Coroner's Diary Episode 25 Recap
> Coroner's Diary Recap
The Crown Prince appeared troubled, admitting to his mentor, Marquis Zhongyong, that as heir, he had to make sacrifices and fight for certain things. The Crown Prince of Beidai's recent peril had led His Majesty to blame him, but fortunately, Princess Yongci had saved the Beidai Crown Prince and helped Yan Chi apprehend the culprit, offsetting the Crown Prince's failure.
However, his mother, the Empress, now feared Princess Yongci might be manipulated and intended to nominate her as a candidate for Crown Princess. The Marquis was surprised, noting that since Princess Yongci had already been granted a noble title, she couldn't be a secondary consort, meaning the Empress wanted her as the primary one. This raised concerns about the position of his own daughter, Qin Zhaoyu.
The Crown Prince assured the Marquis that if Qin Zhaoyu was unwilling to endure such a position, he would ask his mother to arrange a suitable marriage for her, ensuring her lifelong happiness. Qin Zhaoyu, who had overheard the Crown Prince's words, returned to her chambers upset, injuring her hand. She tearfully played her guqin to vent her emotions. Her mother, Lady Feng, was heartbroken, believing Qin Zhaoyu was distressed by Princess Yongci's success.
However, Qin Zhaoyu clarified that she wasn't wronged by Princess Yongci's genuine merit or the Empress's preference; instead, she was deeply hurt that the Crown Prince would so casually mention arranging another marriage for her. Lady Feng advised her daughter that men were unreliable and urged her to guard her own heart. Unbeknownst to them, Qin Xiang and Qin Shuang had been eavesdropping.
When Lady Feng discovered them, she ordered them confined to their quarters, warning Qin Xiang that if she spread gossip or spoke disrespectfully again, she would be sent to a family temple for penance. Meanwhile, Yan Li was found disheveled and drunk on the streets, lamenting that he no longer had a home. Elsewhere, the Grand Princess arrived at the palace to visit the Empress Dowager.
Princess Yongci soon joined them, bringing the Empress Dowager’s medicine, which she had meticulously supervised. When young Prince Sui accidentally spilled ink on his robe, Princess Yongci offered to take him to change clothes. She patiently engaged him in conversation about a wild bird he had caught. She gently explained that the bird was unhappy without its freedom and suggested they release it.
Sui, who had been withdrawn and mute after witnessing his mother's murder, agreed and spoke for the first time in a long while. As they returned, the Crown Prince overheard Sui speaking, much to his surprise. Back in the hall, Sui addressed the Empress Dowager as "Grandmother," delighting her. Princess Yongci explained that Sui's mutism stemmed from emotional trauma and promised to help him recover.
Soon after, Yan Chi arrived, stating he was there to escort Princess Yongci out of the palace, as a new murder in the capital required her assistance by order of the Emperor. The Empress Dowager and Grand Princess expressed their concern for her safety, and Yan Chi vowed to protect her with his life. Observing their interaction, the two elder women understood their unspoken bond and decided to feign ignorance for the time being. The new murder scene was ghastly.
The victim was found naked, his skin having been completely removed. The scene was remarkably clean, suggesting the murder occurred elsewhere. Prefect Zheng and Minister Li were already present. Princess Yongci, asking to be called Master Wan for professional purposes, began her examination. She noted that the body's severe decomposition was unusual for the season, accelerated by the lack of skin.
The jaw had been dislocated, likely to prevent the victim from crying out or committing suicide, and a slight indentation on the back of the head indicated a non-lethal blow used to subdue him. Master Wan concluded the victim had been flayed alive with a small, sharp knife, evidenced by a thin starting incision and overlapping shallow cuts suggesting the perpetrator was physically weak.
She determined the cause of death was cardiac arrest from overwhelming pain, a method similar to ancient torture. She requested a skilled artist, Ning Buyi, to sketch the victim's face based on his skull to aid in identification. Yan Chi noticed cinnabar residue at the scene, which he found suspicious. He had Bai Feng search the archives, who quickly found the file for the Guanyin Town murder case from six years prior.
That case, which involved victims surrounded by cinnabar and drawings of a "Black Unrighteous Flower," had been classified as suspicious by Princess Yongci's late father, Shen Yi. Realizing her father must have had a reason to doubt the verdict, she suspected the convicted killer might not be the real culprit. While the investigation began, Yue Ning frantically searched the city for Yan Li, showing his portrait to passersby, worried he might be the unidentified victim.
Following the lead, Yan Chi visited the Guanyin Town suspect, a blind fortune teller named Zhang Dongxuan, who remained imprisoned. Shrewd despite his blindness, Zhang Dongxuan deduced Yan Chi's identity and the reason for his visit, hinting that the new flaying case was identical to the old one. In exchange for his cooperation, he demanded a hot meal of rock sugar-braised pork knuckle.
Meanwhile, Princess Yongci's autopsy revealed the victim had consumed a large amount of alcohol and, more importantly, steamed crab about four hours before his death. Knowing Fengqi House was famous for its steamed crab and located near the body disposal site, she ordered Constable Zhan to investigate their recent clientele. Seeing her meticulous work, Minister Li remarked that her solemn focus reminded him of his mentor, Shen Yi. Deeply moved by the comparison to her father, Princess Yongci became even more determined to solve Shen Yi's unresolved case and honor his legacy by cracking the current one.
