Original subtitles

[Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty]

[Episode 35]

Eagle?

Yes.

I thought

I was dead.

But when I woke up,

it seemed like nothing happened.

I didn't even lose my money.

You go to the Ghost Market too often, don't you?

That's why you're so scared.

I don't know for sure.

Alright.

The job is almost done.

So,

what should I buy today?

Wait.

The wonton from the Xiao family.

Okay.

Wait.

No.

It won't be delicious

after it is sent to the Ghost Market.

How about Zongzi from the Yu family?

Buy one for each flavor.

[Tale of Sass]

What?

You are reading Tale of Sass again.

How's it going?

Have you found Helan Xue?

In the Resentment Tower in the Ghost Market.

Does Xijun's portrait

resemble her?

Very similar.

Both the color and location of the tear mole

are accurate.

Wang Yuantong is really good

at describing people.

He can even describe so vividly

just through hearsay.

So

you found Wang Yuantong?

He is Nanshan Salouzi.

How's his relationship

with Detective Di?

They were best friends.

He resigned

because he opposed the Heavenly Empress.

Is that true?

Why do you say that?

You went to Zhongnan Mountain these past few days.

I've read this book through

carefully.

I found that

the writer had no objection

to the absurd things that the Heavenly Empress did.

However, he satirized

your master, Di Renjie, a lot.

To be honest,

I also noticed that between the lines.

But it's strange.

I didn't get that impression on the first read.

That's because of

his literary talent.

I have a hypothesis.

Could it be like that?

What are you talking about?

Today is August 13th.

We are about to use Helan Xue to lure Sass.

Are you sure this will work?

No.

But I found that

we are not the only ones

who are focused on Helan Xue.

Who else?

I'm not sure.

But the Administrator of Yongzhou, Du Ming,

seems to be interested

in capturing Sass.

And he is quite confident.

Du Ming.

Twelve years ago,

my teacher recommended this person

on his sick bed.

Du Ming was therefore transferred

from Luozhou to Yongzhou,

becoming the Minister of Justice.

Twelve years ago?

You mean

Detective Di planned

to use Helan Xue to capture Sass as early as 12 years ago

and he even sent Du Ming for this purpose?

Su Wuming.

You are mystifying

your teacher.

My teacher once told me

although Du Ming was a bit reckless,

he was loyal.

He's a reliable man.

I trust my teacher's judgment.

What are you going to do next?

I'm running out of time.

The only clue I have now

is Helan Xue.

I decided

to take a risk.

Three days ago,

more guests from outside the Ghost Market

started to gather in the Resentment Tower.

Except those three idiots in Chang'an

who were brought by Lu Lingfeng,

there were some suspicious people.

We don't know their backgrounds.

Almost.

I have a feeling.

It's time

for Sass to show up.

Just ask your servant

to bring food.

This is not food.

Two days ago,

I saw you were running out of rouge.

I went to the Elegance Shop of Pingkang Fang

and bought it for you.

This has been the latest one in the past two years

with new colors and fragrance.

I hope you like it.

Elegance Shop.

You've really read through

the Tale of Sass thoroughly.

I haven't seen this rouge before.

It's really new.

Nowadays, girls in Chang'an

like this most.

I think this color

suits you.

If you put a new huadian

on your forehead,

one that's with gold foil,

you must be beautiful.

Unfortunately,

the person I met 20 years ago

was not you.

Otherwise,

I might really have went with you.

You don't belong to the Ghost Market.

It's not late

to go with me.

[Sass]

...has been punished according to the law of the state.

You...

What's wrong?

Why are you suddenly crying?

Mr. Lu,

I'm sorry.

Don't mention it.

You are the Lu Lingfeng, Minister of Justice,

on the notice?

Sass

is not only the world's best

magician,

but also the smartest person in the world.

If I were an idiot,

I wouldn't have fallen in love with him.

I'm Lu Lingfeng.

I won't hide anything.

Since he's dead,

why did you come to me?

Don't tell me you met me

in the Pingkang Fang when you were 13.

I don't believe it.

You are wise.

I admire you.

I know you

from the Tale of Sass.

This book was popular in Chang'an for a while.

I'm worried that after Sass's death,

his enemies

will find this place soon.

So for your safety,

I advise you to come with me.

Leave the Ghost Market.

Find a good person,

or find another way out.

You are so nice to me.

What if

I follow you?

No matter what,

you've been

considerate towards me.

I've been here

for almost three years.

I've never left this room.

Today,

with such good rouge,

I'm willing to play a song for you

to express my gratitude to you.

Bravo!

Bravo! Bravo!

Bravo! Bravo!

Sorry, Mr. Lu.

Tears ruined my makeup.

After I refine my makeup,

I'll play

"Moonlit River In Spring" for you.

Administrator, look.

I saw it long ago.

Come in.

It's okay.

So much?

I can't finish them alone.

Let's eat together.

Wooden bird.

Administrator Du.

This must be Sass.

I'll lead a team into the room

to capture Sass alive.

If he tries to escape,

you can shoot him.

Save Helan Xue.

Stop!

Don't kill me! Don't kill me!

Yang Ji!

Wake up.

Where is Helan Xue?

Oh no! Disguising technique!

Helan Xue is missing.

Search every room!

Get on the boat!

Sass! Stop!

You go first.

That's Sass.

Don't let him escape.

Xue.

I know you changed your face.

Don't let them see you.

Forget about me. Run!

Xue.

Shoot!

Sass is good at escaping through water.

I think he has run away.

It's all your fault, you trash!

I've been waiting for him

for 12 years according to Detective Di's order.

You've ruined all my efforts!

She said that we could eat Zongzi together.

I didn't know what happened.

Suddenly I could only see black.

Then,

I passed out.

Don't worry.

You are fine.

Get some more sleep.

Remember the time when we bought roasted hump?

The eagle Yang Ji met

was probably a kind of illusionary magic of Sass'.

When he woke up, he felt pain on his face.

Sass must have done something

on his face,

and made

the human-skin mask

to help Helan Xue escape.

I know that.

But when did Sass

send the message

to Helan Xue?

Even if my men

were careless,

but Du Ming's men

have been watching Helan Xue for 12 years.

How come that they didn't notice it at all?

Helan Xue knew it clearly

that Sass would pick her up tonight.

When she saw

the execution announcement of Sass,

she fooled me with tears.

But I...

I was cheated by her.

I thought I was wise enough to send Yang Ji.

But on the contrary, Helan Xue took advantage of him

to escape from the Resentment Tower.

Du Ming called me trash.

He is totally right.

Don't blame yourself.

What I am worried about most now

is that the death of Helan Xue

may make Sass crazier.

If he does evil in the magic show,

the consequences will be unimaginable.

[Butler of Vice Minister Yuwen]

Vice Minister.

The completion celebration

of the Sky-scraping Tower will be held tomorrow.

That will be the most glorious day in your life.

The new clothes are ready.

Please try it on.

[Yuwen Residence]

Vice Minister Yuwen.

The Sky-scraping Tower you built

is unparalleled.

How could you pass away

before the grand completion celebration?

Don't touch him.

Lu Lingfeng.

What are you waiting for?

Vice Minister Yuwen died miserably.

Hurry and get the coroner to examine the body.

I'm talking to you.

Why are you in a daze?

Heavenly King Stepping on the Ghost.

What did you say?

Commander Du.

Look.

Before Vice Minister Yuwen died,

he posed like the Heavenly King Stepping on the Ghost.

Did he want to leave us any message

by this pose?

They do look alike.

Yuwen Mukai

is the architect

and designer of the Sky-scraping Tower.

He died at this moment

and died in such a strange posture.

Administrator Du,

what do you think?

A few days ago,

Yuwen even accompanied me

to bring foreign envoys

to visit the Sky-scraping Tower.

He didn't look sick.

There are no weapons, wounds,

or any obvious signs of poisoning,

but I think that is what's suspicious.

His death, I'm afraid,

is related to the completion celebration

of the Sky-scraping Tower.

Yes.

Administrator Du,

you must be more familiar with

Chang'an than me.

Do you remember

which temple in Chang' an

has the Statue of the Heavenly King Stepping on the Ghost?

The one with his right hand holding the three-story pagoda,

and his feet leaning up on the Yaksha ghost -

that Heavenly King.

Leaning up on the Yaksha ghost...

People call him the Heavy-duty Ghost.

Qinglong Temple.

Su Wuming.

There are four temples in Chang' an

with this statue.

I've been to all of them.

I've searched the statues' bodies,

within the pagodas,

and even the top of the statues' heads.

Yet, I couldn't find

any useful clue.

What was the result of the autopsy done by the coroner?

Yuwen Mukai

was murdered in close range with bare hands.

As the body was covered with bruises,

the coroner inferred

that all of his tendons were broken,

and that it must have been an extremely painful death.

It happened in the early morning,

yet no one in the Yuwen's Residence

discovered it.

This means the murderer was

close to Yuwen Mukai.

Only in this way could the murderer

enter Yuwen's study directly.

Let's go. Take me there.

The corpse is at the government office.

You're an official who sneaked into the capital.

Do you have a death wish?

I'm not going to examine the corpse.

Take me to Yuwen's Residence.

The body of Mr. Yuwen is

still at the government office.

The empty coffin

is at home.

To leave a coffin empty

is inauspicious.

We know.

So, we put Mr. Yuwen's favorite things,

when he was alive,

in it.

Forty years ago, Mr. Yuwen,

along with his father,

participated in the design of the Sky-scraping Tower.

Even this reconstruction was

specially appointed and supervised by His Majesty.

His favorite thing should be

the design drawing of the Sky-scraping Tower.

You are right.

Our Mr. Yuwen loved

that drawing as much as his life.

But His Majesty wanted

to maintain the Sky-scraping Tower's exclusivity,

so he specially sent Chamberlain Feng

to ask Mr. Yuwen to burn them all

by hand.

Can I see what's inside?

I've traveled all over Chang'an city,

and it turns out you are here.

This was Mr. Yuwen's favorite thing

when he was alive.

He always burned incense for it.

What are you doing?

Greetings, Administrator Du.

Administrator Su.

Lu Lingfeng already told me everything.

For Detective Di's unsolved case,

you, Su Wuming, risked your life to come to the capital.

I admire you.

Administrator Du,

in order to fulfill Detective Di's request

he entrusted before he died,

you've guarded Helan Xue for 12 years,

while continually thinking about capturing Sass.

I admire you so much.

Administrator Du,

I was disrespectful to you before.

Please...

Let's not talk about the past.

Let's talk about this.

Although I know it's important evidence,

it is more confusing than the Book of Heaven.

Su Wuming.

Do you understand?

This... I don't, either.

Well,

we need to find someone who can understand.

Here!

Old Immortal.

I am here to pay a visit to you.

[Feng Tai, descendant of Lu Ban]

Greetings, Administrator Du.

Lu Lingfeng, Yongzhou's Minister of Justice.

Su Wuming, Administrator of Luozhou.

Greetings, sir.

Su Wuming?

Could you be that disciple of Detective Di?

Back then, I went along with my teacher, Detective Di,

to visit you, sir.

We met once before.

That was not a visit.

Detective Di came to interrogate me

and he was recording a confession on the side.

Sir, you have a great memory.

It's my fault.

I always like to fiddle with

these playthings.

In the end,

as Sass used a mechanical wooden bird to kill people,

Detective Di began to find me suspicious.

What brings you two here today?

I want to show you a drawing.

This is the structural drawing of the Sky-scraping Tower.

You are indeed an old immortal,

for you recognized it at a glance.

Don't praise me.

I saw this drawing a year ago.

Where did you see it?

Yuwen Mukai brought it here

and asked me to check it.

Can you tell us in detail?

What exactly happened?

When Queen Wei was in power,

wasn't the Sky-scraping Tower built

to the 18th floor?

One year ago, His Majesty ordered

that more floors should be built,

under the princess' direct supervision.

But Yuwen Mukai couldn't build them,

so he came to me with this drawing

to ask for ideas.

Why couldn't he build more floors?

The 33 floors

represent

the Heaven of 33 in Buddhism.

But the work of construction is not so simple;

it is not as if you can

realize everything you desire.

But this was an order from His Majesty.

If you can't build it higher,

won't you be beheaded?

Actually, His Majesty knew it was a difficult task.

But in order to enable Tang

to be the only dynasty under the Heavens

to possess this one-and-only tall building,

risks had to be taken.

I recall that Yuwen Mukai

even brought a friend that day.

It is said that he was a minor official.

He was also here to give advice.

He was very courageous.

But the idea he came up with

was kind of dangerous.

How is it dangerous?

Right here.

The 18th floor is

the lethal point of the building.

The friend you just mentioned,

the friend who gave advice,

how old was he?

What was his position?

What's his name?

I can't remember his name.

I forgot his official position too.

He seemed to be a trusted aide of His Majesty.

Assistant Minister?

Assistant Minister!

What's wrong, Assistant Minister?

My foot.

My... my ankle is sprained.

Hurry. Get a doctor.

Doctor,

how is it?

The bone is cracked.

As the saying goes, "If one's tendons or bones are hurt, one needs a long time to heal."

Assistant Minister, I'm afraid you can't walk

for a few months.

Please.

All the officials are fighting for a chance to see

the completion celebration of the Sky-scraping Tower,

but there are not many available seats.

His Majesty is exceptionally merciful

that he invites me specifically.

But how can I be

so disappointing?

Hurry up,

head to the Imperial Secretariat's Residence and report the news.

Report my leave of absence.

Don't let His Majesty blame me.

Yes.

Father,

you sprained your ankle while walking at home.

You must be distracted.

Xijun, you are smart.

Do you have any worry in your mind?

It's not something in particular.

I'm just panicked.

Because Sass has not been caught,

you fear something bad might happen in the magic show.

Yuwen Mukai suffered a sudden death at home yesterday.

He was the designer and supervisor

of the Sky-scraping Tower.

Tonight's Chang'an

makes me uneasy.

I understand.

The Sky-scraping Tower is dangerous.

Father, you purposely sprained your ankle to avoid going there.

But Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming

have gone there.

-I have to warn them. -Stop right there!

Su Wuming went back to Chang'an?

I see.

He came back

because of Sass.

But he's not Di Renjie after all.

If Detective Di was still alive,

he should be able to turn things around.

Xijun,

come here.

Xijun.

After tonight,

there will be a startling transformation in Chang'an.

Your father, I, might...

or...

You are my only daughter.

I want you to stay by my side.

Don't go anywhere, okay?

But Lu Lingfeng...

As I said the last time,

Lu Lingfeng is in the center of the chaos.

Even if you go now,

you won't be able to enter the Sky-scraping Tower,

nor will you be able to see Lu Lingfeng.

Stay with your father,

I beg you.

Is there any progress on Lu Lingfeng's end?

Your Highness,

no.

In four hours,

it will be the completion celebration of the Sky-scraping Tower.

Sass hasn't been caught.

What if

he wreaks havoc during the magic show?

Didn't His Highness

enter the palace early in the morning?

But His Majesty won't listen to dissuasion,

so there's nothing we can do.

Before His Majesty ascended the throne,

he has suffered too much.

He was often in danger,

with death threatening at all times.

He could only relax temporarily

when watching the magic show.

Now that the country is prosperous and peaceful,

it is reasonable that His Majesty

wants to restore

the magic show.

Dare I, Bai Shan, persuade Your Highness

to find an excuse not to go to the Sky-scraping Tower

so as to avoid the danger?

How can I do that?

If I can't dissuade His Majesty from going,

then I must stay by his side.

Moreover,

my aunt, the ministers and the people will be there.

As the Crown Prince,

I must be with everyone.

Look!

It's so high.

How many floors?

The completion celebration of the Sky-scraping Tower

begins!

Bravo!

The full moon is in the sky tonight.

It's the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The 33-floor Sky-scraping Tower is completed.

It can be said that things are realized smoothly like the roundness of the moon.

More so, it's a grand occasion in Chang'an.

A grand occasion brings worldwide prosperity.

The majestic tall tower

peaks the bright moon alone.

Let our Great Tang

prosper endlessly for generations!

Long live my Emperor!

Long live His Majesty!

Rise.

Today, the Sky-scraping Tower is successfully completed.

All countries have sent their congratulations.

Also, there are odd and extraordinary people

who will perform various specialty acts

to congratulate the prosperity of Tang.

The magic show

begins!

Great!

Bravo!

Are those cherries in the air

edible?

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Although the magic is clever,

you can't believe it.

There's no harm in trying it.

It's delicious.

Give some to the Crown Prince and the Princess.

Let them have a taste.

Yes.

Here, give some to the people of Chang'an.

Reward him with silver.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

The cherries in the air just now

were just a small trick.

I can crawl into an inch-sized box

and then come out as a bird.

This person...

Where did she go?

She's gone.

Good.

Reward her with silver.

Bravo!

Amazing!

Let's go!

Great!

Bravo!

Lu Lingfeng,

what do you think?

Understand the law and adapt to the change

according to the specific situation.

It's called transformation and illusion.

As His Highness just said,

magic is clever,

but you shouldn't believe it.

You talk about the Crown Prince everytime you speak.

Why are you protecting me here instead?

Your Highness, it's an honor

to watch the event with you.

What do you mean protection?

Don't think I don't know.

The real Sass hasn't been caught yet.

You're worried about my safety.

That's why you're standing here.

♫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♫