Original subtitles

[Judge Dee's Mystery]

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

[Episode 6]

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

[Teng's Residence]

Magistrate,

please sentence me to death.

Please get up.

Please tell me

what happened last night.

It rained heavily last night.

I was writing in my study.

Unexpectedly, I had an attack of madness.

I killed her.

It must be me who killed her.

Magistrate, please

don't be merciful

and sentence me to death.

Mr. Teng.

Please don't, Mr. Teng.

The case is still unclear.

I beg your pardon.

I can't close the case and sentence you.

Why don't you go back and rest?

I'll

get to the bottom

of this case.

Please

sentence me to death.

Powder.

Calluses on fingertips.

Holding a pen.

The victim

had white powder

on her fingertips,

ears, and hair.

Seven stabs.

Why both seven stabs?

Magistrate,

I can't smell anything.

Teng Kan confessed

to killing his wife due to madness.

We can close the case, right?

Then,

why did the screen change for no reason?

Who left the footprints outside the window

and entered the study to move the body?

So many mysteries remain unsolved.

And you want to close the case?

Di Renjie.

I knew you'd be here.

You've won a lot.

I won it all on my own.

It's legal and all voluntary.

Also,

let me tell you something.

My case

is closed.

By whom?

The one who set the rules.

Still want to bet?

The Jianghu power

is not a child's play.

If you still want to bet,

let's do it differently.

What else do you want to bet?

Let's bet on the case you're working on.

If Di Renjie

can solve the case of the unidentified body

and find the real culprit,

then he'll be in charge

of the Jianghu I control now.

But if he can't solve it,

I don't want anything else from you.

I just want the government

and Jianghu

to each mind its own business.

Sure.

If you

solve the case of the unidentified body,

you'll be in charge of Penglai County

after that.

What if I can't?

Here are three bronze dice.

For each dice,

I'll do one thing for you.

Within a 50-li radius,

you can ask anyone.

No one dares to refuse me.

I didn't expect you to be so decent.

Thanks.

Wait.

With three dice,

you can only do three things.

Don't try to trick me.

You can.

You're Di Renjie.

You can solve this case for sure.

You have to work hard,

Huaiying.

The money I won from betting

is not loot.

The boots I bought with it

are not loot either.

These

aren't dirty.

Where are you going?

To change my boots.

Ma Rong,

dogs

are good in every way,

but they love to eat shit.

If this problem is corrected,

dogs

will be good in every way.

Di Renjie,

what's that supposed to mean?

Thanks.

Mr. Teng, you've been

grieving too much

and had a relapse.

You should take care of yourself.

That's all right.

Magistrate, do you know?

20 years ago,

when I was in the capital,

I met your father a few times.

Your father

was an honorable man.

I still

remember his face and voice.

Back then,

I was the Secretary General of the Right Guards.

My name was Teng Zhongyuan.

Wild geese flying south, I grieve my snow-white hair.

On the lonesome frontier, mountains and the moon seem so close.

The heavens and the earth fall into the dark night.

Live and die side by side, hoping for eternity.

Since my father passed away,

this poem has always been on my mind.

It's my good fortune

to meet his old friend today.

But

I don't know why...

You don't know why

I switched from the battlefield

to writing and romance, right?

Yes.

Yinlian changed me.

Ever since I married her,

I no longer want to get involved

in the battlefield anymore.

So I changed my name

and only wanted to be a mediocre man

who indulges himself in her charm

and writes love letters.

Now that I'm over 50,

I only want to spend the rest

of my life with Yinlian

and want nothing else.

But now I've ruined it

all with my own hands.

I still have one question.

Why do you have to

take the blame?

Magistrate,

even if you don't sentence me,

Heaven will.

I killed my beloved wife with my own hands.

I was ungrateful and wronged her.

Instead

of suffering every day

and living alone,

I'd rather die earlier

and meet Yinlian in the afterlife.

I

beg you,

for the sake of my friendship with your father,

please sentence me to death.

I

thank you.

No, Mr. Teng.

Since I'm an official,

I should follow the laws.

You were once an official.

You should

know the Tang Code.

By the Tang Code,

if a patient who suffers from madness kills someone accidentally,

the punishment should be lenient.

Your fame has spread far and wide.

People all over the county have petitioned for you.

For all reasons,

I should acquit you.

I may still be breathing,

but my heart is already dead.

There's one thing

I'd like you

to tell me honestly.

You want to ask

about the Four-panel Screen, right?

Exactly.

Over ten years ago,

I saw that lacquer screen

by chance in a store.

Spring,

summer,

fall,

winter,

four lacquer paintings.

The story in the paintings

was the same as the one

between Yinlian and me.

We saw each other in a dream

and met each other on the balcony.

There are four sisters in the painting.

Before Yinlian married me,

she also lived with her three sisters.

Tell me.

If this is not the story of Yinlian and me,

what else could it be?

Because of all these coincidences,

I was sure that this lacquer screen

must only belong to me and Yinlian.

So I bought it.

But who would have thought?

A few days ago,

this wine cup

changed into a sword

and stabbed her in the chest.

Master.

Today,

I'm feeling fine.

No need to take the medicine.

But Madam personally asked me to...

Madam...

I've told you.

I don't need to take the medicine.

But

Madam said...

Madam said?

Madam said?

Madam said!

Madam said!

Madam said!

Madam said!

Darling,

take the medicine.

Drink it and you'll be fine.

You drink it.

I said no, no!

Darling,

it's fine.

I'm sorry.

Yinlian,

I'm sorry.

All right.

This...

The screen!

The Four-panel Screen!

Darling.

Look, darling.

How did this happen?

Darling.

Darling.

Darling.

Darling.

Evil spirit!

Evil spirit!

An evil spirit possessed Master!

Master.

At that time,

my madness was getting worse.

I was afraid

that I'd kill Yinlian

as the screen predicted.

So I had the servants

lock the screen in the storeroom.

In the end,

I still lost my mind.

Mr. Teng,

[Notice] do you know the man in this painting?

Mr. Teng knows my father.

Why didn't you tell me?

Master had many friends.

How could I remember all of them?

Not to mention

that it was over 20 years ago.

But Teng Zhongyuan's ancestor

was quite famous.

How so?

It was the 13th year of the Zhenguan Reign.

Teng Zhongyuan's ancestor

was the Deputy Chief of the Imperial Guards of Jiannan Circuit.

He had a promising career ahead of him,

but he fell ill and lost his mind.

He had an attack at night,

broke into the barracks,

and killed 17 soldiers in a row,

causing a mutiny.

Teng Zhongyuan's ancestor

committed suicide to apologize.

From his pulse, it seems like

the yin deficiency concentrates on his lower body.

The yang hyperactivity concentrates on his upper body.

It's indeed madness.

If so,

the disease

will be passed on to the descendants.

Is this

why Teng Zhongyuan and Yinlian

have no children?

Before Yinlian married him,

she lived with her three sisters.

It's just like what is depicted on this screen.

Stop.

Stay away.

[Lai's Ancestral House] This is Yinlian's ancestral house

before she married.

[Lai's Residence]

Now, only her unmarried second sister lives here.

Everyone calls her Miss Lai, the Second.

[Miss Lai, the Second]

Miss Lai,

this is Magistrate Di, the magistrate of Penglai.

We're here today...

I know who you are.

I also know what you want to ask.

You're investigating Yinlian's murder,

right?

You know she's dead?

The great poet Teng Kan's wife is dead.

It's big news.

Who can you hide from?

Why are you laughing?

Can't I laugh?

She deserved it.

It's retribution.

Retribution?

She was

a woman of easy virtue.

Magistrate, thank you.

With her beauty,

she was always flirting with people.

Many people had affairs with her.

Many also hate her.

But I heard

Ms. Yinlian

was a woman of good character

and moral integrity.

She and Mr. Teng

were in deep love.

It was all just a disguise in front of people.

Moral integrity?

She was never

a woman of moral integrity.

For what you said,

do you have any proof?

Proof?

Ask around, and you'll know.

You said she had many lovers.

Can you

tell me

their names?

I don't like Yinlian,

so we had no contact.

How would I know

who she was having an affair with?

However,

there was a man called Li Han.

He had an adulterous relationship with Yinlian.

He was her suitor before she got married,

a mediocre and boring man

who always followed her around.

Afterward,

Yinlian got tired of him.

One day...

Move it!

- Li Han broke into the house. - I don't know you

and don't want to see you again.

Yinlian turned him over to the authorities.

Yinlian.

Yinlian.

Look it up if you don't believe me.

[Xu Kai]

[Xu Kai]

[Xu Kai]

It's all me in the painting.

I see the paintings are all drawn by one person.

Are you close to this Xu Kai?

Xu Kai and I

are more than close.

In his whole life,

he's loved to draw me the most.

Where is

Xu Kai now?

He got leprosy

and then disappeared.

That disease

left his once handsome face

covered in unsightly blotches,

making him too ashamed to be seen.

I wonder

when was the last time

you met Ms. Yinlian?

When was it?

It's been a long time.

Since the day

you began flaunting

and coquettishly behaving,

I swore I'd never see you again.

I'm not like you.

I'm not like you.

I'm not like you.

Not like you.

In my life,

I only love Xu Kai.

If I can't get him,

I'll never marry.

I'm not like you.

I'm not like you.

[Lai's Residence]

When back to the office,

ask Hong to check Li Han's case file.

If what she said is true,

in the old case,

we may find Yinlian was involved.

Magistrate, we received a report

that a painting and calligraphy store was broken into last night.

Magistrate, it is here.

This is my store.

[Notice]

[Notice]

[Xu Kai]

When did you realize

your store was broken into?

Magistrate,

it was today

around the Shen hour.

I had a few drinks last night.

[Chen's Painting and Calligraphy Shop] I slept until afternoon

before opening my store.

The door was closed.

If the lock hadn't been broken

and if there weren't these portraits,

I'm afraid I wouldn't have realized anyone had come in.

[Notice]

Have you lost anything?

I've checked several times,

but nothing was lost.

I'd like to bring the paintings and calligraphy,

especially those with notices on it,

back to my office.

After the case is solved,

I'll return them to you.

Will you mind?

Of course not.

[Xu Kai]

[Xu Kai] Xu Kai and I...

[Xu Kai] He's my loved one.

Wait.

Powder.

[Notice]

Where is

Xu Kai now?

He got leprosy

and then disappeared.

[Notice]

He's Xu Kai.

You went out of your way

just to tell me

that it's all about Kai.

He hadn't bathed for long

and even hadn't washed his hands for long.

Dressed in rags,

lived in distress,

and looked like a beggar.

Beggar.

Straw shoes.

Powder.

Powder.

Hurry up.

Quick.

Quarry.

Huaiying,

what Miss Lai said is true.

I found Li Han's case file.

He was sentenced to hard labor

at the quarry outside the city for theft.

So it's the quarry.

Do you think

Ms. Yinlian looks strange?

How so?

I'm not sure.

Never mind.

Qiao Tai,

prepare the horse.

It's midnight.

Where are you going?

To the quarry.

I'll go with you.

Qiao Tai and I going there will do.

I can help you.

This dice

is from the Esteemed Head.

One dice solves one thing.

In this region,

no one dares to reject him.

Stop it.

You haven't got some shuteye for quite some time.

Just two days.

That's not long.

I'll try it for you.

If it works,

thank him for me.

Huaiying.

Don't slack off.

- Quick. Don't dawdle. - Hurry up.

I'm talking to you. Don't dawdle.

Hurry up.

Didn't you eat?

Move!

Hurry up.

Quick.

Hurry up.

What are you doing?

Hurry up.

Who told you to sit down?

Don't dawdle.

You. Speed up.

Hurry up.

Hurry up.

I'll whip you. Don't dawdle.

Come here.

Magistrate Di.

This isn't an office.

I don't have food or wine to welcome you.

It's a mess.

If it's nothing serious,

please go back.

Oh no, Mr. Chen.

I'm here

to see a prisoner,

Li Han.

Do you have the provincial governor's official letter?

Of course, I have.

However, Mr. Chen,

if you see the letter

but don't let me see him,

I don't need to tell you

what the consequence will be, right?

Hurry up.

Qiao Tai,

fetch the official letter.

I have hundreds of

prisoners here,

so I can't remember everyone's name.

Come here.

Go

and bring that Li Han to me.

Have you forgotten?

This Li Han

got leprosy

and has died.

Right.

Right.

I forgot about that.

Magistrate Di,

it's not that I won't let you see him.

You heard it.

He's dead.

Then take me to his grave.

This Li Han

has been involved in many murders.

I dare not to be negligent.

Mr. Chen,

thank you.

Follow me.

Mr. Chen, it's here.

Magistrate.

How long has he been dead?

Ten days...

or 20 days.

Fresh soil.

If I want to dig up the grave and check the body,

Mr. Chen,

can you do me a favor?

Magistrate,

I'm afraid that's against the rules.

Yes.

I've gone beyond my authority.

I have a list of prisoners in my room.

If you don't believe me,

you can check it.

That won't be necessary.

Since I'm here and I've seen it,

I've

done my job.

I appreciate your understanding.

Let's go.

Thank you very much.

Magistrate,

what do we do now?

Magistrate.

Dig the grave.

Dig the grave?

The quarry is heavily guarded.

It's hard to get in again.

Let's wait.

In a while,

someone should be here to show us the way.

Magistrate.

Magistrate,

you know the Esteemed Head?

He's a friend of mine.

If that's the case,

it's not a waste for me to risk my life.

Magistrate,

you want to dig up the grave and check the body?

Yes.

There's a path ahead

that leads to the mass grave directly.

Please

follow me.

Please.

Magistrate.

Dig.

Magistrate,

this place is heavily guarded.

If he didn't die of illness,

then Mr. Chen must have let him go.

This kind of thing

happens all the time.

I'm a petty man.

I don't know much about it.

Magistrate,

that's all I can do for you.

You're willing to take such a risk.

Is it to help me

or the Esteemed Head?

The Esteemed Head helped my family a lot.

I should return the favor.

It's the right thing to do.

If you're a friend of the Esteemed Head,

helping you

means helping the Esteemed Head.

Thank you very much.

You're very welcome.

Magistrate.

Don't yell.

Let him take a look at the straw mat.

Is that Li Han?

I'll ask you again.

Where is Li Han?

You have no right to interrogate me.

The provincial governor's letter doesn't work for you?

Do you have it?

I don't.

Then you're faking an official document.

You're faking an official document...

If you don't tell the truth,

I'll kill you now.

I can not only judge

but also close cases.

Maybe, in the end,

your case will fall into my hands.

Then, I'll make sure your demise is shrouded in mystery.

Are you

an official or a villain?

When I meet an official, I'm an official.

When I meet a villain, I'll kill a villain.