The Tang Dynasty's Female Forensic Doctor

Chapter 24: Analysing the Scene

When the loud voice was heard, everyone turned towards the door and looked out. Ran Yan also stopped her hands, lifted her eyes to look out of the door.

The mortuary room door was half open, the light shining through hurt her eyes, she could only see that the person was big and tall, wearing a moon-white wide-sleeved, broad-collared robe, the cuffs concealing blue brocades embroidered with silver cloud patterns.

"Sixth Brother[1]." Assistant Magistrate Han said.

That person slowly walked in, an old man carrying a box followed behind him. As he got further away from the glaring bright light coming from outside, Ran Yan could see his looks clearly, the man was about twenty six or seven years old, his features were sharply defined, his eyes deep and dark, his face fair and clear, but he did not resemble the warmth and gentleness of the Jiangnan people, his wide sleeves swayed lightly, he carried the imposing manner as steady as Mount Tai towards the front of Assistant Magistrate Han.

When he stood together with Assistant Magistrate Han, he was actually taller than his older brother by a head.

"Sixth Master[2]." The old lady saw that he came, excitedly went to greet him, her voice carrying thick grief and trust, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back! Little Shan died unjustly, if it really was Fourth Master Qin that committed murder, you must give him justice!"

Sixth Master Han patted the old lady's back placating, and said, "Mother, don't worry, the reason your son came here this time is because of this matter."

Once Sixth Master Han finished speaking, his gaze rested on Ran Yan, his expression a little confused, but only for a moment before his expression went back to normal, as if there were never any disturbances in his emotions, he indifferently asked, "Where did you find this coroner? She's actually a young lady?"

From the Han Dynasty onwards, using autopsies as a method to judge cases started to be popularised, the role of a coroner in this is self-evident, but coroners were always rabbles[3], usually they were lower class citizens[4] or slaves, other than performing autopsies, coroners also dealt with collecting corpses to bury, since ancient times there were very little women coroners, let alone such a young girl like Ran Yan.

Assistant Magistrate Han saw that Sang Chen's complexion was deathly pale, his gaze vacuous, thus replied in his stead, "This is the traveling coroner that Mr Sang invited."

"Oh." Sixth Master Han indifferently replied, turned to give an introduction, saying, "This is Suzhou's famous coroner, Feng Sanxun, in his thirty plus years of performing autopsies he has never made a mistake."

In an instant, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward, Sang Chen was someone that Assistant Magistrate Han pleaded and begged before he agreed to help write the plaint, while this Feng Sanxun was also a golden signboard, after Sixth Master Han knew that his nephew was murde

red, he specially invited him to help. But presently Sang Chen's mind was completely blank, how could he say any polite platitudes[5].

It was only silent for two breaths, but it felt like it was a lot longer.

Assistant Magistrate Han lightly coughed to break the silence, saying, "Since this is the case, why don't we let both individuals separately examine once, to guarantee no mistakes. Mr Feng, what do you think?"

In this time, most people would only use the honorific "Mister" to address those who are of good moral standing and reputation or knowledgeable people who are worthy teachers, coroners were lower class people, Assistant Magistrate Han's words, gave enough respect to Feng Sanxun, and also preserved Sang Chen's face.