The Imperial Coroner Episode 2 Recap
> The Imperial Coroner Recap
After impressing Commandery Prince An, Xiao Jinyu, during the initial coroner examination, Chu Chu remains focused on her goal of working for the legendary "Handsome Judge." Her interactions with the intelligent and fair Prince lead her to suspect he is the man she seeks. However, her stone pendant has drawn unwanted attention. Xiao Jinyu, noticing General Zhou Han’s intense interest in the pendant, cleverly deflects the General’s clumsy inquiries about a supposed set of lost keys.
Jing Yi aids him by pointing out the foolishness of a high-ranking official openly advertising such a sensitive loss. Once Zhou Han leaves, Xiao Jinyu returns the pendant to Chu Chu, warning her to keep it safe. On the way to a crime scene, Chu Chu offers Xiao Jinyu homemade ointment for an injury, but she steadfastly refuses to explain the pendant's origin, stating she will only reveal it to the real Handsome Judge.
Meanwhile, Zhou Han reports directly to the eunuch Qin Luan, describing the stone pendant in detail—flat, carved, appearing as one half of a whole, with a blue tassel. Qin Luan instantly recognizes it as the love token between Princess Xiping and the long-lost Xiao Heng. Deducing that Xiao Heng might still be alive, Qin Luan dispatches Zhou Han to apprehend Chu Chu for questioning and sends another agent to Princess Xiping's residence to probe for information.
At the Yan Manor, Xiao Jinyu and Chu Chu investigate the murder of Yan Ming. Jing Yi, the first to arrive, explains that Yan Ming went to his study to retrieve valuable calligraphy for a banquet and was never seen alive again. A scream from the study was followed by another from a dancing girl, who claimed to have discovered the body. Despite sealing the manor, no suspect was found.
Through a series of reenactments, Chu Chu determines that the victim, having been stabbed through the heart, would have been unable to scream. Xiao Jinyu deduces that the first scream must have come from the murderer to create a distraction. He further reasons that the dancing girl, who was in the courtyard at the time, must have witnessed the killer.
He concludes she is the culprit, having used ventriloquism to imitate a man's scream and faked being a witness to ensure her own safety after stealing a book scroll. Xiao Jinyu finds the slender murder weapon hidden in the study and sends Jing Yi to arrest the dancer, who is found calmly practicing back at the Dancing Service. Due to her role as a key witness, Chu Chu is ordered to remain in Chang'an.
Xiao Jinyu later has his guard, Wu Jiang, recover Chu Chu’s stolen satchel, explaining that the thief was identified by the distinct scent of a coroner's supplies on both the bag and his person. After paying her for her services, he secretly orders his men to follow her and exchange any counterfeit coins she might spend.
Taking advantage of the situation, Qin Luan complains to Emperor Xuanzong that Xiao Jinyu is disrespecting the court by using a murder victim's body for an exam instead of solving the case. Enraged, the Emperor declares that Xiao Jinyu will be stripped of his title if the case isn't solved by sunset. Qin Luan’s envoy then attempts to bribe Princess Xiping with gifts, but she, aware of Qin Luan's slander against her son, furiously drives him away with a whip.
She privately reaffirms her belief that her husband, Xiao Heng, is still alive, as his tomb is merely a cenotaph containing only his clothes, a fact she keeps hidden from Xiao Jinyu. Following the earlier resolution of a separate lightning-strike death, the Three Judicial Offices post a public notice explaining the phenomenon. As citizens praise the "Handsome Judge," Chu Chu feels a swell of pride, hoping Xiao Jinyu will finally admit to being him.
As she leaves, she helps a limping man who then leads her into a secluded alley. He threatens her with a dagger, demanding her stone pendant. Just in time, Wu Jiang and his men, sent by Xiao Jinyu, intervene and rescue her. The attacker is promptly silenced by a hidden accomplice who escapes. A traumatized Chu Chu bursts into tears upon seeing Xiao Jinyu, yet she insists on examining the dead assailant's body.
Her dedication to her craft, combined with her refusal to explain the pendant, deepens Xiao Jinyu’s suspicions. His men discover that 19 of the 23 coins in her purse are illegal, privately minted currency, matching counterfeit money he has seen before. Xiao Jinyu retrieves a matching pendant from his mother, confirming it is a pair with Chu Chu's. He rules out tomb robbery after confirming with local thieves that his father's grave is untouched.
Wu Jiang reports that the kidnappers were skilled martial artists who concealed their style and only intended to abduct Chu Chu, not harm her. Unable to reconcile the conflicting evidence, Xiao Jinyu decides to write to his associate Leng Yue, an expert on the martial world, hoping to uncover the truth about Chu Chu's origins and the mysterious pendant.
