【Multi | FULL】EP22 Xijun and Lu Lingfeng embrace each other | 唐朝诡事录之西行 | iQIYI
[English subtitles are available] [Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II To the West] [Episode 22] Who’s there? You’re back. Lu Lingfeng? When I was down the mountain, I startled a nest of pheasants, so I brought several of them back. Since you weren’t home, I went ahead and stewed them. Lu Lingfeng. I heard there are pheasants… General Lu. I didn’t know you were so capable. You even know how to cook now. It does smell quite good. When it’s ready, bring it over for us. Alright, Xijun. I’m back now, aren’t I? You almost scared me to death. Don’t cry. Have your late night snack first. I have something important to ask of you later. How could this happen? Master, there’s no need to be angry. Promoting those who contribute to Taiyin Sect was my idea. It’s understandable that Yuan He resorted to this vicious tactic because he was worried that I’d take over his position as the lieutenant. If it weren’t for the fact that we are short-staffed, I would throw him into the Delicacy Cave right away. That Lu Lingfeng actually managed to escape death. If we don’t kill him, he’ll become a big trouble. I actually brought him into the mountains this time to test him. The conclusion is, this person is definitely not sent by the court against us. If you misjudged him, do you know what the consequences will be? Of course. I, Linghu Shuo, am willing to stake my life on it that Lu Lingfeng can be trusted. Why did you risk your life to save me? Hasn’t it ever occurred to you that if I go back alive, Taiyin Sect won’t let you go? But if you fell to your death, who would take me to see the real sect leader? Your identity as a spy has been exposed. Stop lying. Who said I’m a spy? Chang’an is expecting my head. Even if Mount Taiyin is wiped out, the credit will still go to the state government. The court still won’t believe me. If I, Lu Lingfeng, want to achieve something great, I definitely can’t rely on the court of Tang. It’s a pity that all the blood and tears I shed for Tang was a waste. So why didn’t you draw the Map of Western Region’s Troop Locations just now? Firstly, I don’t believe that bald man is the sect leader. Secondly, although I have the map of troop locations memorized, I couldn’t draw it because I simply don’t know how to paint. Among those who came to Hanzhou with him, there’s a woman named Pei Xijun. She’s good at Danqing, and she and Lu Lingfeng can read each other’s minds. She can draw it for him. If that’s really the case, it would be great. We agreed to meet at Tianbao Restaurant in 2 days. By then, if he still can’t hand over the map, I know what to do. I know it takes at least 2 days for an ordinary person to do such a painting. But this map concerns the safety of Hanzhou, so it can’t be delayed. I hope you can finish it as soon as possible, Xijun. Don’t worry. As long as you describe it clearly, I can definitely finish it before dawn. Okay. Why are you smiling? This is [Troop Locations and Arming Map of Mount Taiyin] the first time you and I paint together. How’s it? The pheasant tastes quite unique. The General of the Imperial Guards from the Lu family of Fanyang stewed chicken for me. Not bad. Not bad at all. If you like it, eat more. But you’d better be quiet. Don’t distract Xijun. I shouldn’t have complimented you. What are you reading? This is the file from 18 years ago when Taiyin Sect was exterminated. Where did you get it? Of course I didn’t go to the Commandery for nothing. The mastermind behind the rebellion at that time was the great-grandson of Duan Gui. After he was executed by the court, there was no more rebellion of Taiyin Sect in Hanzhou for 15 years. Check this out. Among the rebels at that time, there was a seven-year-old girl who escaped. She was the daughter of the so-called sect leader. This little girl rode a saw-toothed rhino and escaped deep into the mountains. It was later rumored that she was adopted by a huntsman surnamed Song. After that, the government troops searched in the mountains for many years, but they never found this huntsman surnamed Song. Wait a minute. His surname is Song? [Miaose Dyeing Workshop] Ami. Is Song Ami here? You look so beautiful under the light of Taiyin. I thought you’d never come back. How could I? I don’t want to see you like this. Come in. Right. This is it. With these 4 maps, it won’t be long before the state government’s army marches into Mount Taiyin and exterminates Taiyin Sect completely. Xijun. You’ve made another great contribution. This is what you got from your risky trip into the mountains. I just drew a few strokes in a hurry. I wouldn’t consider it as some contribution. Let me see, let me see. Xijun. Lu Lingfeng showed no fear in the face of danger and made up something called the Map of Western Region’s Troop Locations. Not only did he confuse the enemy, but he also got us such a detailed Arming Map of Taiyin in return. Impressive. Truly impressive. He reminds me of my younger self. Lu Lingfeng. It has been confirmed that you are here. Come out and surrender immediately. Who is it? Making so much noise… Listen up, people inside. The arrow is on the bowstring. Send Lu Lingfeng out quickly. I’ll count to three. If Lu Lingfeng doesn’t come out, be prepared to be pierced by tens of thousands of arrows. Three. Two. One. It’s you, Minister Ma. What brings you here so early in the morning? Come on. Come in for some tea. Su Wuming. I’m not here to exchange pleasantries with you. Tell Lu Lingfeng to come out and surrender. Otherwise, there’ll be consequences. Ma Meng. I’m Su Wuming, disciple of Detective Di. May I have a word with you in private? You are Di Renjie’s disciple? I, Su, am incompetent. At this critical moment, I have to invoke my respected teacher’s name. Please, Minister Ma. Come inside for some tea. Don’t shoot the arrows. I’ve held Ma Meng, Judicial Adjutant of Hanzhou, hostage. If you don’t want him to die, make way. Make way! Make way! Come on, make way! [Long’s Residence] Move! What are you waiting for? Run! Come on, hurry. Tell your men not to chase us. If you don’t want to die, don’t come after us. Don’t chase them! Watch out for an ambush. What… What’s wrong, Ami? I had a nightmare. It was so scary. I dreamed that you punched him to death, and his brain splattered everywhere. How could that be? Didn’t you tell me he ran away to avoid the creditors? Come on, let me rub your feet. No need. I’ve seen with my own eyes that you punched someone to death before. I’m scared. Don’t worry. I kill with my left hand, but I care for you with my right hand. Let me rub your feet. I’ll be gentle. I have some good news. Do you want to know? What is it? I told you before that an army of 100,000 men is no match for a single brilliant general. Now, that brilliant general has come to me with a valuable map. With this map, I can gain the allegiance of thousands of troops and horses of the Western Region. I don’t understand these things, and I don’t want to know either. [Two hours ago] Why should I trust you? I’ll entrust these 4 maps to you, Minister Ma. How do I know if they are real or fake? Lu Lingfeng risked his life to get these. How can you doubt him? That’s what all liars say. -How could you…
-Xijun. Since Minister Ma doesn’t even believe the Arming Map of Taiyin, he definitely won’t recognize Censor Xie’s letter. I want that other thing. This is Master Moshi’s tongue relic. The other half of it is in Hanzhou. The first time we met was at Hui’an Temple. I, Lu, was entrusted by the sheriff of Shen County, Jiang Wei, to reunite the two halves of this ultimate treasure. I’m willing to entrust this treasure to you, Minister Ma. Can you trust me now? Please don’t. Master Moshi’s tongue relic is an ultimate treasure. Of course I, Ma Meng, am well aware of the value of it. You have this treasure, yet you didn’t exchange it for money. I, Ma Meng, can trust you now. Sheriff Lu. I’ll follow your plan. Sheriff Lu. Mr. Su. What’s our plan next? Hand over the maps. Minister Ma, please hand the maps directly to the prefectural governor. As for how you obtained the maps, there’s no need to mention me, Lu Lingfeng. The credit for wiping out the Taiyin Sect will all go to you, Minister Ma. Sheriff Lu. What kind of person do you think I am? Minister Ma. Lu Lingfeng is just worried that if the state government finds out about the origin of these maps, not only will they not believe it, but they’ll also accuse him of colluding with the Taiyin Sect and punish him for it. How is that possible? Some things have happened in Chang’an. I can’t explain it to you in just a few words. Just do as Lu Lingfeng says. The people of Hanzhou will be grateful to you. Minister Ma. Please wait. Minister Ma. I have one more request. Please go ahead, Mr. Su. Here’s the thing. I’m looking for a person. To be precise, a dead person, who died just a couple of days ago. I know you’re busy and you have great responsibilities on your shoulders. But could you spare me a few men? I need to find that person’s corpse as soon as possible. Okay. I will put all the trusted undercover detectives in Hanzhou City at your disposal, Mr. Su. [Troop Locations and Arming Map of Mount Taiyin] It’s depicted in such detail. Who drew this? It was drawn by an undercover detective who I’ve been cultivating for a long time. He pretended to join them a few months ago. After many twists and turns, he finally managed to get into the heartland of Mount Taiyin and got a clear picture of the lair of Taiyin Sect. What about Lu Lingfeng, who was kidnapped by the members of Taiyin Sect yesterday? My undercover detective said that he already defected to Taiyin Sect and gained their appreciation. He now lives on Mount Taiyin. So what’s your plan, Minister Ma? Although we’ve got these maps, I don’t think we should rush into the mountain to encircle and suppress them. We should first order the nearby prefectures and counties to cooperate in investigating the Taiyin Sect’s accomplices, and figure out how many people are there who are determined to rebel with them. We should also mobilize all the huntsmen in nearby prefectures and counties to guard against numerous beasts on Mount Taiyin. Then, when the time is right, we’ll join forces with the Commandery and send troops together. We will definitely wipe out Mount Taiyin in one attempt and bring hundreds of years of peace to Hanzhou. Minister Ma. Haven’t you always advocated marching into the mountains to suppress the bandits? Now that we’ve got the maps, why are you not in a hurry anymore? You said you want to wait for the right time. Why should we wait? We are Hanzhou’s officials. Taiyin Sect is like a knife hanging over our heads. If we keep delaying the suppression, how can we not be ashamed, taking money from the court? Time waits for no one. Let’s enter the mountain today. Minister Ma. This is your chance to make an achievement. But… But we… According to the map, the Taiyin Sect members on the mountain are not few in number. We are in shortage of troops. Bring all the soldiers that the state government sent to Hanzhou Granary back. Redeploy half of the guards from each of the four city gates. I’ll also deploy all the soldiers stationing Hui’an Temple to you. Governor Liao. How can we leave the relic unprotected? Maybe we shouldn’t withdraw the soldiers from Hui’an Temple. They must be withdrawn. Although the relic is a treasure, wiping out Taiyin Sect is the top priority of Hanzhou. Minister Ma. I’m giving you command of all the troops I can mobilize in Hanzhou. Although you’re young, you bravely take on a heavy responsibility today. You will surely have great success in the future. Thank you for your trust, Governor. [Prefectural Governor’s Residence] Ma Meng. I don’t care whether Lu Lingfeng, who’s on Mount Taiyin, is dead or alive. You must bring back that half piece of tongue relic on him back to me. Rest assured, Governor. [Hanzhou] [Long’s Fur Shop] Take care. Where are we going next? Jiufang Pavilion. There’s a casino there. You can drink as much as you want for free as long as you gamble there. Plus, you’ll be accompanied by beautiful dancers. I heard their dancing is absolutely stunning. Well then, I’ll enjoy it. You… you’re coming in with me? What do you think? Right, right. Let’s go in together. Master Moshi. [Diamond Sutra] Today is your birthday in the mortal world. I, your disciple, am here to celebrate your birthday. Please bless me, so that I can obtain your tongue relic. From now on, I will serve you whole-heartedly every day. This time, I want 5 gold coins. 5 gold coins? Are you crazy? I’ve never seen so much money in my entire life. Someone drew the arming map of Mount Taiyin. The entire Hanzhou is mobilizing troops. If you tell your higher-ups the news, is it worth 5 gold coins or not? If not, forget it. Don’t think about getting any information from me ever again. Don’t go. The higher-ups seem to have anticipated that you would have important information today. They actually asked me to bring 5 gold coins. When did you arrive? Master. I was wrong. Is this about Lu Lingfeng? How did you know, Master? Do you think you are my only source of information? I’m afraid you only know one side of the story, Master. They’ve already drawn the arming map of the mountain. Taiyin Sect’s stronghold is in grave danger. I, Linghu Shuo, have made a grave mistake. Please execute me, Master. I… If it weren’t for you, Taiyin Sect wouldn’t be what it’s like today. Why did you only use your left fist? Who is it? It’s none of your business. It’s been 10 years. Whenever the moonlight is bright, you would practice boxing here. I’ve kept count of all the trees you knocked down and all the rocks you broke in the back mountain. What? Are you a monk from Hui’an Temple? Do you want me to pay for the damages? I have no money. Why do you only use your left fist? Old monk. I’m not telling you. This… Old monk. You are so skilled. How did you train your left fist? I learned it from my master. His surname is Duan. Duan? Could it be Duan Gui who dominated Hanzhou? Master. Would you accept me as your disciple? Linghu Shuo. Yes. You are the only son of the owner of Jiufang Pavilion in the city. Your family is not short of money. Your father is also good at socializing. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to find you a job in the government. Work in the government? Be loyal to Chang’an’s court, and create a prosperous era for the Li family? If so, how could I, Linghu Shuo, live up to the expectations of my ancestors? The Linghus are the descendants of King Wen of Zhou state. I’m exceptionally talented and have an outstanding appearance. I should be establishing my own power and achieving great feats like Duan Gui. Only in this way can my life not be in vain. Ambitious. Master. To be honest, I’ve always been better at studying than others since I was little. But when it comes to the Four Books and Five Classics, or the writings of sages, I couldn’t stand reading them, except Duan Gui’s books. It’s only his books that I never get tired of reading. Especially after he broke his right arm. He killed many generals of the court of Tang with his left hand alone. Every time I read that part, my blood would race with excitement. At that time, I was already in my 90s. What I was most anxious about was that I couldn’t convince the sect leader to revitalize the Taiyin Sect. If it weren’t for you, how could we have reassembled the Mountain Gods and recruited our members after that? In just 3 short years, we reunited the fragmented Taiyin Sect and made it great again. Thank you, Master, for remembering my contributions. But the sect rules are inviolable. I have to be punished by death. No. This might actually be our opportunity. Master. Master. Bad news! What’s all the panic about? Linghu Shuo is actually not dead. He betrayed the Taiyin Sect. I heard he even drew a map of Mount Taiyin. Now the government troops are already on their way up the mountain. It’s good news. Good? The terrain of Mount Taiyin is complex. Once the government troops march deep into the heartland, it won’t be easy for them to get out. Have you got the people I asked you to find to spread the word that Taiyin Sect is going to attack Hanzhou Granary? Yes. I’ve got over 100 people. Just give the order. In less than 2 hours, the word will be spread throughout the whole city. How many animal bone arrows have been made? There should be around 80,000 to 90,000 in total. How many have been transported out of the city? 70,000. That’s enough. Pass on my order. Sect Leader has decided to take action tonight and attack Hanzhou City. T… Tonight? Yes, tonight. I am Prefectural Governor, Liao Xin. I am Administrator, Tian Chou. -Greetings, Commander.
-Greetings, Commander. You came together. What’s the matter? Tian Chou. Come on. Tell the Commander. We have received information that It’s said that the villains of Taiyin Sect are planning to attack Hanzhou Granary. Is this information accurate? Absolutely. But 2 hours ago, I received the news that the state government has already redeployed all the troops stationing Hanzhou Granary. This… Governor Liao, you should know about this. You… It was indeed I who redeployed the troops. At that time, we had not yet received the information that Taiyin Sect was planning to attack Hanzhou Granary. As the Prefectural Governor of Hanzhou, Taiyin Sect has been my greatest worry. It’s my dream to wipe them out. Fortunately, Judicial Adjutant Ma Meng has been working diligently. The undercover detective he dispatched risked his life infiltrating Mount Taiyin and obtained the map of Taiyin, as well as the rebels’ arming deployment map. Therefore, I immediately sent troops to enter the mountain for suppression. Commander. I made a mistake. It shouldn’t be considered a mistake. It’s just that the Hanzhou Granary 10 miles away is the largest granary in the northwest. Once attacked, especially if the rebels were to maliciously set fire to it and burn all the grain and fodder, the consequences would be unimaginable. Indeed. Therefore, as soon as I received the information, I rushed over here immediately. The Hanzhou Granary is originally under the joint guard of the Commandery and the state government. At this critical juncture, I hope you can dispatch some troops to support us, Commander. I do have the troops. But who should lead them… I’ll hand the important task of guarding Hanzhou Granary over to you, Governor Liao. As the Prefectural Governor of Hanzhou, during this time when the rebels are causing chaos, I should stand fast in Hanzhou and not leave the city. I recommend Administrator Tian to lead the troops. What? You also want to decline, Administrator Tian? I dare not. But I’m worried that I’m not up to the task. I know you have never led troops before, so I will ask a capable general to assist you. -We’ll see ourselves out, Commander.
-We’ll see ourselves out, Commander. Please. You can come out now. Commander. Follow me. Look. 10 months. 9 pieces per month. 90 pieces in total. That was the third day when I first arrived in Hanzhou. Who’s that? Taiyin Sect. Greetings. This little thief is quite bold. His qinggong is mediocre, though. He brought 9 gold coins here every time. I knew it early on that he embezzled one piece for himself. Don’t you want evidence? This is the evidence of me taking bribes. Last time, it was because I was in urgent need to see you that I offended you, Commander. Please forgive me, Commander. Do you think that I would work for the Taiyin Sect just for some gold coins? Of course not. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have given me the file on the annihilation of the Taiyin Sect back then to read. Since I started working as a government official, I haven’t made any significant contributions, yet I hold a high position. Su Wuming. You don’t think I got this position by taking bribes and then bribing my higher-ups, do you? Do you know that I am from Jiangdong, and I’m a descendant of the Lu family of Wu Commandery? I see. The 4 prominent families of the Wu Commandery are Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang. Everyone knows that. One of my ancestors was also a commander. Was he the one who set fire to the enemies’ fleet during the Battle of Yiling, the world-renowned Lu Xun, Grand Commander Lu Boyan? My apologies. My apologies. At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, Duan Gui rebelled and got killed. His descendants established the Taiyin Sect. It has persisted for 100 years despite repeated suppression. Recently, they have even rebuilt their stronghold and deceived tens of thousands of people to go into the mountains for cultivation. Once they grow powerful, they’ll certainly endanger our state. We need to annihilate them once and for all. Although it’s no match for my ancestor’s Battle of Yiling, it should still count as an achievement, right? That goes without saying. If I had captured that little thief delivering gold coins the first time I met him, I’m afraid we wouldn’t have made it to today. Commander, your camouflage is brilliant, and your strategic planning is remarkable. I, Su, admire you. However, the power of the Taiyin Sect should not be underestimated. Please enlighten me with the details. Animal bones? It’s not like we’re living in the age of savagery anymore. I’m afraid this is fearmongering, isn’t it? When the new Emperor ascended the throne, he immediately issued the Iron Restriction Order, aiming to create a safe realm where one can travel a thousand miles without carrying a weapon. Therefore, it’s hard for the Taiyin Sect to forge weapons since they can’t get iron. This has been confirmed when Lu Lingfeng investigated the smithy. But it’s said that in the Han dynasty, nomadic tribes used to make arrowheads with animal bones, which could pierce the throat with one shot. It was even more powerful even iron and steel. Although I, Su, have only been in Hanzhou for a few days, I have visited an Animal Bone Yard. A large number of animal bones were transported out of the Animal Bone Yard. For what purpose? I can’t help but worry about it. Taiyin Sect has always acted in strange ways. It’s quite possible they are using animal bones to make arrows. In the past 10 months, I have sent out many undercover detectives, but I have not been able to ascertain the true identity of the Taiyin Sect Leader. Besides, what’s so special about this sect leader that can make the sect members so fiercely loyal? This hasn’t been figured out yet either. The safety of Hanzhou is still uncertain. [Miaose Dyeing Workshop] Why did you come back again? Didn’t you already make up your mind? The door is not locked. Come in. Linghu Shuo. What do you want? What? Since I’m not Linghu Shuo, you wouldn’t let me in? You’re more than capable to walk. Who said you couldn’t come in?