Original subtitles

[Judge Dee's Mystery]

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

[Episode 7]

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

You want me to be an official or a villain?

I...

I...

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you...

Li Han has escaped.

He's a prisoner with shackles.

How could he escape

from your heavily guarded quarry?

Kill him.

No...

I released him...

Why did you do this?

Someone paid to release him.

Who?

I really don't know.

The person wore a long robe,

a bamboo hat,

and a black veil.

The person didn't say a word,

just paid me,

[Li Han] and pointed at Li Han's name on the list.

I'm engaging in an offense punishable by beheading.

Not asking for details also benefits me,

so I won't look into it.

So you're a repeat offender.

No...

It's a momentary lapse of judgment.

When did he leave?

Ten days ago.

But he's indeed

been suffering from leprosy.

That's not a lie.

Even if I don't let him go,

in a few days,

he'll be dead.

Qiao Tai.

You better watch out.

Someone will come to deal with you later.

Magistrate,

you said before

that Li Han was sentenced because of Yinlian's grudge.

And Li Han was released

before the unidentified body was found.

If the unidentified body is really Xu Kai

and there are similarities between the two cases,

Li Han's motive to kill

because of his grudge will be confirmed.

Then the person who paid for his release

is probably his accomplice.

You've improved a lot lately.

Based on the powder left at the painting and calligraphy store,

the one who told us the body's identity

is also Li Han.

Now that I think about it,

Yinlian was scared at that time

because she recognized

that man was Li Han.

After returning to the city, go to find a beggar

with long hair and rags covering his face.

He's disabled because of leprosy

and has a unique appearance.

Since his appearance is unique,

finding him shouldn't be hard.

It's time for me

to see Ms. Yinlian's real face.

Real face?

The Esteemed Head Ma Rong just got to know

is sure powerful.

[Mingyue House]

Miss Cao, Magistrate Di is here.

Okay.

Magistrate,

sorry to keep you waiting.

That's all right.

Magistrate, I guess

you haven't gotten shuteye for quite some time.

I feel confused,

so I can't fall asleep.

Is this about the murder of Ms. Yinlian?

Yes.

This case

is very complicated.

It involves romantic entanglements.

And I still can't wrap my head around it.

I don't know how to start.

So you're not here to hear me sing.

Are you

asking for my help?

I think

you've experienced a lot of romance

and seen a lot.

A chat with you

may clear up my doubts.

Love and romance are simple.

It's strong while being together

and intense while missing.

Separation creates sorrow.

Infatuation creates suspicion.

Fickleness creates jealousy and hatred.

In fact, these feelings

are depicted to the fullest

in Mr. Teng's poetry.

His poetry is soft and sentimental.

The feelings portrayed are more vivid

than an ordinary woman's thoughts.

Then, I've failed to tell that.

Why don't I

play a song for you?

Sure.

Thank you.

What are you doing here?

Waiting for Di Renjie.

Why do you always call him ''Di Renjie''?

Call him ''Magistrate''.

We're different now.

You have to know the rules.

Tai,

you're becoming

more and more like Mr. Hong.

You're getting old.

You're so wild.

I'll see who dares to marry you.

Fine...

Magistrate Di.

I'm waiting for Magistrate Di.

Okay?

Then don't wait.

He left early in the morning.

He left?

Where did he go?

I don't know.

Then why are you talking to me?

Where are you going?

Mr. Hong.

Just leave me alone.

How could I do that?

Come here.

Mr. Teng is too self-critical.

It's so worrying.

How is Mr. Teng?

Let us see him.

Magistrate is here.

[Teng's Residence] Isn't this Mr. Di?

Magistrate.

Come with me.

Magistrate.

Magistrate Di.

Magistrate.

Everyone, Mr. Teng can't meet you today.

Please go back.

Magistrate, you're just in time.

Actually,

Master has locked himself

in Madam's room for a whole day

and haven't had any food or water.

- We're worried. - Madam's room?

Yes.

Mr. Teng and Mrs. Teng lived in different rooms?

You don't know.

In fact,

when composing poems,

Master tends to work day and night.

Fearing that it would affect Madam's normal rest,

they always lived in separate rooms.

It is here.

Master,

Magistrate Di is here.

Master,

Magistrate Di is here.

I can wait.

But...

I'm here

to mourn my wife.

I don't want to be disturbed.

Sorry for keeping you waiting.

I beg your pardon for the inconvenience.

There are no outsiders here.

Just call me Huaiying.

Is this Mrs. Teng's work?

It's thick and delicate, just like her.

The old mountains stand, yet my bonds no longer cling.

Embarking on a journey to Chang'an to enjoy the late spring.

A tree draped in pear blossoms, a stream beneath moonlight.

I wonder who owns

this sight tonight.

What a nice poem.

These

are all left by Yinlian.

Under my influence,

she also liked

poems and literature.

She occasionally wrote under my guidance.

Just a hobby.

Not good enough to be remembered.

Being close to orchids

will let one get a special fragrance.

If the poem is passed on to the world,

it's also a fine piece.

Seeing the things remind me of her.

It's hard to calm my mind.

Huaiying,

let's talk somewhere else.

Magistrate.

This poem...

Yinlian asked me to revise it,

but I couldn't finish it.

Now,

I've finished it,

but it's too late

for her to see it.

Magistrate.

Have a seat.

Back in the court,

I was the Secretary General of the Right Guards.

This horsewhip

is what I used back then.

Ever since I left office,

I've kept it with me.

It commemorates

my years of military service.

Magistrate,

when are you going

to sentence me to death?

Mr. Teng,

have you ever heard of Li Han?

Li Han?

It's an unfamiliar name.

I've never heard of it.

Where did Mrs. Teng like to go

when she went out?

Usually,

I only write behind closed doors.

I don't know

where Yinlian went.

Before

Mrs. Teng married you,

she was courted by Li Han.

Because he was a nuisance,

Mrs. Teng framed him

for robbery

and sent him to jail.

But a few days ago,

someone paid for Li Han's release.

Because Mrs. Teng framed him,

he suffered for nothing.

His hatred for her

is obvious.

On the day

Mrs. Teng was killed,

you

lost your mind in an attack

of madness.

In the study,

someone found

an evil spirit.

And Li Han

was just

in the residence.

The evil spirit rumored to have appeared

was probably him.

So

in this case,

he's the prime suspect.

If so,

Li Han is the one who killed Yinlian.

The person who paid to get him released

is equally guilty.

Who is that person?

If we find Li Han,

the truth will come out.

Thank you, Magistrate.

In fact,

here's the thing.

Whenever Master wrote a poem,

he stayed behind closed doors.

So,

no one

dared to disturb him.

When Madam had nothing to do,

she'd return

to the Lai family

to visit her sister.

The two families...

I wonder

when was the last time

you met Ms. Yinlian?

I don't like Yinlian,

so we had no contact.

Does ''her sister'' here refer to Miss Lai?

Yes.

She is an old girl

and has never married.

It's sad for her.

Had Ms. Yinlian and Miss Lai

always been seeing each other?

Not really.

I heard they used to have a deep grudge

against each other.

It was only recently

they began to see each other again.

Since the day

you began flaunting

and coquettishly behaving,

I swore I'd never see you again.

After all, they're sisters.

How can there be any real grudges?

That's true.

[Teng's Residence]

Magistrate, mind your step.

Close the door.

Why are you here?

The Esteemed Head's dice

was very helpful, right?

Not bad.

Where are we going next?

Help me ask that friend of yours.

Where do women in the city

usually go

to meet their lovers?

No need

to ask.

He already told me.

Why did he tell you that?

You don't have to care about that.

Let's go, I'll take you there.

Welcome!

Waiter, two guests.

Come... Please come inside.

We're not here to drink or enjoy songs.

Just want to ask you something.

This is a place

for drinking and enjoying songs.

For information,

you've come to the wrong place.

We're investigating a case.

I'm Di Renjie.

Magistrate Di.

Sorry for not recognizing you.

I've heard

you have a room

exclusively for lovers to date.

Is that true?

This is a place for men to have fun.

We don't serve adulterers.

As long as you don't violate the Tang Code,

I don't care

what you do.

Yes...

But

we really don't do this kind of business here.

If you ask me again,

I can only answer truthfully.

To be frank...

I do

have a room...

Magistrate,

please also be considerate.

Where is it?

It's been reserved by one for long.

By whom?

The person was veiled in black.

I don't know who it is.

Show me.

I don't think that's appropriate.

It seems

the Esteemed Head's dice don't work here.

Officer...

I didn't say I wouldn't take you to see it.

It's upstairs.

Please come with me.

Come. Please.

It seems a county magistrate's power is no match

for the person in charge's influence.

This is it.

Don't blame me, Magistrate.

We're doing business.

We have no choice.

You really don't know

who the person is?

I really don't know.

She never let me clean this room.

Since it was rented out,

even I haven't come in.

How about the one she met?

There is no way I could know.

You can go downstairs first.

Magistrate.

Magistrate,

there's a character here.

[Mountains]

The old mountains stand, yet my bonds no longer cling.

This is...

Ms. Yinlian's handwriting.

Why is a flower here?

You went out of your way just to tell me

that it's all about Xu Kai.

Xu Kai.

Magistrate.

Magistrate.

That's called tampering with evidence.

They knew how to have fun.

It's all me in the paintings.

In his whole life,

he's loved to draw me the most.

[Xu Kai]

There are four sisters in the painting.

Before Yinlian got married,

she lived with her three sisters.

If this is not the story of Yinlian and me,

what else could it be?

This is

our story.

Does this screen have a name?

The Four-panel Screen.

You are the one on it.

You and Xu Kai were having an affair

because you loved each other.

I want to hear you

tell me about Li Han.

I don't know him.

Back then,

this is the very place

where he was taken down by the servants.

You told me about it.

I forgot.

Can't I?

Well, look who's in this portrait.

Xu Kai.

It's Xu Kai.

He's dead?

How did he die?

Who killed him?

How do you know

he was killed?

Who killed him?

It's him.

It must be him.

Who?

It's me.

I got you into this.

It must be me who got you into this.

No.

It's Yinlian.

Shame on you.

You're so flirtatious.

You're already married.

Why do you still pester Kai?

That's between me and Kai.

I don't need you to judge us.

Besides,

Kai never liked you.

Nonsense!

Kai does like me.

He just doesn't want to say it.

He...

Sister,

how long will you lie to yourself?

What do you know?

No.

It's that filthy woman, Yinlian.

If it wasn't for her,

how could you have died?

I'm the one he likes.

It's me.

You knew

that Xu Kai was having an affair with Yinlian.

No.

They were not.

Xu Kai was Yinlian's lover.

The one in the paintings is all Yinlian.

Why are you

deceiving yourself?

Get out.

Get out.

You all get out of here.

No.

No.

This is not Yinlian.

It's me.

It's me.

Xu Kai only draws me.

This is not Yinlian.

It's me.

It's time to ask your friend

for the third favor.

Three dice, three favors,

all done?

The first one

was used in the quarry.

The second one

was at the entertainment house.

For the third one,

I need you to spread some news for me.

Spread some news?

What news?

Yinlian isn't dead.

Do you guys know?

What?

Mrs. Teng was saved.

Mrs. Teng is not dead?

Yes.

She was so badly injured, but she was saved.

Who's the physician? So amazing.

Did you hear that?

Mrs. Teng is still alive.

Right.

Li,

did you hear that?

Mrs. Teng.

Mrs. Teng is still alive.

Great.

Thank goodness.

Mrs. Teng is still alive.

Mrs. Teng was stabbed so many times,

but she was still saved.

Oh, my goodness.

You have no idea.

The stabs even disfigured her body.

[Teng's Residence]

Yinlian,

I've come to see you.

Li Han.

Come with me to the Magistrate's Office.

I'm not going with you.

I'm not going.

I'm not going with you.

Don't kill him.

I'm not going there with you.

I'll never go there with you.

I...

Help.

Yin...

lian...

Why did you kill him?

Yinlian...

I've avenged you.

Wait a minute.

Stop.

Magistrate, what's wrong?

I heard

Mr. Teng killed that crazy man Li Han.

Right.

He's finally avenged Ms. Yinlian.

Unfortunately, Mr. Teng doesn't plan to stay either.

I saw the family packing up

to leave Penglai.

[Mingyue House]

Magistrate, welcome.

Is Miss Cao here?

She's taking a bath.

Magistrate,

Miss Cao has told us.

Whenever you're here,

just come in.

Please.

Magistrate,

is it you?

Yes.

Still worried about the case?

The case is solved.

Congratulations, Magistrate.

The case's been solved.

Why do you

still look so down?

Magistrate?

Yin...

lian...

Some of her hair was cut off.

Di Renjie.

Di Renjie.

Mr. Hong.

Where's Di Renjie?

Stop calling him ''Di Renjie''.

Call him ''Magistrate''.

What's in your hand?

Wood from the woodwork store.

They said

Magistrate Di ordered it.

It took them a long time to find it.

Red cedar.

[Teng's Residence]

Magistrate.

- Magistrate. - Magistrate.

Magistrate, welcome.

- One moment, please. - Magistrate.

I'll ask Master to come out.

Wait a minute.

Stop.

Huaiying,

you're here.

Yes.

You helped me

get my revenge.

Thank you.

You must have heard about this.

I'm leaving Penglai soon.

Where will you go

after leaving?

It's just

a remote countryside.

I'm not good at anything

except writing poems.

Since

Heaven has made me live on,

I can't do anything but write poems

to reminisce about Yinlian.

This screen,

who painted it?

An unknown painter.

I don't remember.

Then,

I won't bother you anymore.

You're on official business.

Sorry for not seeing you off.

Be careful.

Magistrate.

Human punching bags?

They lack training.

Your back...

When I was in the army,

I broke the rules

and was punished with whipping.

Magistrate,

if these paintings are not helpful,

tomorrow,

I'll return them to the shopkeeper.

Careful.

Thank you.

Huaiying.

Huaiying.

Come...

Let me show you something.

Look.

This is...?

Do you remember the soil at the crime scene?

This soil

was found on the soles of your boots.

I didn't think the stone powder

and the soil would blend into one,

so

I looked into it.

What did you find?

Bimanzi. [*a poison]

You know what purpose it serves, right?

Of course I do.

Qiao Tai,

prepare the horse.

I'm going to meet Mr. Teng.

Before he leaves Penglai,

I'd like to ask him

to meet Ms. Yinlian

one last time.

Ms. Yinlian is lying in the autopsy room.

That's the exact place I want him to come.

The autopsy room.