01x16 - Episode 16

[bunniefuu]

[Shadow Punisher]

[Divine Constable Tally]

[Episode 16]

Look.

Something's not right about this ledger.

[Actual Profit: 9,300 taels]

[Actual Profit: 6,900 taels]

It's so perfectly preserved—

you'd think

it had just fallen from the heavens.

What do you two mean by that?

I worked so hard

to find this ledger.

Actually, when I found it,

I suspected

someone had deliberately left it behind.

Do you know what this means?

It means even Heaven

couldn't tolerate Ji Ada!

Look.

If the poison were on the silver hairpin,

the hairpin should've turned black.

Exactly.

So it wasn't the hairpin.

And Ji Ada's

stab wound

shows no blackening or swelling,

which means the poison

didn't enter his body

through the wound either.

So Old Madam Gong
didn't administer the poison.

Now that's strange.

We all saw it last night.

Well, do you think the poison

was administered
before Old Madam Gong struck,

or after?

It must've been after.

Right.

Otherwise, it'd be hard to control
when the poison took effect.

If the victim suddenly collapsed

halfway through the investigation,

the k*ller would risk exposing themselves.

Master!

Divine Constables!

Divine Constables,

terrible news.

Gong Le committed suicide
by swallowing gold!

What?

From this day forward,

there will never be

a Gong banner flying on these seas again.

Hurry up, move it!

[Mingling County]

Okay.

Make sure the straw mat is thick enough.

Boatman,

are you sailing today?

No, no.

Put it here. Put it here.

Boatman,

are you sailing today?

Forgive me, ma'am.

Old Madam Gong passed away 2 days ago,

so we all agreed

not to go to sea for 3 days

as a gesture of mourning.

Triple.

I'll pay you triple the fare.

Just take me out to sea.

So what if you're rich?

Back in the day, every ship on this sea

belonged to the Gong family.

It's not that we don't want to earn money.

It's the rule of the Boatmen's Guild.

Five times.

Ten times!

Boatman, I'll pay you 10 times the fare!

Boatman!

In the end, the Gong family

stopped their enemy with their own hands.

This is truly the will of Heaven.

Divine Constable,

a few days ago,

a distant aunt of mine passed away,

and I'm in a hurry
to go back for the funeral.

Go back for the funeral?

I'd say

the place you're hurrying to

is where the Ji family's dirty money

from smuggling government salt

is hidden.

Divine Constable,

you must be joking.

How could the Ji family's

ill-gotten fortune
possibly be in my hands?

You were able to

take Master Ji's life.

Taking his money
would hardly be more difficult.

Master!

Please look into this carefully, My Lord!

I advise you not to try any tricks.

Even if you slip away from me,

the Severe-Cold Sword is still

waiting for you out there.

Whether Lord Meng is
waiting out there or not,

you came here alone

after all, Young Master Qingyang.

I take it

you have something to say to me.

Clever.

Let me ask you.

You were the one

who found the stand-in for Ji Ada.

You were the one

who ordered
the m*ssacre of the Gong family.

[Rice Shop]

It was also you

who pulled the strings
behind the government salt smuggling.

You were sent by the First Prince

to keep an eye on Ji Ada.

Is your real name

Xiuniang

or Xiu Wei?

Who are you?

In the 20th year of Hongyun,

you held a post in the Ministry of w*r

and sent out a false military report.

After that, you came to Mingling County

and continued working
for the First Prince,

keeping watch
on the Gong and Ji families'

smuggling of government salt.

In this country, you need a travel permit

wherever you go.

Young Master Qingyang,

did you find the travel permit?

Naturally not.

At the end of the day,

everything you said is just speculation.

That's because...

you were born
in Mingling County in Qingzhou.

You came to Mingling County

not to escape trouble
or to conduct official business,

but to return home.

Under the Great Shi Code,

returning to one's hometown
requires no travel permit.

So,

there was never

a Xiu Wei from Tianhuang City.

From beginning to end,

there was only

Xiuniang returning home in glory.

They say you're charming and gallant

and especially gentle with women.

Besides,

what I left behind for you

will surely keep me alive,

won't it?

Looks like

you'd planned

a way out for yourself long ago.

I still have to thank you

on behalf of the people here

for the ledger you left behind

in the fire.

Your Divine Constable Bureau

will need a witness,

and that witness

has to be alive, right?

Rest assured, Miss.

The Divine Constable Bureau
will definitely keep you safe.

Divine Constable,

could it be that you want me to testify

as a witness and expose everything

the First Prince did 17 years ago?

Who are you to the late Fourth Prince?

I only need you

to tell me what you know about
the smuggling of government salt.

As for

what the First Prince did

in the 20th year of Hongyun,

it isn't time to reveal that yet.

Jiuying,

Gong Le...

won't be coming back.

♪ A solitary boat
dividing left and right ♪

Why?

Probably because

he wouldn't be happy

if he came back here.

♪ Amidst the vast, misty waters,
they sail toward the surging tide ♪

Now that he's gone,

he'll never be beaten again.

♪ The rust of old memories
feels like a waking dream ♪

He'll never be beaten again...

Then will I

♪ It hurts to let go,
but I'm holding tightly to emptiness ♪

ever see him again?

You will.

♪ Should we meet across
mountains and seas ♪

One day,

you will see each other again.

♪ If the long road leads to no return ♪

We...

♪ If I can't travel
with you in this life ♪

will all meet again.

Jiuying.

♪ If the lights in my heart ♪

Let me ask you something.

Do you still remember

♪ Become old marks
with the falling snow ♪

where that cave full of bugs

is?

How much longer will it take?

We've never tested it

on animals before,

but it's already

begun to change.

If it can really mutate into a demon wolf,

then Liluo's great cause

will be unstoppable.

Yes.

Wolfie, Wolfie.

Wolfie.

It's me.

Wolfie,

it's me. Don't be afraid.

That beast has successfully mutated.

The demon wolf belongs to Liluo!

No matter where you run,

we will find you!

I see.

So

those glowing bugs

are Chiying bugs.

How vile.

They want to mutate not only humans

but also beasts.

Jiuying,

can you take us

to that cave?

Let's go in.

They're all dead.

According to what you've told us,

Liluo used the venom of Chiying bugs

to mutate humans.

Then these

should be the test subjects
from the demon-men experiments.

But for some reason,

the experiments failed.

Look,

these blood spots

should be from the venomous bug bites.

What strange markings.

Be careful, all of you.

Don't get bitten by the bugs,

or else even I won't be able to cure you.

This is extremely cruel.

Those poor innocent people...

Lou Tianming knew

we would come here sooner or later.

These failed subjects were a burden,

so he left them here.

What are these?

They're so badly drawn.

Even my drawings

would be better than theirs.

Only those

cultists who treat human lives as nothing

would worship

such grotesque evil gods.

Did you get bitten?

It's nothing,

just one sting.

I've been bitten

by these tiny little bugs
several times already.

They won't poison people so easily.

Li Si.

-Li Si!
-Li Si!

-Qingyang.
-Li Si!

Are you alright?

-Qingyang!
-Li Si!

Li Si.

Zhenzhu...

Zhenzhu.

Li Si. Li Si!

Qingyang.

You're awake.

How are you feeling?

You're finally awake.

How do you feel?

Zhenzhu...

I'm here.

Yan.

Are you alright?

Come on, get up.

How do you feel?

Are you okay?

What happened to me?

You were poisoned by a Chiying bug.

I've already drawn out the poisoned blood.

But normally,

with only one bite,

the poison shouldn't have been

this severe.

Right.

I was bitten several times too.

Why am I fine?

Could it be

that they're not the same kind of bug?

Strange.

This is clearly my old ailment—

the burning in my heart meridians—

flaring up again.

Could the Chiying bug venom

have triggered it?

And this time,

it's worse than ever.

If only my master were here.

Lord Constable Ghost,

I've heard so much about you.

Who are you?

Why did you break into the county office
in the middle of the night?

It's all for the half-dead fellow

in there.

You guys may not feel for him,

but as his master,

my heart aches for him.

You brat,

can you stop making me worry?

Don't you know the state

of your own body?

Stop talking.

You stop talking!

Focus on circulating your qi.

Your qi and blood are in chaos.

I've managed to
suppress it for the time being.

You brat.

I can't

be at your side every day.

What will you do next time

this happens?

What will you do?

I still have a few pills here.

Keep them for emergencies.

Take better care of yourself.

Don't push yourself so hard.

Otherwise,

I really don't know
which of us will have to bury the other!

Got it.

Wait,

he's fine now?

Look at him now.

Does he look fine to you?

I really don't understand.

He's a newcomer.

Seniors, please.

He's a rookie!

You seniors,

please take good care of him!

Please.

I'm off.

Meng Rui,

he's my master.

May I ask

why you're able to cure

Chiying bug venom?

First of all,

I don't know

what "Chiying bug venom" is.

Secondly,

this disciple of mine
has always been in poor health.

Whatever ails him,

that's what I treat.

What did you give him just now?

A Resurrection Pill.

Its other name

may sound more familiar to you:

the All-Nourishing Pill.

My Lords,

to be honest,

I have an old illness.

For some reason,

the Chiying bug venom

seems to have triggered

it.

Just now, my master

was only treating my old illness.

No need to make a fuss.

No wonder

I was fine.

Turns out you're just frail.

Then I'm relieved.

His pulse is indeed less alarming

than it was earlier.

Forgive my rudeness.

Not at all.

I lost

my composure a little earlier too,

especially toward you,
Lord Constable Ghost.

Please don't take it to heart.

I'm off!

No need to see me out.

Please excuse my master.

As they say,

the wicked never die.

It's only been 3 days,

[Coroner's Office]

and you're up and running around again.

That's all thanks to

you, Sanhuo.

My Lords.

Are you alright now?

I'm fine now.

Are you alright?

Let me see.

It's my failure

as a local official

that this child has suffered so much.

I leave her in your hands now.

Take her to Tianhuang City more often

and let her see more of the world,

so she can
make something of herself someday.

[Coroner's Office]

Someone

once asked me to take her out

to see the world too.

Alright.

Child,

come with us.

Want some? Not giving you any.

Jiuying,

-ignore him.
-Does your master

follow you on every case?

I can see you two

have a deep bond as master and disciple.

Honestly,

-I was really lucky this time
-Yan, stop teasing her.

that my master happened to be

nearby.

Still,

it really was too much of a coincidence.

I've told you about my master.

Why don't you tell me

about yours?

He's just a wandering martial artist,

not as famous as your master.

There's nothing much to say about him.

Then tell me

why he knows
how to cure Chiying bug venom.

Didn't I tell you already?

The Chiying bugs are tiny,

and they can only
inject a limited amount of venom.

One sting

isn't enough to do much harm.

Your life would be in danger

only if you were chased and bitten

by a swarm of them for 3 days and nights.

Like Sanhuo,

I was poisoned only a little.

I just don't know

why that little bit

happened to trigger my old illness.

Meng Rui,

you're not seriously

suspecting my master, are you?

I think those Chiying bugs

have messed with your head.

You think everyone
is connected to the demon-men.

Isn't it a coincidence

that the Chiying bug venom

just happened to trigger your old illness?

Well, among all the people

in this vast world, why did we happen to
become friends?

It's all fate,

arranged by Heaven.

So what if there are a few coincidences?

How did you and your master

meet?

My master went up the mountain
to gather herbs,

mistook me for ginseng,

and dug me out of the ground!

You...

Li Si!

[Tianshu Pavilion]

[Qipi, God of Lies]

God of Lies,

Qipi...

[Star-Gathering Pavilion]

[Great Shi Treasure Notes]

Someone wants to smuggle government salt
across the Two Rivers and Three Provinces?

It's an inviolable rule
in our Great Shi Dynasty:

salt and iron are
the foundation of the state,

and government salt
must never be sold privately.

What are you talking about?

But I heard that

someone really is
smuggling government salt.

Outrageous!

Then why hasn't
your Divine Constable Bureau

arrested him yet?

But that person is of imperial blood.

He's of imperial blood?

Who?

You may speak freely.

The First Prince, Zhou Miao.

Zhou Miao?

Zhou Miao is smuggling government salt?

Impossible.

How could he have the nerve

to break this iron law?

He'd have to be insane!

It's absolutely true.

Li Qingyang, you're not lying to me?

These are

the letters between the First Prince
and the Ji family of Mingling County,

along with their ledgers.

Please take a look, Your Highness.

[Actual Profit: 9,300 taels]

[Actual Profit: 6,900 taels]

Please calm down, Father.

It appears that the First Prince
has pocketed illicit gains,

bent the law,

smuggled government salt, and colluded

with people outside the palace.

However, my elder brother

must've had a momentary lapse in judgment,

and it led to such a grave offense.

Father, you're wise and discerning.

I implore you,

in light of my elder brother's

long-standing reputation
as a virtuous prince

and his contributions to the country,

to show him leniency.

Xiao Ning.

Yes, Your Majesty.

What do you say,
on behalf of the Ministry of Justice?

I shall look into the matter
fairly and impartially.

Do it, then.

Yes, Your Majesty.

If the Crown Prince's report proves true,

there will be no leniency.

But...

we mustn't wrong the First Prince, either.

The evidence is irrefutable.

What is left to investigate?

I meant for you to look up the penal code!

Where there is precedent, follow it.

Where there is none,
treat him no differently from a commoner!

Guo Anbang!

Yes, Your Majesty.

Yes.

Hear the imperial edict!

By the Mandate of Heaven,
the Emperor decrees:

Zhou Miao is by nature mediocre

and has no merit to his name.

He has abused his authority
for private gain

and is unfit for his post.

He has squandered

his once-worthy reputation,

harming governance
and damaging the public good.

What justification remains?

If such conduct goes unpunished,

how can the law ever be upheld?

His official titles and ranks

shall be stripped.

From today on, his princely title
shall be revoked,

and he shall be confined within the palace

so that we may see whether he reforms.

Thus decreed!

We obey the imperial edict.

His Majesty also has an oral decree.

"I've heard that
the four newly promoted Divine Constables

are all exceptionally
talented and courageous,

with outstanding wisdom and strategy.

I cherish worthy people

and wish to honor
their loyalty and diligence at once.

Summon them for an audience
at the palace!"

Constable Iron, Yan Sanhuo,

you go through hell and high water
to catch criminals,

and the blade in your hand
flashes like lightning.

You come from an aristocratic family.

Three generations of your family
have served the country well.

I'm well aware of your merits.

Meng Rui,

it is said that in Tianhuang City,

children who are not crying

burst into tears in fear

the moment they hear your name,

and those who are crying

stop immediately.

And your Reaper Sword—
those who see it know misfortune is near.

But I never imagined

that you, Constable Ghost,

would be such a handsome young man.

Zhenzhu,

I held you when you were a child,

and now you've grown into
a graceful young lady.

You should've

married into my family long ago,

if it hadn't been for what happened...

All of you

are outstanding.

Having you around

suddenly makes me feel

several years younger myself.

No need for formalities.

Rise, all of you.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

One.

Two.

Three.

Your Majesty,

that fellow Li Qingyang—

no,

Divine Constable Qingyang—

said he had an upset stomach

and simply couldn't hold it in

right before the audience.

Your Majesty,

he...

He said he was afraid of breaching
court etiquette in front of Your Majesty,

so he would be a little late.

Yes.

Your Majesty,

we searched

the entire privy
from top to bottom earlier,

but we just couldn't find Li Si.

Your Majesty,

although Li Si meant

no disrespect,

he has indeed disregarded proper decorum

and behaved recklessly.

Once we return,

I will report this to our Chief

and make sure he is properly disciplined.

Alright, alright.

This isn't a court assembly.

I invited you here

just to see

the finest young talents of our realm.

That's why I asked you here

to have tea as guests.

What?

The guest doesn't show up,

and the host is supposed to
hold it against him?

Eunuch Guo,

you seem to want to say something.

It's been a long time

since I last saw Your Majesty smile.

I was laughing at Li Qingyang.

Do you remember the autumn hunt that year?

The Crown Prince,

the First Prince, and the Third Prince

were all dressed and ready to go.

Only Yan was still
hitching up his trousers,

also claiming
he needed to relieve himself.

As a result,

all the court officials

waited for him for a while.

Some tactless censor

had the nerve to say

that Yan had behaved improperly.

He was angling for a reputation

as a fearless, outspoken censor.

And he dared to

set his sights on my son to do it.

Do you remember

what I said at the time?

Your Majesty said,

"Lord Liu,

nature's call waits for no man.

I now command you

not to use the privy
for 7 days and nights.

Hold it in until you've
squeezed out some decorum!"

[Uphold Virtue and Good Morals]

If anyone in this world dares to bully

my Yan,

I will chop off his head.

Then...

what if it were you

who wronged me?

I broke my promise.

Xuanyuan Shan was right.

Even if I could choose again,

I would still do the same.

Your Majesty,

everything you did

was for the country.

His Highness the Fourth Prince
would understand.

[Uphold Virtue and Good Morals]

I want to walk alone.

Don't follow me.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty!

♪ Night deepens, spreading like ink
over rivers and mountains ♪

♪ I'm a spark that refuses to die ♪

♪ Riding the wind, a thousand years
pass in a fleeting moment ♪

♪ Seeking the song left unsung ♪

♪ Fleeting light fades
like fragile promises ♪

♪ Who softly sings along
from the far shore? ♪

♪ I'm the poem
that keeps summer nights awake ♪

♪ I'm amber
that defies the passage of time ♪

Your Highness, you mustn't!

Well...

Father.

Yan.

♪ A fleeting glimmer
entwines with eternity ♪

Come on.

Come to me.

Father,

you have gray hair.

♪ Illuminating the stillness of
the Milky Way ♪

I'm getting old.

Having some gray hair

is nothing to be surprised at.

As long as a man achieves great things,

what does gray hair matter?

No, no.

♪ Gracefully dancing
and tracing the contours of a dream ♪

If you have gray hair,

when others bully me in the future,

you won't be able

to stand up for me.

♪ Falling into the water,
stirring ripples that dance and glimmer ♪

If anyone

in this world dares to bully my Yan,

I will chop off his head.

♪ Whose eyes are reflected
in this humble flame? ♪

Yan, did I hurt you?

♪ Stirring waves of turmoil
within his heart ♪

Then...

what if it were you

who wronged me?

You ungrateful little thing.

♪ The past is as fragile as
dew upon wings ♪

I care about you

more than anything.

♪ To fall is, in its own way, to be free ♪

How could I ever wrong you?

Even if I were wronged,

it wouldn't matter.

All I want is for you
not to have gray hair, Father.

♪ I'm the poem
that keeps summer nights awake ♪

♪ I'm amber
that defies the passage of time ♪

What should we do?

Those hairs insist on growing gray.

♪ A fleeting glimmer
entwines with eternity ♪

What can I do?

Father,

from now on,

every time you grow a gray hair,

I'll pluck it for you.

♪ Rewrite the loneliness of
time and space ♪

♪ Let longing become ♪

Alright.

I allow it.

An emperor never breaks his word.
Pinky swear.

An emperor never breaks his word.

♪ Every word whispered on the wind ♪

I promise you.

Come on.

Come to me.

Okay!

Careful, careful.

Leave it to me.

Come on, come on.

[Great Shi Treasure Notes]

The Crown Prince said,

"After you, Zhao Shanlei, joined
the Divine Constable Bureau,

the wanted criminal Lou Tianming ran away.

Look at Li Qingyang.

He joined the Divine Constable Bureau

and immediately helped me
bring down Zhou Miao."

Li Qingyang, Li Qingyang,

you're now

the role model for all of us servants

in the Eastern Palace.

The Crown Prince can't wait to reward you.

Why do you still need to
go out of your way...

to curry favor?

[Great Shi Treasure Notes]

This money

isn't a gift for the Crown Prince

but for you.

The Crown Prince also said

that once he ascends the throne,

he'll have you

take over Xuanyuan Shan's position.

Tell me, the money from the future Chief

of the Divine Constable Bureau—

how could a servant like me

dare to accept it?

Eunuch,

once the Crown Prince ascends the throne,

won't you

become the Head Eunuch
of the imperial palace?

Just like

Lord Guo Anbang is now—

second only to the Emperor

and above everyone else.

How

could I not rely on you?

Well...

That's not something to say carelessly.

Eunuch,

only if you

accept this money

can I feel at ease.

Think about it:

only if you, the future Head Eunuch,

accept a small bribe from me

will you pay more attention

to my affairs.

Well, well, Li Qingyang.

You want to hold something over me?

Remember,

if I accept a bribe,

then you are the one who offered it.

Bribing an imperial eunuch...

Isn't that perfect?

That way,

you also have something on me,

Eunuch.

Exchanging pledges of loyalty like this

makes us true brothers, right?

Eunuch.

Let's leave the future aside

and talk about now.

Nothing stays hidden forever.

I'm guessing

Xuanyuan Shan will find out
sooner or later

that it was me who told the Crown Prince

about the government salt affair.

I'm sure

she'll give me a hard time.

Who does Xuanyuan Shan think she is?

No need to wait.

Let's settle the score right now.