The Imperial Coroner Episode 18 Recap
> The Imperial Coroner Recap
Xiao Jinyu connected the dots, realizing his father, Xiao Heng, had been secretly investigated for years by Xu Rugui under Qin Luan's orders. He believed there were more secrets behind the Military Commissioner of Jiannan’s usurpation and that Qin Luan had held back information from the imperial court. The key to finding the answers, he thought, lay in deciphering the mysteries his father left behind.
At his father's old residence, Xiao Jinyu pondered over the drawings left by the man also known as Sir Witch Doctor, which depicted mountains and trees from Guanling County, specifically Phoenix Mountain and Yong'an River. He also noticed that his father had used thick drawing paper for windowpanes, supposedly to block the wind. Following a hunch, Xiao Jinyu asked Chu Chu to draw the curtains.
In the dim room, Chu Chu discovered a small bright spot on the wall, indicating a tiny hole that penetrated it, covered by drawing paper on both sides. When combined with a light source on the other side, the hole projected the bright spot. Xiao Jinyu recognized this as a trick from a historical case where corrupt ministers used the "Borrowed Light" principle to create a map marking hidden money.
He deduced that his father must have used the same method to leave a location clue. Just as Xiao Jinyu made this discovery, a guard reported an incident at the Chu family residence. Xiao Jinyu and Chu Chu rushed to the scene, finding the entrance guards incapacitated. They learned that Xu Rugui had suddenly broken free from his ropes, attacked the guards, and attempted to flee. The rope was found to have been cut with a carpenter's tool.
The guards reported that Chu He had spent about 30 minutes alone with Xu Rugui while bringing him food, and Chu He was now missing. During Xu Rugui's escape attempt, a first group of people, dressed like bandits but with Shence Army fighting skills, burst in, determined to kill him. Then, a second group entered; they did not seek to harm Xu Rugui but instead tried to protect him, engaging in a fight with the first group.
Chu Chu inspected the bodies of the deceased intruders and identified them as soldiers based on the calluses on their palms, which were formed from years of military training. Xiao Jinyu analyzed the situation, concluding that the two groups of assailants represented a "fight between the snipe and the mussel." He clarified that Qin Luan’s Rugui House had initially been the buyer, and those who committed crimes in Qianzhou were the seller in a mutually beneficial trade.
Now, with Rugui House’s operations exposed and Qin Luan’s involvement known, his adversaries sought to use Xu Rugui as leverage. By controlling Xu Rugui, they aimed to reverse the power dynamic and become the buyer, threatening Qin Luan. With Xu Rugui severely wounded from the skirmish, Xiao Jinyu ordered Xiao Jinli to take Chu He's dog, familiar with Chu He's scent, and search for both Chu He and Xu Rugui, surmising Xu Rugui could not have gone far.
He also dispatched Jing Yi and Leng Yue to the County Office to gather more men, instructing them to simply state that bandits had attacked. As Xiao Jinyu and Chu Chu continued their pursuit, Chu Chu directly asked Xiao Jinyu about her parents, particularly if her father was the rebel Yun Yi. Xiao Jinyu confirmed that Xu Rugui had made such an accusation but stressed it was unverified.
He explained that Xu Rugui intentionally left the hairpin at the Xu Mansion to mislead him into investigating Chu Chu's father, an officer who had worked for the Military Commissioner of Jiannan. This was a ploy to destroy the trust between Xiao Jinyu and Chu Chu and force her to join Xu Rugui. Xiao Jinyu emphasized that his original intention was to find Chu Chu's whereabouts, not to investigate her father's identity, which Xu Rugui used as a distraction.
Chu Chu then worried if her father being Yun Yi would bring trouble to Xiao Jinyu. Suddenly, Xiao Jinli arrived with a group of men, reporting that Chu He might have fallen into the river. Footprints on the riverside matched Chu He's, and the dog's reaction confirmed his presence. Xiao Jinli then pulled Xiao Jinyu aside and revealed a conversation he overheard between Chu He and his father. Chu He harbored deep feelings for Chu Chu, wishing to marry her.
Xiao Jinli suspected that Chu He’s actions, including potentially helping Xu Rugui escape, stemmed from his concern that Xu Rugui, as Chu Chu's uncle, might take her away or involve her in his crimes. Chu He might have believed that if Xu Rugui escaped or was killed, Chu Chu could remain safe. Xiao Jinli cautioned Xiao Jinyu not to reveal this to Chu Chu.
Meanwhile, Chu Chu spotted a piece of clothing floating in the river, immediately recognizing it as Chu He's and a sign that he was trapped. Despite Xiao Jinyu’s warning, she instinctively jumped into the water. Forgetting his own inability to swim and a traumatic childhood drowning incident, Xiao Jinyu impulsively followed her into the river, quickly finding himself in distress.
Chu Chu, a skilled swimmer, managed to rescue Chu He from being tangled in water weeds and then pulled Xiao Jinyu to safety. Upon reaching the shore, Xiao Jinli admonished Xiao Jinyu for his rash act, reminding him of his past near-drowning. Xiao Jinyu admitted he had jumped in without thinking, feeling as though he were "under a spell." After everyone was safe, Xiao Jinyu, still recovering, immediately sought out Chu Chu and embraced her tightly, expressing his deep concern.
Chu Chu was momentarily stunned by his intense reaction. Later, as Leng Yue prepared medicine for the still unconscious Chu He, Deputy Magistrate Tan arrived to see Jing Yi. Leng Yue, observing Tan's footprints, identified him as the man Jing Yi had met in the wild that night. Xiao Jinyu then discussed the ongoing search for Xu Rugui. He rejected Xiao Jinli's suggestion to involve mountain villagers, fearing for their safety if they encountered the cunning Xu Rugui.
Instead, he ordered Magistrate Zheng to thoroughly map all possible routes in and out of Guanling County, including mountain paths and waterways, to better analyze Xu Rugui's potential hiding places. Unbeknownst to them, Xu Rugui was indeed hiding in a cave, his hands stained with blood as he ate. Separately, Xue Rucheng approached Emperor Xuanzong, requesting permission to visit the Southwest under the pretext of investigating a missing inspection record compiled by the late Minister Feng Jie.
Xue Rucheng stated that Feng Jie's accompanying officers revealed an additional scroll beyond the three already submitted, containing information on other affairs, which went missing before reaching the capital. Emperor Xuanzong granted Xue Rucheng's request but strictly ordered him not to disclose the purpose of his journey to anyone before his return. Meanwhile, Qin Luan's subordinate, Zhou Han, reported on his surveillance of Shen Yu, the new Capital Liaison Representative of Qianzhou.
Shen Yu had been giving gifts to various ministers, but Zhou Han found nothing particularly suspicious. However, Qin Luan remained unconvinced, believing Shen Yu was "not that simple," and instructed Zhou Han to continue his close watch. Zhou Han also reported that Wu Jiang had given Senior Jing a copper coin from Qian Printing. Qin Luan, upon hearing this, mused that the Southwest would become chaotic with Xue Rucheng heading to Qianzhou and Xiao Jinyu already there.
He also noted that Emperor Xuanzong was contemplating ordering a marriage and mentioned Leng Peishan. Later, Xue Rucheng met Senior Jing, implying his trip to the Southwest was to investigate the illegal copper coin case. Senior Jing expressed concern for Xiao Jinyu's safety, and Xue Rucheng in turn worried about the potential involvement of the Leng family from the Southwest. Back at the Guanling Yamen, Chu He remained unconscious.
Xiao Jinyu, seeing Chu Chu steadfastly at Chu He's bedside, felt a pang of unease. He instructed her to return home to reassure her family of Chu He's safety, but Chu Chu refused, insisting on staying until her brother awoke. Her refusal angered Xiao Jinyu, who spoke sharply, stating that if she considered herself a coroner of the Three Judicial Offices, she must follow his orders; otherwise, there was no need for her to continue working for him. Chu Chu stood frozen, bewildered by his words.
