KJ2025

I’m the new what?

The emperor wants to retire and this has crown prince and grand princess at odds. The group is in Luoyang and the see three women walking along happily til one has a burn break out on her face. They briefly stop to observe and make their way to governor. There Su finds out he has been directly appointed by the princess as administrator. He also learns it is an informal position and is outraged. He has no intention of having his integrity challenged and flat out refuses. What he learns is that he has been appointed to work on the face flower case. The princess has used it and doesn’t have much time left. They need to find an antidote before 81 days elapses. If not her face will become a skull and she will die. Su is persuaded to take the case but still doesn’t want the position. He chooses to remove himself and Lu from the government quarters and heads to Paradise Inn. It is a high class brothel and Lu is not happy. What he later learns is Su was already aware the seller of the product was there. What neither of them knew was that the body was still there. Su makes Lu distract bar owner after lowering him down to seller’s room. When he takes cover off body, the face looks ancient. The minister is informed that he did not accept the housing but goes to check on him at the inn. Su now sees what the princess is up against and he needs to figure this out quickly.

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The man behind the curtain

Lu LiFeng had quite the island adventure. Unlucky fall found lucky tree.😅 I wondered why he had to find that tree. The idea of the fabric was interesting. Minister Zeng….the one most like chicken Fei…..I knew something was up with him but did not give him the mean spiritedness to be playing god. The reactions of the crowd in shock and disbelief that the minister they kinda blew off as the drunkard was that wicked guy calling for so many deaths. That battle had to happen. It was well choreographed and took out the worst of them. Yingtao taking the arrow for Su.😢 such a touching moment. Everybody did their part well and the timing of the incense was a bit too close.🫣 Even at the end Zeng was truly hateful. Lu’s spear gave him a better death than he deserved. He should have been alligator lunch.😝 I am happy that Yingtao survived. I know she is regretful of the name on the tombstone, but I think her dad would appreciate the effort. We finally got the back story of the real Li. It is abhorrent that he got by with what he did, but he finally did get the judgment he had coming.The minister of justice finally had the names written up of all the guilty members of tuo faction. His face when Su said they should now be burned and people United. It was the right call, but after all the work to finally obtain the information, it was one unhappy person burning the work. Su has received a message to move on to another city. I am hoping Yingtao joins the group. They could use some more muscle. Next adventure getting ready to start.

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The plot thickens

There is incense by the alter and Yingtao lights it and calms the alligators so that they all escape from the tavern. XiJun says there is no way Yingtao can be the daughter of governor Li. Yingtao was indeed the daughter of the governor, however, the governor was a replacement for the one that was supposed to be there. XiJuan confirmed that governor Li was a young man in 30’s and had bought his position rather than earn it. This was the reason she didn’t like him. The girl escapes using a knockout powder and Su finds her the following day. They go to the mute’s grave and the father shows up. This is where we learn that the chang’anlady was killed because she knew who the real Li was. He came to give Su the last copy of the records and to charge him with the care of his daughter. They hatch a plan to get to the island. Fei and Lu steal the god wine and then let themselves get caught. Lu is the one tied up and transported to the island. He is given a tool to cut his rope and Lu hurls himself into the water. Now it will be him against gator in the water.😬Su shows up at the celebration for the minister’s retirement. There is wine given to the guests of honor and the tuo faction says all the merchants and politicians will be on board to the island. The guest of honor says he is otherwise engaged and politely but firmly refuses the invitation. Episode ends as faction leader is incensed and screaming.

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More questions than answers

Li Yingtao shows up for the burial service but it is revealed that the governor is not the corpse in the coffin. Now the search is on to find him before three day festival ends. The case involves an unidentified chang’an beauty that was found dead and put in an underground tomb. Lu accidentally finds her when he locates a secret passage. His search was cut short by several alligators. When he returns with Su the body has been moved and they find the mute burying her by the river. When he is in for questioning he says he killed Li and the woman and then himself so that all roads lead to him. Prior to his capture he got a note to Yingtao so she knew he was alive. What is unclear is who she really is.When Su called her by name she said quit calling me that. She is like a daughter to the governor, but it is unclear if actually related. She did not know who the woman was and only responded with sincerity when she found out the mute was gone. They give him a grave outside the city and then head to Hansen. This is the next likely place to find governor. The red curtain stays part of the alligator shrines. Something is always hidden with this god. They found him but did not get out quick enough. Archers await outside to kill exiters and those inside are about to be eaten by alligator, Fei doesn’t look upset because he finally has his wine.😝🙄 He told them an incense that would put the beast to sleep, but where are they supposed to find it?

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Political shenanigans

The autopsy of the governor had interesting results. It is a left handed swordsman/assassin and not the governor. So how good is the governor at martial arts? He accidentally showed himself to his daughter who passed out at the sight. It is put into question if she is really his daughter. If not, then who? The caretaker is mute but not deaf. He is well aware of what is going on but can only be understood by a few. The minister of justice seems to be the only one trying to get to the truth of the matter. Everybody else is falling in line with whatever the temple tells them. That fake activity behind curtain. Is like wizard of oz…pay no attention to the man behind the curtain😂😝 The followers choose to be stupid and go along since the alligator guard can eat any opposers. They use it to extort ‘tithes’ from the merchants and subdue the people. There is another in ministry like Fed lamenting the loss of the famous wine. It used to flow abundantly as part of their trade and now has become nectar to the god so only a few can partake. Lu Yong confessed to trying to murder the governor, but also brings up the records he gave the administrator. The official promptly lies and betrays the efforts of the rebels. He is not backed by Su or the minister of justice who has now been tagged to help Su take care of ghosts. Su visits Lu Yong in jail and confirms the assassin was in the coffin. Lu LiFeng shows up timely to help Ying Tao get rid of other would be assassins but ends up yet again needing treatment from Fei to save him. This time is alligator bite. Our team is united and not. Lu at least says he is not leaving and stays by XiJun’s side openly. XueHuan runs off to get him some hot water for his feet. And we get to celebrate the team is at same place. I like that Lu did recon prior and had established the lay of the land. He already knows things are off and here a strong arm is needed. Scholarly Su would already be dead if not for the swordsmen around him. Which does make me wonder why the princess has cursed him with promotions that don’t really suit his skillset. She has cursed him as much with his job as she has Lu removing his. She is a devious royal with more smarts than the prince. Is she using them to clean house in the region or to get rid of competition?

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Off to parts unknown

Well good grief😝 I thought Lu was punished again by Prince but this time it’s the Princess that had him dismissed. How is he on the s list for both of them? I’m with Su on this one. Why doesn’t he seem to give a damn?🧐🙄 Part of his nature is to not curry favor and this seems to be getting him soundly slapped from both royal sides.😝I wish he would have invited XiJun to his reunion, but I guess he didn’t think it appropriate to get drunk in front of her. He finally does give her a heartfelt hug when she offers to accompany him wherever he goes.🥰 They all wake up to find him and Fei gone. Ironically Su finds himself promoted again. I don’t think Lu begrudged him. I think he chooses not to go with because he doesn’t like handouts even from friends. Also, if he is ill fated with royals…why would he choose to add that to their burdens? He seems to be resolved to find his own way without any of their aid. Considering his strength of character, I don’t fault him for this. He always seems to choose the most difficult path that flies in the face of existing authority. His causes are righteous, but he still does not play well with others. The school of hard knocks seems to be his path and he rightly decides to give his friends a much smoother course. Su, XiJun and XueHuan are nearing Ninghu under a stormy sky and filled with Su’s scary stories of crocodiles and alligators. The horses are skittish and we see huge reptiles walking around on the outskirts of the water. The temple they seek shelter in is for tuo. It’s creepy and they are joined by two factions. One that serves the god and one that doesn’t. They are having an actual war in the temple. An armed female joins them and encourages them to be quiet. The battle has ended but Su makes a noise and the temple is searched. He pretends to be voice of the god and they are superstitious enough to fall for it.😝 when they get into the city it is clear that the worshippers of tuo expect others to do the same or die. There is an uneasy current in the city because of this. When they head to the governor’s house they find him dismembered. Maybe now we will find out why XiJun did not like him. The minister of justice and the daughter seem to be the only two mourning the governor. The daughter is the same armed female from the temple. There is an island to see the great tuo god. There is be an alligator farm where non believers are eaten. Whoever controls the alligators controls the people. Lu Yong was the leader of the rebel group. Seems Lu’s get into trouble. 🧐He has brought the only evidence that could convict the group of believers. It lists specifically who members are and crimes committed, but he has idealistically put it in hands of administrator. Now the question really is…which side is this administrator on? It is unlikely to be an unbiased view. The one clue Su is given is that this firmly took root thirty years ago.

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The cryptkeeper

XiJun’s combined sketch revealed a very interesting thing. It was a picture of the deceased doctor, Meng Dong Lao. Sheriff Lu demanded the tomb opened. There was a skeleton there but it was the missing girl from 40 yrs ago. He used her skeleton to write his medical journal on bones. The heads were collected for him to finish his headache journal. Hui fit the bill with her headaches. He planned on getting executed after his medical research, but Lu called for immediate execution. He questioned himself because the village would have benefited greatly from a cure, but he considered the cost too high. Fei has become the new doctor and taking on the task he started training for. Everything was going well. He escorted XiJun to the safe part of road to Nangzhou and the doc was getting the huge sign his elder wanted. The magistrates that I considered complete bums were finally doing their jobs. Lu made the error of pretending they were burning a cat demon to keep the people away as they explored the cave and underground room DongLao had set up with the bones from victims. However, this news reached the palace and they chose to dismiss him from his position. The crown prince has it in fo him and I’d sure like to know why. What should have been a city celebration turned into a bittersweet farewell to the sheriff that had rejuvenated their town and brought justice for forty year crime. I don’t know where they are headed now because I don’t think he can return to Chang’an. He is making such good progress and I am annoyed with the prince and the writer for not giving him a break.😝

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Repeat of 40 yr cold case

Right after congratulations for completing first case, 40 yr dismemberment case is repeated. The coroner resigns because it is the case 40 yrs ago that caused his dad to commit suicide. Sheriff Lu is going to give it a try but the autopsy is too much for him. Turns out XueHuan and Su had a signal if Lu needed help. A basket of oranges arrived in NanZhou and the gang packs up and heads to Ju. Su disguises himself initially as the coroner hired by Sheriff Lu. It’s a pretty grisly case. The body is cut in such a way that the murder weapon cannot be determined. The skin was stripped from the bones and cut into pieces. Su kept everybody out and gave the one defining mark that made it clear it was Hui. The butcher looks most guilty but the son in law told her to leave him alone. He even bribed her to end it. So even tho he had planned on hurting her there was no longer any need. Seems Chicken Fei was friends with the Dr buried in the upstairs of the meds building in backyard. He has a very vivid dream of his old friend chastising him for not doing what he was supposed to be doing as far as progressing the filed of medicine. He is giving the job of determining what is on the cloth that preserved the victim parts. But he is lead to believe he is figuring out the cloth from a famous wine.😂XueHuan’s look of horror as Fei tried to hand the cloth his way.😂 XiJun offered to draw the pieces but was told no by Su. She decided she would assist with drawing the three people seen in various temples putting the bags on offering table. Su has left and put his sworn sister in charge.😂 Lu is going back to some of his bad habits already, but he is at least getting some help. The ragbag magistrate got Lu to make a deadline and he has to opt for a week when they were willing to give him a month. They are wanting his job to be on the line with higher ups rather than theirs. Progress is being made but it is slow going and the townsfolk dealing with PTSD and the new people dealing with the horror of it. There is still something fishy about the headaches. Is the doc causing them and healing them? He is a bit off and I wonder if more than the buried body upstairs.

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Sheriff Lu’s first case

The magistrate is dumping all the city chores he doesn’t want to do on the sheriff. Apparently he wants him gone or his personal gopher. XueHuan is excelling in his training. He is becoming quite useful. He wants the sword sharpened but Lu is right to keep the boy from taking a life for as long as possible. He does not want XueHuan to have blood on his hands at such an early age. The doc did seem like part of the problem. All the locks and sneaking around in the back courtyard made him suspect. It is odd for a tomb to be inside. I wonder if we will get the story for that? The loser rock bet😂 only Lu would think of such a thing. It was a good souvenir to keep. It will remind him of what he does not want to be. Sheriff Lu has solved his first case. It was a stroke of genius to pose as the murderer and get carted around the streets. He knew this would motivate real killer to show up to watch the show and think got by with it. He followed the evidence and didn’t try to assume anything first. He is doing much better about paying attention to the details. I am hoping before he moves on that he finds a way to get rid of the miasma plaguing the city. Maybe chicken Fei can come up with a cure. The new sheriff has won the respect of the people. It is a shame the murderer kept the head locations a secret. As grisly as that sounds I hope he finds them for the families. Su is checking in on him so wonder if he is eyeballing the official that is acting flakey and does not want the sheriff to succeed. This is first investigation I was proud of Lu…like our boy is growing up😁 He is actually seeing his surroundings instead of projecting his view of things. He not only is becoming a better investigator, he is becoming a warmer and more thoughtful person.😁

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There’s a new sheriff in town

It was quite the tale from temple cleaner. He was indeed a thief and worse in his earlier life. He masterminded all the happenings of the poor suspect. His crime was having a pretty wife. The lengths those two covetous men went to. His colleague was a lech. I still don’t quite know what he perceived as a benefit by pretending intimacy with the husband. It was also a bit unsettling how calmly this guy recounted these heinous events like reading a newspaper story. He had no guilt killing the roommate. He most likely would have had this fate because he seduced women at every opportunity. Things were not going to end well for him. The poor wife had reason to think her husband deserted her. That made his long stints away from home more rational to her. It is hard to comprehend he would always choose books over his wife. Muscle memory is a bitch if you’re an assassin. Out of habit he killed her before even knowing it was her. This is the first bit of emotion this guy shows. I think his ecstasy incense was working on him too. He deluded himself into believing she would run off with him and live happily ever after. What he did not count on was her truly loving her husband and realizing something was false in the narrative the cleaner told her. She was even smart enough to move the family silver. This bandit’s hope of being a politician was too close to happening. He just about pulled it all off. His discovery out of the gate was the only thing that changed his destiny. I do not blame the scholar for wondering why on earth Lu was treating him kindly now. I do like this characteristic of Lu. When he is at fault he recognizes it and learns from it. His social spectrum is growing a bit. He even gives the scholar his horse along with the hidden silver. They have provided him letters and everything he needs for the best chance of success. The scene at the bridge was fun. The team is enjoying an adventure and Lu and XiJun are teased about marriage. Lu then finds himself receiving a promotion as sheriff of Ju. It is far from being a general but it’s an actual imperial commission. It is now dawning on him that he can work his way back if he chooses. When he realizes magistrate Pei is probably the cause he rejects the job. He is eventually talked into it and leaves for Ju with XueHuan accompanying him. The town is rundown and people are leaving complaining of headaches. He goes straight to the files to start working on cases rather than visiting the local lead politician. This already has him snubbed by the leader but his industry in getting to work cannot be denied. He finds himself at an interesting location that is supposed to be haunted. I wonder what is really in the back attic that they won’t let him rent. Lu is studying the 40 year cold case and XueHuan is sweeping outside when creepy entities show up and the boy lets out a loud scream. And that is the lovely cliff hanger they leave us on.😝

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Career changes

Now that suspect has finally had some rest, XiJun draws his memories to see what clues come out. Even the drawings show disjointed thought and it’s still difficult to extrapolate fact from fiction. Lu noticed the meal guy wanted to say something and has a chat with him. And before checking with suspect he goes in and tries to flatten the guy. The lunch server has implied he is gay and that wife had discovered the two men flirting. Lu is an absolute genius in warfare. He evaluates on the fly what needs to be done and makes direct thorough progress in attacks almost every time. He is invaluable for military strategy, but I hate his black white line in investigation. He cannot color outside the lines and he goes with the shortest distance a to b rather than what is the route that leads to perpetrators. Once his mind is made up, he fits evidence to his thinking rather than let the evidence tell him what happened. This trait annoys the crap out of me as he bulldogs his way through in a scorched earth righteous pattern. Su is more sly and subject to error. However, he evaluates the evidence to see where it goes and actually tries to assume innocent until proven guilty. He is slowly bit by bit chipping away at Lu’s sledge hammer approach to things. Lu is a master with sword and spear but he has no clue how to hold a scalpel for investigating yet. Fei is the surprise helper. He works well with both of him and his abilities complements theirs. He helps Su with his medical knowledge and he has a great throwing arm to get Lu the weapons he needs. The meal guy is indeed the thief from a decade ago. He was the builder of the temple and he became the caretaker there. He was content until a couple scholars moved in and provided him a library. He educated himself and was now going to try the exam to get into the ministry himself. Lu was the one to figure out his identity. The needle trick with the pheasants gave him away. Now to find out what part he had in the murders if any. He will at least have a lot of missing details.

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Dream vs reality

They have found the wife’s body in a temple. Everything points to the spouse and yet also doesn’t. While he could be capable of these acts, it really doesn’t go along with his nature. There is more to it. Chicken Fei indicated incense might have a play in this. The master poisoner/ninja that knows where the money is seems to be part of these events. Su and Lu do not agree on who the murderer is. Lu thinks things conclusively point to the husband and Su is not convinced the evidence points only his way. In spite of the knife marks on the wife’s body, what actually killed her was a dart very like the one that almost killed Lu. Money is involved with the why. And colleague was asking to be killed rather than meet father. Why? Lu is getting more like Su in dealing with Fei. He locked him up to dry him out and for him to diagnose suspect. Took him 100+ needles but he finally got the guy some sleep. Now we can find out what he is really like. Does the meal guy and old man have any part? These two with 5pm clocks make good alibis. The only sure thing is the two that are dead. The why’s are still uncertain til trance state isn’t part of equation. The hints are that the two did have an affair, she finds herself pregnant and wants to leave for Chang’an with hubby to cover it up. Now to see if any of that speculation holds true when all revealed.

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Fact or fiction

Dream or reality? This guy is turning psycho but was it with drugs or just his imagination. Was wife lying or also having dreams and reality intertwined? Xue Huan is developing some very handy martial arts skills. 👏🏻 The husband’s moves remind me of Peewee Herman. They are over the top and almost comedic. The alleged lech has been killed and the wife is missing. They suspect the husband but there are still loose ends. Why are the officials allowing young women to disappear? Minister Lu discovered this hazard and it’s been dealt with. But for all the women caged there, none were the one they were looking for. A ninja was at the couple’s home looking for something. Lu battled well but was almost taken out by a poisoned dart. Chicken Fei is earning his keep. This is the second time he has saved Lu from poisoning. Xue Huan was more than happy to give description and XiJun in undressing him so they could treat.😂 Su has visited the home and has not said yet if any clues to wife’s disappearance. Is the treasure in wall related to these events. Were the three poisoned and delusional so searches could be made? Now it is unclear if fellow student and wife having an affair of if husband saw in drugged haze what he most feared. If the husband was such a devoted scholar to temple, and never really came home to his wife, why was he even married? Waiting to see what turns up next episode.

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Haunted post part two

Su and Lu split up and again enter haunted post. That was a creep fest of brothers. The missing finger was the part that didn’t let Lu’s mind rest. He definitely did not want any meat other than chicken. We now see what happened to Cui in the upper room. This whole story was weird. The one brother evil from birth and the one tagged with that was actually not. His was instinctive, not deliberate premeditation. I enjoyed the brother tantrum over fake painting. That was instant karma for him. The sheriff was called to task for his part. They will be removed from office and the post will no longer be haunted. There are still more snakes to be relocated. So next story will explain the treasure behind wall.I don’t think I will feel sorry for whatever happens to the lech. The wife is just as guilty. I think the begger should have received a finder’s fee to get shelter from the rain. This episode went from ick and gory to cuckolded husband. Interesting spectrum.

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Truth and consequences

This episode revealed who the ‘monk’ was. Chicken Fei continues to be interesting. He figured out that the tea scholar’s condition was not terminal. This scholar really had a creepy way of treating those he loved. He and businessman both a bit crazy about painting. I am glad they rescued the businessman in time and basically provided him a new scholar club to belong to. XiJun will make a good makeup artist for them😂 it was interesting to see their faces changed. The case is solved and a lot of people lost due to misdiagnosis. The only good thing of that is now Fed has shown them what it is and how to cure. I do not know how these two plan to solve the haunted post case. But with those huge snakes I am wishing it was more than just the two of them. The meat from this place is like Fried Green Tomatoes BBQ. They are back inside and Lu frankly asks if the monkeys are like humans. The host had a shocked expression on his face. This is where episode ends and we see what Lu figured out.

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