Coroner's Diary

The one who was afraid was Huo Ning.

In the dim and gloomy Mortuary Temple at dawn, with eerie winds howling, Huo Ning huddled nervously with Fei Quan and Nan Feng in a cramped storage room filled with old mourning clothes, spirit money, and banners piled haphazardly together.

"Young Master, must we really hide like this? Forget the stench in here—next to us is where Miss Song's body is laid out, and in the next room... aren’t there two unclaimed corpses?"

"Yeah, Young Master... are these things... used or unused?"

Huo Ning’s face turned pale and green, but he feigned composure. "Father forbade me from getting involved in this matter, as if he’s hiding something from me. Of course, I have to see who this expert is and what skills they possess."

He shifted further into the corner. "Some of these things have been used, some haven’t. The Mortuary Temple often takes in unclaimed, nameless bodies. After the Corpse Examination, they must be buried. Uncle Kuan here keeps leftover items no one wants for these unidentified corpses."

Fei Quan swallowed hard. "Young Master... I’m scared."

Huo Ning was already uneasy, and Fei Quan’s whining only added to the eerie dread in his heart. He kicked out at him. "If you’re scared, endure it! Are you even a man?! No one’s asking you to kill anyone—what’s there to be afraid of?!"

As he spoke, his own voice trembled uncontrollably.

Fei Quan took the kick and stumbled backward, falling to the ground with a loud crash. The piled-up mourning banners and clothes toppled onto him. Panicking, the stench of decay in his nose made him feel as if countless corpses were pressing down on him. He let out a terrified scream. "Young Master, save me! Help—"

Huo Ning lunged forward and clamped a hand over Fei Quan’s mouth, nearly shoving the mourning clothes worn by the dead into his mouth. "Shut up! What are you screaming for?! There’s movement outside—someone’s probably arrived!"

Fei Quan was on the verge of tears. He scrambled out of the pile of mourning clothes and listened carefully. Sure enough, voices and the sound of carriages and horses came from outside the Mortuary Temple. Gritting his teeth, Fei Quan quickly fell silent.

The storage room’s location was ingeniously chosen. Though cramped, it had a small window that overlooked the entrance of the Mortuary Temple. To the left of the room was the side hall where Song Rou’s body lay in repose.

From here, Huo Ning could see who the expert was and eavesdrop unnoticed on the Corpse Examination next door. As long as the Mortuary Temple guards kept quiet, Huo Huaixin would never know he had been here.

"Shh—Father’s here."

Through the small window, a carriage slowly came to a stop at the Mortuary Temple’s entrance.

The driver was Huo Huaixin’s most trusted servant. The carriage curtain lifted, and Huo Huaixin and Xu He stepped out. But Huo Ning frowned. "Father came lightly escorted, without even guards."

"Huh?" Huo Ning was astonished. "The Anyang Marquis is here too!"

Behind Huo Huaixin’s carriage was an inconspicuous plain green carriage. The first to step out of it was Yue Qiong.

Fei Quan and Nan Feng squeezed into the corner of the window, their view limited. Nan Feng said, "This case is related to Marquis Anyang Manor too, so the Anyang Marquis must have come for that?"

Huo Ning thought the same, but soon he exclaimed in surprise, "The Marquis’s second son is also here!"Fei Quan and Nan Feng exchanged a glance. Fei Quan said, "Why isn't it the heir of Anyang Marquis coming? What's the second young master doing here, joining in the excitement?"

Huo Ning raised an eyebrow. He had a penchant for elegance and refinement, and most of his frequent companions were the refined scholars of Jinzhou City. Though he was acquainted with Yue Qing, they weren't particularly close. He made no comment on Yue Qing's presence, merely listening quietly to the conversation outside.

"Alright, all of you, withdraw. Return in two hours."

At Huo Huaixin's command, the guards outside the Mortuary Temple were dismissed. Huo Ning arched a brow, finding it rather unbelievable.

"Why is Father sending all the guards away?"

"Probably because that expert doesn’t want anyone to know he’s here to examine the corpse..."

Huo Ning's curiosity stirred; he was even more eager to find out who this expert was.

"He should be arriving soon, right?" Yue Qiong and Huo Huaixin stood at the entrance of the Mortuary Temple, waiting and gazing toward the end of the long street.

"It only takes half an hour to get here from there. If she’s willing to come, it won’t take long." Huo Huaixin exhaled, still somewhat uncertain. "I don’t know if she’ll agree. If not, then this case..."

He gave a bitter smile, but Yue Qiong said, "His Highness Chi was right—she’ll definitely help. Last time, with Qing’er’s incident, we didn’t even know she could perform corpse examinations, yet she stepped forward on her own. She’s kind-hearted by nature. Later, when we spoke, we learned she had even read Shen Yi’s writings. Her words carried a sense of righteousness and justice, so she’ll come."

Huo Huaixin sighed. "It’s truly astonishing when you think about it. Who would have imagined that a woman..."

His voice suddenly dropped, and Huo Ning couldn’t catch the rest. But from Yue Qiong and Huo Huaixin’s conversation, this expert was not only of a special status but also highly skilled in corpse examination, and a person of great integrity and fairness. What shocked Huo Ning even more was that the truth behind Yue Qing’s previous mess had been uncovered by this very person!

No wonder it had been resolved so quickly back then!

Though Huo Ning didn’t know who this expert was, based on what he’d heard, he already felt a twinge of respect.

"That’s why they say she’s a pearl hidden in dust. At her age, to have such accomplishments in medicine is already extraordinary. Who would have guessed she could also examine corpses? It’s a pity she remained unknown for so many years."

"Exactly. In all my years, I’ve never met someone like her—a true rarity."

"Her life has been fraught with hardship, yet she’s never let adversity break her spirit. Even now, she remains genuinely kind and resilient. When Madam learned we were asking for her help again today, she was deeply concerned. If it weren’t for the Mortuary Temple, she might have come along personally."

Huo Huaixin chuckled. "I can see how much Madam cherishes her, and she truly deserves it. Even I can’t help but admire her—whether it’s her character or her appearance, she’s exceptional in every way!"

Huo Ning was utterly baffled. The field of coroners was entirely male-dominated, so he had instinctively assumed this expert must be a man—and not just any man, but an older one at that. Few young men were skilled in this field, as evidenced by Xu He. Yet, from the conversation outside, why were they even mentioning her appearance?

While a handsome man might be pleasing to the eye, why would the Madam of Anyang Marquis cherish an older, good-looking man? That was just too bizarre...Huo Ning grew increasingly uneasy as he pondered, unable to make sense of the situation. Just then, Yue Qing suddenly called out in a low voice, "They're here!"

Huo Ning's spirits lifted, and he hurriedly turned his gaze to the end of the long street. Sure enough, he saw a single rider and a carriage slowly approaching. The carriage was an ordinary green-curtained vehicle, but the lone rider was particularly eye-catching. Huo Ning narrowed his eyes and immediately recognized Yan Chi from his imposing aura, even from dozens of yards away!

Glancing back at the carriage, Huo Ning frowned.

Who exactly was this master, to make both the Anyang Marquis and his own father—a prefectural governor—wait for so long? Even more astonishing was that Yan Chi had been the one to fetch her! Taking a deep breath, Huo Ning felt his entire body tense with anticipation.

If Huo Ning had heard, naturally Fei Quan and Nan Feng beside him had too.

The two of them were squeezed together in a corner, unable to see outside. Fei Quan wanted to look, Nan Feng also wanted to look, and the two of them jostled silently. Then, whether by accident or not, someone's hand slipped—with a creak, the half-closed window was pushed open.

Instantly, the three standing by the window froze like statues.

Yue Qiong's expression turned stern as he barked, "Who's there?!"

Both Yue Qiong and Yue Qing were trained martial artists, sharp-eyed and keen-eared. The noise wasn't loud, but in the tense silence, it was unmistakably abrupt. Huo Huaixin also turned his head, his face darkening with anger.

He had already ordered all the guards to withdraw—how could someone still be hiding inside the Mortuary Temple?!

"Who's hiding in there?!" Before Yue Qiong and Huo Huaixin could move, Yue Qing had already leaped down the steps and strode toward the window.

Seeing Yue Qing approach with tiger-like strides, Huo Ning's face flushed with embarrassment. Knowing there was no escape, he kicked Fei Quan hard and pushed the window wide open. He grinned sheepishly in Huo Huaixin's direction. "Father, Marquis—"

Yue Qing halted mid-step, crossing his arms with a smirk. "So it's Young Master Huo."

Huo Ning, reeking of odd smells, stepped out of the storage room and walked up to Yue Qiong and Huo Huaixin at the entrance. Fei Quan and Nan Feng followed, their faces pale, and immediately knelt upon exiting. Huo Ning muttered dejectedly, "Father, it was my suggestion to invite that master for help, yet you wouldn't let me come along. So..."

Discovering it was Huo Ning hiding there, Huo Huaixin's face stiffened with embarrassment. Yue Qiong, however, chuckled indulgently. "Huo Ning just wanted to share your burden. Since he has the heart, there's no harm in letting him watch. You're being too cautious."

With Yue Qiong offering a way out, Huo Huaixin naturally took it. He glared fiercely at Huo Ning. "If you wanted to come, you could have just told me openly! Hiding like some petty thief—what kind of behavior is that?! Always fooling around!"

After the initial scolding, he composed himself and said sternly, "Since you're here, you may stay and watch. But very few know of this matter. Whatever you see today, you are not to speak a word of it outside!"

"Don't worry, Father. I understand. Thank you, Marquis—"

Huo Ning's face brightened with joy as he bowed to Yue Qiong in gratitude. Then he shot Fei Quan and Nan Feng a glare, prompting them to scramble to their feet and retreat to the side, quietly relieved.

Huo Huaixin shook his head helplessly before turning his attention back to the long street.

The Mortuary Temple was located in the desolate southern outskirts of the city. The area was already remote, and with the temple's presence, the street in front was usually deserted. On this empty morning street, the rider and carriage had drawn much closer.Yue Qiong and Huo Huaixin couldn't help but step forward, while Yue Qing watched with a smile and eager anticipation in his eyes. Even Xu He gazed at the carriage with devout reverence. Seeing the four of them like this, Huo Ning's curiosity grew even stronger, and he too took a few steps forward.

Huo Ning recognized Yan Chi, but the man's imposing aura made it difficult to meet his gaze directly, so Huo Ning focused his attention on the carriage instead.

The driver was Bai Feng, and Huo Ning felt a vague sense of familiarity, though he couldn't quite place where he had seen him before. Soon, Yan Chi reined in his horse before the Mortuary Temple, and the small carriage came to a steady halt in front of it. Huo Ning widened his eyes as he watched—the handsome white-clad attendant stepped down from the carriage and moved aside, but it was Yan Chi who dismounted and lifted the carriage curtain.

Huo Ning found the scene utterly bizarre. Before he could process it, a sky-blue gown came into view beneath the raised curtain.

Amid the desolation of early autumn, the dress flowed like a clear spring stream, instantly dispelling the eerie gloom before the Mortuary Temple. The dim morning haze scattered, and the sky brightened into clarity.

Huo Ning's pupils gradually dilated—this revered expert was actually a woman?!

His blood surged with excitement, his heart filled with awe and astonishment. But as the curtain was fully drawn aside, his racing pulse froze in an instant, and his mind went utterly blank—

He stared fixedly at the delicate, familiar face revealed beneath the curtain, half-convinced he was dreaming.

How—how could it be Qin Guan?!