Coroner's Diary Episode 11 Recap
> Coroner's Diary Recap
Qin Chen attempts to murder Qin Wan, believing she is too clever, but Qin Wan pleads with him not to make further mistakes. Just as he is about to strike, Yingqi, a secret guard under the Young Marshal's command, intervenes and saves Qin Wan, apologizing for her delayed arrival. Chaos erupts as the ancestral hall catches fire, trapping Madam Qin inside.
Qin Chen frantically searches for Caihe, while Prefect Huo confirms that tung oil had been deliberately used, rendering water useless against the blaze. From within the inferno, Caihe's voice declares her long-awaited revenge on the Qin family for torturing her sister, humiliating her mother, and burning her father alive. She accuses Concubine Liu of driving her mother to suicide and Steward Liu Chun of being an accomplice to murder.
Caihe, having served the family for five years, vows to make Qin An witness the end of his bloodline, expressing no regrets. Xinlan, Qin Chen's pregnant wife, had been lured into the burning hall by Caihe. Yan Chi and Yue Ning rush to the scene, where Yan Chi immediately notices the choke marks on Qin Wan's neck, realizing Qin Chen was responsible. Qin Chen bravely enters the blaze, first rescuing Xinlan, who is about to give birth.
He then returns to the inferno. Madam Qin perishes in the fire. Qin Chen confronts Caihe, questioning why she would harm his innocent wife and unborn child. Caihe cruelly reveals that their entire relationship was a lie; she had been deceiving him from the start, as he was nothing more than the son of her enemy. Distraught, Qin Chen still rescues Caihe from the collapsing roof, but she chooses to remain with him, and they both die in the fire.
Xinlan gives birth to a baby girl, but Third Madam expresses disdain for a daughter. Qin Wan encourages Xinlan, reminding her that her child would be left alone in a cold, unforgiving family if she gave up. Resolved to protect her daughter, Xinlan declares her intention to return to her parents' house and never step foot in the Qin Mansion again. With the main culprits dead, Yue Ning considers the case closed.
She invites Qin Wan to move in with her, but Qin Wan declines, not wanting to bring criticism upon Yue Ning's family. Yan Chi then asks if Qin Wan would be willing to assist him with cases in the capital once he joins the Ministry of Justice, and she eagerly agrees. Yue Ning excitedly insists on joining them. Later, Fu Ling questions Qin Wan's decision to travel with an unrelated man like Yan Chi, fearing it will raise suspicions.
However, Qin Wan believes Yan Chi already suspects her identity as Shen Yi's daughter, citing his knowledge of her father's "Vindication Records" and his awareness of her distinctive xiezhi mask. She reasons that Yan Chi, who bears new scars indicating he has dangerous enemies, has his own agenda for joining the Ministry of Justice and seeking her help. Since their goals align, she will accept his assistance.
She understands that Yan Chi is Prince Jin's cousin and her father's case is tied to Prince Jin's death, meaning their mutually beneficial relationship could turn hostile once the truth is revealed. Therefore, she resolves never to admit her true identity without irrefutable proof. Third Madam desperately pleads with Qin Wan to ask Yan Chi to spare some assets for their branch of the family, but Qin Wan refuses, reminding her of the Qin family's past cruelty.
She does, however, request that Yan Chi ensure Xinlan and her newborn are undisturbed until their departure, a request Yan Chi grants, though he vows others will face the full extent of the law. Qin Wan later delivers postpartum remedies to Xinlan, who expresses heartfelt gratitude.
Yue Ning again tries to persuade Qin Wan to move into the Marquis's Mansion, fearing harsh treatment from Third Madam, but Qin Wan refuses, feeling it would be ungrateful after having taken refuge with the third branch. Yan Chi's uncle confronts him, revealing he knows about the simultaneous assassination attempts on Yan Chi in Jingzhou and his father in Shuoxi. Yan Chi explains that he kept it secret to avoid involving his uncle, as they were already targets.
He reveals he is returning to the capital to resolve the matter under the Emperor's order to inspect criminal cases. His uncle questions why Yan Chi, with his military achievements, chose the Ministry of Justice over the Ministry of War and is intervening in Prince Jin's sensitive case. Yan Chi explains he suspects a connection between the attacks on his family and those who covet the Shuoxi Army's power, who also knew of his connection to Prince Jin.
Yan Chi admits the danger but states he now has "strong support." Meanwhile, Qin Wan prepares more herbs for Yan Chi, insisting on upholding her word despite her dwindling savings. Yan Chi appears, explaining Yingqi was a secret guard assigned to protect Qin Wan, not to spy on her.
He then asks about Minister Shen Yi's execution, recounting the official story: Prince Jin was accused of attempting to rape and murder the Emperor's favorite consort, and Shen Yi was executed for defending his innocence before Prince Jin supposedly committed suicide. Yan Chi declares his belief in Prince Jin's innocence and asks Qin Wan to help him clear both Prince Jin's and Minister Shen Yi's names. Qin Wan agrees, emphasizing their shared goal of vindicating her father.
Later, Qin Wan and Yan Chi encounter a man begging for help for his drowned child. Qin Wan performs a unique rescue by having the child lie over a stool and rocking it, successfully reviving him. Just then, her Senior Brother from Medicine King Valley, Sun Muqing, appears. Qin Wan quickly pulls him aside, reminding him of her usual male attire in the valley and the need to keep her identity secret.
Sun Muqing suggests she return to the valley, but Qin Wan asserts that both healing and forensics are paths to help people. Before departing, Sun Muqing praises Qin Wan's medical skills and compliments her appearance in women's clothes. Yan Chi, visibly jealous, asks Qin Wan why she didn't ask her senior brother to stay. Annoyed, Qin Wan explains that Sun Muqing is a platonic friend who never looked down on her for being a woman or envied her talent.
She questions Yan Chi's assumption that men and women cannot have a pure friendship. Yan Chi apologizes for his narrow-mindedness, admitting he admires such a relationship. When Qin Wan tells him not to barge into her carriage again, Yan Chi playfully replies that it "depends on my mood." Soon after, people from the Marquis of Zhongyong's Mansion arrive from the capital. Yan Chi advises Qin Wan to be cautious and remains out of sight.
Qin Yan, from the Marquis's family, greets Third Aunt and her daughters, taking particular note of Qin Wan. He presents her with a jade token as a gift, promising a better one in the capital, before revealing he has come specifically to escort Qin Wan and her two cousins back to the capital.
