Original subtitles

[Strange Chronicles of Tang]

[Episode 17]

Come on, my beauty.

Hurry and come in.

Beauty.

Don't rush.

I'm in a rush.

I'm really in a rush.

You haven't told me

what you do for a living.

Does it matter?

Of course it matters.

I don't want to be some kept woman.

I want to marry you.

But I'm afraid

if I tell you what I do,

it might frighten you.

You're not an official, are you?

I just saw

someone bringing you a gift.

That's right.

A gift indeed.

Let's see what it is.

Gulou Pastry?

It's the most fashionable delicacy

in Chang'an these days.

Here.

Lamb?

I've never been able to eat lamb since I was little.

Then you're missing out.

Tastes good.

So good.

Don't be shy.

Eat more.

Later on,

you'll have the strength

you need in bed.

Pervert.

Wait!

You still won't

tell me what you do.

Everything's so unclear,

I...

Actually,

it's for your own good.

Who's there?

What's going on?

Honey!

I'm sorry.

You dare seduce my wife?

This isn't over between us.

Who are you?

How dare you break into my private residence?

You're not young,

yet you're quite strong.

Pretending to be a general?

Who are you trying to scare?

As if a general would be interested in my wife.

[Zhu Ling, Grand General of the Left Imperial Guard]

You picked the wrong man to scam.

Do you really have no idea who I am?

I don't care who you are!

Let's go!

Come with me to see the official!

Well,

it's fine if you don't want to.

You need to give me 500 coins.

What?

500 coins?

No.

600 coins.

Move!

Look at your pathetic demands.

10,000 coins.

10,000 coins, huh?

Fine.

Today,

I'll cut you 10,000 times!

Old fool.

Stop pretending to be tough!

You hit him too hard!

If he dies,

who will we get the money from?

I didn't hit him hard.

What's...

Who are you looking for?

Is this

Grand General Zhu's private residence?

Who are you?

I'm your master's old friend from Wuzhong.

My name is Lu Tong.

Lu Tong?

Sounds familiar.

How did you find this place?

Grand General Zhu

was not at the Left Imperial Guard's office

or the main camp,

or at his own residence.

So

I just asked around.

Luckily, the clerk at the office said

that the Grand General recently

purchased a villa.

Such a blabbermouth.

Hurry up and report it.

Look,

this is water shield from Wuzhong.

And I specifically bought 3 perches.

We can make water shield soup

and sliced perch,

and your Grand General and I

can reminisce about our hometown in Wuzhong

through these hometown dishes.

But the Grand General is handling official business.

It's not convenient for receiving guests.

Zhu Ling is in high spirits.

Handling official business in his villa?

You cannot go in!

Really!

You really can't go in!

You really can't!

Outrageous!

I am the Grand General of the Right Imperial Guard!

Everyone knows the Left and Right Imperial Guards don't get along.

Today I brought some fish specifically

to visit Grand General Zhu

as a fellow townsman.

If you keep blocking me,

I'll slap you so hard

your teeth will scatter across the ground!

Which room is he in?

Grand General Zhu,

how have you been lately?

He's not here?

He is.

He is here.

He's not keeping a kept woman here, is he?

Not exactly.

Lately there have been some kept women

using their looks to seduce men

and actually extort money.

Grand General Zhu,

given your status,

it would be best

to stay away from such things.

I'll be waiting for you outside.

Zhu Ling!

Master,

it's your fellow townsman,

the Grand General of the Right Imperial Guard.

I couldn't stop him.

Zhu Ling!

Last night, a homicide

[Yongzhou Prefecture]

occurred in Wannian County.

The victim was a beggar

who died from strychnine poisoning.

There was a severe external injury on his forehead.

[Just and Selfless]

What a coincidence.

Over the past half month,

3 elderly men over 60

have died unnaturally.

They also died from strychnine poisoning.

All the victims were found within Chang'an County.

The new Chang'an County Sheriff, Wei Yan,

reported the case to the Yongzhou Prefecture Office.

They're investigating it,

and so am I.

I've already identified a suspect.

Last night,

I had Jia tailing him.

Perhaps Jia was careless,

or the suspect was too cunning.

He managed to shake Jia off

and fled to Wannian County to commit another crime.

The previous 3 victims

all died from strychnine poisoning,

but none of them had external injuries.

That's right.

I believe

this time the victim

tried to fight back

before the poison fully took effect,

and was struck by the killer,

which left the injury.

That's possible.

Official Lu!

Official Lu!

Bad news! Something terrible happened!

Captain Xue,

don't panic. Take it slow.

Zhu Ling, the Grand General of the Left Imperial Guard

was murdered in his private residence,

and the murderer is believed to be

Lu Tong, the Grand General

of the Right Imperial Guard.

What?

Both the Left and Right Imperial Guards

have received the news.

A bloody clash

may be unavoidable.

Lu Lingfeng!

You must not act rashly!

Everyone, calm down!

Don't act impulsively!

Don't act impulsively!

Put down your weapons!

Right Imperial Guard,

step back 10 paces!

General,

the Grand General is still inside.

We brothers of the Right Imperial Guard

swear to protect the Grand General with our lives!

We swear to protect the Grand General with our lives!

I understand how you feel!

But in Chang'an territory,

under His Majesty's rule,

the Left and Right Imperial Guards drawing blades against each other

is certainly not something the Grand General

would want to see!

Step back!

Brothers of the Left Imperial Guard,

please also step back 10 paces.

Why should we listen to you?

Grand General Zhu was murdered.

We'll kill Lu Tong

and avenge him!

I, Lu Lingfeng, Yongzhou Judicial Office,

will never shield the murderer.

However,

before the case is fully solved,

you must not act on mere speculation,

nor allow yourselves to be used by others!

Please,

step back.

Step back.

Sir,

the autopsy is complete.

The findings have been recorded.

The food container

and suspicious items,

including the unfinished Gulou Pastry,

have all been collected.

Understood.

All of you may leave now.

Yes.

Yes.

[Wei Yan, Chang'an County Sheriff]

We have known each other

for over 40 years.

I never thought that today I, Wei Yan,

would have to bid you farewell

in this way.

Mr. Zhu Ling,

may you

rest in peace.

Take Zhu Ling's body

back to the county office first.

Yes.

Guards!

Grand General!

Grand General!

Are you all right?

Can I leave now?

Grand General Lu,

you and the Zhu family servant

were the first to discover the body.

Therefore, please do me the honor

of going back to the Chang'an County Office with me.

What did you say?

Didn't I make myself clear?

Wei Yan.

No wonder you're over 60

but still just a county sheriff.

What's wrong with being a county sheriff?

Investigating crimes

is the duty given to me by the court.

But I've already explained!

I was merely visiting a fellow townsman.

The servant can testify!

The servant?

The servant went to buy food,

and when he returned, you were already at the gate.

Who can testify

for what happened before that?

Who knows

if you didn't go out from here,

see the servant returning,

and then pretend to knock on the door?

You...

Don't act so arrogant before me.

When I was a third-rank official,

you, Lu Tong,

were just a minor captain

in the Imperial Guard.

Sheriff Wei,

many soldiers from both

the Left and Right Imperial Guards are gathering outside.

Taking the Grand General

to the office for questioning right now

is clearly inappropriate.

Official Lu,

this is Chang'an County.

As Chang'an County Sheriff,

I don't need anyone telling me

how to investigate a case.

Today I must take Lu Tong

to the Chang'an County Office for questioning.

That is according to protocol.

No matter if there are thousands of troops outside

or people there to plead on his behalf,

I must proceed.

Even if His Majesty himself were here,

it would be the same.

I'm Su Wuming. Greetings, Sheriff Wei.

This is west of Zhuque Avenue,

not within Wannian County's jurisdiction.

What are you doing here?

Are you here to investigate a case?

I wouldn't dare.

Then does that mean

you're here to plead for Lu Tong as well?

Don't bother.

Greetings, Grand General.

What's happening here?

Sheriff Su.

Captain Feng.

May I take a look at the body?

Please be quick then.

What?

Are you angry?

Lu Tong must be even angrier than you.

The Grand General was truly furious.

You know what?

He took the initiative to see Zhu Ling

on His Majesty's instruction.

It was meant to ease tensions

between the Left and Right Imperial Guards.

The Grand General did make concessions.

Yet now he's suspected of murder

and even taken to the office for questioning.

If word gets out,

wouldn't the Imperial Guard's reputation

be ruined overnight?

I've thought of all that.

But Wei Yan is highly seasoned.

Back in Emperor Gaozong's reign,

he was already serving at Crown Prince Hong's side.

Later,

he rose all the way to Censor-in-Chief.

He was demoted to Fengtian County Sheriff

after the suppression of Deposed Queen Wei's rebellion

only because he backed the wrong side.

He was just recently appointed as Chang'an County Sheriff.

Therefore,

he won't give

the Grand General any face,

let alone you.

Didn't you say

that there was already a suspect

in the 3 murders of elderly men earlier?

When will you make the arrest?

I intended to wait until we had solid evidence

before moving.

But now it seems

we'll have to act earlier than planned.