The Inspector of the City Patrol, Difficult to Deal With

This film (drama)Also known as巡城御史鬼难缠，is aMainland ChinaProducerbeauty live，At2004Released in year 。The dialogue language isMandarin，Current Douban rating8.7(For reference only)。

Gui Lanshan is the City Patrol Inspector of South City. He is witty and humorous, exceptionally intelligent, and despite being a minor official, he has solved major and peculiar cases, offending many, which makes the officials in the court wary of him. Thus, he earns the nickname "Difficult to Deal With." The plot cleverly combines suspense and legend, intricately woven and engaging. The characters are vividly distinctive, painted with profound and delicate strokes, depicting a tableau of Qing Dynasty lives. The story of "The Inspector of the City Patrol" mainly revolves around Gui Lanshan solving one major case after another. In the false theft case against Liang, Inspector Zhao, dealing with the case of Hunan Governor Zou Chengren, angers court ministers, and in court, the accusers suddenly change their testimonies, with a prostitute appearing to accuse him of bribe-taking and soliciting. Zhao, wronged, is dismissed and interrogated. Gui Lanshan firmly believes in Zhao's innocence and begins an investigation. He discovers the case is related to the acceptance of silver notes, tracking their origins until he clarifies that the Jiangxi government had sent a large sum, which has now been completely misappropriated by individuals connected to the case. Gui Lanshan uses a ruse to detain the Third Prince during an interrogation, inviting other princes and nobles to witness. He takes the opportunity to present evidence, making the princes and officials shiver with fear. To protect their positions, they finally agree to legally punish Zou Chengren and others. In the embezzlement case, Enfu, who was dispatched to Heilongjiang, suddenly returns to the capital, summoned by a decree from Minister Ba. Princes and others suspect Ba of bribery but find no evidence. While appearing clean-handed, Minister Ba secretly profits from his antique shop, accumulating ill-gotten wealth. Gui Lanshan uncovers Ba's secrets, pulling the rug from under him, and instructs the thief Yan Wu to steal a large amount of silver notes from Ba's residence, leaving Ba's lifetime accumulation in ruins and in despair. Upon hearing of this, the princes see an opportunity to marry Ba's daughter, Miss Ba, to the Third Prince, and Ba, to avoid disaster, has no choice but to agree. The silver notes are submitted to the court, leaving Ba with nothing, in a bizarre mix of grief and laughter. The Emperor then sends a royal plaque that reads "Clear Family Conduct." Eventually, Minister Ba marries his beloved daughter into the prince’s family. In the case of true love, poor girl Lan had a childhood sweetheart, Shuangxi, with whom she had a marriage contract. Shuangxi went to the army with General Hu and left with no word for years. Lan's father, in his poverty, establishes another marriage contract with the current Duke. With one daughter promised to two families, the wedding date approaches, and Lan, in despair, flees the capital overnight. The Duke sends men after her, capturing Lan. Coincidentally, Shuangxi, returning with General Hu, reunites with Lan. General Hu wants to fulfill Shuangxi's marriage, but the Duke and General Hu stubbornly refuse to yield over the marriage, and the Emperor, unsure, orders the Ministry of Justice to clarify matters. Everyone knows this case will offend both sides, and eventually, it falls to Gui Lanshan, who, through clever yet difficult-to-find legal maneuvers, helps the lovers achieve their union... In the murder framing case, a gang from Anhui robs Inspector Zhao's entire family and kills him. The main criminal, Hu You'an, is a local tyrant and head of the constables. Before an edict to arrest Hu You'an is issued, the Third Prince secretly sends out a warning, and Hu escapes. Xinghe and other constables accept bribes, hoping to derail the case. However, the Emperor insists on investigating thoroughly. A false Hu You'an is brought to the capital, and Gui Lanshan, noticing his weak appearance, can't connect him to the real Hu You'an. Gui begins a meticulous investigation, and the truth gradually comes to light. On the execution grounds, at a critical moment, Gui Lanshan rushes in, and through clever prompting, Wang Zhu'er, posing as “Hu You'an,” reveals the truth in front of the gathered public. The crowd erupts in an uproar. The Emperor, furious, orders an imperial tribunal for Gui Lanshan. This suits Gui Lanshan's intentions, and he promptly goes to court to unveil the truth... Regardless of how convoluted the case becomes, as long as it passes through Gui Lanshan's clever deliberations, it will turn peril into safety and seek justice. His methods in solving cases are often astonishing and leave people in awe thereafter. His efforts make the pompous officials wary. To achieve his goals, Gui Lanshan does not care for personal glory or disgrace, bending to the powerful despite public scorn; nor does he mind the means he employs, disguising himself to probe deeper, or leading the thief into a trap; he is also uninterested in fame or fortune. Once he solves a case, he remains in the shadows, achieving a carefree life. His personal emotional life, however, is convoluted, and affairs of family, state, and the world seldom align as one wishes. "Difficult to Deal With" solves major cases in court, yet struggles to marry a wife; his romantic entanglement with the courtesan Xiao Jinhua is also a highlight of the plot. No matter how great a hero, love can remain elusive. This drama, though reversing the writer's habitual techniques, explores more deeply the theme of how small characters can maintain their sense of justice and dignity during turbulent times. Though they may be a mere drop in the ocean of history, it signals a legendary ultimate challenge between the individual and society, as well as fate.