The Imperial Coroner Episode 20 Recap
> The Imperial Coroner Recap
Xiao Jinyu spoke with Tan Gui regarding Chu Chu’s complicated background, which involved an old issue concerning Senior Jing and a previous dynasty, making the situation increasingly difficult. Xiao Jinyu asked Tan Gui, who worked for Senior Jing, if he would be willing to put off killing Chu Chu and first inform Senior Jing of the situation if Xiao Jinyu’s own father desired her release.
Xiao Jinyu explained that since his father, Prince Consort Xiao Heng, had stayed near Chu Chu for years and treated her as his own daughter, there must be something suspicious about her background that his father had discovered. He deduced that the Witch Doctor who contacted the Chu family, though missing for five years, might still be in Guanling County.
Tan Gui, remembering Xiao Heng’s past kindness, agreed to Xiao Jinyu’s request and offered to accompany them in the search for the Prince Consort, believing the truth would be revealed once he was found. After Xiao Jinli and Xiao Jinyu departed, Leng Yue approached Jing Yi, asking if he was alright after Xiao Jinli had hit him.
Though Jing Yi claimed to be fine, Leng Yue insisted on checking him, brushing aside his protests about being on the street as no one else was around. She firmly stated she would skin Xiao Jinli if he dared to hurt Jing Yi again, to which Jing Yi thanked her. Leng Yue simply replied that they were friends. Meanwhile, Chu Chu visited Chu He, who had been flogged.
She anxiously asked why he had been punished, but Chu He downplayed it, saying he requested the flogging to learn a lesson. He tried to prevent her from inspecting his injuries due to her being a girl, but Chu Chu, as a coroner, insisted she was accustomed to examining bodies. Chu He reassured her he was fine.
He then advised Chu Chu to always confide in him and not keep things bottled up, noting that she used to tell them everything but now seemed to only share her troubles with Commandery Prince An. Despite this, Chu He affirmed his commitment to always being her good brother, promising to help her if Commandery Prince An ever bullied her, even at the risk of his life. Chu Chu reaffirmed that he was always her good brother.
Just then, Xiao Jinyu arrived with medicine and, standing outside, he saw Chu Chu embrace Chu He. Misinterpreting their close bond as romantic affection, he felt a deep sense of loss. Later, Xiao Jinli found Xiao Jinyu suffering from a stomach ache and gently carried him back to his room. Xiao Jinli chided his younger brother for neglecting his health and for bottling up his worries.
Xiao Jinyu then addressed a long-held belief, stating that Xiao Jinli had been feeling guilty for years over an incident where Xiao Jinyu saved him from drowning when they were children. This guilt, Xiao Jinyu believed, led Xiao Jinli to constantly defend him, make concessions, and even suggest that Xiao Jinyu claim their father’s title and position as Commandery Prince. Xiao Jinli clarified that his protection came from being an elder brother, not guilt.
He explained that granting Xiao Jinyu the title was more suitable because Xiao Jinli himself had always preferred martial arts and would be unable to join the army if he held the princely title. In contrast, Xiao Jinyu, who already managed the Three Judicial Offices, would benefit from the status, as it would instill fear in other officials and ensure his safety, thus serving both of them well.
Xiao Jinyu acknowledged his own narrow-mindedness and accepted his brother’s reasoning, bringing them closer. In the capital, Qin Luan discussed intelligence indicating a significant individual from the Southwest was likely the mastermind behind recent events. He inquired about Shen Yu, the new Capital Liaison Representative from Qianzhou, noting his origin from Wuhou County, where Duke Chang used to live.
Believing something major was about to unfold in the Southwest, Qin Luan ordered his subordinate, Mingde, to closely monitor the Antique Store, determined to uncover the spy’s benefactor. Meanwhile, Zhou Han went to Pingkang Residence, a brothel, where Xu Rugui’s family – his wife, a concubine, two sons, and a daughter – were being held. Zhou Han handed a packet of poison to the brothel madam, instructing her to administer it to the family.
The madam, after being reprimanded for suggesting she keep Xu Rugui’s concubine, promised to handle the matter efficiently, claiming she would dispose of the bodies by saying they died of disease and burying them in unmarked common graves. Unbeknownst to them, Wu Jiang had already infiltrated the brothel. Seizing an opportunity when the madam left, he quickly swapped the poison. That night, Xu Rugui’s family was transported outside the city, seemingly abandoned as corpses.
Wu Jiang and his men secretly retrieved them, bringing them to the Three Judicial Offices. The bewildered family members soon woke up, and Wu Jiang explained that they were now safe, as in the eyes of their captors, they were already dead. Later, Qin Luan received a report from Zhou Han, falsely stating that Xu Rugui’s family had been successfully killed, which Qin Luan viewed as Zhou Han finally fulfilling a mission.
Xiao Jinyu later confided in Xiao Jinli, recalling his mother, Princess Xiping, had urged him to be wary of eunuchs before he left the capital, saying his father would also have reminded him. He found a eunuch’s corpse in his father’s house, and Xu Rugui had confessed to working for Qin Luan, confirming his mother’s warning was significant.
Coupled with his father’s cryptic chess game, Xiao Jinyu felt there were hidden truths behind his father’s experience in the Southwest that went beyond official records. Therefore, he explained, even if Chu Chu were truly the daughter of a rebel, he could not casually execute her. Xiao Jinli urged Xiao Jinyu not to reveal these dark details to Chu Chu, as she had already been terrified by Xu Rugui’s actions.
Chu Chu, concerned about how her identity might affect Xiao Jinyu, first sought advice from Xiao Jinli. She asked if Xiao Jinyu would face trouble if someone working for him committed a crime, or if he would be angry or sad when encountering an enemy with a blood feud. Xiao Jinli, unable to give clear answers, advised her to speak directly with Xiao Jinyu. Following this, Chu Chu went to Xiao Jinyu’s residence.
Although Xiao Jinyu initially tried to send her away, she insisted on personally delivering something important. She handed him a mirror, which she had retrieved from the Yong’an River that morning. Xiao Jinyu became furious, scolding her for going to the river alone without telling anyone, especially with the rising water levels from recent rains, and for risking her life for "such trash." He forbade her from leaving home without his permission.
Chu Chu then pleaded with him to allow her to accompany him in his search for Sir Witch Doctor, promising that she would not bother him again after they found him. Xiao Jinyu, though still seemingly vexed, agreed to her request. Later, Leng Yue brought medicine to Xiao Jinyu. She playfully teased him about his awkwardness with Chu Chu and his conflicted feelings.
She advised him that a human heart, much like food, should be tended to while warm, as its essence changes if it grows cold. She questioned if he would want Chu Chu’s heart once it had cooled toward him.
Leng Yue noted that while Xiao Jinyu was a good official and brother, he would not be a good husband if he remained cooped up, working constantly, and warned that Chu Chu might be attracted to others if she saw a broader world. Xiao Jinyu, deflecting the conversation, revealed that Jing Yi had been consistently rejecting marriage arrangements, not due to high demands, but because he harbored feelings for someone.
He then encouraged Leng Yue to directly ask Jing Yi who that person was. A few days later, Xiao Jinyu prepared to begin his search for Xiao Heng. He believed that due to his father’s physical condition and the fact that the bridge providing access to the outside world was not yet built five years ago, his father would have found it difficult to leave Guanling County alone and must still be hiding nearby.
Based on light spots indicated in a drawing, Xiao Jinyu pinpointed a location in the southwest of Phoenix Mountain as a potential hiding spot. However, Tan Gui confirmed the area was a dangerous wetland, a large swamp teeming with vipers and scorpions, lacking food and fresh water, making survival highly improbable given Xiao Heng’s impaired mobility.
