Coroner's Diary

Seeing Qin Guan's expression change, Zhan Yang quickly asked, "What's wrong? What has the Lady thought of?"

Qin Guan was still in shock, momentarily unable to speak. Zhan Yang frowned as he looked at her but didn't press further. After a long moment, Qin Guan finally composed herself. "This information is very timely. I did think of something, but..." She hesitated. "For Zhan Butou's sake, it's better if I don't tell you."

Zhan Yang, being perceptive, changed the subject. "Something has happened in the capital. I wonder if it's related to this matter."

Qin Guan shook her head. "Since Zhan Butou can think this far, let this matter end here. You should not investigate any further."

A flicker of struggle passed through Zhan Yang's eyes. Qin Guan suddenly asked, "How has Lord Zheng been lately?"

At this question, Zhan Yang sighed. "His Lordship is currently claiming illness and staying at home."

Qin Guan gave a bitter smile. "Lord Zheng understands well in his heart. Zhan Butou has put in great effort. If you could be promoted, it might be a good thing for the people. Only with significant power can authority be used for the people's benefit. But in the official circles, self-preservation is paramount."

Zhan Yang reluctantly agreed, "Very well, then I shall listen to the Lady. I will not investigate this case any further. Although I feel somewhat unwilling, I trust the Lady."

Qin Guan nodded, suppressing the turmoil in her heart as she poured Zhan Yang a cup of tea. "I truly must thank you. We all knew about Guanyin Town, but no one went to investigate on-site. It snowed a few days ago, and your journey there and back, staying there for several days, must have been very difficult."

Qin Guan had always known that Zhan Yang was very dutiful, but this time, her respect for him grew even more.

Zhan Yang's jurisdiction was only the area of Lin'an City. Beyond Lin'an City was not his responsibility. Yet he had gone alone to Guanyin Town without proper authorization and had to avoid drawing attention. One could imagine how challenging it must have been, but he still went and ultimately gained results.

Zhan Yang's persistence in pursuing crime and truth seemed even more resolute than Qin Guan had imagined.

Zhan Yang picked up the teacup and took a sip. "It wasn't difficult at all. A man like me traveling alone isn't in any danger—just a matter of spending some time and effort." His tone was light, then he added, "I hadn't thought much about Ning Buyi's case initially, but after what the Lady said, the more I thought about it, the more something felt off. If I had simply believed Ning Buyi was the culprit and let the true mastermind escape, I'm afraid I would have been uneasy for the rest of my life."

Qin Guan looked at him. "Is this how you approach every case? If it's truly an unsolved case, it must be very taxing for you."

To an outsider, hearing or seeing a murder case would evoke pity for the deceased and hatred for the perpetrator. But for those like Zhan Yang or Shen Yi, whose official duty lies in criminal justice, emotional fluctuations tend to fade over time. They remain rational and calm; perhaps there is anger, but it is never the driving force behind their pursuit of truth. Investigating the truth must be driven by responsibility. Yet Zhan Yang clearly took this responsibility too seriously. And how many unresolved cases might there be in a single government office?

Zhan Yang smiled, a look of satisfaction appearing on his resolute face. "Perhaps this is just the kind of person I am. If I don't clarify a case, I feel very uneasy. Since I've put on this official uniform, I ought to do something worthwhile."Qin Guan looked at Zhan Yang and smiled, "There are very few absolutely righteous people in this world, yet I believe you are precisely such a person."

Zhan Yang's demeanor was as stern as his expression, always cold and solemn, like a sword of justice forever charging forward to strike down evil.

Zhan Yang's hand holding the teacup tightened slightly as he smiled wryly, "Not exactly. Who doesn't have their own thoughts? It's just that I'm alone in this world, with no one to worry about. If I had elderly parents and young children to care for, perhaps I'd spend my days thinking about promotions and wealth to provide them a better life."

Qin Guan hesitated to speak further. Zhan Yang was no longer young, and having worked as a constable for many years, he had accumulated some savings. Finding a matchmaker to arrange a marriage wouldn't be difficult, yet he seemed to have no such plans. Qin Guan wanted to bring it up, but Zhan Yang had never mentioned his family matters in their presence. Being a discreet person, Qin Guan thought it improper to pry.

Qin Guan nodded, "As I said before, you can do much for the common people. The more capable you are, the more you need to protect yourself. With the court's current instability, the magistrate's office provides temporary shelter, but with your abilities, advancing further wouldn't be a problem. It's rare for common folk to have a good official."

Taking this as praise, Zhan Yang's smile softened slightly, "Thank you for the reminder, Princess. I'll consider it."

After exchanging a few more words, Zhan Yang—who hadn't come specifically to drink tea with Qin Guan—soon took his leave upon learning she needed to enter the palace.

After Zhan Yang departed, Qin Guan remained seated alone in the private room for a long time. Only when the tea before her had gone cold did she rise, put on her cape, and board the carriage.

The Empress Dowager's health was deteriorating day by day, becoming particularly distressed after taking potent medicine. Not daring to be careless, Qin Guan tried to visit the Empress Dowager in the palace daily. In the carriage, she continued pondering Zhan Yang's words. Had Zhan Yang merely mentioned that Ning Buyi met someone back then without describing the person's appearance, or had he described different characteristics, she might not have given it much thought. But he specifically mentioned that the person used a walking stick and didn't turn their gaze toward voices when hearing them...

These two traits strongly suggested a blind person—only the blind use walking sticks, and only the blind don't instinctively direct their gaze toward sounds. Whoever could command Ning Buyi to act this way must hold high status and power. Coincidentally, Qin Guan happened to know one such powerful blind individual.

This realization brought to mind something she had overlooked.

In this world, only the Empress knew that the current Emperor wasn't Prince Luo. Later, Consort Jin was executed because of this, and Prince Jin along with Qin Guan's father were also killed. This demonstrated that whenever the Emperor discovered anyone learning this secret, he showed no mercy. So, before these three, had anyone else known?

Twenty years had passed. If this secret were revealed today, even Crown Prince Yan Qi and others would likely neither believe nor dare to accept it. Over these two decades, the Emperor had long mastered how to be Prince Luo—or perhaps enough time had passed that people could no longer distinguish the difference. But what about when the Emperor had first been rescued back then?At that time, Prince Luo was Prince Luo, and Prince Gong was Prince Gong. Though they were blood brothers with some resemblance, people could still clearly distinguish between them. Their temperaments and talents were entirely different, making it impossible to mistake one for the other. The reason the Emperor managed to escape disaster was because he had suffered severe injuries.

Burns, blade wounds, and sword injuries had rendered his face unrecognizable. If ordinary people couldn’t tell, who would have had the chance to discover the truth?

The one who treated the Emperor’s injuries back then was Princess Consort Yi. As an outer disciple of Medicine King Valley, her medical skills were exceptional. She exerted all her efforts for half a month to save the Emperor’s life. It could be said that, at the time, the Emperor was largely exposed and vulnerable before Princess Consort Yi. Did the Emperor have any distinctive marks? Did Princess Consort Yi know about his old scars or other details? In short, she was the most likely person to have uncovered the secret...

And in the end, she died. Yue Ning had mentioned that Princess Consort Yi died suddenly. Although it was publicly attributed to illness, how could a young physician succumb to a severe, sudden illness? This doubt becomes much easier to explain when viewed from another angle...

If the Emperor wanted someone dead, that person had no choice but to die, and their death would appear perfectly natural.

But what if Prince Yi and Yan Ze had noticed something amiss?

The murder of a mother, the murder of a wife—such profound hatred, was it enough to drive them to return for revenge years later?

Qin Guan narrowed her eyes slightly. Of course, it was worth it. Faced with the oppression of imperial power, few could stand against it. To seek revenge, one could only rely on years of meticulous planning. If this were truly the case, what was Yan Ze’s ultimate goal? Had he already discovered the Emperor’s secret?

Qin Guan was filled with doubts but found no answers. Upon entering the palace, she steeled her mind, careful not to reveal her thoughts.

When she arrived at the Longevity and Health Palace, Qin Guan heard Yue Ning’s voice from afar...

“Yes, this sword is quite good. Since you’re young, choose this one.”

“Try it out. See if you can wield it?”

“Yes, yes, just like that. Oh, it looks quite good...”

Qin Guan entered the palace gates and, not far ahead, saw Yue Ning teaching Yan Sui swordplay in the central courtyard. Yan Sui, his small hands gripping a short sword, swung it with great effort. His eyes sparkled, his forehead glistened with sweat, and he looked utterly exhilarated.

A slight smile curved Qin Guan’s lips as she walked in. Yue Ning noticed her first.

“Oh, you’re here! I’ve been waiting for you! What do you think of the short sword I prepared for him?”

Qin Guan approached with a smile. “Why have you started teaching him martial arts?”

Yue Ning laughed. “When I spoke with the Empress Dowager last time, she mentioned that the Ninth Prince’s health was also poor. I impulsively suggested teaching him martial arts. Since he’s a boy, practicing martial arts from a young age would help strengthen his body. The Empress Dowager said the Emperor had also practiced martial arts as a child. I had several short weapons at my place, so I picked one for him.”

Qin Guan took a closer look and noticed that the blade of Yan Sui’s short sword was unusually thick—it had not been sharpened.

“It’s not even sharpened...”

Yue Ning replied, “How could I give him a sharpened one? What if he accidentally hurt himself?”

Qin Guan trusted Yue Ning’s judgment completely. Yan Sui paused, panting heavily as he looked at Qin Guan.

Qin Guan smiled. “If you’re tired, take a break...”

Yan Sui shook his head and resumed swinging the sword. Qin Guan then entered the Warm Chamber to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager.Upon reaching the entrance of the Warm Chamber, Qin Guan overheard voices from within.

"When His Majesty was young, he loved practicing swordplay the most. I recall the late Emperor hired a great sword master from Mengzhou to teach him. He claimed the sword was more elegant than the saber—though I never understood why elegance mattered in martial arts training..."

The Empress Dowager chuckled before continuing, "Prince Gong was different. He could handle any weapon—spear, halberd, or sword—but he preferred the saber."

Mentioning Prince Gong dampened the Empress Dowager's spirits. Qin Guan then heard Yan Ze remark, "I vaguely remember watching Their Majesties spar when I was very young. Comparatively, Prince Rui had the finest martial skills, while my father always ended up losing."

The Empress Dowager sighed. "Indeed. Speaking of this makes me reluctant to let Yan Sui learn martial arts now."

Yan Ze reassured her, "There are benefits to martial training. Don’t worry—we won’t let Yan Sui become obsessed with it. Look at His Majesty; his health has improved over the years, partly due to his early sword practice. Even you should move about more often."

The Empress Dowager smiled wryly. "I’m beyond that. I just woke up before you arrived, yet I already feel drowsy again."

Qin Guan lowered her gaze and entered. The Empress Dowager brightened at the sight of her, while Yan Ze turned toward her direction.

"Greetings to the Empress Dowager..."

Yan Ze, still wearing the medicated gauze over his face, curved his lips slightly. "The Lady of the Manor has arrived."

"You came early, Your Highness. I seem to be late."

While speaking with the Empress Dowager, Qin Guan checked her pulse. The Empress Dowager suddenly recalled their earlier conversation and said, "This reminds me—it’s been years since I last saw His Majesty wield a sword. Ah, he’s far too busy..."

Yan Ze replied gently, "His Majesty prioritizes state affairs."

The Empress Dowager seemed to have thought of something but kept it to herself. After Qin Guan finished the examination, she waited for her diagnosis. Qin Guan said, "The medication has slightly improved your pulse, but it’s not enough. If you feel tired these days, rest as much as needed. Avoid anger and exhaustion at all costs."

The Empress Dowager smiled. "As expected, your prescriptions are the most reliable."

Since the Empress Dowager mentioned fatigue, neither Yan Ze nor Qin Guan lingered in the inner chamber. Soon, they took their leave.

Outside, Yue Ning was still instructing Yan Sui. Yan Ze walked calmly to the doorway, then paused under the corridor as if guided by memory. "I haven’t seen you at the manor these past couple of days, my Lady."

Qin Guan studied Yan Ze. With the gauze covering his face, she observed him freely. "I’ve long felt Your Highness’s eye ailment is cured, yet your vision hasn’t returned. Perhaps what’s missing is the right opportunity."

Yan Ze maintained his usual gentle composure. "Does the Lady know where that opportunity lies?"

Surprised by the question, Qin Guan looked at him intently. "As a physician, I can only treat physical ailments. If Your Highness carries unresolved burdens, I cannot heal those. Unless you choose to release them yourself—that would yield quicker results."

Yan Zhe smiled faintly. "Divine Doctor Sun suggested I might have an undetected illness, yet you insist it’s an unresolved burden."

Qin Guan shifted her gaze toward Yue Ning in the distance. "Physical illnesses have remedies; emotional wounds do not. Divine Doctor Sun is straightforward—he may not have considered such complexities."Yan Ze listened silently, not at all annoyed by the subtle implications in Qin Guan's words. Instead, after a moment of silence, he asked, "Does the Princess know where my inner turmoil lies?"

Qin Guan pressed her lips together without speaking, but Yan Ze smiled faintly. "The Princess truly possesses remarkable medical skills. With you here, there is hope for Grand Empress Dowager's recovery."

After saying this, Yan Ze stepped forward and walked straight along the straight corridor toward Yue Ning. Watching his retreating figure, Qin Guan felt for the first time that this Crown Prince was shrouded in an aloof and unapproachable coldness.