The Imperial Coroner Episode 21 Recap
> The Imperial Coroner Recap
Princess Xiping strolled through the imperial garden with Emperor Xuanzong, her thoughts not on the blooming flowers but on Xiao Heng, her late husband. She recounted how Xiao Heng preferred the plain, year-round cattails to the fleeting beauty of flowers. She also reminded the Emperor that their unique love token was not a jewel, but a simple rock, referencing the poem "A Pair of Peacocks Southeast Fly."
For them, the rock was not a comparison to the poem's tragic couple, but a symbol of Xiao Heng's desire to be a steadfast protector for her through all storms. Though moved by their deep affection, Emperor Xuanzong sternly refused Princess Xiping’s plea to cancel Leng Yue's marriage. He reminded her of her duty as a member of the imperial family and the honor of such a match, demanding she not be ungrateful.
He then ordered the imperial astronomer to divine Xiao Jinli's birth date, a task the princess had failed to complete. Later, the eunuch Jinbao reported this conversation to Qin Luan, who was already suspicious of Emperor Xuanzong's recent inquiries about the birthdays of Xiao Jinli and Xiao Jinyu. Qin Luan recalled the widespread gossip from years ago when Princess Xiping gave birth to twins, deducing that the Emperor might finally be investigating Xiao Jinli's true origins.
His anger then turned to Zhou Han, who was sent to inquire about Duke Chang but had yet to return. Qin Luan’s subordinate, Sun Mingde, hinted that Zhou Han was likely enjoying himself at Pingkang Residence on Qin Luan's dime. Frustrated, Qin Luan lamented that if his senior disciple had not mysteriously disappeared while searching for Xiao Heng in the Southwest, he would not have to rely on such incompetent men.
Meanwhile, Xiao Jinyu led his companions to Phoenix Mountain, arriving at a dangerous wetland rife with vipers and scorpions. Despite Deputy Magistrate Tan Gui's fears, Xiao Jinyu was certain this was the location indicated by the Witch Doctor. Chu Chu climbed to a high vantage point to survey the area and spotted three deliberately piled rock structures. Xiao Jinyu immediately recognized them as his father's chess pieces.
By interpreting their arrangement, he grimly deduced that the "chess game" pointed directly into the swamp, meaning his father was inside. While Leng Yue and the others hoped it was merely a clue to another location, Xiao Jinyu explained that his father, being gravely injured and needing to avoid detection, could not have left further clues.
Jing Yi pulled Leng Yue aside, explaining that Xiao Jinyu, who wished for a positive outcome more than anyone, had already considered all possibilities, and his conclusion, though agonizing, was final. Xiao Jinyu then confirmed to Chu Chu that his father was indeed in the swamp, waiting for the "Handsome Judge," and explained that the swamp’s airtight conditions could preserve a body as a "wet corpse." Just then, a soldier announced they had found a body wrapped in waterproof oilcloth.
Back at the Chu residence, the body was laid out for examination. Chu Chu, who knew the Witch Doctor well, requested a dagger to perform the identification. She recognized a unique scald on the man's left arm, confirming he was the one who had given her the pendant. His appearance, height, a leg wound, and an arm scar further solidified that the deceased was indeed Xiao Heng.
When Xiao Jinyu asked for the cause of death, Chu Chu reported finding numerous blood dots and stasis on his face and neck, clear signs of suffocation. She concluded that Xiao Heng had drowned himself. To understand why his father chose such a tragic end, Xiao Jinyu opened a wooden casket Xiao Heng had left behind. Inside were six silk pieces covered with groups of three numbers, which he recognized as ciphers.
Realizing the decoding method had to be universal, not personal, Xiao Jinyu examined the casket itself and discovered two poems inscribed on it. With Jing Yi and Chu Chu's help, they read them aloud. Xiao Jinyu then had a breakthrough when he noticed the word "cress" in the first poem sounded like "chess." He realized the numbers were decoded using reverse phonetic notation, combining initial consonants from the first poem and compound vowels from the second.
The decoded message, written by Xiao Heng, revealed a harrowing story. As Censor for Emperor Wenzong, he had left the cipher in hopes that a brave scholar would solve the puzzles and vindicate the loyal men of Jiannan. During the Ganlu Incident, when Emperor Wenzong sought to eliminate the eunuchs, Xiao Heng was sent with a secret decree to summon Military Commissioner Chen Ying.
However, the plot failed, and the eunuchs seized control, slaughtering officials and slandering Chen Ying's forces as rebels. Chen Ying covered Xiao Heng's escape, but he was cornered, severely wounded, and forced to jump from a cliff. He was miraculously saved by a witch doctor and awoke from a coma a month later to learn the situation was hopeless. The eunuchs, seeking to destroy all evidence, faked an imperial edict offering him titles to lure him out.
To avoid implicating more innocents and to preserve the truth, Xiao Heng assumed the identity of the witch doctor after he passed away. Trapped in Guanling by the treacherous terrain, his broken legs, and the eunuchs' relentless search, he could not contact Chang'an. He was eventually tracked down by a eunuch, whom he managed to kill, hiding the body in a wall as evidence.
Tragically, with his health deteriorating and realizing his end was near, he wrote his final confession and drowned himself in the swamp, hoping his sacrifice would one day bring justice to the wronged.
