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[Strange Chronicles of Tang]

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[Episode 19]

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Today,

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Ma Meng was so open
and candid in the conversation.

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He didn't act like a murderer.

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Of course,

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as a Constable,

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it's wrong for me to ask such questions.

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I know

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I shouldn't let my personal judgment

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influence the direction of the case.

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I'm sorry.

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Forget what I said.

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What you said
is exactly what I was thinking.

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However,

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The Gulou Pastry,

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the strychnine,

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and those fancy food containers

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commonly used in the palace

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were all found at the murder scene—

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I just had to

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have Yingtao investigate him.

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I still don't believe

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Ma Meng would be the murderer.

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[Zheng Residence]

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[Clear Brilliance]

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[Court of the Imperial Stud
Deputy Minister, Zheng Zhong]

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Mr. Zheng,

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let me help you.

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You're not a member of my household.

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I am the newly appointed Deputy Director
of the Palace Secretariat,

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Ma Meng.

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The Deputy Director
of the Palace Secretariat,

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Ma Meng?

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I've heard of you.

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His Majesty's favorite.

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Why wasn't I informed

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of such an honored guest's arrival?

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Deputy Minister,

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I saw you were resting

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so I didn't let them wake you.

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Your garden is so beautiful.

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I took the liberty

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to enjoy some leisure time here.

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I'm terribly sorry.

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I fell asleep earlier.

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That was rude of me.

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I'll have them prepare wine right away.

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The steward has already arranged it.

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Good,

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at least he knows what to do.

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I brought you a delicacy.

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If you don't mind,

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please try it.

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You're too kind.

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Gulou Pastry?

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Please enjoy it while it's hot.

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No,

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I cannot eat this.

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Guards!

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Why are you calling for guards?

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I heard that Zhu Ling
from the Left Imperial Guard

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died from poisoning

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after eating a Gulou Pastry.

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Is that so?

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If you won't eat it,

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I will.

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Guards!

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Guards!

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Stop shouting.

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They're all busy preparing the banquet.

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You really won't eat?

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I came to visit you

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on His Majesty's orders.

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It seems you're determined

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to take the Princess's side.

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How can you say that?

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I once served

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Emperor Xiaojing

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and recognize the current Emperor
as legitimate.

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I've sworn to follow him until death.

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Then these pastries—

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why don't you dare eat them?

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It's not that I dare not eat them.

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I just

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don't like the taste.

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[Clear Brilliance]

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[Zheng Residence]

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Have you called for the coroner?

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Coroner Su Chan is on his way.

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Take these Gulou Pastries,

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the food container, teacups, and teapot

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back to the county office.

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The people who kidnapped you,

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did you see what they looked like?

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He knocked me out

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from behind.

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When I woke up,

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we were all tied up together.

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We didn't see anyone at all.

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[Clear Brilliance]

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Sheriff Su.

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Sheriff Wei.

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Where is the Deputy Minister?

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Where did Zheng Zhong die?

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This is Wannian County territory.

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I'm not here to investigate.

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Zheng Zhong was my friend for many years.

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I just came to pay my respects.

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In that case,

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follow me.

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Deputy Minister...

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Zheng Zhong...

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Who could be so cruel

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to kill Zhu Ling

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and then you?

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You and Grand General Zhu

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and Deputy Minister Zheng
were old friends?

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Forty years ago,

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we all served in the Eastern Palace.

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Were you following Crown Prince Hong?

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Yes.

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We were all among Emperor Xiaojing's

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most trusted men.

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Sheriff Wei, when you were young,

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did you play polo?

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How did you know?

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You often followed Crown Prince Hong

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to practice polo in the Eastern Palace.

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Yes.

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Those were Wei Yan's

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happiest days of his life.

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Zheng Zhong...

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[Liuhe Sushan Shop]

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Enjoy your meal.

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Wuming.

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It's very hot today.

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Would you like some sushan?

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Xijun,

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could you make some sushan

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and personally deliver it to

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Palace Secretariat Ma?

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Ma Meng?

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Yes.

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In Ma Meng's office,

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there's a folding screen

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with a polo painting on it

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called
"The Lament of the Imperial Scandal."

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I don't know who painted it,

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but it's remarkably vivid.

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I believe you'll like it.

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If you could copy this painting,

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it would be wonderful.

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Will it help with the investigation?

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Good.

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I'll go right away.

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Copying that painting from memory

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won't be easy.

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I'll count on you.

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I'll do my best, Wuming.

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[Virtue Permeates Everywhere]

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Su Wuming.

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I'm back.

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Ma Meng never left

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the Palace Secretariat office, right?

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Yes.

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Apart from handling official duties,

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he's been reading
the "Spring and Autumn Annals."

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His meals are very simple, too.

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He practices boxing after meals
and sword before bed,

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quite similar to Lu Lingfeng.

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I just saw Xijun.

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She went home to paint

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and said it will be ready by 9 tonight.

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Excellent.

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Sheriff Su!

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[Virtue Permeates Everywhere]

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Sheriff Su.

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Why are you back?

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A female body was found in Peace District—

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she died from strychnine poisoning,

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with a bloody hole in her temple, too.

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That's Chang'an County's jurisdiction.

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It was reported
to Yongzhou's mobile tribunal,

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who took the case.

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We can intervene directly.

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Official Lu specifically sent me here

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to inform you.

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Is the deceased above 60?

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That's right.

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How did you know?

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I also heard that woman

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was from the palace.

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The District Head confirmed

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the deceased was named Bo Cui.

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She was a former maid
of the Eastern Palace.

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She left the palace years ago

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and had been living alone here.

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Coroner Su Chan
has already been there.

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She estimates the time of death

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was around midnight last night.

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As to what weapon caused

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the wound on her head

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is still undetermined.

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Lu Lingfeng.

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Take a look at this wound.

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Could the weapon possibly be

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a polo mallet?

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The size does match.

210
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But polo mallets are all made of wood.

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No matter how strong the attacker was,

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they couldn't possibly cause

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a wound like this.

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So aren't there any polo mallets

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made of other materials?

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Like gold, silver, copper, or iron?

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There are.

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But they're extremely rare.

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Those used in polo matches are all wooden.

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Those of other materials...

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are used for ceremonial occasions.

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Ceremonial occasions...

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You once said there would be more deaths.

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Your intuition was right.

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Your instinct told you

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Ma Meng wasn't the murderer,

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and you were right about that, too.

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Since yesterday afternoon,

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I had Yingtao

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watch Ma Meng secretly continuously

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for 12 hours.

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He had no opportunity to commit the crime.

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00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:19,220
Also, Zhu Ling and Zheng Zhong

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both served as officials
in the Eastern Palace

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and followed Crown Prince Hong.

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These are all matters

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from 40 years ago.

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Your investigation is remarkably thorough—

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no easy feat.

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I didn't intentionally investigate this.

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It was Wei Yan who told me

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he was once colleagues with these two.

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[Wei's Residence]

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Wei Yan.

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You've practiced martial arts
since childhood

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and entered service as a jinshi scholar.

247
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In the future,
do you wish to serve in court

248
00:13:05,750 --> 00:13:07,150
or lead troops in battle?

249
00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:08,960
Whether it's staying in the capital
to protect Your Highness

250
00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:10,200
or leading troops at the frontier

251
00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:11,150
to defend the Tang Empire—

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I will follow whatever
Your Highness commands.

253
00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:15,070
You are indeed loyal.

254
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[Crown Prince, Li Hong]

255
00:13:15,790 --> 00:13:17,250
After I ascend the throne,

256
00:13:17,270 --> 00:13:19,510
you must be
even more diligent and ambitious.

257
00:13:19,510 --> 00:13:20,640
Then you will surely

258
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become a great general or minister.

259
00:13:23,670 --> 00:13:25,130
Thank you, Your Highness.

260
00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:45,210
Who's there?

261
00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:00,940
Sheriff Wei.

262
00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:01,880
It's you.

263
00:14:02,550 --> 00:14:04,460
What brings you here so late?

264
00:14:05,630 --> 00:14:06,360
Sheriff Wei,

265
00:14:06,790 --> 00:14:08,950
carrying a sword so late at night—

266
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have you noticed something unusual?

267
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Unusual?

268
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I, Wei, fear neither heaven nor earth,

269
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much less any demons or monsters.

270
00:14:17,630 --> 00:14:18,410
Lu Lingfeng,

271
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I know your martial skills
are exceptional.

272
00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,480
Since you came from the rooftop,

273
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why bother knocking?

274
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Rooftop?

275
00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:34,330
Who's there?

276
00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:55,940
Sheriff Su,

277
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it's probably just a petty thief.

278
00:14:58,120 --> 00:14:59,250
Why should I fear?

279
00:15:01,630 --> 00:15:03,540
Someone came from the roof...

280
00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:10,220
Wait!

281
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Please put the teacup back where it was.

282
00:15:27,330 --> 00:15:28,160
Sheriff Wei.

283
00:15:29,030 --> 00:15:30,970
If I'm not mistaken,

284
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this tea has been poisoned.

285
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What?

286
00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:36,720
Look.

287
00:15:38,150 --> 00:15:40,350
The poison dripped from the ceiling

288
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and fell right into this cup of tea.