Original subtitles

[Strange Chronicles of Tang]

[Episode 6]

Easy with it,

or the dew will all end up on the ground.

Thank you for the advice, Madam Master of Rain.

It's you?

After hearing what you said, I asked around

and learned that this is a lucrative business.

So, I-I wanted to give it a try.

Madam, do you live near this place?

Yes.

Who do you live with?

My husband.

Why are you being so distant with me?

Since I came of age at 15,

I'd run into several scoundrels

every month.

You're a scholar.

Why are you behaving like them?

You're getting it wrong.

How could I possibly be like...

Previously,

to drive away

that punk Da for you,

I nearly lost my life.

Have you forgotten it?

Da craves money.

You didn't hire him, did you?

My husband and I are deeply in love.

Whatever your intentions are,

please stay away from me.

Got a finding?

What's going on?

Why is she giving you the cold shoulder?

Madam Master of Rain

is quite popular in town.

Isn't it just normal

that she ignores me?

Go get that piece of clothing

for me now.

I think it was hung there not long ago.

Maybe it's related to the missing person.

Yes.

This is Lai's robe.

I made it for him myself.

Where is he?

He...

hasn't been found yet.

Then...

where was this robe

discovered?

In the Ascension Forest.

The...

Ascen-

Ascen-

Ascension Forest.

He died out there,

and someone hung his robe

in the Ascension Forest.

That's not too bad.

Not too bad.

Officer,

please hang this robe

back on where it was.

So I won't be haunted by Lai's spirit

anymore.

You...

Early this morning,

I found Lai's robe

at this place.

It's been confirmed to be his by his wife.

You nearly lost your life

at this place yesterday.

Why would you dare come here again?

Where is Lu Lingfeng?

Why the shouting?

Aren't I right here?

Exactly.

With you here, what do I have to fear?

I'd really like to know

what these Ghost Birds do at night

and what they feed on.

That's the spot, I think.

Right.

This is the spot.

Madam Master of Rain said

this red robe

was hanging right here when she saw it.

It seems this robe

is all we can count on to find clues.

Show me that turquoise

again.

The robe is made of ordinary fabric,

yet the knot button is premium turquoise.

Such a combination...

must be rare in the market, right?

Right.

In that case,

let's go visit

that old friend of ours.

Which old friend?

You mean Director Kang?

That's a good idea!

[West Market Administration]

Here you are.

All robe shops in Chang'an are registered

[Director of West Market, Kang Yuanli]

in this scroll.

I specifically had the features

of each shop noted down.

[Weiyang Fabric Shop]

[Jewel Robe Shop]

Jewel Robe Shop.

All knot buttons and ornaments

on the clothes

are made of gemstones.

[The Jewel Robe Shop is located near the Persian House in the West Market]

[Jewel Robe Shop]

This way.

Please.

Thank you, Mr. Dai.

Next time we're in Chang'an,

we'll definitely come

and buy robes from you again.

It's promise then.

No take-backs.

I'll be waiting for you in Chang'an.

Sure.

Gentlemen,

welcome to the Jewel Robe Shop.

Are you the shop owner?

Yes, I am.

[Mr. Dai, Jewel Robe Shop]

My surname is Dai.

Would you like to have robes made for yourselves?

Then you've come to the right place.

Please come in.

This robe...

Isn't it

the robe we lost?

How come it's back now?

Where is the button?

It's turquoise.

Watch your mouth!

Go on.

This is an investigation conducted by Yongzhou Judicial Office.

Madam,

don't be afraid of him.

Just keep talking.

It seems like...

Well, it is

the robe I lost.

Did I tell you to speak?

Madam, please go on.

This is indeed the robe we lost.

That heinous thief

does have a good eye,

for prying off the button.

That button is turquoise.

It's worth a lot.

I drilled it myself

with great caution.

Come on.

Take a look. Is it the one?

It is!

Let me sew it back on.

Thank you,

officer.

An expensive robe was stolen

from your shop.

Why didn't you report it?

That robe was not for sale.

I kept it for myself.

But you couldn't recognize your own clothes,

and used the words "seems like."

He's just getting old and foolish.

He's been working here

for over a decade,

dealing with these clothes every day.

He's inevitably confused sometimes.

Working here?

So you're not the shop owner.

But how did you

answer my question earlier?

Well, he...

Enough said about him.

Let's talk about you.

Now that he's not the owner,

are you?

I...

Mr. Dai!

Mr. Dai,

you've made the leap

from manager to shop owner.

Isn't it time to pay the difference for the coffin?

It's crafted from cypress wood, not mulberry.

So you need to pay me 500 extra coins.

Are you out of your mind?

Is that cypress coffin worth so much?

A cypress coffin

is certainly more expensive than a mulberry one.

A cypress coffin

can deter evil spirits

and monsters

from the deceased.

That's right.

How brilliant of you.

Such a nice shop

of your nephew's is now

in your possession.

Yet you're haggling

with me for his coffin.

Is it even appropriate?

Butterfly,

give him the money.

Just leave, you awful man.

If you had paid up earlier, I wouldn't have come at all.

Thanks.

So your nephew died?

Shancai died of a sudden illness.

There were witnesses.

Did I ask you about that?

He really died of a sudden illness.

He had no children.

As his uncle,

I had to step forward

to hold a funeral for him.

Then you conveniently took over his shop

as its new owner.

Let me ask you.

How much savings did your nephew have?

Less than 100,000 coins.

It sounds like you think

it's too little, don't you?

Dai!

Why did you kneel down?

I...

My legs suddenly went weak.

Have I told you to get up?

What's your name?

Butterfly.

How are you related to him?

Not in any way!

I'm Shancai's wife.

Then how could you deny being related to him?

Isn't he Shancai's uncle?

Yes, he is.

Your husband is dead.

This shop should be yours.

Why is it his now?

It's not like that.

Uncle is just managing the shop for me.

He claims to be the shop owner.

Others consider him that way too.

Why don't you refute it?

I...

Mr. Dai.

Please tell us

how your nephew died.

I didn't kill him!

Then you must've murdered your husband.

I didn't do it either!

Are the two of you...

having an affair?

She seduced me!

You old bastard!

We agreed to never tell.

[Butterfly, Shancai's wife]

Yet you've confessed even before being

taken to court.

Bah!

You did seduce me!

You had thoughts about me and peeped at me

while I bathed.

How else could I have successfully seduced you?

What kind of excuse is that?

I...

The two of you, stop bickering.

Just tell us how you killed Shancai.

Confess now.

Or you'll be put to torture.

Shancai...

had severe ulcers

on his back.

The doctor said he must avoid goose meat.

Actually,

he had never eaten goose meat,

so it was easy to fool him.

I just...

In fact, it was her idea!

What?

You ungrateful bastard!

I'm going to end you!

I'm telling the truth!

I...

I'm telling the truth!

-You're dead meat! -Official Lu, this...

What's going on here?

Before Shancai died,

I decided to

to move all his valuable belongings

to my place,

since it'd be ominous

to do so after he died.

I meant to take this robe too.

At that time,

I dared not leave his home,

being worried that his friends might visit him

and get him a doctor.

So,

I hired delivery service.

Delivery service?

Like a courier?

Yes.

Everything was delivered,

except for this robe.

Recently,

I've been wanting to confront them about it.

Who provided the service?

The Flying General.

We often have them deliver the expensive clothes

made in our shop.

Nothing had gone wrong before that.

Here's your statement.

Read it.

Sign it

if you find it correct.

Let me through!

Make way, please.

-Give me a hand. -Let me through!

Sure.

Gentlemen,

here are the logs.

[Flying General]

This is it.

[Courier: Chen Shubao]

It was Chen Shubao who made

this delivery.

He has the name of a fallen kingdom's ruler.

I knew he couldn't be a good person.

Mr. Kang,

you seem to have much knowledge about the history and famous figures

of the Central Plains.

Though I'm Sogdian,

I've long been a Chang'an resident

and a Tang citizen.

Where is Chen Shubao?

Have him come over.

He no longer works here.

Then where does he live?

I don't know.

But you should.

You recruited him to deliver items,

yet you don't know where he lives.

How would that leave you

if he stole anything?

This person is somewhat unusual.

When he first came here...

My name is Chen Shubao.

Isn't it

a king's name?

Where do you live?

Does it matter?

Of course it matters.

What if your purpose of working here

is to steal valuable items

that customers entrust to us for delivery?

I won't steal.

I'm a scholar.

And I'm a businessman.

Words are not enough to convince me.

I must know

where you live,

[Chen Shubao]

meet your family,

and inquire

about your character in the neighborhood

before hiring you.

That's too much trouble.

How about this?

I'll leave a deposit with you

as a guarantee that I won't steal.

A rich man chose to work as a courier.

Mr. Kang,

didn't it strike you as odd?