Chapter Forty-Three: Clarifying Doubts

She removed the stifling black robe and revealed her original clothing beneath, exhaling deeply. The suffocating garment had nearly given her a rash. If every examination required her to dress like this and record her findings with brush and paper, she thought with a twitch at the corner of her mouth…

“Seventh Daughter, do you have any evidence for that statement you just made?” Wen Qiran asked gravely. He still could not believe his own daughter, raised under his watchful eye, had somehow acquired the skills of a coroner. Watching her recent transformation, suspicions flickered in his heart.

“I do. Allow me to explain in detail,” Wen Qiniang replied.

The three returned to the corpse.

“The deceased died of suffocation, her mouth and nose covered by another. Look here,” she gently pried open the mouth, pointing to the two missing teeth. “Notice the marks at the place where the teeth are missing.” As she demonstrated the motion of pressing down upon the corpse’s face, her hands landed precisely on the spot of the missing teeth.

Wen Qiran and Ji Changge nodded.

“There are no external injuries, and the stomach is free of water. There are no traces of weeds or silt on the limbs. All of this confirms that she was suffocated and only then thrown into the water.”

“You said she died more than six days ago. Why was she only discovered today?” Wen Qiran pressed.

“I believe she was placed in a burlap sack, weighed down with stones, and thrown into the river. That is why her body never floated up,” the girl explained.

“The body is severely bloated and decomposed. The water is colder than the air—had she lain on the ground, she would have been even more unrecognizable. Judging by the state of decomposition, I estimate she has been dead for about six days.” She realized she might have revealed too much; after nearly ten years as a forensic examiner, she judged time of death by experience—body temperature, rigor mortis, and degree of decay were all familiar to her, allowing her to estimate time of death with little error. But the former Wen Qiniang had not been a seasoned coroner…

Fortunately, neither Ji Changge nor Wen Qiran seemed suspicious. Wen Qiran continued, “You also said her age is between sixteen and eighteen—how can you be sure?”

She pointed to the teeth. “From the wear on her teeth, the density and development of her bones, her age can be inferred.” In truth, she withheld a part of it; there was a formula for calculating age, but it was too complex to explain, so she left it unsaid.

“As for her having never borne children, that is even easier to explain. Her cervix is round—an indication of a woman who has not given birth. In women who have, it becomes oval-shaped,” she continued.

Doubt deepened in Wen Qiran’s eyes. Was it really the miracle doctor Lin Bai who had taught her? But even if Lin Bai had instructed her, how could she have advanced so far in just a few days? He had never believed in the supernatural; perhaps she was simply born for this work, destined by the heavens to be a coroner. No, no, if his daughter became a coroner, how could she ever marry? How could he face her mother in the afterlife?

Seeing Wen Qiran’s unsettled expression, she wondered if her words had unsettled her father. But now, whether she spoke or remained silent, the situation was beyond her control. Even if Wen Qiran forbade her from future examinations, she could not refuse. In this era, a woman’s freedom was tightly bound—first to her father, then to her husband.

“And what leads you to believe she was a courtesan?” Wen Qiran pressed.

She took from the box a wooden object shaped like a man’s organ and replied frankly, “I surmise this is an item used in brothels. The woman's clothing is revealing, her nails painted—a boldness uncommon among ordinary women. She had been missing for days without anyone reporting her absence. Prostitutes are often outsiders or trafficked here, which fits the circumstances of the corpse.”

Ji Changge’s lips twitched. So she knew what the item was. Wen Qiran’s face grew awkward, but he could hardly ask, “Seventh Daughter, how do you know what that is?”

She offered no further explanation; as long as they understood, that was enough. In truth, this object was known in antiquity as “Mister Horn,” in the south as “Mister Guo,” commonly called a male model or pleasure stick, an artificial phallus, usually made from new antler—firm yet pliant.

“What is that?” Wen Qiran pointed at an unidentifiable lump.

“This is undigested food I just extracted from the intestines,” she answered.

Wen Qiran doubted its usefulness, but admired her meticulousness. Every detail mattered in solving a case—a good habit for an investigator. If only Seventh Daughter were a son…

“That is all that can be learned from the examination. The rest is up to the county office,” she concluded.

“When Magistrate Su returns, we shall discuss further. Many thanks, Miss Wen,” Ji Changge said sincerely.

Wen Qiran glanced at Ji Changge, making no attempt to hide his hostility. This man had shamed him time and again. Even now, after retreating here, he came to disturb their peace. Even if he was the legitimate son of the Princess Royal, Wen Qiran would never bow to the powerful. The Young Lord Ning should not think he could harm his daughter again.

When the three returned home, Su Mu had already changed his clothes and sat sipping iced tea in a room scented with incense.

To avoid arousing Su Mu’s suspicion, she went directly to the back courtyard to bathe and change, eager not to waste a single moment.

Ji Changge cast a cold glance at Su Mu. The magistrate certainly enjoyed the privileges of office; while they toiled outside, he lounged at home with tea.

No sooner had the two entered the county office than Captain Nie hurried in.

“What did you learn?” Wen Qiran asked.

“Reporting, sir. Nothing unusual. The fisherman was casting his net at dawn when he felt it grow heavy. He and his son hauled it in together and found the corpse, which terrified them so much they threw it back into the river. On reflection, they realized they should report it, and on the way they met two patrolmen. The patrolmen confirmed it was a corpse and hurried back to inform the authorities,” Captain Nie reported.

Wen Qiran nodded. Often, the person reporting the crime is the culprit. For now, he set aside the fisherman and his son; their suspicion was slight. If the dead woman was indeed a prostitute, her chances of contact with the fishermen were slim. The urgent task was to identify her.

There was only one brothel in Hanjiang County, but she could have come from a neighboring county. They would begin the search locally.

“Captain Nie, go to the Peony House and check whether any girls have gone missing recently,” Wen Qiran instructed.

“Yes, sir!” Captain Nie gulped some water and hurried back out the door.

Su Mu fanned himself, casting a complicated look at Wen Qiran.