Resumo do episódio 9 de The Imperial Coroner 2
> Resumos de The Imperial Coroner 2
Following the evening where Xiao Jinyu drank to the point of collapse to secure an imperial decree, Chu Chu performs a detailed re-examination of Master Shenguan. She reveals that the monk’s heart abnormalities were far too severe for him to have functioned normally before death, suggesting they were caused by an external factor. Chu Chu admits she was initially misled by the Buddhist custom of cleansing the deceased, which removed external traces of toxins.
A full autopsy reveals internal organ swelling, lung fluid, and severe ulcerations in the digestive tract—classic signs of a plant-based poison like "gut-breaking grass," which is rare in the Great Tang and originates from the southwest. Xiao Jinyu questions why this was missed earlier, and Chu Chu explains that she had limited her initial inspection to avoid causing Xiao Jinyu political trouble.
Xiao Jinyu reminds her that a coroner’s duty is to speak for the dead, regardless of the consequences or the status of those involved. The investigation gains momentum when Leng Yue and Jing Yi investigate a break-in at their residence where nothing was stolen, but several flowerpots were smashed. They notice a specific pot of roses from the Zhao estate that is suspiciously vibrant despite the extreme summer heat.
Xiao Jinyu tests the soil by placing live fish into water mixed with the earth; the fish die instantly, confirming the soil contains the poisonous remains of the tea that killed the monk. Footprints at the scene lead Jing Yi to suspect his own cousin, Zhao Senyao, an official who oversees military appointments. To confirm the connection, Chu Chu examines Qinxiang, a courtesan who was previously abused by Zhao Senyao.
Chu Chu discovers that Qinxiang is suffering from "syphilis" (red sores), a contagious disease she unintentionally passed to Zhao Senyao. Chu Chu also identifies a specific bite mark on Qinxiang’s hand. Xiao Jinyu then lures Zhao Senyao into a meeting, using an apple to match his dental patterns to the wound on Qinxiang and confirming that Zhao also carries the tell-tale red sores of the disease.
While treating Qinxiang, Chu Chu learns that the courtesan’s tragic life began when she fled a household to protect her secret child from a life of slavery. She had assumed a false identity to enter the Music Office to pay for her son’s medical bills, only for the child to be sold away.
Master Shenguan, remembering a small act of kindness she showed him years ago when he was a hungry monk, had sought her out to help her redeem herself. Chu Chu, sharing her own experience of being an orphan, encourages Qinxiang to stay strong. Meanwhile, Jing Yi uses Zhao Senyao’s deep-seated superstitions to break him. He claims the smashed roses have released a vengeful spirit that will haunt the killer.
Terrified, Zhao Senyao confesses that a "ghost guard" with a Nanzhao accent had been providing him with "longevity pills" to treat his illness. The ghost guard warned him that Master Shenguan’s ritual would drive away the spirits healing him and tricked him into poisoning the monk's tea. Zhao claims he only intended to knock the monk out but panicked and dumped the tea into the rose pot when the monk died.
At the imperial audience, Xiao Jinyu presents evidence of Nanzhao involvement. Despite the protests of the envoy Gao Luoqian, the Emperor demands an explanation from Nanzhao for the internal strife brought to the capital. In Nanzhao, the King admits to the Crown Prince that he personally orchestrated the monk's death to weaponize public anger against the Tang. Finally, a mysterious man named Kongque warns Qinxiang to remain silent about their "scented powder"—a secret southwest treasure—by using news of her lost child as leverage.
