Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Episode 2

Traps and illusions

In this episode we find out why General is causing interference with new sheriff’s investigations. He wanted Sheriff Di to choose him as disciple to take over office. He was jealous of the one chosen and until tiger illusion felt superior. Both of them knew Chang’an tea had something to do with strange occurrences. The general had set up a trap at ghost market to catch tea buyer. He managed to catch sheriff and servant instead. While he was busy mocking him and leaving them hanging to observe how they would handle case, a huge tiger comes into market. Two of general’s team jumps out of window and when he runs for it sheriff shames him into killing with sword and not to jump. This is how he learned it was an illusion and that the two who jumped out of the window were killed by traps. The brother was guilty of buying a powder that when added to horse’s water would make it run wildly and sweat bold til it died. He was plotting to betray sister and sell chan’an tea as a bride price for the maid carrying his child. His dealings with the masked ones from ghost market got him and sister killed. The sheriff found case files the general had written up and that helped him see the ceremonial pattern of human sacrifices. The general is in a drunken morose state because he thought he was the superior investigator. He was ashamed he was fooled by tiger illusion and got two of his men killed. The sheriff complimented him on many of the cases he made notes on. He tried to encourage the personnel minister to stop drinking the tea. He told him about the illusions they caused and hinted strongly that this is what most likely led to the death of prior sheriff. He finds out his daughter is obsessed with a general that was killed in battle. The general she painted is not the one she says she wants to marry. She drew the cousin who is alive and well and happens to be the general giving the sheriff a bad time. The dad of the murdered brother and sister wants to bring the maid up on charges for theft. The sheriff tells him of the son’s plan to take care of maid and child and encourages the father to sell the tea and accept the maid as mother of his grandchild. That she wasn’t stealing, but getting back what was supposed to be their safety net to live on. The face changing entities were eerie changing faces. Do the masks let them literally steal the faces of their victims? They are responsible for this tea becoming popular with the royals and nobles. Where do they get it? What is in it? And how many people have died because of it? The sheriff is getting more questions than answers, but is heading in the right direction for answers. Hopefully no more traps from the general😝

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