Resumen del episodio 5 de The Imperial Coroner 2
> Resúmenes de The Imperial Coroner 2
Master Shenguan, an eminent monk from Nanzhao, had become a sensation among the nobility of Chang’an. When the wife of Vice Minister Zhao from the Ministry of Rites sought his services for a prayer ritual, he initially claimed his schedule was already full. However, once she presented a handwritten letter from Consort Hui to ensure his attendance, he agreed to the request.
Despite an extinguished stick of incense being seen as an ill omen by his disciple, Shenguan remained focused on his secret mission in the capital. Observing a peacock that had wandered into the temple, he merely remarked that its presence was a unique karmic sign governed by fate. In the Nanzhao royal court, the King spoke with his eldest son, You Longsheng, regarding the strategic importance of the current situation.
The King revealed that his second son, You Chen’an, was merely a pawn sent to Chang’an as part of a larger game of chess. He warned Longsheng against making reckless moves, believing that by sacrificing the necessary pieces, Nanzhao would eventually emerge victorious. A welcome banquet was held in Chang’an to honor You Chen’an’s arrival. The atmosphere was thick with tension as Vice Minister Huang Lv offered a toast that subtly emphasized Nanzhao’s subservience to the Great Tang.
Despite his lingering illness, many officials pressured the Second Prince to drink. Xiao Jinyu eventually stepped in to de-escalate the situation, drinking a cup of wine on behalf of his wife, Chu Chu, when You Chen’an offered a toast to thank them for saving his life.
Later, Xiao Jinyu explained the grim reality of the Nanzhao court to Chu Chu, noting that Chen’an, born to a lowly mother but thrust into a high status, was being used as a "whetstone" and a shield for the Eldest Prince. Chu Chu felt a deep pang of sympathy for Chen’an, realizing he was a victim struggling to survive in the cracks of a power struggle.
With the night curfew lifted in the capital, the Three Judicial Offices were overwhelmed by a surge of criminal cases. Chu Chu threw herself into her work, performing autopsies for eighteen consecutive hours until Xiao Jinyu insisted she stop to eat. To solve the long-term issue of the heavy workload, he proposed recruiting new coroners to be placed under her command. However, the initial recruitment efforts were discouraging.
Candidates lacked the ability to perform "scene reconstruction," and many were deterred by gossip, suspecting that Chu Chu’s title as the Imperial Coroner was merely an honorary gift given for Xiao Jinyu's sake rather than a mark of her own skill. Hoping to find hidden talent among the common people, Xiao Jinyu arranged for a special apprentice recruitment with fewer restrictions.
Chu Chu's brother, Chu River, helped by posting notices, but his promises of high pay and official ranks attracted the wrong crowd. A large number of applicants turned up, only to flee in disgust upon encountering a disfigured corpse in the autopsy room. Amidst this failure, Chu River reunited with You Chen’an, revealing they were old friends who had met years ago at the Qianzhou border.
The truth of Chen’an’s tragic past came to light: he was the biological son of the Nanzhao King, conceived when the King raped a humble stablewoman. Abandoned at a hunting ground and later fostered in Qianzhou, Chen’an had lived a life of constant endurance. Xiao Jinyu reported these findings to the Emperor, noting that while Chen’an appeared submissive, his true intentions remained unclear.
The Emperor decided to keep the Second Prince in the capital as a guest—and a potential hostage—to maintain leverage over Nanzhao. Meanwhile, the Nanzhao King remained unfazed, plotting to neutralize Great Tang’s capable commander, General Xie Huaiding. Back at the Three Judicial Offices, You Chen’an sought out Chu Chu in the autopsy room, expressing a sincere desire to learn her craft. He passed her test by accurately reconstructing a scene involving a victim who died while squatting.
To seal the deal, he showed her a remarkably detailed anatomical chart of the human body, offering to share it if she accepted him as her disciple. As Xiao Jinyu and Chu Chu discussed the delicate political implications of taking Chen’an as a student, Jing Yi brought news regarding Master Shenguan. After monitoring the monk’s movements, Jing Yi discovered that Shenguan, despite his holy reputation, had been seen entering the Bureau of Entertainment in plain clothes.
Investigations revealed that Shenguan had originally been an undistinguished wandering monk from Great Tang before gaining fame in Nanzhao. Xiao Jinyu realized that this connection could be the key to uncovering the mysterious "Peacock" and the Nanzhao spy network. Later, during a private dinner at the Guangtai Tower, Xiao Jinyu broached the subject of the anatomical chart with You Chen’an.
Although the prince claimed the chart was too precious to lend, Xiao Jinyu noted that he had already offered it as a condition for joining the Three Judicial Offices, sensing that the prince was determined to stay close to them.
