The Imperial Coroner

"Wang Ye, hold me."

Xiao Jin Yu paused for a moment before wrapping his arms around her waist. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..."

"Hmm?"

She nuzzled her small head against his chest again, murmuring into his embrace, "I just missed you..."

Xiao Jin Yu chuckled helplessly and pressed a light kiss to her hair.

Truthfully, after not seeing her all day, Xiao Jin Yu had also felt an inexplicable emptiness in his heart. It wasn't until he opened his eyes and saw her just now that his heart felt full and settled again.

After Chu Chu kissed his collarbone twice, Xiao Jin Yu quickly patted her warm, curled-up form. "Chu Chu... do you know what kind of liquor your grandfather likes?"

"Hmm... he always drinks the liquor from that small distillery next to Qin's Clinic in town. The kind that costs ten wen per jin."

"Take me to that distillery tomorrow."

Chu Chu anxiously threw herself against his chest, nearly bumping her head against his chin. "You're still sick! You can't drink!"

Xiao Jin Yu stroked her back with a bitter smile. "I won't drink it. I just want to buy some for your grandfather... I made him angry today."

Chu Chu blinked in surprise. "Why?"

Xiao Jin Yu sighed silently, his face slightly flushed. "I didn't do well feeding the pigs..."

Chu Chu asked seriously, "What went wrong?"

Xiao Jin Yu closed his eyes with a defeated expression. "Let's not talk about it..."

Chu Chu curled back into his embrace, hugging his waist tightly. "Wang Ye, don't worry. I'll teach you later—you'll definitely learn well!"

"Hmm..."

He never wanted to see another pig in his life...

Early the next morning, Chu Chu took Xiao Jin Yu to the distillery. It was closed, and the entire street was quiet. However, a middle-aged man around fifty was removing the door panels at the entrance of Qin's Clinic next door.

Chu Chu ran over and called out sweetly, "Uncle Qin!"

"Oh, little Chu... so early. Here for medicine?"

"Not for medicine!" Chu Chu pointed at the tiny, unnamed distillery next door. "I want to buy liquor for Grandpa. Why hasn't Old Wang opened yet?"

Doctor Qin waved his hand with a laugh. "Silly girl, have you lost track of the days? It's New Year's Eve today. No one's opening except my clinic!"

Chu Chu slapped her forehead. "Ah! I was so focused on assembling the corpses, I forgot all about New Year's!"

Doctor Qin was startled, his hand trembling so much he nearly dropped a door panel on his foot. "As... assembling what?"

"Corpses. Over a hundred bodies were brought down from Phoenix Mountain, all dismembered into sections. We counted about a hundred heads, but we still need to assemble and stitch them all back together to know exactly how many died. My dad, my brother, and I worked on it all day yesterday and haven't even finished half!"

Doctor Qin's face turned pale. He tried to smile but couldn't, his lips twitching uncontrollably. "Is that so... Well, your family is... starting the year with a bang, haha..."

Chu Chu clapped her hands. "You're right! I hadn't thought of that!"

"Haha, indeed..."

Xiao Jin Yu, standing nearby, felt a chill down his spine and couldn't help but cough lightly.

Doctor Qin finally noticed the person behind Chu Chu and quickly changed the subject. "Oh, this... is he the one you and your grandmother came to get medicine for late that night?""That's right!" Chu Chu took two steps back, standing beside Xiao Jin Yu as she said to him, "Uncle Qin is the best doctor in Zizhu County. Even County Magistrate Zheng's family calls on him for medical treatment."

Xiao Jin Yu gave a slight nod toward Qin Langzhong and spoke with gentle courtesy, "I am An Qi, and Chu Chu is my betrothed... I must thank you for that night, and hope you can forgive my abrupt disturbance."

Qin Langzhong waved his hands repeatedly, "No need for such courtesy, no need..." He then examined Xiao Jin Yu with concerned eyes, "The prescription brought that day seemed to be for clearing heat and detoxifying. What illness have you contracted?"

"Just a common cold, already mostly recovered... Thank you for your concern."

Qin Langzhong smiled, "Good that you're better. It would be quite inconvenient to be sick during the New Year celebration!"

Hearing the words "New Year," Chu Chu suddenly remembered the wine and quickly said, "Uncle Qin, we shouldn't keep you any longer. I need to go to Old Man Wang's house to buy wine!"

"Don't bother," Qin Langzhong stopped Chu Chu, glancing at Xiao Jin Yu, "The road to Old Man Wang's place is so difficult to navigate up and down. Why make him expend that effort... I happen to have several jars here that Old Man Wang delivered a couple days ago, better than what your grandfather usually drinks... Anyway, I can't drink it all by myself - at most I'd use it to make medicated wine. Since you need it urgently, take these first."

Chu Chu beamed with delight, "Thank you, Uncle Qin!"

"Many thanks, sir."

"Not at all, not at all..."

Entering the clinic, Chu Chu followed Qin Langzhong to the backyard to get the wine while Xiao Jin Yu waited in the main hall, casually looking around.

Though small, the clinic was clean and orderly. The medicine cabinet was well-stocked with all common remedies, and there were even several drawers labeled with medicines Xiao Jin Yu had never heard of.

For there to be medicines he hadn't taken was rare enough, and Xiao Jin Yu grew curious enough to take a closer look. Just as he started moving his wheelchair, someone burst through the door, shouting before even steadying themselves, "Doctor Qin!"

Xiao Jin Yu recognized the newcomer and showed slight surprise, "Steward Tian?"

The person who had rushed into the clinic as if his pants were on fire was indeed Steward Tian from the Prince of Wu's Estate.

Steward Tian turned and saw Xiao Jin Yu, momentarily stunned before hurriedly beginning to kneel, "An..."

Xiao Jin Yu stopped him with one hand, cutting him off in a low voice, "Is your young master ill?"

Steward Tian paused briefly before immediately catching on, "Yes, yes..."

Hearing the shout from the backyard, Qin Langzhong hurried out. Seeing it was Steward Tian, he quickly asked, "Has Young Master Wu had another episode?"

Steward Tian nodded repeatedly, his aged, trembling voice carrying a hint of tears, "He's had a fever for days that won't break, and now he's started vomiting blood... He's even begun talking nonsense... Please hurry... hurry and come take a look!"