Assessment

"Above my head, a clear blue sky; in my heart, a single belief. It's not youthful ignorance, just fearlessness in the face of challenge..."

As the theme song began, Gong Cheng leaned back in his seat, settling into a comfortable position.

"The theme song is really good!"

"And paired with the opening montage, it looks quite impactful!"

"Huang Zhou's look is pretty good. His eyes show shrewdness, and he gives off an aura of upright righteousness. Jin Jiawei's styling is beautiful. Regardless of whether the drama is good or bad, she should be able to gain some popularity. Chen Minghao's segment is amazing, truly a veteran actor. His entire being, even his eyes, are full of performance!"

"This drama gives a decent first impression, but ultimately, its success or failure will depend on the plot. Many dramas that failed miserably often had excellent superficial production."

The theme song ended.

The screen transitioned from dark to light, revealing a bustling ancient street.

Candied hawthorns, street performers, children, vendors.

"The opening is standard, as expected from a drama directed by Kong Teng. Even at its worst, there's a baseline."

Gong Cheng continued to watch.

Upper couplet: "The sounds of wind, rain, and study enter the ears, one after another."

Lower couplet: "Matters of family, state, and world concern the heart, one after another."

Riddle: "The Six Classics have long been stored in the chest; a sword, honed for ten years, is ready in hand. A branch lies across the apricot blossom's head; fearing heavenly secrets will be leaked, do not let the mouth utter them. A single, pea-like lump, large as a bean, hides half the bed's emptiness. Fame awaits until one hangs up their official hat and returns home; do you know your former self?"

Answer: "Xingwei Top Scholar."

"The couplet and riddle were chosen well, showing great cultural depth. I read a lot of ancient texts and old notes, but I've never heard this couplet or riddle poem before. It shows the screenwriter put thought into it, demonstrating skill without being cliché. I'll have to research their exact origins after watching the show."

Next, Huang Zhou appeared. An old man selling fried dough sticks lost his copper coin and got into a conflict with an old man driving pigs. Huang Zhou, playing a stern scholar, entered and said something astonishing: he claimed the fat pig was the suspect and that he would interrogate it!

"Didn't they say this was a suspense drama? Interrogating a pig? Screenwriter, are you trying to be funny?"

The plot continued.

The stern scholar put his ear to the fat pig's mouth, mimicking listening to it speak. After the pig grunted a few times, the scholar looked as if he'd suddenly understood.

"The suspect, the breeding pig, said it has elderly parents above and children below. Therefore, due to financial hardship, it had no choice but to steal money. If everyone is willing to donate one copper coin to ensure its family's livelihood while it's imprisoned, it will confess. So, if you want to know where the fried dough stick vendor's money is, donate one copper coin."

Seeing this, Gong Cheng couldn't help but shake his head. A pig with elderly parents and children? And going to prison? Well, this drama might be even worse than he anticipated.

The stern scholar asked the young man selling tofu for a bowl of clear water. Gongsun Ce was the first to toss a copper coin into the bowl. The onlookers followed suit, throwing their coins into the water.

The bowl was handed to the pig-driving old man, who remained unmoved.

Stern Scholar: "Old sir, don't you want to clear your name?"

The pig-driving old man reluctantly took a copper coin from his pocket and placed it in the bowl.

A layer of oil floated on the water's surface.

The stern scholar's expression changed from nonchalant to serious.

"The suspect, the breeding pig, said that the stolen money is--"

The stern scholar grabbed the pig-driving old man's wrist and continued, "Right here!"

He then raised the old man's hand.

Pig-Driving Old Man: "What nonsense are you talking? Can pigs talk? Do you take me for a fool!"

Stern Scholar: "Pigs naturally cannot speak, but money can. This fried dough stick vendor, old sir, handles money with his oily hands every day, so his coins will show oil. However, only your coin floated with oil among those everyone put in the bowl. Do you still deny it?"

The pig-driving old man was speechless, implicitly admitting guilt. The stern scholar returned the money to the fried dough stick vendor.

Fried Dough Stick Vendor: "Thank you, thank you! You're smarter than our county magistrate. In the future, you'll surely be a good official. May I ask your name, young man?"

The stern scholar cupped his hands: "I am Bao Zheng!"

"This screenwriter has a bit of cleverness!"

Gong Cheng unconsciously sat up straighter and continued watching.

Bao Zheng carried a basket of food for his mother. His mother, Madam Bao, was examining a hanged corpse.

Madam Bao discovered drug residue in the deceased's mouth – Gastrodia and Calculus bovis, which has the effect of detoxifying and lowering qi.

Madam Bao analyzed: "The deceased suffered from palpitations before death, and her heart often ached."

A servant confirmed: "Doctor, you are correct! Our madam did indeed suffer from palpitations!"

At this moment, Bao Zheng arrived.

"Mother, I'm sorry I'm late. The food is here!"

"Don't get in my way!"

"Yes, yes."

Madam Bao: "I have the result!"

Captain Lu: "What result?"

Madam Bao: "The cause of death was suffocation."

Captain Lu: "Suffocation? She was weary of life and died of illness, how pitiful!"

Madam Bao: "It was murder!"

Captain Lu looked incredulous, but Bao Zheng next to him nodded repeatedly.

Captain Lu: "How could it be murder?"

Madam Bao: "There are two suspicious points. First, the medicine—"

Bao Zheng: "Right, if she wanted to take her own life, why would she take medicine? And not just any medicine, but Gastrodia and Calculus bovis, used for palpitations. After taking these, she would also suffer from abdominal pain. Why endure such suffering if she was going to die anyway?"

Madam Bao: "Second, it's on her neck—"

Bao Zheng: "Yes, yes, look, below the ligature marks on her neck, there are two faint, circular pinch marks. This clearly means she was strangled to death before being hanged, right, Mother?"

Madam Bao: "Are you going to examine it, or should I?"

Bao Zheng: "Hehehe, we're both working for the public good."

Captain Lu looked at the victim's family. "What happened?"

The victim's husband, the master of the house, cried, "I don't know! I went to the countryside to collect rent yesterday, and when I returned, I saw..."

He started crying again.

Captain Lu questioned everyone, and each person had an alibi.

Bao Zheng chuckled and walked over to the two maids.

"Excuse me, sisters, how long have you been working here?"

One maid replied, "Ten years," and the other said, "Seven years."

Bao Zheng then asked the maid standing nearby.

"And you?"

The maid replied, "Half a year."

Bao Zheng: "I know who the killer is!"

Captain Lu: "Who?"

Bao Zheng suddenly pointed at the master of the house. "It's him!"

The victim's husband visibly panicked and retorted, "How... how could it be me?"

Bao Zheng: "Sir, you just said you rushed back from the fields. Yet, your shoes and socks are perfectly clean and unstained. This doesn't make sense. Could it be that you secretly returned last night and, while everyone was away, personally killed your wife?"

The victim's husband: "I didn't, I didn't! This... this is purely your speculation!"

Bao Zheng: "I knew you wouldn't admit it. But I have a second piece of evidence."

"What evidence?"

"I saw a thumbprint on your wife's neck wound. Oh my, this thumbprint even has a horn. How could a person's thumb have a horn?"

Bao Zheng grabbed the master's hand. "Unless, of course, he was wearing a jade thumb ring!"

Indeed, the master had a jade thumb ring on his thumb!

Captain Lu pointed at the victim's husband. "So you are the murderer! Guards, arrest him!"

Madam Bao: "You're so clever, can you guess why he killed his wife?"

Bao Zheng pointed at the maid beside him. "You'll have to ask her!"

The maid in red: "I... I... what does this have to do with me!"

Bao Zheng: "I don't know either. But what I also don't know is why the two of you, who have been here for so long, are still using cloth handkerchiefs, while you, who've only been here for half a year, are using a silk scarf? Could it be a gift from a certain master? Isn't that right, Mother?"

Madam Bao: "I don't do deductions; I'm a doctor."

Madam Bao walked over to the maid in red. The maid had a packet of medicine hidden in her arms. Madam Bao smelled it.

"This isn't Gastrodia and Calculus bovis; it's Thirteen Protectors, used to preserve life and pregnancy. Madam was so old, she definitely wouldn't need this."

Madam Bao suddenly grabbed the maid's wrist to feel her pulse and then smiled. "Oh, congratulations, girl, you're pregnant!"

The maid immediately sat on the ground. Her psychological defenses collapsed, and she confessed everything.

Gong Cheng glanced at the progress bar. It was only 12 minutes into the playback, yet the vivid characters of Bao Zheng, Gongsun Ce, Madam Bao, and Captain Lu had already taken root in his mind.

Gongsun Ce's quick wit, Bao Zheng's keen observation, Madam Bao's personality and capabilities, Gongsun Ce's rivalry with Bao Zheng, and the two opening cases.

"Interesting, innovative, and skillful! Perhaps... the quality of this drama isn't much worse than the sensationally popular drama The Coroner?!"

"It's impossible for the entire series to maintain this quality, right? After all, starting strong and ending weak is the norm for TV dramas!"

Gong Cheng put his thoughts aside and continued watching.