Coroner's Diary Episode 1 Recap
> Coroner's Diary Recap
In a heavy rain, Minister Shen's family was annihilated, framed in the Prince Jin case. In their final moments, Minister Shen and his wife entrusted their daughter, Shen Wan, to Mr. Qin Liang, only pleading for her safety. Shen Wan witnessed her parents' death and saw Mr. Qin Liang fall under a hail of arrows while protecting her. To survive, she plunged into the water, evading their pursuers.
Afterwards, she received a letter from her father, instructing her to abandon any thought of seeking justice or revenge and forbidding her from ever returning to the capital. Despite this, Shen Wan resolved to live on as Qin Wan, the daughter of the deceased Mr. Qin Liang, determined to uncover the truth and avenge her family. Assuming the identity of Qin Wan, she arrived at the Qin family mansion with her maidservant Fu Ling and her supposed father's personal seal.
Her arrival interrupted a visit from Mrs. Huo, who was seeking to cancel the engagement between their children, a promise made casually in their youth. Mrs. Huo expressed concerns about Qin Wan's upbringing in Medicine King Valley without parental guidance. Madam Qin, the stepmother of the second branch, claimed she could not interfere but agreed to discuss the matter with Mr. Qin Liang upon his return. Just then, Qin Wan was announced.
Seeking recognition from her grandmother, Qin Wan publicly declared that her father, Mr. Qin Liang, had died in a shipwreck while saving her. Amid the ensuing gossip, Qin Wan feigned a faint, forcing Madam Qin to bring her into the mansion. Fu Ling was questioned by Madam Qin but recounted a pre-planned story: a physician from Medicine King Valley had deemed Qin Wan recovered, so Mr. Qin Liang planned their return home.
During a storm at sea, their boat capsized, and Mr. Qin Liang was swept away. Later, Fu Ling and Qin Wan discussed how fortunate it was that the family was not close with Mr. Qin Liang, making the deception easier. Fu Ling explained the engagement was made when Lord Huo was a minor official, likely to gain ties with the main branch of the Qin family.
After the real Miss Qin died last year, Mr. Qin Liang had not informed the family out of grief. Now that Lord Huo had become a prefect, the Huo family, proving treacherous, no longer valued the match. Qin Wan saw this as beneficial for her plans, but anticipated Madam Qin would take out her public embarrassment on her. Madam Qin, viewing Qin Wan as a jinx, had an exorcism ritual performed near her courtyard.
She then tried to have Fu Ling sold for allegedly speaking ill of the masters. Qin Wan intervened, stating she would discipline her own servant. Madam Qin seized the opportunity to confine Qin Wan to the courtyard, ordering her to copy scriptures and cutting her allowance for a year. Alone, Qin Wan confided in Fu Ling, whom she considered a sister, not a servant.
She inwardly sought forgiveness from Mr. Qin Liang for using his daughter's name for her dangerous quest, while Fu Ling vowed to stay by her side. Meanwhile, Madam Qin urged her son, Qin An, to connect with his elder half-brother, the Marquis of Devotion, to secure a position for his son, Chen. Qin An lamented his status as the son of a second wife, angering his mother.
When Qin Wan came to pay respects, she was made to wait and overheard Qin An discussing the Prince Jin case. He called her father, Minister Shen, a fame-seeker who was exposed by his own student, Li Muyun, and deserved his fate. Distressed, Qin Wan realized she must get to the capital to uncover the truth. Wandering outside, Qin Wan found an elderly woman who had collapsed.
She diagnosed her with wind hysteria, provided massage instructions, and wrote a prescription, warning that the woman’s life depended on sweating by nightfall. Later, she confessed her true identity as Shen Wan to Fu Ling, insisting her father was framed. Fu Ling believed her and swore to help.
Qin Wan initially wanted Fu Ling to stay behind for her safety, but Fu Ling insisted on accompanying her to the capital, reminding Qin Wan of her loyalty since their time in Medicine King Valley. Moved, Qin Wan promised they would never be separated. Soon after, Princess Yongning from the Marquis of Anyang's Mansion arrived at the Qin residence. The elderly woman Qin Wan had saved was the Grand Princess, the matriarch of the mansion and the Emperor's aunt.
Princess Yongning had come to express her gratitude. Presenting herself in her simple, worn clothes to highlight her poor treatment, Qin Wan met the princess. Madam Qin tried to dismiss the rescue as luck, but Princess Yongning invited Qin Wan to the Marquis's mansion for a follow-up consultation, bluntly refusing to let Fifth Lady Qin Xiang tag along. On the way, they witnessed soldiers bullying civilians.
A man on horseback, Yan Chi, the Young Marshal of the Shuoxi Army, descended and executed the offending soldiers, enforcing the army's strict laws. Princess Yongning excitedly introduced her cousin, the famed God of War, to Qin Wan. At the mansion, Yan Chi and the princess sparred before paying respects to the Grand Princess. The Grand Princess introduced Qin Wan as the "Little Medical Fairy" who had saved her life. Yan Chi found her familiar.
The Grand Princess invited Qin Wan to her grandson Jia's wedding, which Yan Chi would also attend. Qin Wan hesitated due to her mourning, but the Grand Princess insisted she come as a companion. Returning to the Qin mansion, Qin Wan was moved into Tinglan House, the best courtyard, and her life improved dramatically. The Third Madam, Qin An's wife, brought gifts and fawned over her newfound status.
However, Qin Wan felt no joy, knowing none of it truly belonged to her. On the wedding day of the Grand Princess's grandson, Jia, Qin Wan attended to the Grand Princess. Yan Chi joined them, noting that Qin Wan seemed wary of him. She explained she was in awe of his martial power. The Grand Princess, aware of Qin Wan's struggles in the Qin family, promised her protection, touching Qin Wan deeply.
Soon, the groom Jia arrived with the bridal procession, accompanied by Wei Yanzhi, the best man from the Duke of Song. The auspicious hour arrived, and the ceremony began with Jia kicking the sedan door. However, the joyous occasion turned to horror as he lifted the bridal veil to reveal not a bride, but a headless corpse.
