Original subtitles

=To Kill a Songbird=

(Adapted from Shen Xiaoguan's Bird Kills Seven People)

=Episode 12= (Confrontation in Court)

(Xuezhao Residence)

Zhai Lu's acts of murder and arson

(The Sun Rises, The Moon Endures) are a bit too high-profile.

We have old evidence and witnesses.

He's just a prefectural inspecting envoy.

Does he really think he can do as he pleases?

I heard Official Liang is about to take office as imperial censor.

He will soon return to Haining.

He is known as Justice Liang.

If he presides over this case,

the chances of winning are higher.

(I have spent so much effort,)

(just waiting for him.)

Now it depends on whether Zhai Lu

takes the bait.

You're Li Fuyuan?

You're from the central magistrate's office?

We're ordered to arrest the kidnapper of Fan Jili

and the murderer of official Zhao Chengxi.

It's her.

It's this demoness.

Back when Zhai Lu was magistrate of Huachang County,

he had frequent dealings with Fan Jili.

You mean...

Sir.

Please save my lady.

Fan Jili somehow got out

and brought the central magistrate's office to capture her.

She has now been taken back to the magistrate's office.

Where are you going?

County Magistrate.

You're an official,

so we can only temporarily detain you here.

I advise you not to act rashly.

Or you may be accused of misconduct.

Suffer a bit.

We'll go to the central magistrate's office to investigate.

Mr. Cui.

Please intervene.

When Document Building caught fire,

I know you preserved the old case files.

(Document Building) Bring water.

Quick, put out the fire!

The case files are inside.

It shows you didn't turn a blind eye to everything.

The victim is right in front of you,

yet they suffered misfortune.

If you don't act now,

this wrongful case

will never see justice.

(Stay Clear)

(Main Hall)

(Yuyue Prefecture)

Enter.

Be in awe.

(Mirror of Justice Hangs High)

Who kneels?

I'm Li Fuyuan

from Qinghe County.

I long resided at Huachang County's Xuezhao Residence.

You bear three cases.

Kidnapping and imprisoning Fan Jili.

And recently,

burning and killing Zhao Chengxi and his wife Shang Jin.

All have witnesses.

You cannot deny it.

Then what is the third case?

13 years ago,

the Yuehua Street fire

burned down all five lanes and 19 streets.

That fire didn't happen without reason.

You're the arsonist.

(Pure And Righteous Mind) (Zhai Lu.)

(You're indeed involved)

(in the whole matter.)

What did you say?

Since you deny it outright,

we'll verify each case one by one.

Bring Fan Jili.

Fan Jili of Haining County.

Greetings, Sir.

Fan Jili.

Look carefully at the woman beside you.

Who is she?

What connection does she have with your lawsuit?

This person is called Li Fuyuan,

who claims to be Divine Lady Thrush.

The other day,

she lured me to the outskirts,

imprisoned, and tortured me.

This finger was cut off by this demoness.

If not for your wisdom and rescue,

I would have died inside.

When I came out, I learned

that this demoness had used a corpse to impersonate me.

Li Fuyuan.

What else do you have to say?

Sir.

I have no connection with Mr. Fan.

There's no need to harm him like this.

You clearly hate me to the bone

and want to kill me.

How so?

Because she's not

Li Fuyuan, some sorceress from Qinghe.

She's the youngest sister of Li Ji,

the real murderer in the Thrush Case of Huachang County over ten years ago.

Li Yuan'er.

Sir.

Mr. Fan's hysteria has gotten worse.

He even claims

that I'm someone I don't know.

I have my ways.

Sir.

Li Yuan'er should have a mark on her body,

not only proving her identity,

but also linking to a major case from years ago.

Explain it in detail.

After Li Ji was executed,

I took pity on the Li family,

so I went to visit

to help support them.

But I saw Li Residence on fire.

A little girl stumbled out,

terrified,

with large burns on her arms.

You mean I was that little girl?

Judging by looks,

it's naturally impossible to tell.

But you tied me up,

forcing me to admit I harmed Li Ji.

You said you weren't Li Yuan'er.

Who else could it be?

Dare you roll up your left sleeve

and show us your arms

to see if there are burn marks?

Even if there are,

it cannot prove it was from that fire.

If I have accidentally

injured my arms while lighting a lamp last month,

I could become Li Yuan'er too.

Then in this county,

there could be hundreds of Li Yuan'ers.

Master Zhai.

There's no such a coincidence.

Please have her roll up her sleeve and show us.

You're scared to do so.

Could it be guilt?

Somebody.

Yes.

Examine.

I can prove

she's not Li Yuan'er.

(Mirror of Justice Hangs High)

Mr. Cui.

I'm Cui San from the Cui family of Chenzhou.

Greetings, Master Zhai.

You say this woman is not Li Yuan'er.

What is the proof?

After the fire at Li Residence on Yuehua Street,

I went to handle the bodies.

There were two corpses in the backyard.

They should be the elderly Li couple.

There are marks under the jaw but no dust in mouth or nose.

They must have hanged themselves before the fire.

In front was a child's corpse,

suffocated by thick smoke.

About the same age as Li Yuan'er.

This package

contains items from the corpse back then.

(Autopsy Records) Please examine.

Mr. Cui, how dare you speak nonsense?

She's clearly the Li Yuan'er from back then.

Mr. Fan.

(Yuan) What do you mean by that?

This is an autopsy record

I wrote over ten years ago.

It even has the magistrate office seal.

Could it be

that I colluded with this woman

to falsify records back then?

- You... - Enough.

Thank you

for speaking a fair word for me.

Mr. Fan.

You're confused.

You probably really think I'm a villain.

I don't blame you.

Since you insist on seeing my arms,

then look.

Sir.

Do you still suspect me?

Perhaps you really aren't Li Yuan'er

and unrelated to the old Thrush Case.

But for the deaths of the Zhao couple at Luofu Manor the other day,

I was present at the scene.

You cannot escape responsibility.

Do you perhaps still have evidence?

After the scene is cleared,

I will find the evidence.

Someone, take this woman away

for trial later.

You cannot detain her.

Master Lu.

Instead of serving in Huachang County,

why come here?

How can you say this?

You have my pregnant wife

detained here.

Can I not come see her

and seek justice?

What nonsense are you saying?

My dear.

(Marriage Contracts) All marriage documents are here.

Please examine.

Bring them here.

Three months ago,

(Engagement Contract) I married my wife in Qinghe County.

Now she has been pregnant for over a month.

She stayed

at Xuezhao Residence to rest.

Being an official's wife,

she cannot stay at the magistrate office.

Moreover, she's pregnant.

She cannot endure travel or toil.

(Eternal unity, forever together, Vow) If you worry,

find a place near the county magistrate office

for us to rest temporarily.

Just so we're clear,

it must be by water,

have a good view,

and have north-south ventilation.

- Best if secluded. - Insolent!

I dare not.

If you find it troublesome,

you can let us return to Huachang County first.

When you have proof,

you can summon us back.

Or do you

fear we might escape?

I suppose you wouldn't dare.

Let's go.

My dear.

Sir, you're letting them go just like that?

♪A thrush's song pierced the endless night♪

♪Blood splattered on the bamboo cage, reflecting the cool moonlight♪

♪Thirteen years of frost and snow sealed the old study window♪

♪I twisted the needle, prying open the past♪

♪A cold stone marrow presses against my palm♪

♪My older brother lay buried afar♪

♪Flames licked across that place♪

♪A list of righteous hearts♪

♪Who laughed in the dark at the panic?♪

♪I'm the shadow caged within as well as the flying light♪

♪Only when hatred burns out did we know how scorching our obsessions were♪

♪You said you'd die if you hit a stone♪

♪Yet you crashed into my fate's web♪

♪Pear blossoms fell all over the wound on your shoulder♪

♪The wind in the bamboo forest dispersed the hexagrams♪

♪The thrush carried the past away♪

♪I stood at the end of the fireworks and gaze♪

♪You lifted a lantern to illuminate♪

♪That page♪