Original subtitles

[Coroner's Diary]

[Episode 17]

Thank you.

Li Muyun?

Here, try some too.

My Lady,

you were staring at Li Muyun

and barely ate anything.

I have no appetite.

That eye contact was an accident.

I was afraid he'd see through my mind.

It was not your fault.

Who could stay calm when seeing

their enemy with a vendetta?

I've pictured his face numerous times,

but never did I

expect him to appear such a gentleman.

My Lady, he wrecked your whole family.

No matter how decent he may seem,

he's still a villain.

Keep it down.

Little Wan'er.

Oh, my God.

It's me.

Finally got out of there.

Why didn't you two

inform me before you snuck out?

It was suffocating in there.

We came out for some fresh air.

I'm wondering what's wrong

with Princess Yu.

She kept pushing me about my marriage.

And all those madams

happen to have sons or nephews—

handsome, talented,

promising, and single,

waiting for me to save them from their misery.

I had to dig my nails into my palms

to keep from lashing out.

Can't believe you actually held back.

You've made some progress.

Your Highness, Wan.

What brings you here?

The Shuangqing Troupe is about to perform "Mulian Rescues His Mother."

I came to let you know.

I ate too much

and needed to walk it off.

We still need to watch the show later.

You're blessed with such a carefree nature.

Prince Yu, wish you infinite fortune

and longevity.

Thank you.

Cheers.

Prince Yu, wish you infinite fortune

and longevity.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Prince Yu, I'll have one with you.

Come on.

Mr. Li.

Cheers.

Who are those people at the back table,

too timid to come to toast?

Cheers.

They all work in salt delivery.

The one toasting over there

is Liu Renli.

Keep a close eye on them.

Understood.

Minister Li, forgive my negligence.

I just learned you're still staying at the post house.

If you don't mind,

my Qinghui Manor is quite a pleasant residence.

Why not...

I'm here on an official mission entrusted by His Majesty.

I am supposed to stay at the post house

according to the rules.

Minister Li, I'm impressed by your adherence

to proper conduct.

This one's for you.

Mr. Pang,

cheers.

Li Muyun is extremely cautious in his words and actions.

Can't tell his integrity or treachery for now.

Nonsense!

My youngest son is not

my own flesh and blood?

Ridiculous!

Just some childish gibberish.

Lord Yan is drunk.

I didn't give birth to him,

so how would I know?

Great-uncle, I have some advice for you.

In this world,

only the mother knows who the child's real father is.

Therefore,

never mess with women.

Great-uncle, you'd better be nicer to your wife from now on.

Finally said something sensible.

We can't afford

to offend women.

-They're formidable, you know? -Yeah.

Come on, let's drink.

Alright, bottoms up.

Come on.

Cheers.

Thank you for your blessing.

Good.

Impressive.

Prince Yi's heir is truly handsome.

Literally a himbo.

Now, let's welcome

the birthday protagonist,

Prince Yu, to deliver a speech!

Alright.

Everyone!

Let's all raise a glass to Prince Yu.

Prince Yu, wish you infinite fortune and longevity.

Your Highness, could you kindly let Prince Yu know

that I cannot handle any more alcohol

and need to return to my lodging to rest?

I'm not saying goodbye in person

because I don't want to ruin the vibe.

Of course.

His Majesty was so pleased

to learn that you solved two major cases

in Jingzhou consecutively.

If you could give me some advice on investigation

after returning to the capital,

I would be greatly honored.

Minister Li, you know,

those who follow different paths cannot work together.

For someone who betrayed his teacher to climb up the career ladder,

I only hold him in contempt and disdain.

I see, Your Highness.

Here, let me fill your cup.

Brother, you haven't

secured your position in the Ministry of Justice.

I don't think it's wise to fall out

with him now.

We're long past the point of playing nice.

Yan Li.

Nice!

Reward them!

If Xiang hears about such a great performance,

she'll throw another tantrum.

Then don't let her know.

She made mistakes herself.

Grounding her is already going easy!

Mr. Pang,

why did Liu Renli leave early?

He went back on his word.

Does he have any respect for the Crown Prince?

It's really not that serious.

Commissioner Liu was simply afraid of being targeted by Yan Chi,

so he had to hide temporarily.

Why?

He

once invested in Qingyuan Pawnshop,

and Yan Chi is handling that case.

What?

Is he involved in that case?

He wouldn't dare be involved in such matters.

He withdrew his investment

as soon as the news broke.

If he had a weakness in Yan Chi's hands,

I would never recommend him

to the Crown Prince.

Please rest assured.

He's clean, squeaky clean.

These two men from the Qin family

are really stirring up trouble.

They made me squat here for ages!

I need to go somewhere to relax.

Your Highness.

Feng,

what are you doing here?

Master told me to keep watch here.

Feng.

It's said that Miss Qin Wan

is going to be my Brother Chi's future wife?

I have no idea.

I heard that in Jingzhou's case,

my future sister-in-law was a big help.

Is that true?

No idea.

My future sister-in-law

just looks like a doll.

What help could she possibly offer?

Please stop it.

No matter how many times you ask,

I'll only say, "No idea."

Seems like it's something hard to talk about.

There are only a few roles in criminal justice.

What are you hiding from others?

Case solving? Chi is good at it.

Deduction?

It's okay if people know about it.

Criminal law?

It can be covered by scribes.

Making arrests?

My future sister-in-law's too vulnerable for it.

So that only leaves the examination.

My sister-in-law couldn't be a coroner, could she?

Thanks.

Wait, hold on.

Why did you say thanks to me?

Thank you for telling me that

my future sister-in-law

is an expert at handling dead bodies.

I didn't say anything!

I only need to make Chi

think you did.

Wait.

You're a prince!

How

could you frame me?

Prince Yu, this one's for you.

And me too, Your Highness.

Good.

Brat, where have you been?

Bathroom.

It's starting!

Here we go!

The show is going to begin!

My Lady, look!

♪ The Dharma sees the child's filial piety ♪

♪ He tries to find and save his mother in hell ♪

♪ Ride on the auspicious cloud, heading for Mount Lingshan ♪

♪ Buddha's compassion guides the way ♪

♪ Buddha's compassion ♪

♪ Guides the way ♪

Bravo!

Bravo!

Bravo!

Great!

Bravo!

Leader Qing Li, impressive!

Bravo!

Bravo!

That's amazing!

Wan, it's such a great show!

Prince Yu, are you alright?

-Prince Yu! -Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Don't move!

Prince Yu has suffered a stroke

and must not be moved.

Fuling, get me

a paper and a brush.

Yes.

She's dead.

I didn't do it.

Impossible.

It wasn't me!

-Stay still! -I didn't do it.

Bai Feng.

Yes!

Lock down the area.

Kill those

who sneak out.

Understood!

Lock down the area!

Where is the Governor of Yuzhou?

It's me.

I'm here.

[Wang Huaiyu, Governor of Yuzhou]

Here.

Keep squeezing out

the congested blood until it turns red.

Okay.

Your Highness.

You are Governor Wang?

Yes. Greetings, Your Highness.

You are elderly.

So save the formality.

Thank you, Your Highness.

The suspect, Yang Ying, is being taken to the office.

Please arrange an interrogation immediately.

Yes, Your Highness.

Decoct thick medicine that I prescribed. Two doses will cure him.

Yes, My Lady.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

How is my great-uncle?

He's out of danger now.

Did you notice anything unusual?

No discoveries so far.

Thank you for saving my great-uncle.

As I should. No need for thanks.

At a birthday banquet,

such incidents could easily stir up trouble.

I want to examine the troupe leader's body quickly

to prevent rumors from going wild.

Okay.

I'll have Bai Feng escort you and Ning to the prefect's office.

I'll go join you after I examine the scene.

Ning, let's go.

Okay.

I'll go with you!

[Morgue]

Oh, my goodness.

Are you done?

My turn now.

No! I can never be done with it!

It's absolutely fascinating.

Just wait.

You've been watching for so long!

I haven't seen it even once.

Why did it end so suddenly?

It's

over?

Let me see.

Help me hold this.

What's wrong?

Seriously?

Isn't it just like watching someone sew clothes?

Sewing clothes and sewing a person are different things!

Fine, fine.

I told you not to watch

Little Wan'er perform the autopsy,

but you insisted.

See? All because you didn't listen to me.

-What are you doing? -Come on.

Help me just this once.

I'll grant any favor you ask in the future.

I told you not to watch the autopsy.

Now you're suffering, huh?

Silly tricks.

Go have fun somewhere else.

Alright, alright.

It's okay.

I saved your face.

If you dare break your promise,

I'll break this hand of yours.

Come on.

I'm a man

of my word.

You can ask for whatever you want.

I want to drink

to my heart's content!

No way.

If Chi finds out, he'll kill me.

Do you believe I can now...

You win this time.

Let's go.

Put it down there.

Have the Dove Unit investigate it.

Yes.

You may leave, too.

Yes.

Died from a chest wound?

Yes.

The arrow was made of pure iron,

entered through the back,

and pierced the heart.

But if it were an intentional murder,

the murderer would need to be confident of a fatal shot.

Yet when I examined the scene,

I found no signs of any setup.

Could it really be an accident?

Every accident has its inevitable cause.

What did Yang Ying say?

Governor Wang's questioning him now.

What are you worried about?

I want to make achievements in criminal justice to facilitate

your future recommendation of me.

I want to

take over this case.

Then do it.

Why are you hesitating?

But you're already handling the Qingyuan Pawnshop case

and the salt transport corruption case.

I don't want to stress you out.

Prince Yu is His Majesty's last remaining uncle,

holding the highest seniority in the imperial family.

At his birthday banquet,

not only did a murder occur,

but he also fell suddenly ill.

Officially and personally,

I cannot stand by and do nothing.

Moreover,

this birthday banquet

gathered officials of the fourth rank and above

from the Upper-capital and Southeast Circuits.

Someone committed murder at such an event.

It's hard to tell how many people have been involved.

And it's likely to be related to the two cases

I'm handling right now.

Your assistance

would be a great help to me,

not a burden.

I'm glad to hear that.

Are these all the arrows shot from the quiver?

Except for the one that hit Qing Li,

all the others are here.

I collected them myself,

untouched by anyone else.

Weird.

This arrow

is much lighter than the one that struck Qing Li.

Look.

I need Hanyue.

This arrow

is covered with iron on the outside,

but made of wood inside.

But the arrow that killed Qing Li

is made of iron only.

Even with an iron-plated arrow,

given the speed and force offered by this quiver,

it'd be enough to kill people.

No need to specifically use pure-iron arrows.

The quiver is the key to the problem.

The iron arrow was too heavy,

requiring the device to be pulled twice to fire.

When the Shuangqing Troupe was arranging this play,

they must've set the shooting's timing and position meticulously.

Given their years of collaboration, Yang Ying and Qing Li

must've developed perfect coordination and trust.

But the killer exploited exactly this point

to make this iron arrow

fire at a different time than planned.

This one strike caught Qing Li off guard

and killed her.

The murderer must be so familiar with this quiver

that he knew exactly where to place the iron arrow

to hit Qing Li's vital spot.

When Qing Li was shot,

she was about to go off stage for a pose.

That was the only time in the play

she stood with her back to Yang Ying.

The killer must've known Yang Ying would bow at that moment

and trigger the mechanism again.

Given the murderer's perfect plan

for the attack timing,

he or she must've been extremely familiar

with the arrangement of this play.

In that case,

everyone in the Shuangqing Troupe is suspicious.

Because this play is a must-learn for an apprentice

in the Shuangqing Troupe to graduate.

That means

every one of them knows the arrangement of this play

and the directions of the arrow shots.

For such an important prop,

why didn't Yang Ying check it himself before going on stage?

Because he's the deputy troupe leader

in charge of the troupe's chores.

Even if he checked it in person,

he couldn't possibly keep

this quiver on his back all the time.

Someone could enter backstage when he wasn't around

and have the chance to tamper with this quiver.

When Qing Li was shot,

Yang Ying looked in great shock.

It didn't look like his scheme.

Let's set aside whether his shock was real or not.

Right now,

we need to figure out who else could've

tampered with this quiver

besides Yang Ying.

Prisoner Yang Ying,

you just confessed

that you killed Qing Li, the Shuangqing Troupe Leader.

Is what's written in your confession

true?

Yes.

It's true.

Since it's true,

then press your fingerprint on the confession.

No, no!

It was not...

Not...

Yang Ying,

nearly a hundred people at the birthday banquet

saw you kill Troupe Leader Qing Li.

With both the witnesses and evidence,

you cannot get away with this murder charge.

I'm about to finish my term in office

and retire soon.

I don't want to execute anyone before I leave.

As long as you press your fingerprint on this confession,

I will consider that you turned yourself in

and spare your life.

-It was not me! -Behave!

It wasn't me! I didn't do it!

Yang Ying,

are you trying to fool me?

Gag him!

Continue the beating!

Stop!

Greetings, Your Highness.

Why are you using such brutal force on the suspect?

Yang Ying dared to go back on his confession in court.

For such a cunning criminal,

I had no choice but to adopt brutal force.

This is murder.

Yang Ying was gagged during torture,

making it hard for him

to breathe or cry out to release the pain,

causing his internal energy

to mess up, leading to his fainting.

Your Highness,

this young lady is talking nonsense.

This "young lady" you said

is the expert in criminal justice, who I consider my mentor,

Master Wan.

M-Master...

Master Wan.

Please forgive my ignorance.

If Yang Ying remains in a coma for too long,

it may lead to organ failure.

I need to treat him immediately.

Take Yang Ying to the prison for now.

Yes!

Make sure to keep him alive.

Go, go.

Move it!

Your Highness.

I am already a man long in the tooth, ready to retire.

How could I possibly abuse torture

and cause needless death?

Actually, Yang Ying already confessed

that he killed Troupe Leader Qing Li,

but he refused to sign the confession.

Where is the confession?

Yang Ying confessed that he

was desperate to become the troupe leader,

but Qing Li was addicted to gambling

and secretly lost the Shuangqing Troupe to someone else in a bet.

So Yang Ying held a deep resentment.

When and to whom did Qing Li

lose the troupe?

Where did she gamble?

Well...

How did Yang Ying use the quiver to kill her?

Since Yang Ying already confessed,

why bother with these trivial details?

If Yang Ying wanted to kill Troupe Leader Qing Li,

he'd have countless secretive methods and means.

Why did he have to kill in public?

Most performers are impulsive and vulgar.

Maybe Yang Ying was out of his mind

and acted on impulse,

committing this heinous murder.

"Maybe"? Governor Wang,

is this how you solve cases?

Your Highness.

Your Highness, you may not know

that local courts at all levels

have always based their verdicts on the suspect's confessions.

The former Minister of the Supreme Court, Shen Yi,

clearly stated in the legal code he drafted

that case files submitted

must include detailed confessions, postmortem reports, and evidence.

Your claim doesn't make any sense.

Shen Yi was convicted of a felony.

How can the legal code he drafted

be considered valid?

It's still the code approved by His Majesty

and has never been abolished.

Governor Wang, are you trying to make decisions for His Majesty?

Your Highness,

I've had absolute loyalty to His Majesty.

During all my years in office,

I've always been diligent in my duties

and cautious in my actions.

I don't seek rapid advancement.

All I wish is to serve properly from beginning to end.

Serve properly from beginning to the end.

Governor Wang,

if you're thinking of hastily closing this murder case

for a safe retirement,

you've made a grave miscalculation.

I'm confused.

Please enlighten me, Your Highness.

The murderer ruined Prince Yu's birthday banquet

and nearly caused him to pass away.

If you randomly close this case,

how do you think Prince Yu will feel?

If he submits a memorial

to accuse you of disregarding the law

and neglecting your duties,

you'll say goodbye to your dream

of a glorious retirement

and even end up behind bars soon.

Now you know

what to do, right?

Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness.

I swear

I'll get to the bottom of this case.

No more oversights.

I swear on my life.

Guards.

Guards!

[Self-restraint for Loyalty]

Can't believe a provincial governor

needed you to lecture him on official duties

before he'd do his job properly.

If the imperial court is awash with such officials,

how can we expect fair laws?

That's exactly what makes

you and your father so precious with your integrity.

Father spent his whole life

writing the legal code.

Are those false accusations

going to ruin all his efforts?

The most precious work in his life isn't the legal code,

but you,

his most beloved daughter.

In matters of law,

I'm not your equal.

But in court politics, I'm outdoing you.

Go ahead and focus on upholding justice.

I'm here to help you clear up injustices in the world.

Together,

we won't let Mr. Shen's efforts be in vain.

Thank you.

If I were a man,

I'd have gone to fight on the front line long ago

instead of getting ready for a marriage

and the continuation

of the bloodline.

I'd travel around the world,

commanding troops on the battlefield!

That'd be much better than being confined to the household.

-Cheers! -Cheers!

You know what?

Though I'm a man,

I'm not that carefree either.

My father, who died young,

earned a prince title with his life,

but it came with no land

and no official position.

I merely hold an empty noble title.

Those aristocrats in the capital

all look down on me.

Those who wish to marry me

are all fortune-hunters, coveting my title.

They're all up to no good.

Yes, exactly.

Those shallow people

don't deserve an unmatched beauty like me.

That's true.

It's rare to see a man

as beautiful as you.

Don't worry. From now on,

I'll treat you like my own sister

and won't let anyone take advantage of you.

"Sister"?

No, it should be "bro"!

-Cheers! -Cheers!

Bro!

Since we're good friends now,

I should be honest with you, right?

Of course.

Actually, that day

when Little Wan'er did the autopsy,

I was

closing my eyes.

What?

What did you say?

Can't believe you fooled me!

Good friends should be honest with each other!

Don't be angry.

Didn't expect you to be too scared to see that too!

Come on,

we're good friends in misfortune.

Let's have another drink!

Cheers!

Well,

you fear being schemed in your marriage,

and I fear being confined to a household.

How about

we get married?

As long as you don't interfere with my heroic deeds,

I swear I won't meddle in your romantic affairs!

Isn't that perfect for both of us?

Bro,

what a brilliant idea!

If this works out,

we can lead a carefree

and unrestrained life,

free of all worries from now on!

Nice!

Come on!

It's a deal.

Deal!

-Cheers! -Cheers!

This heartless man!

Were it not for me,

you wouldn't be where you are now!

The Shifang Inn? Come on!

This Qinghui Manor

and even the entire Pang family should be mine!

[Qinghui Manor]

My Lady, come on.

You're finally back.

You must be exhausted after a day's work.

It's okay.

Fuling,

are you blaming me

for making your lady work too hard?

How dare I blame you, Your Highness?

I'm just concerned about my lady.

Then why is your tone so natural

and casual in front of your lady,

but so stiff and formal before me?

You two are different, of course!

Fine.

Then I promise

I won't exhaust your lady anymore.

Happy now?

That's more like it.

You should go visit Prince Yu

and get some rest early.

If you see Qin Yan,

you might as well give him a hint.

I've figured out Liu Renli's bribery transactions.

Tell him to be careful not to get implicated.

Why do you always help the Qin family?

Because as long as you're in this family,

I can't let anything happen to them,

lest you get dragged into it.

This is the same Red Flare that Yingqi used before.

If I'm not around

when you run into danger,

you can point it toward the sky

and pull the trigger.

I'll come as quickly as I can.

This is an eagle whistle

made for the Shuoxi Army's scouts.

Blow it,

and it'll make a sound like a gyrfalcon.

I can hear it within two li.

Got it?

I got it.

If you're far from me,

use the Red Flare.

If you're close,

use the eagle whistle.

My Lady, let's go back. It's getting cold.

You don't need to get up early tomorrow.

Get some good rest.

If there are any updates on Qing Li's case,

I'll come to pick you up.

Okay.

Let's go.

Your Highness, you should go back to rest as well.

Hope you can deal with Fu Ling soon,

Bai Feng.

Why has Young Master Qin Chen still not shown up?

You canceled the last appointment.

So waiting a bit longer now is fair.

Don't you know why?

All because Li Muyun and Yan Chi showed up

unexpectedly!

How could I say that?

If Young Master Qin Chen knew that you were targeted by Yan Chi,

he wouldn't recommend you to the Crown Prince.

Li Muyun is here too.

Everyone knows His Majesty

is investigating the southeast salt transport.

First, you avoided them.

Then you were desperate for a meeting.

Anyone could tell

that you've got something to hide.

The Crown Prince wants people who can rake in money for him,

not some troublemakers.

So what now?

Anyway,

if I can't turn to the Crown Prince,

you must help me fill the financial hole.

Otherwise, I'm losing not only my job

but also my life!

Besides,

without me,

who else will cover up for your Pang family's business?

What do you all take me for?

A cash cow?

We made an agreement in the first place:

you pursue your career,

she manages her Shuangqing Troupe,

I run my Shifang Inn,

and our profits would be our own business.

That's what you said.

Now

you ask me to cover your debts,

and she wants my Shifang Inn.

Why should I do it?

She really asked you for the Shifang Inn?

When?

Did she just come to see you?

You already knew she had this plan?

I went to see her a few days ago.

She told me

Qing Li lost the Shuangqing Troupe to someone in a bet

and threatened her with that incident from years ago.

She's just a woman,

terrified out of her wits.

I told her not to mention it

to you over and over again,

but still...

What a mess.

But now, Qing Li is dead.

Why does Madam Qin still want

my Shifang Inn?

Just think about it.

She's a woman.

She's kept such a stressful secret

in her heart for years.

It's been a real torture.

You're caring about her,

but don't drag me into it.

We're all old now.

Forget about those feelings.

Considering our past friendship,

we should just help each other when we can.

She's only stuck to her good looks all her life.

Just spare her some money—

enough for her to spend on her hobby.

If she dares to threaten me with that incident,

she won't get a single copper from me.

What about me?

Will you also stand by and watch me fall?

Master,

Young Master Qin Chen has arrived.

Invite him in.

Mr. Pang, Commissioner Liu,

sorry to keep you waiting.

This way, please.

♪ The Dharma sees the child's filial piety ♪

What's this sound?

♪ He tries to find and save his mother in hell ♪

♪ Ride on the auspicious cloud, heading for Mount Lingshan ♪

Prefect Wang has arrested the entire crew of the Shuangqing Troupe.

How is someone still singing "Mulian Rescues His Mother"?

♪ Guides the way ♪

♪ Buddha's compassion ♪

♪ Guides the way ♪