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| Why the Nine Murders Happened — Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 3 To Changan Explained (Photo: iQIYI) |
Chinese fantasy-mystery drama Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 3: To Chang’an (唐朝诡事录之长安) wraps up with a packed finale that ties up the nine-person murder case, exposes a long-buried feud between two powerful families, and drops one final twist involving Jūniáng — a character far more complicated than anyone expected.
If you blinked, you’d definitely miss a few moving pieces. Here’s the full ending explained in a clear, detailed, and slightly juicy rundown.
Main Cast
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Yang Xuwen as Lu Lingfeng / Ji Er
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Yang Zhigang as Su Wuming
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Gao Siwen as Pei Xijun
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Chen Chuang as Fei Yingjun / Fei Jishi
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Sun Xuening as Chu Yingtao
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Anson Shi as Xue Huan
Support Roles:
Liu Zhiyang, Yue Lina, Wang Li, Li Jinrong, Gao Yuan, Xiao Yin, Wang Shiyu, Dalai Harihu, Cui Yifan, Zhen Shaohua.
Final Episode Summary: The Case Closes, But the Truth Doesn’t Stop There
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The finale kicks off by untangling the mystery behind the nine murders. Su Wuming cracks the case using information from Yang Ji — the former beggar boy now working undercover among Anshe Society labourers. His intel helps corner Wei Tao and Du Yu, whose revenge plot is far more layered than anyone originally guessed.
But just when you think the investigation has ended, a fresh thread appears involving Jūniáng and a secret she’s been hiding from her own sister-in-law, Wei Jia.
Spies, Traps, and a Surprise Rescue
Lu Lingfeng reconnects with Yang Ji, now grown and sturdier, selling vegetables around town. Though the lad dislikes the Anshe Society merchants, he still interacts with their workers, making him the perfect low-profile spy. Lu tells him to listen in and pass along whatever he hears.
Meanwhile, Master Fei tails the suspicious Song Weng to a derelict Earth God temple — dark, dusty, and absolutely dodgy. Before he can figure out what’s going on, he’s caught in a huge falling net. Song Weng emerges with the creepy Fenli Wand, ready to silence him permanently.
But Chu Yingtao storms in, flips the script, and forces Song Weng into custody. That alone deserves its own spin-off.
Back at Yongzhou: Apologies, Clues, and Confessions
Lu Lingfeng returns to find Su Wuming still deep in examination mode. Regretting their earlier clash, Lu offers a formal apology. They move on — professional bromance restored.
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The key discoveries:
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Nine victims in total.
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Two deaths (Ma Kui and He Qian) didn’t match the others.
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Bodies from different counties displayed different wound shapes — one sharp, one flat.
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Patterns suggest deliberate staging.
When Song Weng is brought in, he admits to selling a wind raccoon to a certain woman six months ago. Pei Xijun instantly recognises the description — it’s Jūniáng. Master Fei also remembers smelling sandalwood and Fenli Liquid at the Du residence, linking her to the case.
The Trap at the Du Residence: The Whole Motive Finally Drops
Du Yu invites Lu and Su to his home for a ceremonial “valve reading”, which is basically a self-advertising pillar carved with his family’s achievements. The gathering is awkward, stiff, and clearly masking something bigger.
At the same time, He Bi and Shi Qiansui walk into a trap at the Chen ancestral hall. Wei Tao and Du Yu reveal the full picture:
Their murders were arranged in a pattern across Chang’an forming the character 士 (“scholar”).
Tongji Ward was meant to be the final point on their deadly map.
Just as they’re about to kill He Bi and Shi Qiansui, Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming break in, halting their final act.
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Why They Did It: The Family Honour Feud Explained
He Bi tries to take all the blame to protect Du Yu. Du Yu refuses. The truth spills out:
This entire revenge arc stems from shattered family honour.
When workers expanded Golden Light Villa, they dug up the old stone valve pillars of the Wei and Du families. These pillars symbolised nobility, status, and ancestral dignity.
He Bi refused to return them. Instead, he smashed the pillars and used the fragments as foundation stones — a massive, widely known insult.
To restore their family face, Wei Tao and Du Yu tried to retrieve the broken pieces and avenge the humiliation. Their murders were meant to reclaim the power that was taken from them.
Lu Lingfeng finally arrests both men. Wei Tao demands execution, Du Yu wants to share his fate, but Su Wuming urges them to surrender peacefully — and they do.
But the Finale Isn’t Done — Jūniáng Steps Forward
The next morning, Jūniáng visits the Yongzhou office. At first it looks like she’s going to plead for the men’s release. Instead, she demands the return of the broken valve pillar fragments.
A Show of Strength at the Wei Residence
Master Fei and Pei Xijun escort her home, only to find thugs attempting to take Wei Jia. Jūniáng doesn’t panic for even a second.
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She grabs a massive spear
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Organises her maids into a defensive formation
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Reveals trained archers waiting on the rooftops
The thugs scatter instantly. Even Lu Lingfeng looks impressed.
The Final Twist: Jūniáng’s Secret About Wei Jia
In the closing moments, one last truth comes out:
Jūniáng had been successfully treating Wei Jia’s unstable state with acupuncture. But she deliberately stopped.
Why?
Because she fears what Wei Jia will remember.
Something from the past — something connected to the very feud they’ve just unravelled.
Now that the treatment has stopped, Wei Jia’s memories remain locked away, and the real events behind the family’s downfall are still hidden.
The case closes… but the truth doesn’t.