All language subtitles for The Mans Secret 2023

During the Year of Yonghui of Tang Dynasty,

a severe drought struck over 20 prefectures
in the Guanzhong and Hebei regions.

The land, barren for a thousand miles,
left the people in dire straits.

The Bureau of Astronomy, responsible
for interpreting celestial phenomena,

shared in the sorrow of the people.

The Chief Astronomer, Gao Shengyao,
specifically petitioned the emperor,

seeking permission to perform
rituals to summon rain,

in hopes of dispelling disasters
and bringing blessings,

and comforting the hearts of the people.

May the benevolent spirits show mercy,

granting rain to moisten the earth,

[Gao Shengyao, the Chief Astronomer]

bestowing sweet dew to nourish and bless,

rescuing the living beings from distress!

Great!

It's finally going to rain!

It's raining!

Great!

Thank you, Lord Gao.

Dugu.

Your execution order, presented
three times, has been finalized.

Tomorrow, at 3:45 p.m., the
execution will take place.

If you don't mind the ominousness,

go ahead and eat.

Keep your word.

Or would you like to take a bite as well?

I'd better keep my stomach
empty for Meng Po's soup.

It might help me

forget the sins that arose because of me

more thoroughly.

What is this?

Is this rain?

Lord Gao.

It...

It seems to be oil.

Tung oil?

Demons appeared!

This is an ominous sign!

It's...

It's impossible!

This is a Thousand-head Demon!

Run!

I see that your fate has not changed.

The Taiyin of you has shifted.

You're lucky.

You won't die.

Demon!

Leave!

Lord Gao!

Watch out!

Luo He!

Luo He, what's wrong?

Luo He!

Which of you two...

is Dugu?

[The Man's Secret]

Master.

It's late.

What is it?

The Thousand-head Demon...

Got it.

[Dali Court]

Why is the condemned not being taken

to the execution grounds but
coming to the Dali Court?

You're in luck.

A few days ago, the Bureau
of Astronomy requested rain,

and instead, there was
a downpour of tung oil,

[Ling Qianyue, Censorate Inspector]

leading to the Thousand-head
Demon plaguing Chang'an City.

In an instant, the Daoist altar
flowed with rivers of blood,

[Dugu, the condemned]

and even the Deputy Chief
Lord Luo lost his head.

The Chief Astronomer Gao Shengyao

recommended your assistance to the emperor,

aiding the Dali Court in the investigation.

However, the Ghost Festival is in 7 days,

you only have 6 days for this case.

Whether you'll live or die

depends on your fate.

You work for Gao Shengyao?

My name is Ling Qianyue.

I'm a Censorate Inspector
from the Censorate.

Before the case is solved,

I will accompany you

and perform the duties of supervision.

Come.

This way.

The Thousand-head Demon
case is a major matter.

While it's true that the Dali
Court currently has no leads,

[Zhang Xun, Chief of the Dali Court]

can we really entrust the
investigation to a condemned prisoner?

Lord Gao,

who is this Dugu?

Dugu

is not his real name.

Three years ago,

in Xunyang County, Jiangnan West Road,

he solved an Ice Fiend case.

What is this Ice Fiend?

It is a type of river demon that,

back then, caused havoc in Xunyang County,

specifically targeting
the privileged offspring.

Therefore,

the court ordered me to
secretly release him from prison

and bestowed upon him the title "Dugu."

My lord.

Dugu the condemned is here.

Let me ask you.

Can you really solve the
Thousand-head Demon case?

How dare you!

You should kneel down

before Lord Zhang, the Chief.

Mr. Dugu,

there's a favor I seek from you this time.

I am a death row inmate.

It's time for me to return
to the execution grounds.

Hey.

Mr. Dugu.

This is against the imperial decree!

This drought,

spanning from Guozhou to
the shores of the East Sea,

crops have failed,

and the people are in distress.

Although the court has
vigorously provided relief,

due to the Thousand-head Demon case,

rumors breed strife.

I implore you to lend assistance

in soothing the people's hearts.

Since the Thousand-head Demon

was summoned by your rituals,

shouldn't it be your responsibility
to send it away with another ritual?

Mr. Dugu, you must be joking.

I want to talk to you.

Please.

It is said that you can
command the wind and rain.

And you always succeed in conducting
rain-summoning ceremonies.

How did you do that?

The so-called rain-summoning

is simply a deceptive method,

for which I purchased a
formula from a wizard.

The black smoke that exploded

can stay together and not disperse,

like a dark cloud.

Using gunpowder to explode,

simulating thunder and lightning,

then using numerous sky lanterns

to lift water-filled bags
with holes into the air.

The bags sway with the wind,

and raindrops can be brought down.

Someone exposed your trickery

and replaced the water with tung oil?

Exactly.

That person knew the secret
of my rain-summoning,

and used it to create a chaotic
scene of otherworldly beings.

Now everyone is saying
that I summoned the demons.

If the truth cannot be revealed,

I will die.

You killed my whole family.

How dare you let me out?

Aren't you afraid that I'll kill you first?

If it weren't for the orders from above,

you would have died in prison long ago.

I don't know who released you.

Do you want to

save your daughter?

What did you say?

Your daughter

is not dead.

Nonsense.

I saw her fall off the
cliff with my own eyes.

Yes.

But during the fall, your daughter

was caught by a tree on the cliff.

Later, she was caught by human traffickers.

If you help me uncover the mastermind

behind the Thousand-head Demon Case,

I will tell you the
whereabouts of your daughter.

[Cui Lie, the Duke]

Duke Cui.

You sent people to look for me?

I heard that you have met

that Mr. Dugu.

Yes.

Do you think giving your condemned prisoner

a new alias can deceive me?

The Thousand-head Demon Case
is intricately complicated.

And with the upcoming
grand sacrificial ceremony,

there has been continuous
pressure from above.

You better ensure that he
investigates with caution.

If we get involved,

you know the consequences.

Mr. Dugu,

the Dali Court has already inspected
this place dozens of times.

There are detailed
records in the case files.

Let's go to the archives
and take our time to read.

Repeat the situation on
the night of the murder.

That night, Lord Gao, the Chief Astronomer

was conducting a rain-summoning ritual,

accompanied by Deputy Chief Luo.

There were thousands of
people gathered at the scene.

Midway through the ceremony,

tung oil suddenly rained down from the sky,

and numerous heads appeared and
were darting around in the air.

Heads?

Or was it some special mechanism and means

that created a strange illusion
in front of thousands of people?

Thousand-head Demon!

That's a Thousand-head Demon!

In the panic,

Lord Gao narrowly escaped,

but Deputy Chief Luo fell victim

to the Thousand-head Demon.

Heads attached to faces,

severing them at the neck.

With this unnecessary method of murder,

what could be the murder weapon?

The incense ash clumps,

mixed with a strange fragrance.

I'm afraid there might be
something else mixed in.

Have you found anything?

That night,

what sound did the head make
when it fell to the ground?

It was a crisp banging sound.

Was it like this sound?

Why did you hit me?

Then it was not a head.

It was something like a wooden shell.

What?

Take away some of the ashes on the ground.

We're all men.

I understand.

Although you've had no fun
in prison for a few days,

the case still need to be...

Come on.

Goodness.

The case can be put aside for now.

That's okay.

Hey.

Officials.

Which girl do you guys like?

Where is Miss Ruyue?

Well.

Everyone wants to see Ruyue.

But Ruyue is the Oiran.

For the Oiran,

of course you should...

Where did you get the money?

Oh!

Come on.

- It was yours.
- Please come in.

Please come in.

Hey!

What...

What's going on?

You are the Oiran,

but you look like this.

You must have some techniques.

Who are you?

You are familiar with
various types of incense.

Every time a guest arrives,

you light some,

captivating him,

inducing hallucinations,

making him believe you
are a celestial beauty.

If I'm not mistaken,

you hide the incense in the candles,

pretending to play the zither

to delay time.

All to wait for the effects
of the incense to take hold.

What exactly do you want?

We want you to do us a favor.

This should be a kind of datura
poison from the southern ocean.

Is it hallucinogenic?

It's not an ordinary hallucinogenic drug.

After inhaling it,

people can be induced

to see things that others want them to see.

Some shameless people

use this drug on innocent young girls,

then mimic the words, actions,

and attire of their crush.

The girls, being deceived, mistakenly
believe they are meeting their admirer

and are then taken advantage of.

Where can I buy it in Chang'an?

Shiyi Block.

Behind its spice shop, there is a room

that specializes in selling
various forbidden drugs.

When I went there to buy a hallucinogen,

I saw...

According to the laws of Tang,

what is the punishment for

privately possessing forbidden drugs?

Death by flogging.

Where did you buy it?

It was at the night market.

Thank you.

[Luo Residence]

Since I entered the Luo family,

you have shown me great kindness.

I deeply appreciate

[Xiang Ye, the concubine of Luo He]

this favor.

But I never expect...

Ah!

We've just found a lead,

and the Thousand-head Demon struck again.

Isn't this a blatant provocation?

Last night, while the
night watch passed by,

he heard screams from the courtyard.

So he peeked through the door...

Be cautious with candlelight
in the dry weather.

Just like the crowd at
the Taoist altar said,

he also said he saw the face of the
Thousand-head Demon attached to a person's face

and took the head off.

Only masks were left at the scene,

so why is everyone
claiming they saw a demon?

Ji Duodao,

Where is Luo He's body?

It should be in the mourning hall.

Who is it?

Who are you?

My sister Xiang Ye is Lord Luo's concubine.

My name is Hua Lei.

I live in Liangzhou.

A few days ago, I heard that
my brother-in-law was murdered,

so I hurriedly came to offer condolences.

My sister and brother-in-law
had a deep relationship.

Every day, my sister alone kept vigil
for her husband in the mourning hall.

But I didn't expect that
just as I arrived...

How can you confirm
that she is your sister?

The clothes she's wearing were made by me.

The Dali Court is investigating,

and unrelated individuals should leave.

This is my sister's home.

Leave!

What are you doing?

Didn't you hear that
she came from Liangzhou?

She just lost her family.

You should be kind to her.

Girls nowadays...

It looks like glue.

It might have been applied during
the stitching of the corpse.

Since stitching was already involved,

why bother?

Is it possible that
it's seeping corpse oil?

Didn't I tell you to leave?

I want to catch the
Thousand-head Demon with you.

I've been practicing martial
arts since I was young.

I want to avenge my sister myself.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Let go of me!

Hey!

So clean.

Well,

it's possible that Lord Luo

naturally doesn't have leg hair.

It's not that strange.

Ling Qianyue.

Lift your leg.

It's not possible to
have no leg hair at all.

Hey.

What are you doing?

Take the body back to the Dali Court

for a reexamination.

[Dali Court]

[Wei Datong, Coroner of the Dali Court]

Alas.

He was so young.

The skin is quite fair.

You got up?

You've got quite the personality, huh?

Instantly having spasms.

Fortunately, I'm a coroner.

Otherwise, I might have
been scared to death by you.

Ah!

It's you two officials.

Just talk.

Don't pat.

What is it?

We want you to reexamine
Deputy Chief Luo's body.

Hasn't it been examined before?

Why reexamine?

By the way, the Luos are quite meticulous.

Not only is he clean,

but his hair has also been shaved,

like a just-shed pig.

Haha.

Wei Datong.

Just call me Tongtong.

You just said,

during the previous examination,

he had a lot of body hair?

Not only a lot,

but also dense.

Flies had nowhere to land.

There was a piece of residual
glue under his armpit.

In my estimation,

someone tried to remove
evidence from his body,

so they spread glue all over him,

and then peeled it off after it dried.

Unexpectedly, it took
away the body hair too.

But I carefully checked the body.

Besides the thick bloodstains,

there was nothing else special.

What's wrong with your hand?

It seems like something bit it,

it's itching badly.

When did it start?

Couple days ago.

Was it after the autopsy?

I think so.

Any glue?

Glue?

Goodness.

There must be something invisible
to the naked eye that the murderer

is extremely cautious about on the body.

Let me ask you.

Where are the clothes he
was wearing when he died?

They were taken away by
the Luo family early on.

They said it was to be placed on
the coffin instead of the body,

for the family to mourn.

We didn't find Luo He's
blood-stained clothes at Luo's.

Looks like the murderer took them away.

That thing.

Let me study it.

Good for you!

Lord Gao indeed chose the right person.

In this headless hanging case,

we've already found so
many clues in just one day.

Who said it's headless?

Didn't I go through all the
trouble to sew that head back on?

Thank you.

Where are we going next?

The situation is urgent.

We should immediately
head to the night market.

The night market is only open tonight.

By the way.

According to Miss Ruyue's words last night,

this Thousand-head Demon was an
illusion created by datura, right?

Datura can only serve as a lure.

To create the illusion of
the Thousand-head Demon,

some other techniques must be used

to make people see masks haunting the sky.

Oh.

Be cautious.

Slow down.

Could it be...

the legendary...

puppetry technique?

That's right.

The murderer had previously ignited

a large amount of datura
around the Taoist altar,

causing the people present to
have blurred consciousness.

Additionally, someone intentionally
shouted "Thousand-head Demon."

This is a Thousand-head Demon!

With such manipulation,

everyone would then believe that
it was the Thousand-head Demon.

But how do we explain the
Deputy Chief Luo's death?

Mom, I hurt my hand.

Let me see.

Why were you so careless?

Kite strings can cut people.

If a special type of thread
is used to sever the neck,

it's effortless.

The victims at Luo Residence
have smooth neck cuts,

and the incisions on the white banners
hanging in the courtyard are even.

It seems they were cut
through by fine threads.

The lingering scent on the white banners

is very similar to the ash
fragrance at the Taoist altar.

It should be the smell of datura poison.

I assume the night watch
was also deceived by it,

thinking he saw the Thousand-head
Demon killing people.

Ji Duodao.

Immediately take people to
inspect the Taoist altar again.

There should be traces
of the threads there too.

Okay.

The murderer killed Lord Luo

and then his family.

Is it a case of transferring
anger to seek revenge?

With great effort,

it's not a case of seeking revenge.

As you mentioned,

there are indeed traces of threads

on the pillars at the Taoist altar.

However, the motive behind the
Thousand-head Demon's actions

is still unclear to us.

[Cui]

Why are you still having tea

at this critical moment?

Miss Hua Lei.

Why are you here?

What did you buy?

A clue.

On the day of the rain-summoning,
there was a rain of tung oil.

So I bought a bucket intending
to go back and study it.

Have you discovered anything?

Not yet.

What about you guys?

Do you have any clues?

The Thousand-head Demon actually used...

What?

Nothing.

Nothing.

Fine.

I'm telling you,

I am sure I can find clues

and then make you take me
to investigate the case.

What a character.

Let's go to the night market.

I've lived in Chang'an for a long time,

but I never expected

to find such a dilapidated
place in the city.

Why is there not a soul in sight?

Ling Qianyue,

extinguish the fire.

Are my eyes deceiving me?

I'm Dugu.

This is my letter of introduction.

Please kindly deliver it.

Hey.

Why are you being weird

and talking to a paper man?

What...

What's going on?

Just a trick of wandering sorcerers.

What?

Let's go.

Hey.

Why are these people so weird?

The night market is filled
with unforgivable criminals,

making it the most chaotic
place in Chang'an city.

What?

This person is a wanted
criminal by our Dali Court.

Here,

thieves and hidden brothels

are all under the control
of the Night Emperor.

Can you give me a few copper
coins to buy steamed buns to eat?

Tell me,

who turned you into this?

Tell me.

Don't hit me.

I didn't say anything.

A professional beggar with
disabilities made artificially.

Where is it? Why are we here?

Someone here has the clue of datura.

What?

I'm Dugu.

I'm here to investigate the
case of the Thousand-head Demon.

What does it have to do with me?

The statue spoke!

I come to visit you sincerely.

Please show yourself.

Let's see

whether you can make me show up.

Get away!

Be careful.

Go.

Dugu, give me your life.

I admire you.

Unfortunately, someone paid for your life.

Don't do that.

We don't know him well.

Your employer wants his life.

There's no need to kill us.

I want to know

who wants my life.

I never betray my employer,

even in the face of a dying man,

I'll kill you first.

Hua Lei!

Freeze!

Or I'll kill him.

Hua Lei.

You're making trouble again.

I told you to take me.

Now you have to count on me to save you.

Didn't you realize

that you have kidnapped a dummy?

Why didn't you tell me earlier?

Hua Lei!

Hua Lei!

How are you?

I'm fine.

You are Dugu?

I didn't expect

the famous Night Emperor

is a woman.

You're quite capable

of seeing through my deployment.

But unfortunately,

you are going to die.

I want to make a deal with you.

How can a dying man negotiate with me?

Night Emperor,

do you notice that your left hand is itchy?

You poisoned the invitation letter.

You are ruthless.

I have to prepare a trump.

Tell me

your terms.

Exchange.

This will damage my reputation.

At worst,

I can chop off this hand.

No!

Don't do that.

You are so beautiful.

It's a pity that you're crippled.

How dare you make a sound?

Are you okay?

I won't die.

Promise me one condition,

and then I'll give you the antidote.

Even if you antidote me,

I have to kill you.

I come here

to find the seller of datura.

I won't give up until I find him.

Okay.

I can tell you about him.

You followed us?

You want to burn your bridges behind you?

Do you forgot how I saved you?

Yeah.

Let's take her.

She's an assistant.

None of your business.

This is the place Night Emperor mentioned.

What the hell is it?

There's no one here.

Let me tell you.

Night Emperor must have lied to us.

Ouch.

Who?

Bastard!

Are you a chameleon?

Good hiding.

I heard that

the medicine I sold was involved in
the case of the Thousand-head Demon.

I have to hide.

Who bought datura?

A lot men bought it.

I can't remember them all.

Think about it.

Did the murderer poison
the victims with datura?

Well.

You mean we wronged you?

No.

The nightclub was so big

with cracks everywhere.

It has no cover.

How much datura

did it take to poison thousands of people?

It should be at least thousands of pounds.

If the murderer burnt so much datura,

people would be choked or burnt to death.

Ouch!

Are we investigating the case or you?

So?

Go ahead.

I only sell datura from Southeast Area

of a hundred pounds.

They must have gotten

so much datura from somewhere else.

Tung oil?

Ah!

Mr. Dugu,

when I bought tung oil today,

the shopper said it can not
only be used as fuel and paint,

but also infiltrate the muscles

to cure ecthyma scabies.

So what?

Is it possible that the murderer

grind the datura into powder

and mix it into tung oil?

Then, tung oil seeped into
the skin of the victims.

It won't take much time.

Who is the biggest buyer?

Most of my datura

was sold to

Cui Chengliang.

Cui Chengliang?

It’s him.

Nonsense!

Search the Hexin Hall?

Huh?

It is ridiculous.

But all the evidences of
the Thousand-head Demon case

are pointing to Cui Chengliang.

Hey.

So what?

The Cui family is the head of
the Five Clans and Seven Nobles.

Their old friends and students
are all over the court.

It is the greatest noble
of the Tang Dynasty.

Do you know that?

My lord,

Cui is in charge of the
Armor and Crossbow Workshop

and responsible for military
manufacturing and maintenance.

They has a lot of tung oil.

Stop it.

I won't sign the order.

Are you sure?

Yes.

I won't sign it.

Goodness.

The order from Mr. Xue,
the imperial historian,

is our amulet.

Let me make it clear.

The Dali Court

is just supervised by the Censorate.

Search!

Hexin Hall

was an office set up by the Cui
family of Qinghe in Chang'an.

A few years ago,

Cui Chengliang, the legitimate
eldest son of the Cui family,

changed it into a club to
make friends with the rich.

What we heard before

is true.

Let's split up and find the datura.

I told you to drink it.

Drink.

Interesting.

So funny.

Stop!

Lord Zhang.

How dare you

break into my house?

Huh?

Goodness,

Mr. Cui,

please don't be angry.

Someone reported that you
hid the forbidden medicine.

How is that possible?

We investigate it as a routine.

It's just a formality.

A formality, you know.

In that case,

I won't see you off.

Okay.

I won't disturb you then.

Let's go.

Here is the imperial historian's order.

Imperial historian?

Who does he think he is?

Imperial historian？

Do you know who the Duke is?

Imperial historian.

Well.

Who the Imperial historian is?

Mr. Dugu.

Hua Lei?

Why are you here?

Mr. Dugu,

last night I…

The Cui family has been titled as one
of three councilors for generations.

How dare you!

I will destroy the Dali Court!

What is this?

Why is it in my house?

My lord.

I found the datura.

This...

You can go.

Mr. Cui,

do you want to say that

the datura isn't yours?

Don't stop me.

I'm going to kill the jerk.

Dugu.

Put down the knife.
-What’s going on?

My lord,

they are well-behaved ladies
from innocent families.

They were lured by him

and imprisoned in the secret room

as toys.

Miss,

how did you know about this?

I came here to look for clues last night.

And was caught by them.

Cui Chengliang,

how dare you commit
such a despicable crime?

My lord.

Lord,

I found this in the study.

The old dynasty died,

and a new one is setting up.

They said a new cycle was beginning

and would bring universal
good fortune to all men.

Mr. Cui,

this is a revolt poem.

You've committed a capital crime.

No!

I didn't write this.

You copied the poem written by Zhang Jiao,

the leader of the Yellow Scarves Rebellion.

The Cui family of Qinghe

has developed in Hebei for years.

In this drought,

there are thousands of refugees.

As long as you give them food,

they can join the army.

Besides, the Cui family is in charge
of the Armor and Crossbow Workshop.

It's easy for you to get weapons.

That's right.

With soldiers and weapons,

and the weird meteorological phenomenon,

you will act like Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty,
who killed a big snake and created a new dynasty.

My lord,

I may be a bit arrogant and domineering,

but no matter how bold I am,

I dare not rebel.

This is a serious crime
to kill the whole family.

The court is cleaning up
the political corruption.

The Cui family has done so many
evil deeds and is cornered.

Who are you?

Did the Cui family offend you?

Why do you frame me up?

I will kill

those who bully innocent girls.

Dugu!

I know what to do.

Calm down.
-Dugu.

The case of the Thousand-head Demon

now is related to a
serious crime of treason.

Many things have been involved.

I will request for His Majesty's verdict.

Mr. Dugu,

thank you for saving me.

After this matter,

when are you going back to Liangzhou?

When Cui Chengliang is executed,

I will leave after burying my sister.

Did your parents know

what happened?

They passed away early.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

Let me treat you for midnight snack.

Forget it.

After I die,

I can drink Mengpo soup until I'm full.

Never mention death again.

You have solved the case
of Thousand-head Demon,

His Majesty will surely spare you.

I heard from Lord Ling that

you saw a disabled beggar last night,

and you were a little emotional.

Why?

My daughter would be three years old,

if she were alive.

That child reminded me of her.

What about your wife?

Mr. Dugu,

I've arrived.

Please go back.

Why the inn didn't light the lights?

I didn't want to fight outside

to avoid scaring Mr. Lai away.

Who are you?

Cui Lie,

master of the Cui family.

You got the wrong person.

My name is Dugu.

You care about her?

It has nothing to do with her. Let her go.

I went to the capital to
see His Majesty overnight.

To show my loyalty,

I had to return the Armor and
Crossbow Workshop to the court.

His Majesty allowed me to attend the
joint hearing of three divisions tomorrow

to prove the innocence of the Cui family.

I've long known

my son's affairs with those women.

But speaking of rebellion,

he's not that smart.

You have to find evidence to prove that

my son has nothing to do
with the case tonight.

And clear the name of the Cui family

in tomorrow's joint trial.

What if I refuse?

Then her life will be in danger.

Mr. Dugu,

leave me alone.

As long as Cui Chengliang is executed,

my death is worth it.

Kill her.

You have six hours.

Six hours?

There's only one way.

Kill me.

Humph.

You said I knew the real murderer.

I see.

Stop!

What exactly did you know?

The person who hired you to kill me

is the mastermind of the
Thousand-head Demon case, right?

Master,

a man who claimed to be the
Thousand-head Demon wants to see you.

Judging from your reaction,

I must be right.

According to your rules,

if you don't kill me now,

your employer must have changed the order.

When he found out

I was misled

and targeted Cui Chengliang,

he changed his order to avoid repetition.

Since Cui Chengliang
is not the manipulator,

there must be a loophole on the evidences.

The Heavenly Empress

shows her kindness to all of you.

Now she will attend the trial.

The trial begins.

Yes.

Don't scare the Heavenly Empress.

Dugu,

repeat all the clues found

in the Cui Residence yesterday.

My lord,

Cui Chengliang has nothing to do

with the case of the Thousand-head Demon.

Dugu,

what do you mean?

Her Majesty said

the joint trial is serious.

Dugu,

you have to be careful with
your words and actions.

The Deputy Chief of the
Dali Court has recorded

how the manipulator created the
chaos of the Thousand-head Demon.

How do you explain

the masks?

Although these masks

were found in the Cui Chengliang’s house,

But please have a look.

All incisions are new.

Obviously,

they are contrived signs of haste.

The most significant doubtful point

is tung oil.

That night,

there was a tung oil rain.

But we cannot find any tung oil

on the masks

found in the Cui Residence.

So, in the case of the Thousand-head Demon,

Cui Chengliang is innocent.

But he has committed the crime
hiding the forbidden medicine

by buying datura.

My lord,

though the datura was
found in my son's house,

it doesn't belong to my son.

Although datura can be
made into knockout drops,

it can be used for other purposes
with its drug properties.

Soaking it in water and boiling it,

the decoction can dispel
the cold and dampness.

Our butler has the symptom of chills,

so he bought datura for foot bath.

The evidence is the
prescription from the clinic.

Give it to me.

Humph, symptom of chills.

Why don't you ask the
butler to defend himself.

Our butler

is inarticulate and timid.

Fearing that his action would
bring bad influence to his masters,

he burnt himself last night
to apologize for his fault.

My son was negligent

and let his servant caused trouble.

This is a lesson given to him.

What about the girls
imprisoned by the Cui family?

How do you explain

that Hexin Hall was made
into a raunchy place?

Those girls started to know what love is.

They admired my son's talent

and were willing to stay with him.

My son didn't imprison them.

As for the raunchy place, it's not true.

If you don't believe me,

you can ask their parents to confront me.

Don't go.

Make it clear.

What do you mean?

What?

We've made so much effort.

It’s him.

He was the one who helped Cui
Chengliang get off the hook

You lackeys

don't have children?

Yes.

Can you stand to see

your own daughter ruined?

Mr. Dugu,

I'm sorry.

Night Emperor.

Come out!

Come out!

I let you go last time.

Now you're here.

Since you're not afraid of death,

I will kill you then.

Destroy all the datura
circulating in the black market

within three days.

As long as I'm alive,

you have no right to tell me what to do.

There are a lot of men like Cui Chengliang.

If the datura is not eliminated,

more and more girls will be raped

and ruined.

Datura is very valuable.

The fault lies with those
who have evil intentions.

The balck market has its own rules.

How do you explain the men who
maim others and let them beg?

You're so nosy.

Let's see if you can get out of here alive.

I won.

What do you want?

Please do me a favor.

Congratulations for
clearing your name, Mr. Cui.

Damn it.

He put me in jail for a night

for no reason.

I'm full of anger now.

Mr. Cui,

every minute of the
lovely night is precious.

Why are you still caring about
these unimportant things.

Mr. Cui.

Why are you so sweet?

Who put the honey on your lips?

You bastard!

Don't you know how to pole?

The case of the Thousand-head
Demon hasn’t been solved.

Why is there a new case of water monkey?

Where is Dugu?

He solved the water monkey
case three years ago.

He's in the morgue looking
into Cui Chengliang's body.

Hey.

Have you heard that

Cui Chengliang's heart
and lungs were ripped out.

It's his retribution.

But why did the water monkey

come to Chang'an City from Xunyang County?

The manipulator of that
case has already been caught

and beheaded that year.

What about this water monkey?

Maybe someone imitated that case.

It's also related to the
case in Xunyang County.

Cui Lie has gathered all his men

to search all the households one by one.

He was determined to find the water monkey.

Don't worry.

Hey.

No.

I want to contribute too.

I'm going to the archives
to check the files.

I can't stand it anymore.

We didn't find anything useful.

Cui Chengliang died.

Alas.

What is that?

What is this?

I bought it at the black market.

It comes from the West.

It can see what we can't
see with naked eyes.

Really?

Goodness.

Things look so much bigger.

I'll give it to you if you like it.

Goodness.

Thank you.

Okay.

Don't worry.

Leave it to me.

Ouch!

Hey.

Wait.

I forgot to tell you something.

According to the report of
the Intelligence Station,

the court recruited a constable
from Xunyang County to the capital.

That's Ji Duodao.

What does it have to do with this case?

Who?

Cui Lie caught the water monkey!

Beat him!

Beat him to death!

Demon!

Give my son back!

Hua Lei.

Mr. Dugu.

What happened?

I found this

in the remains of my sister.

It's the memorial to the throne that my
brother-in-law impeached Gao Shengyao.

There are three crimes.

First, he deceived His Majesty.

The so-called praying for
rain was just a trick.

Second, he is arbitrary and corrupt.

Third, he colluded with the Cui family.

Let's go find Gao Shengyao.

Go.

Put his body down.

Yes.

Yes.

Did he

commit suicide to escape punishment?

Report!

We found Gao Shengyao's suicide note.

Suicide note?

He said he was the real culprit in
the case and confessed to his crime

of forming a clique with the Cui family to
pursue personal interests for the past 8 years.

Gao Shengyao was that Thousand-head Demon?

Then he was the murderer who killed
my sister and brother-in-law?

He died so easily.

That's too easy for him.

Dugu,

what do you think?

The mastermind

was Gao Shengyao.

His so-called rain prayer ceremony

was to use the black smoke
from the gunpowder explosions

to simulate thunder

and release the sky
lanterns with water pouches.

He could design such a complex device.

Then it's not a problem for him
to kill people using a puppet.

So,

he was the culprit all along.

But

why did he do that?

Luo He knew his secret.

So he killed Luo He with
the Thousand-head Demon

and framed it for Cui Chengliang.

Two birds with one stone.

How do you explain the stuff
that got removed by tape

from Lord Luo's body?

Could it be a type of poison?

In order to kill my brother-in-law,

he should have two plans.

If the Thousand-head Demon had failed,

he could have used

some colorless and odorless
poison to kill him,

as long as the dosage was correct.

This case is complicated.

I have to report it to my
supervisors as soon as possible.

Well.

There is no need to rush.

Let's wait for Lord Ling
to take credit together.

By the way,

I haven't seen him all day.

Where did he go?

Lord Ling always enjoys
flirting with girls.

Don't pry

about his whereabouts.

The ceremony is coming.

We're running out of time.

Now I have to find another way

to lure the murderer out.

The condemned prisoner, Dugu,

has solved the Thousand-head Demon case.

Therefore, you are exempted
from the death penalty

and will be sent to the border
area to serve in the military.

The spirits returned
during the Ghost Festival.

The underground palace has descended.

The law governs good and evil.

The wine and sacrifices have been served.

His Majesty is praying for the
people with the Heavenly Empress.

The ceremony now begins!

Dugu?

You should know

what this is.

Miss Hua Lei.

Miss Xiang Ye.

There is a mineral called asbestos

in the Western Region.

The clothes made out of its fibers

are fireproof.

Asbestos fibers can't be seen.

Once they are snapped, they can burrow
into the skin and cause intense itching.

I want this.

OK. Sir, what else do you want?

What happened to your hand?

Sir,

it was because of

this Fire-Washing Coat.

This clothing won't be
burned through by the fire.

Would you like one?

On the night Luo He was killed,

the fibers on his asbestos
clothing were snapped

and attached to the surface of his body.

You were worried about leaving clues,

so you taped the fibers away.

But the fibers had been left on
the coroner, Wei Datong's hand.

Later, he also found
the fibers of asbestos.

But Lord He went to pray for rain.

Why would he wear

a fireproof coat?

Unless

he knew there would be
the Thousand-head Demon

spewing fire?

No.

It was someone who
secretly put it on Luo He

in case he would get hurt by the fire.

Am I right,

Miss Xiang Ye?

My brother-in-law was a good man.

We didn't want him to get hurt by mistake.

So, we put a fireproof coat on him.

But we didn't expect

to leave a loophole.

When did you start suspecting me?

The night before Gao Shengyao died,

Wei Datong examined the 13
corpses of the Luo family again

and found that Xiang Ye's body was intact.

From then on,

I knew Xiang Ye was not dead.

The purpose of decapitating
people in Luo Residence

is to free Xiang Ye of any suspicion.

And from the beginning
of the investigation,

you consciously or inadvertently
led the clues to the Cui family.

Hua Lei?

Also,

the memorial that Luo He
wrote to impeach Gao Shengyao

and Gao Shengyao's suicide note

both pointed to the fact that Cui Lie
and Gao Shengyao had formed a clique.

This should be your purpose.

So, you already know

who we are.

After Gao Shengyao died,

I checked his astrological records.

Eight years ago,

he altered his records once,

writing down,

"The Purple Star moves,

and trouble will arise in the southeast."

If you are from the Yinu in the Southeast,

everything will make sense.

The Cui family from the Qinghe area

is responsible for managing the
Armor and Crossbow Workshop,

so they need a lot of tung oil.

There happened to be a small country in
the southeast that was rich in tung oil.

So, Gao Shengyao used
astrology as an excuse

and colluded with the Cui family

to deceive His Majesty

and invade the Yinu.

You're right.

We are descendants of Yinu

and have wandered to Chang'an.

I accidentally became Luo He's concubine.

Did you get the secret of
Gao Shengyao and Cui Lie

from Luo He?

A mysterious letter
arrived a few months ago.

We found out the secret
between them from it.

After the investigation, it is true.

But we don't know who helped us.

We wanted to kill Gao Shengyao
with the Thousand-head Demon

and then pin the blame on Cui Chengliang.

But there was an accident,

and Gao Shengyao dodged the bullet.

But they all died in the end.

You have taken your revenge.

Why did you have to
assassinate His Majesty?

How can only one man's death

erase the hatred of the
subjugation of our country?

After the damn Emperor died,

the world would fall into chaos,
and you'll also experience

the anguish of witnessing your
own country's destruction.

You've already been blinded by the hate.

Stop it now.

Dugu,

I admit

that you're smarter than us.

Aren't you coveting the
tung oil from our Yinu?

Now,

I'll give you all of them.

Hua Lei.

Fire!

Hua Lei.

The ringleader is dead.

Can you bear to kill more innocent people?

Hua Lei!

Sister Xiang Ye.

Sister Xiang Ye!

No!

Hua Lei!

Hua Lei.

Sister Xiang Ye.

Hua Lei!

Let's

stop making any more mistakes.

Hua Lei.

Why are you so silly?

Brother

Dugu...

You...

saved my life once.

I

Saved your life once.

I have to

go first.

I hope you can find

your daughter soon

and

be reunited with her.

Dugu.

Don't do anything stupid.

Dugu.

Lord Zhang,

why did you bring so
many people to my place?

Dugu.

What...

are you doing?

I burn the paper

to pay my respect to Ling Qianyue's soul.

Ling Qianyue?

Did he go missing?

Could it be...

that he's dead?

A few days ago,

I went to Xunyang County

to investigate your background.

You were a constable here three years ago.

We didn't know each other because
we were in different prefectures.

I'm here today

because you are the Water Monkey.

Ridiculous!

Is it solely because I
came from Xunyang County?

Aren't you from Xunyang County as well?

I think you are the Water Monkey!

Wait.

What are you talking about?

Wasn't the Water Monkey
case in Xunyang County

solved by you, Dugu?

The one who was killed is just a scapegoat.

Three years ago,

when I investigated this case,

I found that all the victims

were noblemen who had gotten
away with their crimes.

According to you,

the Water Monkey was going
to be a messenger of God,

punishing the evil and upholding the good?

Or a demon who abused his power.

The nobles in Xunyang County do
what they wish without restraint.

You've been bullied since you were young.

You became a constable

in order to punish the evil.

However...

After my trial,

[Three years ago]

Mr. Wang taking old Huang's daughter home

is a false accusation.

Mr. Wang is innocent.

So he'll be released in court.

Thank you, my lord.

He is not innocent!

He is not innocent!

- He is not innocent, my lord!
- That damn old man! How dare he sue me!

Set his house on fire!

Yes.

Yes.

Move!

Move!

Move!

Move!

After you became a constable,

you wanted to punish
evil and uphold goodness.

But in front of these nobles,

you were just a tool for them to
better enjoy their privileges.

Every time you caught them,

they were acquitted in the end.

You couldn't accept it,

so you secretly dressed as the Water Monkey

and killed those people who had
gotten away with their crimes.

What happened later?

If this case had continued, it'd
have exposed the crimes of the noble.

So the higher-ups stopped my investigation

and hinted that I should

find a scapegoat to take the blame.

The Water Monkey also disappeared after it.

Until a few days ago, he
reappeared in Chang'an.

This is just speculation.

Do you have any evidence?

Hey.

Dugu!

This...

Maimed people to force them into begging.

Please do me a favor.

Where are the bastards who maim
people to force them into begging?

If I don't tell you,

will you kill me?

I

Never beg anyone.

But I'm begging you to help me this time.

I knew you wouldn't bear to see them.

I will kick them out of the black market.

It's up to you

to deal with them.

Don't kill me.

Don't kill me!

I have a secret.

Do you remember

the other two who came to
the black market with you?

They seem to have an internal conflict.

Which one among you

is the best?

Who are you?

Don't come over!

Don't come near me!

Let go of me!

When Cui Lie burned the
water monkey to death,

I don't understand why he pointed at me.

Now I finally understand

that he was pointing at you.

He is Ling Qianyue!

Cui Chengliang got away with his crime,

just like Mr. Wang.

So, you became the Water Monkey again.

And the scapegoat this
time is Ling Qianyue.

When you found out that the
black market could evade the law,

you came to find your scapegoat with ease.

You maimed him

and made him into the Water Monkey.

Who?

But you didn't expect

that I had made a deal
with the Night Emperor.

Then I kicked these bastards
out of the black market.

My lord.

We found it.

What?

This...

You...

Hurry up.

Hurry!

I didn't want to kill him,

but he insisted on investigating this case.

I had to do this.

As long as I can keep my
position in the Dali Court.

When I'm in charge of the Dali Court,

I can arrest all those nobles

who do evil.

Doing justice without a trial

is a crime!

Trial?

From the royal families

to noblemen.

Who can judge them?

I just want to seek justice

for persecuted civilians.

Is that wrong?

Can you guarantee

that each person you
killed is the murderer?

There are always people who deserve it!

I'm willing to do this
for the rest of my life

for justice!

You're crazy!

Why did you kill him?

I haven't questioned him yet.

I should have solved the Water
Monkey case three years ago.

It's the end of everything.

[One month later]

Sir, please spare my life.

Please spare my life!

I dare not steal children anymore!

The criminal, Ms. Pan,

did you abduct and traffic
a girl in Xunyang County?

I think so.

Is there a birthmark on her left hand?

Take him away.

Dugu,

you've been secretly investigating
the case of child trafficking

and causing a stir in the city.

But it ends today.

According to the process,
three divisions have to review

all the information about
the Thousand-head Demon case.

I specifically sent
someone to Xunyang County

to investigate your background.

The case of Mr. Wang that you mentioned

is actually your own experience.

Dugu.

What's going on?

That damn old man! How dare he sue me!

Set his house on fire.

Yes.

Yes.

Move!

Move!

Move!

Move!

Since you've found out,

I have no choice but to confess.

I'm the water monkey in Xunyang County.

Dugu.

I don't understand

why Ji Duodao would confess to your crime.

Actually, three years ago,

he walked into me killing someone.

He was a constable who despised evil.

So, he wanted to be a Water Monkey too.

Later, I found that he
had malicious intentions,

so I didn't agree.

He never saw my face.

Since he was not the Water Monkey,

why did he admit it?

Do you know

why I burned paper for Ling
Qianyue in front of him?

Because there were datura powders

on the papers.

You...

What I said that day

was only partially true.

I pretended to push him

to increase his blood circulation

in order to expedite the
effects of the datura.

I have evidence about the
Water Monkey in Chang'an.

So I framed him as the Water
Monkey in Xunyang County.

So Ji Duodao believed

that he was the only water monkey

from then until now.

Three years ago, the Water
Monkey case broke out,

and I was accidentally assigned
to investigate the case.

So,

I found a guilty man to be the scapegoat.

But Gao Shengyao got me.

The scheming Gao Shengyao...

deliberately didn't expose you.

Did he try to

use you for his own benefit?

Gao Shengyao had many
opponents in the court.

He wanted to take me back to Chang'an

to continue dressing up as the Water
Monkey and help him kill people.

I didn't want to become his
pawn in the struggle for power.

But I didn't expect

that my stubbornness back then

would get my family killed.

Don't cry.

Go to Chang'an with me.

This is your last chance.

I'm sorry.

You went as the Water Monkey

to pursue so-called justice.

But you don't know

that in this world,

power

is true justice.

Tell the assistant of the county magistrate

that

Dugu found out about his wife's affair

and killed her while under
the influence of alcohol.

I still have two questions.

Gao Shengyao asked me
to investigate the case,

and he said he was ordered to do so.

If it weren't for the
orders from higher-ups,

you would have died in
prison a long time ago.

I don't know who let you out...

I don't know who is behind it.

And there was a mysterious man

behind Hua Lei's and Xiang Ye's revenge.

This person hasn't shown up yet.

Guards, put the prisoner, Dugu, in jail.

Someone will see you when the time comes.

Dugu.

Your Majesty.

Rise.

Three years ago,

I had already set my eyes on you.

Back then, when Gao Shengyao framed
you and you were sent to jail,

I secretly protected your daughter.

It's because I've been waiting

for a chance for you to make a change.

Back then, the Cui family and
Gao Shengyao deceived His Majesty

and brought disaster to the neighboring
states, causing countless people to die.

I couldn't interfere with state affairs,

so all I could do was tell the
sisters from Yinu the clues

and ask you to investigate,

in the hope that you could
rectify the laws and regulations.

Dugu.

You didn't let me down.

Chang'an is in chaos now.

But the people who cause the trouble

are not the Thousand-head
Demons and Water Monkeys,

but those powerful
families with deep roots.

Only by uprooting them

will Chang'an be at peace,

and so will the world.

This is just the beginning.

And it's just the beginning for me.

You live well in prison.

One day,

I'll need you.

Now, you can use your
real name, Lai Junchen.

The person you're going to deal with

is Di.