Resumen del episodio 11 de The Imperial Coroner 2
> Resúmenes de The Imperial Coroner 2
At the Music Office, Jing Yi was caught off guard by Leng Yue, who questioned his presence and his companion. Jing Yi tried to maintain his composure, playfully claiming he was there to seek medical help from Hua Mei for a "friend" suffering from a delicate ailment. Leng Yue remained skeptical until Xiao Jinyu clarified the situation. He revealed that years ago, Hua Mei had contracted a contagious and supposedly incurable disease, "ganmei" (syphilis).
Through their efforts, they had discovered a remedy that successfully cured her, and now a friend of Jing Yi was allegedly seeking that same prescription. Inside, Hua Mei spoke privately with Xiao Jinyu, recognizing him as the renowned Commandery Prince An. She observed that his intense desire to protect Chu Chu was born out of a deep love that bred fear.
However, she likened Chu Chu to a tall tree that grows naturally in the wild; she could only flourish when given the space to thrive. Hua Mei suggested that Xiao Jinyu’s harsh self-reproach and constant worry were actually making Chu Chu feel more uneasy and restricted. Their conversation was abruptly cut short by cries that someone had fallen into the water. Qinxiang had plummeted into the lake.
Deputy Prefect Leng, who was patrolling nearby, immediately ordered a rescue, but by the time Qinxiang was pulled from the dark water, she had already stopped breathing. Chu Chu immediately noted inconsistencies, observing that given the time and circumstances, it did not appear to be an accidental fall. Vice Minister Huang of the Ministry of Rites was also present, hosting a secret banquet for Nanzhao envoys.
Worried the scandal would offend his guests, he urged Jing Yi to keep the matter quiet and suggested offering the girl's family a mere ten taels of silver as compensation for her "joke" of a life. Xiao Jinyu was incensed by Huang's coldness. He handed Huang twenty taels and told him that, by his own logic, the Vice Minister's life now belonged to the Prince.
He sternly reminded Huang that an official’s life is meant for the service of the people, not for trampling upon them. Xiao Jinyu ordered the body moved to the Three Judicial Offices. While the room Qinxiang had occupied showed no obvious signs of a struggle, Xiao Jinyu ordered it sealed. During the examination, Chu Chu found fresh scratches on Qinxiang’s neck and bruises on her limbs.
She deduced that Qinxiang had fought back violently, likely leaving a scratch on the hand of her attacker. Despite the risk of infection from the victim's disease, Chu Chu insisted on a full autopsy. She consulted with other experienced coroners to develop a safe protocol, and Xiao Jinyu ultimately supported her, choosing to trust her expertise rather than pushing her away under the guise of protection.
Meanwhile, the Nanzhao official Gao Luoqian expressed frustration with an agent known as "The Peacock," complaining about having to clean up the agent's reckless messes. You Chen’an, who was monitoring the situation, warned Xiao Jinyu that Qinxiang might not have been the ultimate target. He suggested that the killers might have intended for Chu Chu to become infected during the investigation as a way to destroy both her and the Prince.
As the investigation continued, Chu He arrived at the Three Judicial Offices with a meal from Deshun House, including sliced fish and braised pork, to support his sister. Jing Yi, having questioned the staff at the Music Office, returned with a lead on a suspicious patron. The man was described as having a small mustache, a mole near his left cheekbone, and a large birthmark on his right cheek. Xiao Jinyu suspected this man might be linked to Gao Luoqian.
Chu Chu’s forensic work soon yielded a breakthrough. She realized that while Qinxiang’s death appeared to be a drowning, there were no algae or aquatic insects in her respiratory system—something impossible given the state of the lake in summer. This proved she had been drowned in clean water before being thrown into the lake. Returning to Qinxiang’s room, they found a water basin.
Chu Chu realized the killer had pressed Qinxiang’s head into the basin, causing a specific narrow bruise on her neck from the rim as she struggled on her knees. The team also uncovered the truth about Qinxiang’s past. Born Lv Ying, she had once been a household courtesan for the family of the current Cavalry General, Xie Huaiding. The two had been in love, but the General's father had faked her death to separate them.
Despite the tragedy, Chu Chu and Xiao Jinyu decided to respect Qinxiang’s silent wish to protect the General’s current life by not revealing her identity to him. Later, a couple claiming to be Qinxiang’s brother and sister-in-law caused a scene, demanding her belongings and a gold bracelet. When they were brought to identify the body, Chu Chu set a trap by showing them the wrong corpse first.
When the couple wept and claimed it was definitely their sister, Chu Chu revealed the deception. Their inability to recognize the deceased proved they were frauds only interested in her valuables.
