Episode 1 recap: Qu San Geng is looking for the location of his master's death.
Qu San Geng (played by Bai Yu Fan) and Shi Cong (played by Liu Yi Tong) received a report and discovered a corpse in a field. When they arrived at the scene, they found that the master had been disguised as a scarecrow and was only discovered when flies were attracted to it. The constable removed the iron rod inserted into the corpse and found some words on it.
There were obvious strangulation marks on the constable's neck, and he had been disguised as a scarecrow with the iron rod inserted into his body after death. Qu San Geng deduced that the wood used was mulberry wood, commonly used for bridge beams. The words on it read: "My path is consistent." Quoting from the classics, it seems that the culprit is an educated person. The county magistrate wanted to arrest and interrogate everyone among the four to five hundred people in the county, but his subordinates felt it was inappropriate and suggested finding another way.
After everyone left, Qu San Geng sadly looked at his master's corpse and remembered a previous fight he had with someone. His master had scolded them publicly, but the other person, a hooligan, was secretly released by someone else later that night. The two of them had a dispute over this incident, and the master gave money for medical expenses to the other person. Qu San Geng was left alone to have a conversation with his master during the third watch of the night, and his master expressed concern about the injuries on his body.
During the conversation, Qu San Geng revealed the truth to his master. The other person had taken advantage of the situation and captured a widow's son, forcing the widow to sign and sell her house. While trying to help the people, Qu San Geng unintentionally disrupted their source of income, like killing one's parents. His master knew that his innocent disciple had caused trouble and suspected that more than one person was involved in this case. Qu San Geng explained the situation to Yi Bu Tou (played by Cao Zheng) and pleaded with him to send two or three experienced constables to investigate in Qijia Village, as there might be eyewitnesses at night.
However, Yi Bu Tou was not very cooperative. He realized that they were all from the Soap Class, while he belonged to the Fast Class, and he asked Shi Cong to bring in their "brothers." Qu San Geng, using his identity as a junior constable, informed Yi Bu Tou that he was the head of both the Soap Class and the Fast Class, which was quite prestigious. He wanted to discuss the details of his master's case with him. Yi Bu Tou was the only one who benefited from his master's case, and he was eager to get rid of Qu San Geng, raising suspicions between the two constable classes.
Qu San Geng arrived at his master's home, and Leng Gui Er (played by Xiang Han Zhi) opened the door. Her eyes were swollen, clearly grieving over her father's death. She wanted to know the truth about her father's death, and Qu San Geng openly told her the details without mentioning the gruesome scene. Leng Gui Er asked him to avenge her father.
Qu San Geng couldn't understand what other benefits his master's death would bring to Yi Bu Tou. He and Shi Cong went to a place they had sworn not to return to fifteen years ago. It was their childhood school. Qu San Geng asked about the allusion of "My path is consistent," which was a phrase Kongzi (Confucius) used to teach Zengzi. It meant that one's path should be consistent and dedicated, focusing on loyalty and benevolence. Qu San Geng thought it sounded good, but how could it justify murder? This angered Kongzi, but Feng Ke Zhui (played by Zhang Hao Wei) had a different interpretation. He believed that there were over six hundred characters in the "Li Ren" chapter of the classics, all discussing benevolence. This person must not have been well-disciplined and didn't believe in the teachings of the saints. It was a clear provocation.
Confucius gave Feng Ke Zhui three measures of rice to urge him to leave quickly. On the way back, in the middle of the night, Qu San Geng pressed for detailed insights, but Feng Ke Zhui took the opportunity to take advantage of them, analyzing that the culprit had a deep grudge against Leng Shi Fu (Cold Master), and harbored hatred for the world. The culprit must have acted in an opposite manner, deviating from loyalty and forgiveness. The culprit felt wronged and knew that they couldn't seek justice through official channels, so they took matters into their own hands.
Song Dian Shi (played by Wang Wei) observed Qu San Geng sleeping in the case room and used his two remaining fingers to extinguish the candle. The next day, he asked Qu San Geng about the skills he had learned, implying that if a case wasn't documented in the case files, it wasn't considered a case. He also questioned whether it was the truth that someone died accidentally or drowned. Qu San Geng seemed to partially understand, but he pretended to be ignorant in front of Song Dian Shi.
The fact that the master didn't have his waist token with him indicated that he didn't go on official business before his death. Therefore, Qu San Geng and Shi Cong went to Cuihua Tower, hoping that Shi Cong could help Qu San Geng gather more information. The two of them arrived at the back door of Cuihua Tower, and the steward was familiar with them. Aunt Lin warmly welcomed them and asked about the purpose of their visit. Qu San Geng lied, saying that his master had sent him to retrieve a document bag and asked if he had left it there the previous afternoon. However, Aunt Lin saw through the lie. They had been close for many years, so how could she not understand him?
Qu San Geng informed Aunt Lin of the truth about the master's death, which greatly saddened her. It was true that Leng Shi Fu had visited Cuihua Tower before his death. Aunt Lin remembered that at the time, she said the newly arrived county magistrate was a "cat official." Leng Wu Ji (Cold Wujin) had classified officials into five categories: wolf, dog, snake, rat, and cat. The wolf was the greediest, the snake was the fastest, the cat was the best, but it would catch a mouse as a show after being fed. He left at the rooster hour.
Before Qu San Geng left, Aunt Lin entrusted him with her private savings to be delivered to the master's wife. It turned out that on the day Leng Wu Ji left Cuihua Tower through the back door, he discovered a pile of silver on the ground in a hidden wall hole. As he was crawling into the wall hole, someone strangled him and used a carriage to cover up the body and transport it out of the city. Qu San Geng and Shi Cong suspected the truth, but they walked past the repaired wall from the other side.
Under the bustling city, countless mysteries lie hidden. In this ancient city, a place called the "Murder Chase Teahouse" has become a gathering spot for solving crimes.
Today, let's step into this movie together and analyze who the killer is, unveiling the truth.
[Character Analysis] First, let's get acquainted with the main characters in the movie.
Xiaomin, a seemingly fragile but fiercely righteous woman, bravely embarks on the path of seeking justice to avenge her father's murder.
Next is Grandpa Wang, a retired soldier who has experienced many ups and downs.
Though he appears detached, he possesses unique insights into the case.
Lastly, there's Cao, the leader of a criminal gang, cunning and deceitful, holding the city's largest dark power.
[Clue Analysis] In the movie, we can discover many valuable clues. First is a blood-stained dagger, which becomes the breakthrough for Xiaomin in her search for the killer.
Next is a dark exchange name list provided by Grandpa Wang, with names and dates seemingly related to the case.
Lastly, there's a mysterious video that reveals part of the truth on the night of the crime.
[Reasoning Analysis] Based on the characters' personalities and the clues, we can make the following deductions: Xiaomin's father was likely killed because he discovered a secret of Cao's; Grandpa Wang might know this secret but lacks direct evidence; the bloodstains were left by the killer, and the dagger is likely the murder weapon; the video was accidentally left behind by the killer, capturing his actions.
[Truth Revealed] After layers of deductions, we finally unveil the truth. It turns out Xiaomin's father discovered Cao's drug trafficking secret and planned to expose his crimes.
In order to silence him, Cao ordered his henchmen to kill Xiaomin's father. The dagger was left behind by the killer, and the video recorded his murderous act.
In the end, with the help of Grandpa Wang, Xiaomin successfully obtained evidence and brought Cao to justice.
Under the bustling city, there's the Murder Chase Teahouse.
In this ancient city, we witness not only the darkness of human nature but also the power of justice.
What makes us marvel is that even in the darkest moments, light can dispel the shadows.
In this story, we see how a seemingly vulnerable woman, through her efforts and intelligence, exposes the criminal's deeds and upholds justice.
This is not just a movie; it's a test of courage and belief.
In this world, perhaps we can't change all injustices, but we can choose to stand up and defend justice.
Underneath this bustling city, the Murder Chase Teahouse is not only a gathering place for solving crimes but also a symbol of belief.
As you step into this movie, you become a part of the story, joining Xiaomin in the pursuit of truth until the truth is revealed.
Lu Zhi was promoted and participated in the imperial examination, but he returned for revenge after going through various twists and turns. The age seems to match.
During the conversation with Zhang, the housekeeper, while fishing, the honorific "您" was used. The person who hasn't appeared yet is wearing brand new clothes and speaks casually about Chen Wang, showing a familiar knowledge of past events.
Moreover, it is said that Lu Zhi from back then is already dead, so the one who survived must be Niu Gulu Lu Zhi.