Episode Summary
Qin Wan officially clears Zhang Dongxuan of the Guanyin Town murders after confirming he has hemophobia. The Tiandao Society's killing spree moves to the capital with a tongue-pulling case, and Qin Wan predicts the next murder will follow the established pattern. A new political subplot emerges involving a crisis with the Shuo Xi Army's pay, which sends Yan Chi away on a mission and reveals Prince Cheng's ambition to control the army. As Qin Wan delves into old case files to find a connection, the episode ends with the report of yet another murder.
Spoiler Alert
Coroner's Diary Episode 27 Spoilers: The Tongue-Pulling Case Arrives in the Capital
After a sleepless night for Yan Chi, he playfully pours tea into the mouth of the loudly snoring Prefect Zheng. While Qin Wan managed a short rest at her desk, Yan Chi is still focused on the case. He gives Prefect Zheng a task mainly to keep him busy, as his suspicion still lies with Zhang Dongxuan, a man he considers a smooth-talker who adapts his story to his audience.
Qin Wan decides to interrogate Zhang Dongxuan herself, going alone so Yan Chi's presence won't affect her questioning. During the interrogation, she confirms that Zhang Dongxuan suffers from hemophobia (a fear of blood), which completely exonerates him from the murders in Guanyin Town. Grateful for having his name cleared, Zhang Dongxuan shares everything he knows with Qin Wan. Just then, Yan Chi arrives with shocking news: a tongue-pulling case has just occurred in the capital. It's the work of the Tiandao Society.
The new murder has sent the public into a panic. Yan Chi and Qin Wan arrive at the scene to calm the crowd and assist the investigation. Qin Wan examines the body and finds the signature flower that Zhang Dongxuan had described. Ning Buyi is also present to sketch the victim's face but is overwhelmed by the gruesome scene and gets sick.
The victim is identified by his wife, Mrs. Zhao, as Zhao Jiaxu. She believed he was at the Wei Mansion for a night class to support their family. However, Qin Wan discovers stains on the deceased's trousers that suggest he was not in a class but was having an affair. The appearance of the Tiandao Society's "Wuyi Flower" at the scene makes Qin Wan wonder why they have moved their operations to the capital, leading her to suspect that the Emperor himself might be connected. She theorizes that following the pattern from Guanyin Town—first a skinning case, then a tongue-pulling case—the next murder will be an "ice case." In light of this, Yan Chi releases Zhang Dongxuan from prison, asking him to use his knowledge to predict the time and date of the next crime.
The investigation also turns towards Li Muyun, who was the prefect of Luozhou when the original Guanyin Town murders occurred but curiously never intervened. Meanwhile, Qin Wan's work as a coroner has made the servants in her residence afraid of her. Unbothered, she tells her maid, Fuling, to pack their things for a move in a couple of days. Elsewhere, a certain Mrs. Feng, who looks down on Qin Wan and sees her as unworthy competition for her own daughter, sends people to gather information on her.
While Yan Li and Yue Ning are sent to investigate Zhao Jiaxu's secret second home, Yan Chi prepares to report the murders to the Emperor alongside Li Muyun and Prefect Zheng. However, he is urgently summoned to the palace before he can go. A major issue has arisen with the Shuo Xi Army's military pay. The Emperor tasks the Crown Prince with delivering the army's provisions personally, appointing Yan Chi as the supervising official for the mission. This uncovers a deeper plot: Noble Consort Su and Prince Cheng have planted their own people within the Shuo Xi Army, with Prince Cheng's ultimate goal being to seize control of it.
Because of his new assignment, Yan Chi won't be able to stay by Qin Wan's side. He gifts her a carriage for her safety and convenience, and she, in turn, plans to give him a small, handmade present. Witnessing their affectionate farewell, Yan Li finds himself thinking that settling down might not be so bad after all.
Later, Yan Li and Yue Ning accompany Qin Wan to look through old case files left behind by Shen Yi. The location brings back memories for Qin Wan, but she forces herself to stay focused on finding the files related to the Prince Jin case and the Guanyin Town case before Li Muyun arrives. Just as Li Muyun appears, forcing Yan Li to stall him, news breaks of another murder at a local restaurant.
