

Here.

This is for you.

I didn't expect

Dugu had such a wife.

What confuses me more is

that since he has such a beautiful wife at home,

how could he be so determined

to study in the temple?

So you harbored some wicked ideas when you saw how beautiful she is.

No.

I just have some desires occasionally

deep down in my heart.

That kind of life,

when I killed someone for his property

and kidnapped beautiful women,

is too far from me.

It seems like a prelife.

Later,

there was another person moving in the temple.

-I'm sorry. I'm sorry. -Stop! I'll kill you!

I'm sorry. Sorry!

Stop right there!

Father!

-You unfilial son! -Father, I am sorry!

I'll beat you up!

I, I've come to the temple.

Please, stop hitting me.

You think that's it?

You have to study hard

and study with your heart!

What are you...

Are you a cleaner in this temple?

Yes.

My son, Liu Youqiu, is here to study.

He will be studying here for at least three to five years,

or up to ten years.

No need.

I only need to stay here for a few months.

Next spring, I promise

I will succeed in the imperial examination.

Bastard!

What are you talking about?

-Father! Father! -I'll kill you!

-I'm sorry. I'm sorry. -Stop!

I shouldn't say it, Father!

-Stop! You stop! -Guys.

No violence in the Confucian temple!

Brother,

you can't pass the exam

with only a few months' study.

Brother,

are you also studying here?

Yes.

I've been here for two years.

What's your name?

I'm Dugu Xiashu.

I'm Liu Youqiu.

Greetings, brother.

That Liu Youqiu

is a playboy.

He often left the temple

and went out to look for women.

But Dugu Xiashu didn't know.

Until one day...

Ji Xiang!

Ji Xiang!

Ji Xiang!

What can I do for you?

Can you send me out?

It's getting dark soon.

The road is desolate.

I am scared of going out alone.

But I have already made an appointment with someone.

If I don't go,

I will let him down.

Well...

I beg you.

Juren,

I have to say this to you.

If you don't focus on your studies,

you can't pass the imperial exam.

What's the use of studying hard?

What's useful is my father's old friend.

To be honest,

Uncle Xu has replied

to make me become an imperial scholar next year.

Since then,

I have no mood to study anymore.

Because no matter how hard I work,

I can't defeat

a scumbag like Liu Youqiu.

You are?

I'm Dugu's wife.

Ah, you're his wife.

Come with me to the Eastern Hall for some tea.

This way, please.

Here.

Here. Take care.

It was Liu Youqiu who had some wicked idea to her.

One day when it rained,

Liu Youqiu guessed Qinghong would come,

so he sent Dugu Xiashu out

to buy candles.

It smells so good.

What did you say?

I say...

you smell so good.

Lady,

let me hug you.

How dare you!

It's raining heavily outside.

Even if I was timid before

I want to

be bold now.

Let go off me!

All of this,

Dugu said, he saw it with his own eyes too.

But the situation is slightly different.

How could he have seen it?

I told him everything.

He believes whatever you say?

Besides the hidden weapon,

my master also taught me a unique skill,

which is using drug to manipulate other's minds.

The steel needle was poisoned.

To Dugu,

You used drug.

No wonder Dugu was absent-minded,

had a bad sleep and went crazy in the end.

He couldn't even tell

what he had been told,

what he had dreamed,

and what had actually happened.

So it was caused by your ecstasy incense.

He enlightened you to study,

which is a favour to you.

Why are you doing this to him?

I have no choice.

I fall in love with Qinghong.

Since the first time I saw her,

my silent heart

has been in a mess again.

I just want her.

She is virtuous

and beautiful.

If I came out first in the highest imperial examination one day,

only she

deserves to be my wife.

So I have to get her first.

Only in this way

can she obey me

and accompany me to Chang'an for the exam.

Then she and I can

start a perfect second half of my life.

So,

I set a trap.

You used Liu Youqiu.

I have to let Qinghong

be disappointed in Dugu Xiashu completely.

That's how I can swoop in.

So you made it up

that they were in love.

And you deliberately let Qinghong know that.

Yes.

Liu Youqiu also coveted her.

He actually believed

that in this way,

Qinghong would be disappointed in Dugu Xiashu,

and came to him.

I saw it all.

They were animals.

I was so nice to her that day.

Most importantly,

when she was in despair,

I swooped in.

Of course,

I also used a little ecstasy incense to her.

Anyway,

she made me strong in my faith.

I want to

start my magnificent second half of my life

with her.

In that case,

why did you kill Qinghong?

Because she saw

I kill Liu Youqiu.

I had been nagging

Dugu Xiashu

to let him believe

that Liu Youqiu was having an affair with his wife.

When Dugu Xiashu went home that day,

I knew he would threw her

a writing of divorcement.

I believed it was the time.

I would kill Liu Youqiu first,

steal the letter from the Liu's house,

and then flee with Qinghong.

But I didn't expect...

My hand threw out the steel needle of its own accord.

I swear I didn't mean it.

I didn't even see who that was.

Qinghong!

Qinghong!

Qinghong!

Qinghong! How could it be you!

Qinghong!

Although she was dead,

your plan was not stopped.

Of course.

With my talent,

together with that letter,

how can I not become an imperial scholar?

Dugu Xiashu had long lost his mind.

And he suspected

that Liu Youqiu was having an affair with his wife.

To be considered as the murderer

is very reasonable.

I didn't

suspect Dugu Xiashu at the first place.

But his neighbour,

that old man, has a problem with his ears.

He made us take many detours.

Did you see him kill someone?

No.

But I heard

he sharpen a knife in the middle of the night.

Though it was raining that night,

and my hearing was bad,

I still

clearly heard

he was sharpening his knife.

To clear my doubts,

I went to

Dugu Xiashu's house again yesterday.

[Dugu's Residence]

Your Honor,

you're here again.

Was there

a wife

killed by her husband again?

Why did you say that?

Last night,

and the night before yesterday,

I heard someone

sharpening the knife two nights in a row.

That noise

was so frightening.

So

you couldn't have caught me.

It was all because of my bad luck.

The treasure I hid in the temple

was found by Dong Lang,

so that I didn't have the money to go to Chang'an.

I had to go to Dugu's residence to get money.

The Dugu family has ancestral silver ingots

which are buried under the rice jar.

Did

Qinghong tell you that day?

Yes.

She loved me so much.

Otherwise,

how would she tell me about the seven silver ingots?

But I

killed her accidentally.

Don't flatter yourself.

If you didn't use that incense,

Qinghong wouldn't have been with you.

Let me tell you.

Qinghong regretted it long ago.

She had already dug

the six silver ingots out

and burried them in another place.

Even if you didn't meet me that night,

you wouldn't have

got these ingots of Dugu family.

And Dugu didn't divorce Qinghong.

They were back together.

I believe the reason why Qinghong went to the temple late at night

was to make it clear to you

that you shouldn't see each other again

and cut off everything

that shouldn't have happened.

But who knows she would see you commit the crime

and was murdered.

Impossible!

Dugu Xiashu is a nerd.

It's impossible that Qinghong

be loyal to him.

She must have come to me to elope with me.

She only has me in her heart.

And I only have her in my heart.

Don't try to fool me.

Impossible.

You don't deserve to be a human!

You keep saying that you have Qinghong in your heart.

But in order to make Dugu Xiashu

take the blame for you,

you actually slashed several times

on her neck.

You are really vicious.

Fortunately,

justice has long arms.

Go and prepare for the exam in Chang'an.

You've studied hard for many years.

Confucius and the ancestors of the Dugu family

will bless you.

You must can pass the imperial exam next year.

I want to go to Chang'an with you.

We will never be apart.

Minister Lu.

Why are you in such a hurry?

Do you have any money?

Yes.

My ancestral silver ingots

was stolen by thieves.

Luckily there's one ingot left.

The six silver ingots

were not stolen by thieves.

It was Qinghong who moved them to under the bed.

Fortunately, Commander Su found them out.

He asked me to return it to you.

Fed said

you've recovered.

You must avoid thinking wild in the future.

Thank you, Minister Lu.

Please thank Physician Fed,

Commander Su,

and Miss Xijun, who helped me draw

and cleared my name, for me.

Speaking of Miss Xijun,

she asked you to give this letter

to the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Personnel Administration, Pei Jian.

Deputy Minister?

How can I get to see

such a high-ranking official?

You take this letter

to the right Imperial Guards

to find someone named Guo Zhuang.

He will arrange it for you.

Miss Xijun

is Assistant Minister Pei's daughter.

This time,

she sneaked out of Chang'an.

Bring this letter to him

and tell him she is safe.

Assistant Minister Pei will be grateful to you.

Later in Chang'an,

you can have an acquaintance.

Minister Lu,

didn't you always

look down on me?

Why are you helping me now?

It's because

I was wrong about you.

If it is

helpful

to your career,

I will feel relieved.

Do you know how to ride a horse?

Of course.

My ancestors came from the north.

How can I not ride horses?

Good.

Then this horse

is yours!

Then...

Does it mean that you have to walk back to the city?

I can enjoy

the beautiful scenery in Nanzhou on the way.

The deities on the bridge,

Xue Huan is here!

Thank you, General.

What are you doing?

In this murder case in the Confucian temple,

I've repeatedly jumped to the conclusion

that Dugu Xiashu is the murderer.

If it weren't for you,

I would have made a huge mistake.

I, Lu Lingfeng,

Thank you.

You flatter me.

You disregard our former grudges

and invite me

to visit this stone bridge.

I am very grateful.

Stop

thanking each other.

I only know

you young people are fast.

It turns out that you keep running ahead of us

just to

say something behind us.

You know

I have something to say to Xijun.

Why are you still following us so closely?

Fed.

It's understandable that he is drunk again.

You, Su Wuming, the military commander

and Xijun's sworn brother,

are still so inconsiderate?

If that's the case,

it's my fault.

Well,

you two may hold hands whenever you want

and whisper whenever you want.

Just pretend I can't see it.

Xijun.

Xijun,

you and Lu Lingfeng are getting married soon.

Will I be able to drink your wedding wine

in my lifetime?

You!

Ji Xiang is good at using hidden weapons.

Of course, I am ashamed to use them.

But if you know both the enemy and yourself,

you will fight a hundred battles without danger of defeat.

I've been studying hidden weapons lately.

How is it, Fed?

I only used 30 percent of my power.

Fortunately, it was 30.

If it were 70,

I

would have grown a horn on my head!

You have to discipline

your husband well!

He bullied the elderly!

And he is indebted to me!

Still talking rubbish.

Do you want me to use a stone this time?

You...

Help! Help!

Su Wuming, he hit me!

He hit me with a stone!

[Prefectural Governor's Residence]

So,

congratulations, Brother Lu.

Sheriff of Ju County?

Though Ju County is in the corner of Nanzhou,

and the position of sheriff is not high.

But after all,

you have become a government official again.

In this way,

you can look forward to

being reinstated

or even a promotion.

Congratulations.

How could the imperial court have given me such an appointment?

That's impossible.

What great news!

We should have a drink tomorrow!

Su Wuming.

Did you do something behind my back?

What could I do?

If not,

why would I have such an appointment?

I'm in Nanzhou with you,

far away from the capital.

And I am humble in position and have little say.

Although the position of sheriff is low,

it is still an imperial official.

Appointing an official

is an important matter for the imperial court.

How can I have a say in it?

The General of the Imperial Guards, Lu Lingfeng!

By knowing the law and breaking it, your crime is aggravated!

Flog him 30 times, confiscate his property,

and expel him from Chang'an.

When I was expelled,

it didn't say I would never be appointed again,

but I knew my career was over.

This appointment

is really strange.

Then you should think about

whether you did something

that was known to Chang'an.

Could it be

the letter that I asked Dugu Xiashu

to bring to the capital?

A letter?

What letter?

Who wrote to whom?

I asked Xijun to write to Pei Jian.

General Lu.

General Lu.

You're really scheming.

I swear!

I asked her to write a letter,

on one hand, to report her safety.

On the other hand,

I worried that Scholar Dugu

had no one to rely on in Chang'an.

It makes sense, doesn't it?

Once Assistant Minister Pei received the letter,

he would definitely invite Dugu Xiashu to a feast.

Then he would know

that Lu Lingfeng who solved mysterious cases

and took care of his daughter all the time

in remote Nanzhou.

And he's now the acting Minister of Justice.

Well...

Assistant Minister Pei loves his daughter so much.

He will definitely take care of everything

and help you

return to your career.

General.

You're from a prestigious family after all.

You are more familiar

with the rules in the political area than me.

Nonsense!

How could I

rely on others to get promoted?

I'm not going to

take office as the Sheriff of Ju County.

It's a good thing.

But he won't go.

Why?

Maybe it's because

he thinks the position is low.

Although the rank is not that high,

it's a good opportunity

to turn things around.

He doesn't even

understand this?

Who's that?

Don't bother me if there's no proper business.

Master.

It's me.

Shouldn't it take you a month

to practice the technique of using a sword I taught you days before?

Why are you knocking?

Master.

It's Guo Zhuang,

a member of the Imperial Guards of Chang'an.

He brought a parcel here.

[Encyclopedia]

Master.

They are just three old books.

[Bizarrerie]

Is it worth sending

from Chang'an?

You don't understand.

Go practice.

Yes, master.

I see horses outside.

Where are you going?

Ju County.

Ju County?

Are you sending Lu Lingfeng to his office?

Send him?

I'll go by myself.

Why?

Lu Lingfeng refused to take office.

But the position of the Sheriff of Ju County

has been vacant for a long time.

No one is in charge of old cases.

And there are new cases from time to time.

The people are complaining.

I was also shocked

when I browsed through the old files yesterday.

I am sure

that Lu Lingfeng has gotten some news

from Headmen Huang

and Xie.

That's why he doesn't dare to go.

Impossible!

Lu Lingfeng is so brave.

How could he shrink back from difficulties?

Nanzhou is a city with a small population.

The Sheriff of Ju County should be a ninth-rank official.

In my opinion,

he must think that the rank is low.

No matter what the reason is,

it is up to him to assume office or not.

You think Lu Lingfeng

is capable and skilled.

But he can't compete with me

in investigating mysterious cases.

It's useless for him to go there.

Su Wuming.

Do you think I'm a three-year-old?

Is it useful

to provoke me by the window?

He does it for your own good.

Shut up!

Watch your mouth!

Just ignore him.

It's better if he doesn't go.

Listen, Xijun.

There was a mysterious case

forty years ago

which shocked the whole Nanzhou.

When I read the files,

my hair even stood on end.

There's no one else who can solve it

except me.

Xijun.

Why don't we go together?

Okay.

Let's go.

Where is Xue Huan?

Master.

I'm not slacking off.

I've been practicing

for two hours.

I just went inside for some water.

Come with me to assume office in Ju County.

Why are you standing there?

Go pack the luggage.

Yes.

[Commander's Residence]

I didn't offend him.

Why does he treat me like this?

Xijun,

did you praise Lu Lingfeng

in the letter to your father?

I just told the truth.

Because of your letter,

Lu Lingfeng is able

to continue his political career.

If it weren't Assistant Minister Pei,

who would be so capable?

Lu Lingfeng thought that this appointment

hurts his dignity.

He was afraid that others would tease him

that he relied on you to get promoted.

He even criticizes you for being pedantic.

I think he is the most pedantic one.

You're right.

It's fair and direct.

Where are those two?

You drank too much yesterday.

You didn't hear the good news, did you?

Lu Lingfeng is on his way to Ju County to take office.

Ju County?

What?

Is there anything special

about that place?

No.

[Ju County]

Get out of this place.

Otherwise, I can't endure

my headache anymore.

My head!

Dear, are we really leaving?

Of course.

We'll have a splitting headache if we don't leave now.

If the pain attacks the brain,

it will be incurable.

Have you forgotten

how my father and your uncle

died?

Let's go,

or it would be too late.

Let's be quick.

I have a severe headache.

[Magistrate Ye of Ju County]

Magistrate?

Magistrate?

Magistrate.

What happened?

Mr. Lu, the new sheriff,

is here.

He's here?

He's here.

Where is he?

He has entered the Western Office.

He is now looking through the files.

What?

He's a incoming official.

Instead of visiting me first,

[Magistrate Lei of Ju County]

he went straight to the Western Office to investigate cases.

Ridiculous!

I heard that he's a trusted aide of the city's Military Commander.

He used to be a member of the Imperial Guards

in Chang'an.

Isn't that the past?

Even if he was the Prime Minister before,

after demotion,

now,

he is only a county sheriff.

There are indeed so many old cases.

Were the former county sheriff

sleepy every day?

Why are there

so many rape and murder cases recently?

Since last winter,

more than ten ladies have been murdered.

[Officer of Ju County]

They were even decapitated.

You just stay there,

and let the cases happen again and again?

When the former county sheriff was here,

he also led us to investigate

and searched the whole county.

But we couldn't find

where the murderer hid.

Besides, he committed the crime at night

and his whereabouts were uncertain.

Some even said

it was a white-haired ghost.

So...

So what?

The former county sheriff said

we could catch the murderer if he was a human,

but if it were a ghost,

[Coroner of Ju County]

then there was nothing we could do about it.

There is no such thing as a white-haired ghost.

Don't mention such an excuse

again.

-Yes. -Yes.

I heard

there was another case 40 years ago.

Where is the file?

This...

That case is extremely horrible.

And it's been 40 years.

It's better for you to not read its files.

No way.

The case remains unsolved.

We haven't declared justice for the victim.

Show me the file now.

Yes, sir.

Magistrate Lei.

You're here.

I have to come.

The new county sheriff has arrived.

But he doesn't come to visit me.

I

have no choice but to visit him.

Lu Lingfeng, new county sheriff.

Greetings, Magistrate.

Since you're new here,

why do you go straight into the Western Office for work

without seeing me first?

There are piles of old cases

in the Western Office.

I'm the new county sheriff,

in charge of investigation and arrest.

It's reasonable to go to the Western Office first.

So,

you don't know the rules of being an official?

Rules?

When Chen Fan took office in the Later Han Dynasty,

he visited celebrated scholars first and then went to his office.

I'm new to Ju County.

I'll read the files first before visiting you.

Is there anything wrong?

You...

Sheriff Lu just took office,

and he's already dived into those cases.

It's really a nice working style

of Ju County.

I admire you.

I admire you.

Magistrate.

Magistrate.

Magistrate.

I'm really sorry.

Our government office is not spacious at all.

Some rooms are even not rain-proof.

They are under renovation recently.

So there's no place

to accommodate you.

Sheriff Lu,

you should find another place to stay.

Goodbye.

As far as I know,

there is a place in the county

for new officials to live in.

I don't care.

Is there any house for rent

in Ju County?

Yes.

That's good.

It's not rare

for an official to rent a house.

In both Chang'an and Nanzhou,

there are some skid rows.

But I didn't expect

that all the streets in Ju County are so shabby.

It has nothing to do with you, master.

You just need to catch the murderers.

[Property Agency]

Do you want to buy

or rent a house?

Rent one.

How much is your commission?

You must be from a big city.

Sir,

it's one month's rent.

It's been a rule for decades.

Look.

This house

is well-located.

It is on the same street with the government official.

The passersby

are either officials or nobles.

How could there be nobles in this poor place?

Sleep here?

Looks like you are in no hurry to rent your house out.

The Hall of Life is filled with lush trees and fresh flowers.

[Xiaoqi, Waiter of the Hall of Life]

The rent price is the lowest in the city.

It costs only three hundred copper coins per month.

Three hundred?

The price is not high.

Sir,

don't be fooled by the price.

I think you really want to rent a house.

You'd better

have a look at other places.

Isn't the Hall of Life suitable for living?

I dare not conceal anything from you.

In the past, some tenants

rented the Hall of Life

from my agency.

But not long after,

they moved away.

They said...

They said this house was not clean.

Not clean?

What are you talking about secretly?

Don't we give you brokerage?

The money you gave me

is not enough for me to make compensation.

Your house is not clean.

From now on,

don't come here to look for tenants.

Tell me.

Why isn't our Hall of Life

clean?

Tell you?

Dr. Zhai in your house

knows it best.

He practices medicine in the front hall every day.

But he would rather walk home for an hour

than live in the backyard.

Why does he do so?

And how did Meng Donglao...

I...

-What do you want? -Stop quarreling!

This...

I'm bold.

I'll live in the Hall of Life.

Sir,

it's really a haunted house.

Even the county officials dare not go in

to investigate and arrest criminals.

You mean

there is a ghost in the Hall of Life?

No.

I'm not afraid if there is.

Xue Huan.

Count the money.

[Hall of Life]

Just take medicine according to that prescription.

It really works.

This way, please.

Look at this.

Here we are.

[Hall of Life]

This is the front hall of the Hall of Life.

Dr. Zhai

practices medicine here every day,

and rarely goes to the backyard.

So if we enter the yard through the side door,

we won't get in his way.

This way, please.

This way.

Is someone living here?

There are really people who are not afraid of ghosts.

How brave!

Good for him.

Master.

I heard it.

Young man.

How audacious you are!

Even government officials dare not

go into the yard

to search and catch thieves.

There are ghosts inside, right?

What kind of ghost?

Have you seen it?

Did it say hello to you?

This...

No.

Go away.

Your house is haunted!

You...

Unreasonable.

Please.

Don't listen to them.

They are all gossiping.

Dr. Zhai's uncle

was a famous doctor when he was alive.

He was the best at treating traumatic injuries

and fractures.

Many people

have benefited from the Hall of Life.

How could it be dirty?

Is Mr. Zhai's uncle

Meng Donglao

who was mentioned by the shop owner?

Yes.

That's the old master's name.

This is Dr. Zhai.

Xiaoqi, who are they?

Master.

Someone rented the house.

Greetings, Dr. Zhai.

Sorry to bother you.

May I know you name

and your job?

Lu Lingfeng, new county sheriff.

You are the county sheriff.

Sheriff Lu.

Pardon me for showing no specific courtesy.

It doesn't matter.

[Zhai Liang, Doctor of the Hall of Life]

Are you really going to move in?

Of course.

I've paid

for three months.

This house is not only spacious,

but also full of lush trees.

I'll stay here for sure.

There is an attic in the backyard?

It looks large.

Is it included

in my lease?

Of course not.

The backyard is barren.

It is often locked.

Isn't that a pity?

I'll pay 200 more.

Can I rent it together

for my disciple and I to practice martial arts?

No, no.

This attic

was where my uncle

wrote books and refined medicine when he was alive.

It has been transferred

to a warehouse for herbs.

You...

Why did you rent the house

to the county sheriff?

I just thought it was finally rented out.

So I didn't ask who he was.

You're a fool.

Master.

Isn't it good

that we rent it to a sheriff?

At least, people dare not to say it is haunted.

Well,

that makes sense somehow.

♫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♫

♫It's because of justice♫

♫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♫