Episode Summary
A mysterious musician is blamed for a massacre at a corrupt lord's wedding feast, but the sole survivor helps an investigator, Zhong Chunjie, uncover the truth. They learn the victims were actually poisoned by a greedy constable. The accused musician, Tang Lici, was only using his music to ease their passing. After the real killer is caught, Tang Lici recruits one of the investigators, Chi Yun, for a new mission.
Spoiler Alert
A Wedding and a Massacre
The show kicks off at the Hao Mansion. The local City Lord just bought himself a new bride. The girl's father is sick, so she sold herself to cover the medical bills. It's a pretty grim situation. Everyone in town shows up to the party. They're all smiling to the City Lord's face but gossiping behind his back.
Then, a man in black appears on the roof. He's holding a pipa, a Chinese lute. This guy has a real problem with bullies. He sees this forced marriage for what it is. Another ugly display of human greed. So, he starts to play his instrument. A few moments later, everyone in the mansion is dead. We're talking over a hundred people. They just drop.
The story of the black-clothed pipa player spreads like wildfire. Storytellers on the street are having a field day with it. They say his technique is called the "Sound Kill." He can supposedly kill dozens of people just by playing a song.
The Lone Survivor
There's one person left alive in the entire Hao Mansion. The new bride. Her name is A'Shui.
A local constable named Yang Shangqing immediately decides she's the prime suspect. His logic is simple. Why else would she be the only one to survive? He starts torturing her for a confession. The guy is a real piece of work.
Luckily, the real investigator shows up. Her name is Zhong Chunjie. She hears Yang Shangqing's theory and thinks he's a complete idiot. She immediately orders her men to untie A'Shui and gives the poor girl a bowl of water.
A'Shui actually saw the killer that night. She describes him to Zhong Chunjie. He wore all black and carried a pipa, but his face was brutal. Based on her description, Zhong Chunjie sends her team to a place called the Jinyue Temple.
Meet the Suspect
At the temple, the investigators are stopped by a guy named Chi Yun. He's a disciple there and a very skilled fighter. He's not happy about the intrusion. But when he sees A'Shui, he seems interested. He agrees to take her to the man they're looking for.
A'Shui comes face-to-face with a man who looks just like the killer. She's terrified at first. But then she looks closer. His eyes are gentle. They aren't filled with the same murderous rage she saw that night. This man is quietly carving a piece of wood. There's even a baby sleeping in a cradle next to him.
Not Quite the Killer
Zhong Chunjie arrives a moment later. A'Shui explains the situation. The man looks like the killer, but he isn't him.
Zhong Chunjie still insists on questioning the man, whose name is Tang Lici. Tang Lici is completely calm. He lets her inside, mostly so the noise won't wake the baby. He asks her why she's even trying to question him. She knows his martial arts are far better than hers.
Their conversation is strange and full of hidden meanings. Zhong Chunjie quickly realizes Tang Lici isn't her man. But his words give her a new clue. She rushes back to the Hao Mansion.
The Real Killer is a Corrupt Cop
Chi Yun was listening to the weird conversation. He's incredibly curious. He catches up with Zhong Chunjie on the road and asks her what Tang Lici was really talking about. They're both pretty straightforward people, so she explains the code.
Tang Lici's clues make Chi Yun realize something. The deaths at the mansion weren't caused by a "Sound Kill." The guests were poisoned.
He and Zhong Chunjie go back and investigate. They confirm it. The water and wine served at the banquet were poisoned. When mixed together, the two liquids become a deadly toxin. Now they just need to figure out who framed the pipa player. Chi Yun remembers how quickly the constable, Yang Shangqing, started torturing A'Shui. It was suspicious.
They decide to test him. It doesn't take much. They catch Yang Shangqing at his house, dividing up stolen gold with his men.
The Pipa Player's Real Role
Chi Yun is a much better fighter. He takes down Yang Shangqing easily. The dirty cop confesses to everything. He killed all those people for the money.
He also explains why he framed Tang Lici. It turns out Tang Lici was just passing by the mansion that night. He saw that everyone had been poisoned and was dying slowly. He played his pipa to give them a peaceful and quicker death. He was being merciful, not murderous.
An Unexpected Alliance
After dealing with Yang Shangqing, Chi Yun is walking home. He feels a lot of regret about the whole situation.
That's when he runs into Tang Lici.
Tang Lici doesn't attack him. Instead, he gives Chi Yun a mission. He tells him to gather the members of the Central Plains Sword Association. Then, he is to bring them to a specific spot outside the village.
