“This all fits together perfectly! It must be this Xiao Yan who saw the jewelry my uncle made, became covetous, and conspired with that physician surnamed Fang to murder him! My uncle died an unjust death — Your Excellency must stand up for me!” Lujiu shrieked.

Xiao Yan was shaking with fury. “Sheer nonsense! I have never seen any jewelry!”

Lujiu: “If you weren’t after the jewelry, why would a young girl like you go to that godforsaken Beiyue Ward over and over? Why go to an old man’s house? What were you after?!”

Xiao Yan was outraged: “Beiyue Ward is not some godforsaken place — the grandmothers and grandfathers there are all good people! Grandfather Lu was not some old wretch — Grandfather Lu was a remarkably skilled craftsman!”

“Ha! So you did know that Lu Shi was a jewelry craftsman — which proves your guilt!”

“If wild guessing counted as evidence, then I could equally claim that you, seeing profit to be made, went to steal Grandfather Lu’s things, and when Grandfather Lu refused to give them up, you murdered him!”

The two claimants in the hall erupted into argument. Lujiu’s voice climbed higher and higher with every exchange, spittle flying freely. Xiao Yan was young, but her composure held firm — she countered every point, straightforward and unintimidated.

“Well now — this little girl is something,” Jin Ruo remarked approvingly.

Yita: “You meet-color-rise-idea.”

Jin Ruo: “What?”

Mu Xia: “Yita says you’re attracted to her.”

The magistrate slammed his gavel over and over, struggling desperately to maintain order in the hall. But his official authority fell woefully short — no one paid him the slightest attention, especially the spectators outside, every one of whom had transformed themselves into an amateur investigator and was freely pronouncing judgment.

“I think Lujiu has a point — that little girl must be after something. No benefit, no early rising.”

“Get out of here — everyone in the city knows Lujiu is nothing but a ruffian and a scoundrel. His words aren’t worth a fart!”

“He never gave a care about the man while he was alive, and now he pops up after the man’s dead — if there was really anything valuable, Lujiu would have been fawning over Lu Shi long ago. How would an outsider have had the chance?”

“Xiao Yan is an employee of the Precious Treasure Pavilion in Sanhe Ward — and the Precious Treasure Pavilion is a Hua Family business. As I see it, Lujiu simply wants to pin the blame on Xiao Yan and then use her to shake down the Precious Treasure Pavilion for a good sum!”

“Hey, old brother, that’s a sharp point!”

Steward Li leaned over quietly. “We conduct background checks before hiring anyone. Xiao Yan’s family record is clean and her character is upright — she would never do such a thing. I trust Xiao Yan!”

Steward Zhang: “Fourth Young Master — you must help Xiao Yan. If this becomes a scandal, it will damage the reputation of the Precious Treasure Pavilion and the Hua Family!”

Hua Yitang raised his small fan and glanced at Lin Sui’an. Lin Sui’an made a gesture of invitation.

The magistrate could not contain the noise in his hall. He leapt to his feet in a fury, hammering his gavel. “Everyone be quiet! Quiet! Whoever keeps talking will be thrown—out—of—here—!”

“Under Tang law, citizens have the right to observe court proceedings to uphold transparency, promote moral instruction, and reinforce the five virtues. I suspect that this right is beyond the power of the county magistrate to revoke.” Hua Yitang stepped across the threshold of the hall, his fan snapping open with a sharp crack. Layer upon layer of snow-white robes lifted and billowed around him, like brilliant petals unfurling in the spring light — and in some extraordinary fashion, the entire hall fell silent.

Lin Sui’an felt a certain sense of relief: Hua Yitang’s appearance really was tremendously effective.

The magistrate flared with indignation. “Who are you to dare bellow in… the public… hall…” His anger deflated steadily as he spoke. He had noticed Stewards Li and Zhang standing behind Hua Yitang. Both stewards were gesturing frantically — one framing his face with his hands in the shape of a flower, the other holding up four fingers. The magistrate was not entirely dense, and the meaning got through. His expression transformed with the speed of a Sichuan opera face-change, and he beamed warmly: “So it is the fourth son of the Hua Family, come in person! A seat, quickly!”

The moment Hua Yitang’s name was announced, the spectators outside erupted into excitement, every pair of eyes clattering over to land on Hua Yitang. Hua Yitang thrived on an audience — the more attention, the more he preened. In that moment, he would have been glad of a wind machine to stage his entrance properly. He snapped his fan shut with a clap, adjusted his sleeves, and struck a pose. “There is no need for a seat. It is only that Hua heard from outside the hall for some time and found himself with certain doubts. I hope Magistrate Xu might indulge a few questions.”

Magistrate Xu: “Please, fourth son of the Hua Family, ask away.”

Hua Yitang paced his way to Lujiu’s side. “This individual claims that Xiao Yan and the physician conspired to murder Lu Shi for financial gain. Beyond verbal speculation, is there any concrete evidence?”

Lujiu: “Of — of course! My uncle’s body was so swollen it looked fit to burst, the skin had turned green, the blood vessels had all blown out — that is clearly poisoning!”

Hua Yitang: “And yet I understand that Lu Shi’s body was examined by a specialist, whose finding was that the cause of death was not poisoning.”

“The examiner was not a certified coroner!” Lujiu pointed at Xiao Yan. “Now that you mention it — the physician who came to examine the body was also brought in by Xiao Yan. He must be in on it with them too!”

Hua Yitang raised an eyebrow. “Magistrate Xu — perhaps we should bring the examiner in to testify.”

Magistrate Xu quickly called over a nearby constable. “Was it not Old Li who did the examination?”

The constable made a pained face. “Old Li had been drinking heavily again that day.”

“Fortunately, Doctor Ji happened to be nearby and helped out.”

Magistrate Xu visibly relaxed, and slapped down his gavel. “Summon Ji Gaoyang immediately.”

One constable received the order and ran out.

Hua Yitang strolled over to Fang Ke’s side. “Lujiu claims that this physician conspired with Xiao Yan to murder Lu Shi. What evidence is there for that?”

Fang Ke didn’t even bother to raise an eyelid — clearly he had no interest in engaging with Hua Yitang.

Lujiu: “Neighbors from Beiyue Ward said — about ten days ago, this physician named Fang suddenly showed up to treat my uncle, but my uncle threw him out. When he was leaving, his expression was terrifying. He must have held a grudge, and then conspired with Xiao Yan!”

Hua Yitang: “Magistrate Xu — can that be confirmed?”

Magistrate Xu: “It has been confirmed. The constables’ office questioned Lu Shi’s neighbors on either side, and since Lu Shi stood at his door and berated Fang Ke loudly and at length that day — causing quite a scene — many people remember the incident clearly.”

“I see—” Hua Yitang narrowed his eyes and studied Fang Ke’s expression. Unfortunately, Fang Ke’s face was true to his name — every feature looked as though it had been carved into stone. Not so much as a fraction of movement in any of it.

Hua Yitang turned his small fan toward Lin Sui’an.

Lin Sui’an folded her arms across her chest. At this moment, she was not entirely certain herself.

Listening to it now — Fang Ke’s suspicion could not be ruled out. Perhaps everything he had said last night about Doctor Ji being the culprit was simply a smokescreen, designed to muddy the waters and cover his own tracks.

Sure enough: without concrete evidence, no line of reasoning — however logical it sounded — could hold up.

Before long, a constable brought Ji Gaoyang in at a brisk pace. After Magistrate Xu explained why he had been summoned for questioning, Ji Gaoyang shook his head repeatedly. “Old Lu’s cause of death was indeed an epileptic seizure. Vomit blocked his throat, and he asphyxiated — an accidental death. As for the swelling of the body, the green discoloration of the skin, and similar symptoms — these are the result of the body decomposing over multiple days. As the body decays, gases fill the internal organs, skin, and blood vessels. Any coroner would know this. If Your Excellency doubts it, Coroner Li may be summoned to testify.”

Magistrate Xu had no choice but to call Coroner Li to the stand. Fortunately, it was early enough that Coroner Li had not yet had his daily drinks, and was lucid enough to offer testimony. “Doctor Ji is correct. A body that has been decaying for several days will display exactly those symptoms.”

Magistrate Xu was satisfied. He raised his gavel high: “On that basis, this case is clear. Lu Shi’s death was accidental. Lujiu’s accusation that Xiao Yan and Fang Ke conspired to poison him for financial gain is a false charge. Xiao Yan and Fang Ke are innocent and are hereby released. Lujiu falsely accused others, a contemptible act — he shall be fined two thousand coins and given thirty strokes of the rod—”

“Lu Shi’s death was indeed poisoning.” Fang Ke’s words, flat and sudden, were enough to nearly knock the gavel out of Magistrate Xu’s hand.

Every person in the hall was dumbstruck. Every eye turned, riveted, to the slight physician kneeling in the hall.

Fang Ke straightened his spine. His pallid, chilling face showed not a flicker of expression. He repeated himself, emphasizing each word: “They examined it wrong!”

Coroner Li erupted in fury, pointing at Fang Ke and bellowing: “What utter rot! I have been a coroner for ten years. I have handled several hundred bodies. I have never once made an error!”

Fang Ke: “You are a drunkard. What would you know about examining a body?”

“I am a coroner who passed three rounds of tests and four rounds of evaluation, and holds an official appointment from the prefectural yamen! You — you — you’re a quack physician! What would you know about examining a body?!”

“Hm. Lu Shi’s body was also examined by a physician.”

“Doctor Ji is a man of great medical skill and high repute — every person in Heyue City knows his name! What right does a quack like you have to compare yourself to Doctor Ji?!”

“Enough right, since Ji Gaoyang is the one who poisoned Lu Shi.”

The hall exploded.

“Good lord — is Fang Ke out of his mind? Doctor Ji came here to testify and help clear his name, and he turns around and throws the bucket of filth right back at Doctor Ji.”

“Absolutely incomprehensible! The coroner and Doctor Ji both said Lu Shi died accidentally, and he insists it was poisoning — what is he trying to accomplish?”

“He said Coroner Li examined it wrong? Maybe I’d believe that. Said Doctor Ji examined it wrong? Beat me to death and I still wouldn’t believe it!”

“Don’t you know? The Fang Family Medical Clinic’s business has been absolutely dreadful — I heard he can’t even afford meals. He must be jealous of Doctor Ji’s flourishing practice, and that’s why he’s trying to frame him!”

“I heard this Fang Ke killed a patient once. No wonder no one goes to see him.”

“Hey — isn’t this what you call a person who can’t stand to see others’ chimneys smoking?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk — shameless, utterly shameless!”

Amid the wave of mockery and insults, Hua Yitang was clearly as caught off-guard as everyone else. His fan covered his gaping mouth, his eyebrows nearly flying off his face, as he sent a rapid sequence of significant looks at Lin Sui’an.

Lin Sui’an’s expression: Quite something, this one.

Ji Gaoyang stared in bewilderment. “Fang Ke — I have no grievance with you, nor any enmity. Why would you slander me like this?!”

Fang Ke looked at Ji Gaoyang. His dark, lightless eyes were like an abyss, without a glimmer of anything in them. “It was you.”

Ji Gaoyang clasped his hands in a bow. “Your Excellency, Ji is being wronged!”

Magistrate Xu was on the verge of a splitting headache. He hammered his gavel. “Quiet! Quiet! Fang Ke — do not make reckless accusations! Take care, or I will have you charged with slander as well!”

“I have evidence.” Fang Ke produced those ten autopsy record forms from his sleeve. “These are the autopsy records for individuals killed by Ji Gaoyang’s poison over the past three months.”

At these words, Ji Gaoyang’s expression hardened sharply. He stared at Fang Ke with eyes that nearly shot sparks.

The constable presented the autopsy records to Magistrate Xu. The magistrate flipped through a few pages, cold sweat crawling across his forehead. “These… these records don’t follow the official format… and the cause of death listed here, this… that… Oh dear… Coroner Li — come take a look.”

Coroner Li’s face had gone iron-gray. He strode forward and skimmed two or three pages, then burst into a series of derisive laughs. “What kind of nonsense is this? Absolutely senseless. He claims over and over that these individuals died of poisoning, yet cannot even name what poison was used — how can this be credible?!”

“The poison is in the Ji Family Medical Clinic,” Fang Ke pressed on. “Ji Gaoyang cultivates a great many medicinal herbs in his inner courtyard. The toxic plant is growing among them. All that is needed is to take samples of every herb, test each one, and compare the results against Lu Shi’s body — the poison will be identified.”

Lin Sui’an understood Fang Ke’s strategy now.

He was cutting the ground from under Ji Gaoyang — using the authority of the yamen to search the Ji Family Medical Clinic, so that the clinic could be made to yield the evidence he had so far been unable to find on his own. But how had he determined that the poison was a freshly growing plant, rather than a dried herb, a powder, or some kind of extract? Right — he had examined Lu Shi’s herbal dregs. He must have found something there.

But would someone truly be brazen enough to grow a poisonous plant openly in their own home?

“Utterly preposterous!” Ji Gaoyang clasped his hands. “Your Excellency, as a physician, I keep several hundred types of medicinal materials on hand and cultivate dozens of varieties of medicinal herbs. Some herbs and materials are indeed toxic in nature — but when used correctly and in the right dosages, they become life-saving medicine. Every physician knows this. Even if a toxic herb is found among my supplies, it is entirely normal. I would wager that Physician Fang’s clinic contains the same.”

“Search mine as well,” Fang Ke said. “Test everything together.”

Ji Gaoyang was rendered speechless, his face flushing crimson.

Magistrate Xu was wiping cold sweat from his sleeves in earnest. He turned to Hua Yitang for rescue. “It is said that the fourth son of the Hua Family has considerable experience in solving difficult cases. What, in your view, should be done here?”

Hua Yitang fanned himself with a leisurely air. “Matters having progressed this far, if they are not thoroughly investigated, I fear it will only damage the reputations of both physicians.”

Ji Gaoyang was livid, his expression iron-set. “Then let them search! Let them test! I have a clear conscience and cast no shadow!”

Fang Ke let out a quiet “hm.”

Magistrate Xu had no choice but to slap his gavel down. “Bring me every herb and medicinal plant from both the Ji Family Medical Clinic and the Fang Family Medical Clinic!”

The constables received the order, fell into line, and were on the verge of marching out when Fang Ke offered a final reminder: “When you pull up the herbs, wear gloves. Be careful.”

Some of the constables responded with looks of disdain. Others snorted. It was unclear how many actually heeded the warning.

Lin Sui’an watched Fang Ke with considerable interest. His face remained impassive as ever — not a fraction of expression to spare — but just that one reminder told her he was not entirely without feeling. She found herself unable to help the slight curve that came to her lips: perhaps this was a sharp-tongued, soft-hearted contrarian after all.

“Ahem!” Hua Yitang sauntered over to Fang Ke’s side, dropping his voice. “Hey — how confident are you, really? If this goes wrong, you’ll be facing the rod, you know.”

Fang Ke gave Hua Yitang a sideways look. “None of your business.”

One sentence sent Hua Yitang’s eyes practically popping out of his head, his little fan working so furiously it was nearly smoking.

Retrieving and hauling the medicinal materials would take considerable time. Magistrate Xu called a recess. He made an attempt to invite Hua Yitang back to the inner quarters for tea, was roundly ignored, and could only retreat on his own in a rather deflated state.

With nothing to do, the spectators launched into another round of “one side is right, the other side is right, and neither can be resolved” debate that produced nothing conclusive. Lujiu and Xiao Yan had been completely reduced to supporting roles. Lujiu’s eyes were darting to and fro slyly. Xiao Yan’s brow was deeply furrowed, her expression thoughtful, as though she were working through something.

Strangest of all was Jin Ruo — he had been staring at Xiao Yan this whole time, his expression pensive.

Yita: “Brother Jin, what are you looking at?”

Jin Ruo: “My surname is Jin, not ‘Ounce’!”

Yita: “Understood, Brother Jin.”

Jin Ruo: “…”

Lin Sui’an: “Jin Ruo, don’t tell me you’ve actually developed a soft spot for her?”

Jin Ruo: “Yesterday I followed Xiao Yan around — she spent several hours going around Beiyue Ward, stopping every person she met to ask about news around Lu Shi’s house. It seemed like she was investigating something.”

Lin Sui’an: “Could it be that she was also looking into the cause of Lu Shi’s death?”

Jin Ruo frowned, just about to say something, when Hua Yitang drifted over. “How did the investigation go?”

Yita raised a hand: “I—”

Mu Xia quickly forestalled his large-tongued contribution and took over. “Yita went yesterday to investigate several jewelry shops in the city — none of them are Hua Family businesses. One of them also turned out to have a counterfeit gemstone ring. The craftsmanship was quite refined. Had Yita not pointed it out, the manager would not even have noticed.”

Stewards Zhang and Li: “What?”

Lin Sui’an was surprised. Jin Ruo clapped Yita on the shoulder. “Didn’t expect your eye to be that sharp.”

Yita: “One-two-two.”

Jin Ruo: “…You’re trying to say ‘average,’ aren’t you.”

Hua Yitang: “Yita grew up in the Hua Family. When it comes to the ability to appraise gems and authenticate treasures, aside from myself, no one surpasses him.” Saying this, he gave Lin Sui’an a pointed look. “That apprentice of yours was well worth taking on.”

Lin Sui’an: “…”

The sound of clattering from outside the hall announced the return of the constables. They staggered in hauling several large crates, huffing and puffing with exertion, and the looks they sent Fang Ke’s way were full of reproach. Magistrate Xu called the court back to session, and ordered the contents of both medical clinics to be sorted and arranged neatly.

On the left side: dried medicinal materials categorized and laid out in orderly rows, their variety impressive, supplemented by more than ten freshly-gathered herbs still beaded with morning dew — clearly from the Ji Family Medical Clinic.

On the right side, the offerings were considerably more baffling. There was virtually no medicine in evidence, only a collection of porcelain bottles, four white porcelain jars with peculiar identification codes written on them — the entire arrangement looked nothing like what a legitimate medical clinic should be carrying.

Magistrate Xu’s head was larger than ever. “There is so much here — how are we to examine it?”

Hua Yitang: “Perhaps we could invite physicians from other clinics to take a look?”

Magistrate Xu: “Right, right — the fourth son of the Hua Family is wise. Send for more physicians!”

Several more constables ran out, and in no time had dragged back seven or eight physicians. After all that running, they were red-faced and surly, puffed up like a row of angry frogs.

The summoned physicians, hearing they were there to examine medicinal materials from two clinics, all looked rather baffled, but complied. They divided into two teams. The team handling the Ji Family Medical Clinic’s materials made rapid progress. The team dealing with the Fang Family Medical Clinic’s materials ran into difficulties — they circled the white porcelain jars several times, reluctant to touch them, their expressions toward Fang Ke suggesting a degree of wariness.

After a long interval, one elderly physician finally summoned his courage and prised open a jar. The instant the lid came off, a gust of putrid air blasted out. The old physician was so startled he stumbled and fell over backwards. Nearly everyone in the hall was hit by the odor; Magistrate Xu clapped a hand over his nose and shrieked: “What on earth is in there?!”

Fang Ke’s lips curved upward. The smile was chillingly sinister: “Lu Shi’s heart, lungs, stomach fluid, and intestine.”

“Ugh, ugh, ugh!” — the hall erupted.

Only Lin Sui’an and Hua Yitang maintained anything resembling composure.

Hua Yitang fanned himself at full speed: “I already felt this person was not what you’d call a good person, but now I also think he’s—”

Lin Sui’an pinched her nose: “A little unhinged.”

Fang Ke: “These organs are proof that Lu Shi died from poisoning. Will Coroner Li not come and take a look?”

Coroner Li’s face had turned green. He shuffled forward with his sleeve clamped over his nose and nose, squinted at the contents, turned away and retched, and only recovered after a considerable interval. Then he bellowed: “These organs have rotted. There is absolutely nothing to be determined from them. You are here purely to cause a disruption!”

Fang Ke: “Are you certain?”

Coroner Li: “I have been a coroner for ten years. Of course I am certain!”

“Get these rotten things out of here immediately!” Magistrate Xu roared.

The constables sprinted past Lin Sui’an with the white porcelain jars. She stepped aside to let them pass. She did not speak, and did not reach out to stop them. Like Hua Yitang, she watched Fang Ke in silence — watched him give a cold laugh, his lips parting just enough to let out a few words.

“As I thought — every last one of them is an idiot.”

Hua Yitang’s hand tightened around his fan. Lin Sui’an’s brow knitted.

In the midst of the chaos, the physicians examining the Ji Family Medical Clinic’s materials had finished their work. They compiled a list of every herb and medicinal material along with its uses, and presented it to Magistrate Xu.

“Reporting to Magistrate Xu — there are one hundred and ten types of medicinal materials and thirty-six types of fresh herbs here. All are common medicines. Nothing is suspicious. However… there is one herb none of us has ever seen before. We do not dare to make any determination about it.”

Fang Ke snapped upright. Hua Yitang’s eyes lit up.

Lin Sui’an: Oh — could it be that he guessed right after all?

As the author notes: yes, this is a slightly unhinged coroner (wiping sweat)