Original subtitles

[Judge Dee's Mystery]

[Based on the novel of the same name by the Dutch author Robert van Gulik]

[Episode 2]

[This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance is purely coincidental.]

Put out the fire.

Fire.

Huaiying...

Put out the fire.

Put out the fire.

Huaiying.

Huaiying.

Fire...

Huaiying.

Put out the fire.

Go away.

Make way.

Make way.

Make way.

Hurry.

Move it.

- Huaiying. - Mr. Di?

Huaiying.

Huaiying.

Huaiying.

Qiao Tai, hurry. Follow them.

I'll find a way.

Okay.

Quick.

Keep up.

[Fairness fosters discernment]

The scribe of musicians.

A hidden door.

Hurry up.

Hurry up and sign it.

This...

I can't sign this.

It says here

that the fire at Jushui Entertainment House

broke out because of Heaven's wrath.

But Jushui Entertainment House

was on fire inside,

not outside.

How can you say it's a Heavenly Fire?

Well...

Then tell me.

Where

did the fire come from?

I...

If you can't tell,

then

you set the fire.

To know where the fire came from,

we need to investigate the scene,

find out where the fire started,

and what caused the fire.

You haven't even investigated yet.

There's no proof.

How could you say that I set the fire?

How dare you!

I...

Of course, I have proof.

Nine people, eight died.

You're the only one who survived.

If it's not you,

are you going to say it's me?

If I really wanted to commit the crime,

how could I have let myself

end up like this?

A person like you from a shady background

could do anything.

Someone,

beat him

until he's willing to tell the truth.

Yes.

Stop.

Move aside.

Apologies for the belated welcome.

Please.

Mr. Wei.

Di Renjie

is the son of the former Secretary General, Di Zhixun.

Not someone from a shady background.

Besides, he's right.

If he'd committed the crime,

he wouldn't have been in this state.

Di Renjie was once my student.

I have faith in his character

and his intellect.

Mr. Wei,

please forgive me

for making such a reckless statement.

Someone,

take the prisoner to the back office for investigation.

Yes.

Mr. Wei,

this is

what happened.

Mr. Wei,

according to the sergeant,

the scene was charred black.

No trace can be found.

The coroner is still examining the body.

We can't find any clues

about this case.

I have no idea

where to start.

Mr. Wei,

I didn't set the fire.

As for whether the fire at Jushui Entertainment House

was a natural disaster or a man-made disaster,

I volunteer to investigate it

to prove my innocence.

You want to investigate it?

Within ten days,

if I can't solve the case,

I'll take the blame.

If you're afraid I'll escape,

you can send my portrait

to the guards at the city gates.

Your portrait?

What's the use of your portrait?

All the villains know how to disguise themselves these days.

Mr. Wei,

it's not that I don't want to help.

It's just

against the rules.

Mr. Wei,

He Dajing was your assistant

and your favorite student.

He was also my friend.

I hate to see him die in vain.

Please help me.

Let's do this.

I have an idea.

This black iron is indestructible.

Without the key, it's impossible to open it.

With this as proof,

even if he disguises himself,

he won't be able to get out of Chang'an

as long as you notify the gate guards.

I'll have him stay in my residence

and keep an eye on him.

With me as the guarantor,

you can rest assured.

Every day at the You hour,

be sure to return to the Magistrate's Office

and make daily reports.

[Wannian County Magistrate's Office]

He was about to close the case with a fire caused by a thunderbolt.

Why go out of your way to complicate things?

We can't blame Heaven

for human sin.

What if you fail to find out the truth?

As long as it's man-made,

clues will be left behind.

And I'll be able to find out the truth.

Be careful.

Let me know what you find

so I can help you.

Thank you, Mr. Wei.

[Day one]

How

did this fire start?

Was it struck by lightning again,

just like the Wutong tree?

How come she's the only one who's intact?

The other bodies

were all burned to death.

Only this one

was found in another room.

She was choked to death.

How did you get in here?

What...

Don't...

Don't touch it.

What...

Let's have a chat.

What do you want?

Come...

You...

I'm telling you.

You...

- Don't do anything reckless. - You know Mr. Wei, right?

Mr. Wei.

Don't do anything reckless.

Mr. Wei sent us here.

Grand Secretariat Wei.

I know him.

Grand Secretariat Wei.

This key

is from the palace.

What a beautiful...

lady.

This is the third batch.

If the Jinwu Guards are in such a hurry,

something big must've happened in the palace.

In the palace?

What could happen in the palace?

If we find out who owns this thing,

we should know it.

How can we do that?

Judging from the gilt threads

and the vermilion coloring,

ordinary people can't afford it.

The East Market

has a fragrance shop, Jingyuan Pavilion.

The best fragrances from Hu merchants

are always supplied there first.

Go and find out

who bought

these fragrances.

Mr. Di, where are you going?

Let's go. To the East Market.

[Jushui Entertainment House]

[Jushui Entertainment House]

This is...

Did someone lock the door

from the outside?

There's a hidden door, right?

Where does it lead?

You must be mistaken, sir.

There's no such a door.

Yaxin.

Yaxin, it's on fire. Come out.

Yaxin.

The other bodies were all burned to death.

Only this one

was found in another room.

She was choked to death.

Yaxin, open the door now.

Open the door.

Sister.

Sister, open the door.

Open the door.

Why was there

a palace maid hiding in Jushui Entertainment House?

I've checked it out.

The sachet contains a mixture of myrrh,

sandalwood, and Yujin.

All of them are the Empress's favorite fragrance.

Could it be that the lady was from the Empress's palace?

There's surely something secretive about her.

That's why

the Jinwu Guards were all over the street.

They're all looking for her.

[Left Jinwu Guards]

Who's disturbing the Jinwu Guards?

I know the identity of that body.

You do?

She works for the Empress and is responsible for the Seal.

General.

[Kang Zhiyi] It's her.

Search Pingkang Ward.

Yes.

Everyone,

search Pingkang Ward.

Don't miss a single corner.

Who is he?

The Empress's guard,

General Kang Zhiyi.

What has the Empress lost?

Judging from this,

it must be something valuable.

Life,

death,

power.

Everyone is terrified of them.

This threatens the very foundation of our state.

Your Majesty.

We must investigate it.

Such an important matter happened.

[Emperor] Your Majesty, you must be prudent.

Please think twice.

Your Majesty, please make a fair judgment.

Your Majesty, I implore you to make a decision.

Your Majesty.

You must be prudent, Your Majesty.

You must be prudent.

Your Majesty.

Please make a decision.

[Grand Commandant Zhangsun] Please make a decision, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

The loss of the Phoenix Seal

means the imperial authority is at stake.

It was used by villains

to kill the Governor of Yangzhou, Chen Zhuliang, with poison.

The court is in a state of panic.

The loss of the Phoenix Seal

is an act of misdeeds by the Empress.

She must be severely punished.

Your Majesty,

please

make your decision.

Your Majesty, please make your decision.

[Empress]

[Day three]

[Bulletin of the Court]

What are you looking for?

Look at the mess you've caused.

Who on earth are you?

Who do I look like?

From the government?

From the General's Residence?

From the palace?

Shh.

Don't ask.

It'll bring you trouble.

Excuse me,

how much is this?

It's ten wen.

It's too expensive.

It's not expensive. I can give you a discount.

It's so pretty.

How much is it?

Eight wen each.

This lady is so beautiful.

You should give her a discount.

- Five wen. - That's right.

Okay. Fine. Five wen.

All right, pay him.

Five wen it is.

Thank you.

Come here and take a look.

Hello, take a look.

Excuse me, can I try this?

Of course. Have a try.

This is delicious.

Really?

Have a taste.

Let me try it.

Really?

Here.

Have a taste.

Don't just eat it.

Are you buying or not?

Yes, you have to buy what you need to buy.

You have to pay for what you need to pay.

Okay.

What's that on your face?

They say it wards off evil spirits.

And you believe that?

Let's go.

Mr. Di is waiting for the Bulletin.

You're taking it too seriously.

I'll go back later.

[Wei's Residence]

Huaiying,

as expected from someone who has been to Western Regions.

You're so knowledgeable.

I envy you.

Unlike me.

Every day,

I'm stuck in the Imperial Academy,

looking miserable and gloomy all day long.

I've been copying documents

and writing articles endlessly.

These years,

if it weren't for Mr. Wei's care,

I'd hardly be able to make a living.

Stop drinking.

Drinking can easily lead to a mistake.

I've never made a mistake because of drinking.

Someone spiked my drink

that day.

What's this?

It's all fate.

People are now living in fear.

They're all saying it's Heaven's wrath.

What ''Heaven's wrath''?

Tell me.

The Empress's favorite Wutong tree

was struck by a thunderbolt.

The entertainment house she liked

was also struck by a thunderbolt and caught fire.

What else could this be if not a warning from Heaven?

Jushui Entertainment House

didn't catch fire because it was struck

by a thunderbolt.

You didn't tell me anything,

so I must go outside

to listen to these rumors.

It's not Heaven's wrath.

You're just like the Master,

a miser with words.

Mr. Wei.

Do you know

what He Dajing liked?

For the past few days,

I've been dreaming about him.

But in my dreams,

I can't see his face clearly.

He had been with me since he was a child.

But recently, I realized

that I didn't know him at all.

He liked drinking,

always carrying a wineskin.

He liked writing poetry.

I like to have a sip every day,

but I don't dare

in front of Mr. Wei.

So don't tell Mr. Wei

about our drinking today.

I didn't know all of this.

He was a timid child,

always careful with what he said and did.

Being with me for more than ten years,

he never dared to speak out.

And I was mostly

criticizing

and nitpicking him.

My condolences, Mr. Wei.

He has gone.

I'm worried about you now.

Two days have passed.

Do you have any idea

where the fire started?

Jushui Entertainment House

is full of flammable materials.

It's hard to find where the fire started.

The Governor of Yangzhou, Chen Zhuliang.

Five years ago, for opposing the establishment of the Empress,

he was demoted

to Yangzhou of Shannan Circuit.

A few days ago,

he was forcibly poisoned

and killed by a forged imperial decree with the Phoenix Seal on it.

It was because of this

that the theft of the Phoenix Seal was uncovered.

But the 11th day of the fifth month...

It's exactly

the second day after the incident at Jushui Entertainment House.

Is this related to the incident at Jushui Entertainment House?

Yes.

That night,

someone went to Jushui Entertainment House.

He knew there would be a fire

and locked the gate,

preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

[Jushui Entertainment House]

It was a fluke

that I survived.

Who wanted to kill you?

He did not want to kill us.

The person he wanted to kill

was the palace maid responsible for the Seal, Yaxin.

Yaxin

stole the Phoenix Seal entrusted to her care.

After the deed was done,

she was silenced.

According to the report from Wannian County,

the musician in charge of Jushui Entertainment House

was from the same hometown as Yaxin.

So many people were implicated

because of Yaxin.

Did you report this to the magistrate of Wannian County?

Not yet.

It is all

just my speculation.

There is no proof.

But the incident at Jushui Entertainment House

and the loss of the Phoenix Seal

are inextricably linked.

I'm afraid the fire

was set by the one who stole the seal,

an enemy of the Empress.

You've read so many Bulletins of the Court,

why don't you understand?

The Empress' reforms

have offended too many people.

What I want to say is

that Yangzhou's Bulletin of the Court

are not true.

I do not believe

anyone will resist the reforms.

What changed by the Empress's reform

of the imperial examination

was the monopoly of the eminent families.

The agricultural reforms

no longer penalize displaced migrants.

Allowing them to settle down nearby

and giving them farmland.

People can farm,

and plants can be grown.

This is what I've seen

with my own eyes

during my travels over the years.

Just because you saw it with your own eyes,

does it mean it's true?

The Empress's Phoenix Seal is missing.

All the examination papers

have been sealed and stored

and won't be marked.

The Institute for the Advancement of Literature

is now a mess.

Those who support the Empress and those who oppose her

are fighting.

I've never had anything to do with politics.

I'm too old and just want to avoid trouble.

But you should know that in Chang'an,

there are too many people

who oppose the Empress.

They're so vicious

and don't need to hide.

They all have their own hidden agendas

and are all in high positions.

Chang'an

is not yours or mine.

It's theirs.

I wonder when you got this habit

of pilfering along the way.

How can you call this stealing?

I just took it in passing.

Okay, you just took it in passing.

But why didn't you take something valuable?

What's the point

of taking this pile of junk?

It's called

souvenirs.

Wrong direction.

What are you up to?

Is Mr. Di around?

He's not.

I'll go find him.

He's not around.

Some things must be done when he's not around.

Mr. Hong,

I was looking for you.

This is my handmade Biluo.

I have both sweet and salty flavors.

Have a taste.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

If you have something to ask, say it here.

You look like you have something to ask of me.

If nothing, why so ingratiating?

I can't eat this.

I just want to get to know Mr. Di.

For example,

is there anyone else in this family?

Mr. Di's parents

died young.

Well,

does he have siblings?

No,

he's the only child.

Pity him then.

He's an orphan like me.

Even though

Mr. Di

is the only one left now,

he's from a family that all works for the government,

not the same person

as he is now.

It has nothing to do with his family background.

If one lives in the world

alone all the time,

one will feel lonely.

Are you worried

that he can't solve the case?

I'm not worried that he can't solve the case.

- I'm worried about his... - You're worried about his safety.

Mr. Hong,

don't worry.

From now on,

we will make sure he's safe,

just like you.

You're back.

Come on. Have a taste.

This is my handmade Biluo.

I'm not hungry.

At least try it.

This is the man you want to know.

That's the way he is.

You never know what he's thinking.

[Wei's Residence]

A burnt rope.

Someone set the fire...

and then

locked the escape door

with a leather cord from the outside.

This is never a Heavenly Fire.

Never.

A farmhouse on the outskirts of Wannian County

[Day four] was burned by a Heavenly Fire last night.

The report says four people died in the fire.

What should we do?

Go. Call the coroner.

Magistrate,

the coroner suddenly fell ill two days ago,

with a flushed face, continuous sneezing,

and took sick leave at home.

Of all times, why now?

Let me try.

I know a bit about medicine.

Sure... Take a look.

What do you find?

The four bodies

are all male.

They have calluses on their palms

and purlicues.

They were all burned to death.

I know that!

Yeah.

Wait.

They already were dead

before the fire started.

In his mouth,

there's no dust.

I'll go into the scene and take a look.

You...

Follow him.

Yes.

I'll go in the scene, too.

It's burned to a crisp.

What kind of clues can we get?

Let's just do it.

What did you find?

At the murder scene,

anything found

must be turned over to the gover...

What's wrong?

It's just a bunch of dead silkworms.

What's the big deal?

You, go over there and check.

Why these silkworms?

What are you doing?

I want to take some silkworms

and check again.

No need to do so.

Someone,

take these bodies

and everything we found here

back to the office.

Come here. Clean this place up.

Wait...

Magistrate,

let me investigate again.

I'm sure I can find something.

No need to do so.

This case involves the palace.

It's out of my hands.

If you want to investigate,

go to see the Minister of Justice.

Go.

Magistrate,

let me investigate again, please.

Today

is the fourth day.

It's hot.

So hot...

It's so hot.

Don't you get it?

You can't solve this case.

It's a clash of giants.

It's so hot.

Hurry up.

Let's go.

Let's go back and rest.

Let's go. Hurry up.

- Yes. - Yes.

Careful.

Watch out.

You've got something?

Look ahead. Slow down...

Okay.

Sure.

That magistrate of Wannian County said

''Why these silkworms?''

What does it mean?

Empress Wu emulates Empress Zhangsun

and performs rites on sericulture.

By traditional rites,

be close to people, raise silkworms, and reel silk by herself.

Who raises silkworms near Chang'an?

So I'm afraid the silkworms

were from the rites on sericulture.

They were spread over farmhouses

to show the Empress's

virtue of caring for all the people.

So this is just an ordinary farmhouse.

It's a farmhouse,

but maybe

it's not ordinary.

I'm afraid those people there

aren't ordinary farmers either.

What do you mean?

There must be something on the bodies.

The problem

is I'm not authorized to examine them.

I can't go any further.

If we walk back to Chang'an like this,

how long do we have to walk? I...

Heaven help the good ones.

There are three. Just one for each of us.

Wait.

Four.

That's weird.

These horses don't look like wild horses.

I've seen these horses before.

[Daning Ward]

They're the Yulin Guards.