Coroner's Diary Episode 30 Recap
> Coroner's Diary Recap
The investigation into Prince Jin's case began. Princess Yongci, also known as Wan, rushed to Prince Jin's Mansion, feeling that this was the day they had long awaited. The mansion, however, was sealed. Prefect Zheng informed her that approvals from both the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice were required to open the gates. Despite this, Princess Yongci insisted on proceeding with the investigation.
Citing the authority His Majesty had personally granted her to act as a Ministry of Justice officer and a direct order from Yan Chi to examine the scene, she declared she would take full responsibility if His Majesty were displeased and instructed Prefect Zheng and Constable Zhan to proceed. A thief, caught digging in the mansion's backyard, was brought before Princess Yongci.
He confessed he had heard rumors in a gambling house that servants had buried treasure in the backyard when the mansion was sealed, and he had noticed the soil looked fresher there. As they were discussing this, Minister Li Muyun arrived, stating that he was also there because of the recently discovered human remains. He explained that when Prince Jin's Mansion was confiscated, it had been thoroughly searched, and there was no possibility of a body being hidden within.
He pledged to investigate why a skeleton had suddenly appeared a year later. Princess Yongci expressed her strong preference for working alone, even with the Supreme Court. Minister Li assured her that he only required immediate updates on her findings so he could report to His Majesty and would not impede her work, which surprised Princess Yongci.
Princess Yongci relayed her initial findings to Minister Li: the deceased was a male, likely between 20 and 23 years old, about six feet eight inches tall, with adipocere formed on the body, indicating death occurred over a year ago. She noted an indentation on the sternum, suggesting a two-inch-wide blade had been stabbed directly into the heart from the front. She also observed that his features were more defined than those of Zhou people, hinting at foreign ancestry.
Realizing Minister Li Muyun was no ordinary individual and fearing his insight, Princess Yongci decided to prevent him from further access to the body. While praising his sharpness, she sarcastically offered to let him handle the rest. Minister Li apologized for any offense, emphasizing his respect for her skills. Citing official duty, Princess Yongci then instructed Prefect Zheng to move the body to the morgue and ensure no one accessed it without her explicit permission.
His Majesty commented that it had been a long time since he heard Prince Jin's name. He instructed that the investigation be put on hold for now, as the Empress Dowager had just recovered and wished to go on a spring outing. All matters would be addressed after the Double Third Festival. His Majesty then dismissed Prefect Zheng but asked Princess Yongci to stay.
He advised her to spend more time with the Empress Dowager and Grand Princess during the festival outing, explicitly telling her not to mention anything related to Prince Jin's Mansion to avoid upsetting them. Noting that her mourning period was over, His Majesty brought up her marriage, urging her to speak directly to the Empress Dowager if she found someone she liked, as he and the Empress Dowager would arrange everything for her.
Following the discussion, His Majesty reflected on Princess Yongci's humble background. He mused that if Yan Chi, the Heir of Prince Rui, proved to be more manageable than his father, then facilitating a marriage between him and Princess Yongci would not be an issue. With Wan by his side, Prince Sui became increasingly cheerful. During a gathering, the Empress Dowager and Grand Princess inquired about Yan Chi, who had secretly returned to Shuoxi, his whereabouts unknown to outsiders.
Wan could only silently pray for his safe return. Meanwhile, Prince Cheng Qi's cousin pleaded with him to facilitate his marriage to Princess Yongning. Prince Cheng Qi agreed, but only if his cousin first completed a task for him. On the day of the imperial hunt, a messenger informed Prince Cheng Qi that Yan Chi had already left Shuoxi, indicating the time was right to proceed with his plan. During the outing, Qin Shuang accidentally sprained her ankle.
A man on duty, Xue Qingshan, offered to examine her injury, confirming it was not serious. When Qin Shuang asked if he had seen her aunt and sister, he informed her that other ladies had entered a nearby flower grove. As she prepared to leave, he pointed out that her hand was dirty from her fall, and she offered him her handkerchief.
Elsewhere, Crown Prince Che and Prince Cheng Qi began their archery competition, both refusing to yield, resulting in a draw. As they continued to vie for the leading goose, Prince Cheng Qi subtly taunted the Crown Prince. Unexpectedly, Yan Chi arrived, excusing his tardiness due to illness. He then shot the leading goose, hitting both its eyes with a single whistling arrow.
He explained that he used a non-lethal whistling arrow because he saw two arrows already competing for the goose and feared it would fly away. His Majesty, impressed by Yan Chi's precise archery, praised him for "fighting evil and upholding justice" and rewarded him with a thousand taels of gold. Upon his return, Yan Chi immediately sought out Wan. She was pained to see the stubble on his face, indicating his arduous journey.
Yan Chi informed her that His Majesty desired Prince Rui to voluntarily relinquish military command of Shuoxi. However, Prince Rui was unwilling to comply, fearing an invasion by nomadic enemies if he surrendered his power and insisting on first crushing them completely. Yan Chi admitted he doubted His Majesty would wait that long.
Concerned about their future, Wan expressed her worries that if His Majesty insisted on reclaiming the military authority, they would face two dire outcomes: either Yan Chi and Prince Rui would be stripped of their ranks, leaving her to support them through her medical practice, or Prince Rui would rebel with the Shuoxi Army, leading His Majesty to execute them both.
She emphasized the need for them to prepare for the worst, declaring that no matter what happened, she would stand by him, even if it meant sacrificing her own life for their union. Bai Feng reported to Wan that Noble Consort Su had submitted a marriage list to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, proposing Wan as Prince Cheng Qi's intended consort. Bai Feng expressed concern about escalating the situation by directly interfering.
Wan calmly stated that Prince Cheng Qi was not genuinely interested in marrying her and urged Bai Feng not to act impulsively, assuring him that she would not allow the prince's schemes to succeed. Yan Chi then reported to His Majesty on the military provision corruption case in Shuoxi. He revealed that Prince Rui had already dismissed and detained the grain official who colluded with the transport commissioner.
Through interrogation, Yan Chi discovered that a local official from Liangzhou had facilitated the connection, and he had refrained from further investigation to avoid alerting others. He presented evidence that the Shuoxi Army was a victim in the case, absolving Prince Rui of allegations of condoning corruption, and stated that a true mastermind was behind it. Yan Chi emphasized Prince Rui's unwavering loyalty, asserting that the Shuoxi Army was the nation's protective shield.
To quell any lingering doubts, Yan Chi dramatically offered himself for imprisonment, proposing that if Prince Rui disobeyed, His Majesty could cut off one of his limbs, or even take his head. His Majesty dismissed his extreme offer but acknowledged the existence of a powerful figure with influence.
As Yan Chi was about to discuss another matter, Noble Consort Su arrived, weeping and complaining that the ladies selected by the Palace Domestic Service for Prince Cheng Qi were inferior to those from the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion. She lamented that her son always seemed to fall short compared to the Crown Prince.
His Majesty, seeing her distress, granted her permission to choose a noble lady for Prince Cheng Qi herself and simply report her decision, bypassing the need for the Empress's approval. Yue Ning and Yan Li were still bickering. After the imperial hunt festivities, Yan Chi relayed a request from a tired Wan for Yan Li to escort Princess Yongning back to her tent. Princess Yongning, however, scoffed, calling Yan Li a burden.
Yan Li retorted that he was at least useful for conversation and could even take a blow for her. When he teased her about Prince Ze, Yue Ning threatened him. In a fit of anger, Yan Li vehemently declared that he would never allow Yue Ning to marry Prince Ze. Yue Ning calmly responded that she did not necessarily want to marry the prince, but simply sought to find him a truly excellent woman.
Realizing her true intent, Yan Li eagerly offered to help, boasting of his matchmaking skills, though he balked at her demand that the woman be no less attractive than Yue Ning herself. Late that night, after her attendant had fallen asleep, Wan feigned sleep upon detecting knockout powder. She was then abducted and taken to the outskirts. To her surprise, her captor was not Prince Cheng Qi, but his cousin.
The cousin, having used a paralyzing drug on her, gloated that he planned to defile her. Just as he was about to act, Prince Cheng Qi appeared, enraged that his cousin dared to lay hands on a woman he desired. The cousin retaliated by reminding him of his family's financial and personnel support. After a tense exchange, Prince Cheng Qi fatally stabbed his cousin, remarking that he would be "much less annoying now."
He then commented on the dirty surroundings and suggested they move to a cleaner place. Meanwhile, Yan Chi discovered Wan's disappearance and immediately ordered the incident be kept quiet, creating a cover story that she'd had an accident while hunting. Noting the Patrol Battalion, largely composed of Prince Cheng Qi's men, was responsible for campsite security, he ordered his subordinates to identify and eliminate any absent members without questioning.
Yan Chi then recognized the scent of an herbal powder Wan had deliberately left as a trail, enabling him to track her. His pursuit led him to the location where the cousin's body was discovered. Prince Cheng Qi, having brought Wan to another location, proposed she become his primary consort, expressing admiration for her composure.
Wan, however, directly accused him of seeking her hand only for her talents and her status as the Marquis of Zhongyong's niece to gain political leverage and drive a wedge between her family and Crown Prince Che. She called him a coward who relied on women for advancement and who, unable to fairly defeat Yan Chi, resorted to bullying her to vent his frustration.
As Prince Cheng Qi grew enraged and threatened her, Wan continued to taunt him, asserting that while his power and reputation were fleeting, her virtues and talents were unassailable. Just as he was about to harm her, Yan Chi arrived. He shot two arrows, pinning Prince Cheng Qi to a tree, and immediately rushed to check on Wan's safety. Prince Cheng Qi, stunned by Yan Chi's sudden appearance, screamed in disbelief at his defiance.
