Original subtitles

[Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty III: To Chang'an]

[Episode 33]

Senior Shizai.

Father, Sheriff Su is here.

Sheriff Su.

Seems like you all heard that.

Yes.

This is a matter between my student and me.

Please don't read into it.

You're here again.

Do you have something to ask me?

It seems you've already guessed

what I want to ask.

Yeah.

The death of a mere coroner is insignificant,

yet it happened right when

news of the Coroners' Contest

reached here.

That makes it highly unusual.

After I retired,

Yao also quit the coroner trade.

Only then did Chang'an have

the so-called Five Great Coroners.

They are:

Dong Yue, who worked for the Ministry of Justice;

Xiahou Shuang, who mostly serves

the Court of Judicial Review;

Liu Wei of the Yongzhou Prefecture;

Zheng Hao, coroner of Chang'an County;

and finally,

the one I just expelled from my tutelage—

Zhong Shizai.

Now that Dong Yue is dead,

the other four all have motives for the crime.

Of course.

When Dong Yue was shot and killed,

Shizai and I

were drinking together with Sheriff Su,

so he can be ruled out first.

Thank you for your guidance.

Also,

Shizai just told me

that three days ago,

he'd already heard the news.

The other three

are all colleagues in the government,

so they must have known as well.

Therefore, if anyone pretends not to know,

that person would also be suspicious.

Thank you again.

Geng Wushang

is just an old coroner.

He's actually helping you with the case.

Maybe he means well.

Isn't his analysis

very solid?

But the ones with the motive to kill

aren't limited to coroners.

The problem is…

What is it?

What was I trying to say again?

I used to respect him a lot,

but at his age,

he still wants to join some contest

and fight for

the chance to enter official service.

Turns out he's just another ordinary man.

Actually, I think

this exactly shows how much

the coroner profession needs this opportunity.

His Majesty is truly wise!

[Wannian County Office]

First day on the job,

and you ran into such a bizarre case?

Exactly.

This case is indeed tricky.

Why don't you

take it over instead?

Su Wuming.

I'm not falling for that trick.

I came this time

to invite you for a drink.

After all, you're back in the office,

and it's worth celebrating.

But since you're busy with important matters,

I'll take my leave.

[Fair and Impartial]

Don't go yet.

Give me some advice.

Does the analysis

of Coroner Geng make sense to you?

Of course it makes sense.

However,

we can first rule out Coroner Liu Wei,

because at 3 PM today,

he was with me on an investigation.

Good approach.

We can eliminate them one by one.

The Court of Judicial Review has many cases,

and we both know Coroner Xiahou Shuang well.

He can be temporarily ruled out too.

So that only leaves

Zheng Hao, the coroner from Chang'an County.

You were once Chang'an County Sheriff.

Don't you know

Zheng Hao?

Know him? Far more than that!

He's the coroner with the most prestigious background

in the whole Tang Empire.

He's from the Zheng family of Xingyang.

A coroner from a prestigious family—

how could anyone forget that?

I remember that his ancestor

was a great general under Dou Jiande,

a master archer who never missed a shot.

Later,

when Dou Jiande was defeated

by Emperor Taizong,

his ancestor refused to surrender

and remained proud of his aristocratic lineage.

This infuriated Emperor Taizong so much

that he punished his branch of the family

to work as coroners for all generations.

Exactly.

And as you just said,

his ancestor was an expert in mounted archery.

Yes.

Dong Yue was killed precisely

by a feathered arrow.

I need to look into Zheng Hao.

Well, Official Lu,

Yingtao isn't with me right now.

Investigating Zheng Hao

honestly makes me pretty nervous.

How about you come with me

to boost my courage?

You're so cunning, Su Wuming.

Sheriff Su,

after all this roundabout talk,

you're still scheming to drag me into it!

How is this scheming against you?

Besides, weren't you the one

who came knocking on my door?

Coroner Zheng Hao

is an extremely arrogant man,

and he knows martial arts.

I'm just a feeble scholar. If I go question him

and he gets angry,

he might shoot me with an arrow, and I'd be…

[Aristocratic Family of Xingyang]

If I'm not mistaken,

[Zheng Hao, Coroner of Chang'an County]

you're Official Lu, right?

Well?

Don't you know Sheriff Su?

Of course I do.

Su Wuming,

who relies on being Master Di's disciple,

came from Chang'an to Wannian

and became the county sheriff again.

Gentlemen,

what brings you here?

[Aristocratic Family of Xingyang]

Coroner Zheng, you hunted these animals, right?

Both were killed with a single arrow.

Of course.

When I hunt,

I never need a second shot.

Impressive, truly impressive.

By the way,

Coroner Zheng, your ancestor

was quite the hero in his day!

Of course he was!

[Aristocratic Family of Xingyang]

My ancestor

was an aristocrat of Xingyang.

It's just a pity he backed the wrong man.

Well, Su Wuming.

Could you stop

calling me "coroner"

in your every sentence?

Zheng, you're absolutely right.

We're not in the county office after all.

We should address each other as brothers.

Zheng,

we came today

for some tea

and to inform you of something important.

Please, come inside.

Coroners' Contest?

I haven't heard anything about it.

Well, now,

I've told you about it.

Will you participate?

Hard to say.

I don't want to lose face.

If I couldn't place in the top three,

people would laugh at me.

After all, among the coroners in the capital,

there are many experts.

Although I'm one of the Five Great Coroners,

I've always been modest and cautious.

I wouldn't dare say I'm fully confident.

Moreover,

I have no family to support, no mouths to feed.

I don't need to worry about my descendants getting official posts.

So,

I might as well not participate.

This afternoon at three,

where were you, Zheng?

Out hunting.

Those animals hanging outside—

you saw them just now, didn't you?

But those kills

don't look like they were shot in the afternoon.

From the color of the wounds

and the smell of the blood,

they look more like they were killed this morning.

Are you showing off

your coroner's knowledge to me?

Zheng Hao,

where's your bow?

What do you want?

Your family is known for superb archery skills.

I'm sure your bow has been passed down through generations

and is an excellent one.

I'd like to have a look at it.

What?

You're suspecting me now?

Who said anything about suspicion?

Official Lu just wants to appreciate

your bow, that's all.

Fine.

Wait here.

I'll go get it.

Watch out!

It really is you!

Zheng,

how about we go somewhere else for tea?

Zheng Hao,

why did you attack a court official?

Your groundless suspicions

are an insult.

For my ancestor's honor,

I had to shoot that Lu from Fanyang dead!

So what?

It's a pity that your archery skills aren't good enough.

You've disgraced your ancestor.

I can certainly hit a target from 100 paces

and kill you with one arrow.

With a door in the way,

you got lucky, that's all.

And the second arrow?

I shoot far, not close.

For the second arrow, you were too close!

You can't aim well when targets are close?

That's the first time I've ever heard that.

Come, bring me his quiver.

This quiver

has been used for years, hasn't it?

Are you blind,

or are you deliberately looking down on me?

Can't you tell it's brand-new?

I bought it the day before yesterday!

Is that so?

Zheng Hao,

at the Dukang Restaurant,

Coroner Dong Yue was hit by an arrow

at 3 PM.

You shot it, didn't you?

Dong Yue is dead?

Nothing to do with me.

Did I say he died?

I heard from others that he died.

Measure his foot.

The length matches perfectly.

Zheng Hao,

directly across from the Dukang Restaurant,

on the second floor of the wine storeroom,

we found the killer's footprints.

They match yours exactly.

What more do you have to say?

Plenty of people have feet this size.

These boots are completely ordinary.

You could find 10,000 pairs just like them in Chang'an.

That doesn't count as evidence.

Just now, you said

this is a new quiver.

In the Tang Empire,

everything follows regulations.

A standard quiver

holds 30 arrows.

Your quiver is quite expensive,

and quivers like this

usually come with new arrows.

And your arrows

are indeed brand new.

You also claim you can hit a target 100 paces away

and never need a second shot when hunting.

Therefore,

one arrow for the hare,

one arrow for the fox.

According to hunting custom,

arrows that kill game don't need to be retrieved.

They're left as offerings to the mountain god.

After the two arrows you shot at me,

you should have 26 new arrows

left in your quiver.

But there are only 25 here.

Where's the missing one?

That…

Bring it up.

Exactly the same.

The brand-new arrow that killed Dong Yue

came from your quiver!

When it comes to martial skills and weapons,

you can't fool Official Lu.

I was hunting in the mountains.

At 3 PM…

At 3 PM, I hadn't even come back!

Do you have witnesses?

The beasts and birds in the mountains

can testify for me.

Sheriff Su,

no need to waste words on him.

Just beat him up.

But for someone like him,

beating him in the county office is useless.

Drag him to the East Market and beat him there!

Let everyone in Chang'an

watch him get beaten!

A gentleman can be killed, but not humiliated!

You'd better not sully

the word "gentleman."

What are you all standing around for?

Take him to the East Market and beat him!

After that, drag him to the West Market and keep beating him!

And then to the Ghost Market!

-Yes. -Yes.

Move!

Wait!

Just kill me!

I'm the one who killed Dong Yue.

I confess!

Zheng Hao,

on the court,

you need to think carefully before you speak.

Because everything you say

will be recorded

and used as evidence to convict you.

Great, great.

Officers,

greetings.

Dong Yue.

Didn't you see me?

I did.

You're just a coroner.

Why do you always

hang around officials?

We all come from gentry families.

I don't care who your ancestors were.

You…

You're nothing but a coroner now,

and one

whose skills are inferior to mine.

Just you wait,

Dong Yue!

This happened half a month ago.

I'd almost forgotten about it.

But yesterday,

there was a case in Chang'an County

where two corpses were found at the same time.

Zhong Shizai and I each examined one.

When we were comparing our findings…

[To the Zheng of Xingyang]

Zhong Shizai.

Who sent me this letter?

A letter?

I didn't see anything.

The Zheng family of Xingyang can't be humiliated like that.

To wash away this shame,

tomorrow at 3 PM,

at the Gaochang Tavern,

by the second-floor window of the backyard warehouse,

nock an arrow and draw the bow

to shoot at Meiwu in the Dukang Restaurant.

You can take your revenge then.

What does the letter say?

Nothing.

I was half-convinced.

I had just bought a new bow and arrows.

I went hunting early in the morning.

I shot a hare first

and then a fox.

Yet I was still agitated and restless,

so I took the bow and arrows

and went up to the second floor of that warehouse.

You killed Dong Yue—

it wasn't just for revenge, was it?

Can you swear

it had nothing to do with the upcoming

Coroners' Contest?

Of course it had something to do with it.

My ancestor backed the wrong man,

and as a result,

Emperor Taizong demoted us to the lowest social class.

By my generation,

I've already risen to be one of

the Five Great Coroners in Chang'an.

If I win this contest,

I might be able to shed this lowly status.

Getting rid of Dong Yue

would make my chances much greater.

After all, Dong's coroner skills

really were superb.

Among the five of us,

he was number one.

Where is that letter?

It's on me.

[To wash the shame of your family, tomorrow at 3 PM,]

[come to Gaochang Tavern]

[and shoot at Meiwu of the Dukang Restaurant.]

[To wash the shame of your family, tomorrow at 3 PM,]

[come to Gaochang Tavern]

[and shoot at Meiwu of the Dukang Restaurant.]

[Please come for a drink two days from now, at 3 PM.]

[At Meiwu of the Dukang Restaurant, from General Lyu.]

This beard must be a disguise,

but it's done quite well.

Because Gao Wuniang's

strongest impression of him

was the beard.

She couldn't clearly describe his eyes or brows at all.

So I find it hard to picture

what he looks like

without that fake beard.

Xijun,

thank you a lot.

Enough talk about the case.

Su Wuming has returned to official service.

It's his first day on duty,

and I made him look good.

Flawless, wasn't it?

This really is worth celebrating.

Let's get drunk tonight and go home late.

Fei,

tomorrow I still need to help Master

investigate cases in the districts.

I can't get too drunk.

But it really is worth celebrating.

Sheriff Su,

I should toast you.

Yes, Wuming.

I'm happy for you.

Su Wuming,

I'm happy for you too.

Also, although I'm

a secret agent of Yongzhou Prefecture,

from now on, I may have to

spend a lot of time over in Wannian County.

After all, he

not only knows no martial arts

but also loves stirring up trouble.

I have to protect him.

Granted!

Congratulations.

I hope from now on,

you rise swiftly through the ranks.

Just as you said in the desert,

we as fellow disciples

will fight together for the prosperity

of the Tang Empire.

You guys are

either my family

or friends.

Let's drink together,

share joy, and weather storms together.

Walking hand in hand, we fear nothing.

Great!

Great!

Here.

Cheers!

Yingtao,

I'm afraid you can only have this one cup.

I've suddenly remembered that in today's Chang'an,

there is someone who is the least safe

and needs your protection.

Who?

Is there anyone less safe than you,

Su Wuming?

"Though dwelling hidden in the shadows,"

"my heart has long been pledged to the sovereign."

"Suddenly, she's gone."

"I feel sorrow as her light dims."

"So I leave the lowlands for higher ground."

"My feet advance while my spirit lingers,"

"leaving feelings behind in imagination,"

"looking back with sorrow."

"Hoping the spirit's form might reappear,"

"I guide a light boat and row upstream,"

"floating along the long river, forgetting to return."

[Zhong Shizai's son, Zhong Pi]

"My thoughts stretch endlessly, increasing my longing."

"The night…"

"the night is restless and sleepless."

"Tears…"

"Tears…"

What's going on?

You've been reciting "Ode to the Goddess of Luo"

for two days already.

Do you really need a third day?

I told you to study hard at home.

-You've been slacking off, right? -Father!

Pi didn't slack off.

[Zhong Shizai's daughter, Zhong Jie]

He's been studying very hard.

It's just that…

Just what?

The rascal next door messed with us again.

He said Pi shouldn't study poetry and literature.

That he should follow you and learn to be a coroner.

What exactly did he say?

He… he said…

Jie.

Zhong Pi,

you're a boy,

already 12 years old.

Do you still need

your sister to say something like that for you?

That rascal said

you're a coroner,

so in the future, I can only be a coroner.

Coroners just examine dead people.

There's no need to be literate

or memorize Cao Zijian's poems.

Even if I memorize them,

people will only laugh at me.

I wanted to go beat him up,

but I was afraid I couldn't win,

and then he'd have the chance

to bully Jie.

So I ignored him

and just kept protecting Jie.

That's why I fell behind on my recitation.

Very clearly said.

To have a son like you,

I am completely satisfied.

Jie,

you come here too.

Let me

tell you some great news.

It won't be long

before I become an official in the county office.

You'll no longer be a coroner?

I'll still be a coroner,

but an officially appointed coroner in the county office,

no longer of lowly status.

You'll also have the chance

to take the imperial examinations.

As for Jie,

you've got great talent for painting.

I will

definitely find you

a famous teacher

and raise you to become

the greatest painter in the Tang Empire.

In the future,

you'll even marry into

a noble family.

Really, Father?

Really.

I

promise you both.

Thank you, Father.

But

I don't want to marry a noble.

I just want to stay and care for you.

Good girl.

Come here.

[Records of Examining Corpses, Volume Six]

Father,

you've been working hard all day.

Today is also your birthday.

Stop writing.

Rest early.

This book on coroner craft—

I'm already on the final volume.

I truly don't dare stop.

I fear I won't finish it,

and it will become

the greatest regret of my life.

Father,

today is your birthday.

Don't say such inauspicious things.

Father,

that old man Sheriff Su brought—

didn't they say he's a miracle doctor?

Why won't you let him

take a look at your sores?

Although I'm just a coroner,

I do know a bit of medicine.

What I've got is terminal.

There's no curing it.

Then why did you still say

you wanted to join the Coroners' Contest?

I actually took it seriously.

Truth be told,

I even felt happy for a moment.

That was for your own future, wasn't it?

No, I was happy for you, Father.

You're unquestionably the best coroner in Chang'an,

no, in the whole world.

Just like you said,

if you could make a name for yourself across the realm

with everything you've learned,

how wonderful that would be!

Enough praising me.

Have you memorized everything you were supposed to memorize today?

Yes.

Let me hear it.

When a head is severed by a sharp blade,

the cut on the skull is clean and smooth.

For more information, check the flesh under the neck.

If the tendons are curled and contracted

and the shoulder bones are raised,

[Speak and Seek Truth]

it means the victim was alive when decapitated.

If the head is cut off after death,

the tendons will not contract.

[Speak and Seek Truth]

If the body is close to a wall,

the coroner needs to check

whether there is blood on the wall

and if it appears in spray patterns.

[Speak and Seek Truth]

In decapitation cases,

the coroner needs to measure

the distance between the head and the shoulders

and record

the position of the head relative to the body.

Furthermore,

fit the head back onto the neck

and measure the neck circumference.

And finally,

have the family identify the body

to confirm it is the same person.

If the murder weapon has a flat tip,

can you record it as stabbing?

No.

Only pointed weapons

can be recorded as stabbing.

Good.

Father,

you need to rest now.

I'm in a good mood today.

Let me teach you a little more.

I'll tell you right now

how to examine for strychnine poisoning.

Memorize it carefully.

Yes.

Those poisoned by strychnine

first feel weakness;

the neck stiffens,

and then the shoulders and thighs

go into spasms

until the whole body convulses,

finally arching like a drawn bow,

bending over and over.

The pain is among the worst a person can suffer.

This is a truly vicious poison.

In murder cases,

you rarely see it.

Some coroners

never encounter it in their whole career.

But to be a truly good coroner,

you must know how to recognize this poison.

I've got it, Father.

I really envy you.

Youth is a blessing.

You don't need to write it down

and can remember it all in your head.

Honey,

something good

will happen to us soon.

Why do you say that?

You know what?

Our daughter

picked up a whole purse of coins

on the street today.

She counted them.

49 coins in total.

How auspicious is that!

Our girl has been worrying about marriage,

and I'm sure

this means a heaven-sent match

is on its way.

Stop dreaming.

Blow out the lamp and go to sleep.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

One?

What does "one" mean?

Could it be

that within a single day,

a fated match will come?

"Lovesickness on a moonlit night."

"The clouds stretch across the distant sky."

Who's out there?

Sir,

who are you?

Have we met before?

"My longing stretches ten thousand li."

"The bright moon hangs alone in the sky."

Sir!

[Night Watch]

It's 5 AM now.

Dawn is about to break.

Beware of fire and candles.

Stay safe and welcome the morning.

It's 5 AM now.

Dawn is about to break.

Beware of fire and candles.

Stay safe and welcome the morning.

From 3 AM to 5 AM,

[Ten Years Ago]

the water clock has stopped; all is quiet;

stars hang low over the fields; thoughts drift;

heaven and earth are yet awake.

Therefore,

assassins

often choose this period of time to kill.

Have you all remembered?

-Yes. -Yes.

Assassin, you're dead!

Father! Father!

Chan, stay quiet!

Father, what's happening?

I hoped the assassin wouldn't come,

but in the end,

he still came.

I already know

who's behind

the death of Dong Yue.

I underestimated that assassin.

Who's there?

Thief,

how dare you break into my house?

Pi,

instead of studying,

what are you doing here?

Father, it's you.

Didn't you say

one should focus on studying first

and practice martial arts if there's extra energy?

Mastering both civil and martial arts

makes one exceptional.

Did I say that?

You did.

Why did you climb over the wall?

That's part of martial training too.

By the way, a couple of days ago, you said

you wanted to ride horses, right?

Yes.

Jie wants to as well,

very much!

Then we'll ride today.

Pack up with your sister.

Let's go.

Coroner Zhong,

you're leaving the city so early.

Off to examine a corpse somewhere?

I'm teaching my children to ride horses.

Official Lu,

please step aside.

And if I don't?

Then I'll just have to ride

right over you.

Fine.

Come on then!

What right do you have to stop me?

If I had no reason,

I wouldn't be standing in your way!

Pi,

Jie,

did you have fun riding today?

-Yes. -Yes.

Remember what I told you.

When you grow up,

you must become outstanding individuals.

Yes.

Take your sister home.

Father!

Pi,

go home.

Official Lu,

you refrained from fighting

in front of my children.

Thank you.

You used Zheng Hao to murder Dong Yue—

killing two birds with one arrow

to ensure

you would win

the Coroners' Contest.

That scheme of yours

was far too vicious and underhanded.

It seems

you have no intention of dismounting and surrendering.

I used the name of General Lyu.

A general may die in battle

but never dismounts to surrender.

Well, well, as a coroner,

you can also fight on horseback?

Try me, and you'll know.

Two years ago,

I heard the General of the Right Imperial Guards

single-handedly crushed the Four Ghosts in the Ghost Market

using a three-section spear.

I was deeply impressed,

so I modified

this snake spear

that had served me for years.

I was born a slave

and trained hard since childhood.

Only by becoming a coroner

did I rise from slave status to lowly status.

But not a day passed that stopped

studying literature or practicing martial arts.

If you defeat me today,

I'll acknowledge your skill.

But if I unhorse you

with a single thrust of my spear,

then some foreign nation

will gain

a great General Zhong to lead its armies.

General Zhong, huh?

To make a name for yourself,

you're going to betray the Tang Empire?

Enough talk. Bring it on!

They say that villain's martial skills are formidable.

If you hadn't stepped in to help,

we in Wannian County

really wouldn't

have caught him.

Skip the flattery.

Xue Huan has already gone ahead

into the districts to handle cases.

I won't keep you company during the interrogation.

Farewell.

Lu Lingfeng!

Lingfeng,

I owe you big.

Thank you very much.

I hope Wannian County,

under Sheriff Su's governance,

enjoys long-lasting peace.

May Wannian County enjoy long-lasting peace.

I am innocent.

Sheriff Su,

when Master Di arrested people,

he always relied on solid evidence.

You think you're clever

and left no trace at all?

I do, so what?

Without concrete evidence,

I will never confess.

[To the Zheng of Xingyang] [Invitation]

The writing on the letter

has traces of brown mixed with the black ink.

That should be

pigment from painting.

This means the person either paints regularly

or constantly has a painter at their side.

You named your son Pi

and your daughter Jie.

Those are the very characters Emperor Wu of Wei

used for his own children.

So what?

Your daughter is named Zhong Jie.

You've trained her in painting

since she was little,

haven't you?

Zhong Jie,

you paint very well.

I'm just curious—

how do you keep the painting table

so perfectly neat?

It's because Father doesn't allow anyone

to use this table,

not even Pi,

and not even Father himself.

Then where does your father usually write?

When Father needs to write,

he just uses my pigment dishes

and makes do.

If you think it's necessary,

we can verify it.

The letter sent to Zheng Hao

and the invitations

to those five coroners

were written with the ink here.

And you, Zhong Shizai,

are extremely skilled with a brush,

yet you pretended

to be illiterate.

The handwriting on the letters—

[General Lyu]

you deliberately made it look clumsy,

right?

That's nothing more than your speculation.

Su Wuming,

you couldn't solve the case yourself,

so you sent a woman

to trick my daughter?

This lady is no ordinary person.

She's Miss Pei Xijun.

I wouldn't say she's the best painter

in all of Chang'an,

but she's definitely the finest

among female painters in Chang'an.

Really?

Miss Pei,

could my daughter be your student?

She's very talented.

You should confess first.

Look at this.

I found it in your house.

See for yourself.

Put it on him.

Come.

Now look at this.

Who painted that?

Miss Pei

drew it based on Gao Wuniang's description.

Does this count

as solid evidence now?

Miss Pei,

please take Jie as your student.

No.

Please take her

as your goddaughter.

Miss Pei,

Jie is clever and filial.

I truly cannot bear

to let her remain in the lowly status her whole life.

Zhong Shizai,

Zhong Jie is very gifted,

and I like her too.

If the chance arises,

I'll definitely teach her painting.

But this is the court.

Get up now.

I…

Zhong Shizai,

you deeply love your children,

but that's no excuse for your crimes.

I didn't kill anyone directly.

I just invited someone to dinner.

How is that wrong?

Zheng Hao killed for revenge.

What has that got to do with me?

Just to make sure

you could place in the top three of the Coroners' Contest,

you even tried to kill your own mentor

who taught you your skills!

Zhong Shizai,

what other crimes have you committed?

Confess truthfully!

I haven't!

Mr. Geng already anticipated

you'd say that.