The Tang Dynasty’s Female Forensic Doctor

After a short moment, the door to the elementary school was opened. Sang Chen was wearing a clean cloth robe[1], even though it was a little worn, it was very clean and fresh. A pair of clear eyes, like a water-washed blue sky, looked with some confusion at Wan Lu.

Wan Lu was dazed by his look, she didn"t know what she should say, momentarily with a red face, looked towards Ran Yan as if asking for help. 

In the period of time they waited silently, Ran Yan was calm enough, and was well prepared in her heart. She did not plan to waste time, straightforwardly asked: "This ink stone, where did you get it from?"

Sang Chen"s gaze transferred to the ink stone, shyly smiled, "This humble one[2] made it. Zhou Lang is this humble one"s student, miss[3] rescued him, this humble one gives thanks. Only this humble one does not have anything valuable to give... I appologise[4]."

"You made it?" Ran Yan"s feelings were in turmoil. Yet this cannot be counted as a loss, as situations where an otherworldly supreme being appears to give directions in a maze and so on, she had figured that it would only appear on television and did not hold much hope from the beginning. 

When she transmigrated[5] here, she was first hit by the ink stone, then her neck was broken by someone. Using an ink stone to hit someone at the back of the head is relatively easy, but finding someone in this world that is able to accurately hold the first cervical vertebra, then quickly, precisely and ruthlessly break it is not an easy feat. Moreover, if it really was broken, who can guarantee that she would be able to return (to her old world)?

These things, Ran Yan already thought it through early on. It"s just that when an almost non-existent opportunity appeared, she couldn"t help but want to grab it.  

Sang Chen saw Ran Yan gazing blankly at the ink stone, said with some apprehension: "If miss does not like this ink stone, this humble one"s house still has plenty..."

"The ink stone is very good. Many thanks, I won"t disturb you anymore." Ran Yan bowed slightly, turned and left. 

Sang Chen"s expression became more and more confused, this matter, from start to end, he did not understand anything. 

In truth, it was not only Sang Chen who did not understand the situation. Wan Lu caught up to Ran Yan, just as she was about to ask about the matter regarding the ink stone, she realised that behind the black muslin veil[6], a slightly lost expression was partially visible, so she swallowed her words and just took the ink stone and asked: "Is miss still going to the town centre?"

Ran Yan looked at the colour of the sky, it should still be before Shi time (9-11am), "Yes, let"s go." 

The two hooked arms and returned to the village entrance. Wan Lu saw that the carriage was ready, sighed in her heart that at least that half Guan of silver was not wasted. Otherwise if it

were like usual, the servants on the estate who boosted those above and stepped on those below[7] would not be so accommodating.

Ran Yan had no mood to care about these trivial matters. Looking at that ink stone, she still could not be at ease. When they walked swiftly over the arch bridge, Ran Yan foot suddenly met thin air, and her body abruptly fell towards the water. Wan Lu was alarmed, and without regard for the ink stone in her hand, she reached out to grab onto Ran Yan. 

Before they could regain their balance, they heard a bang. The rose-engraved Dengni ink stone [see endnotes] had fallen exactly on the stairs. Looking at the shattered pieces, Ran Yan"s pupils contracted slightly, this image was familiar to her. As if she could still clearly feel the pain of her cervical vertebrae breaking, Ran Yan"s face that was hidden by the veil went white.

"Miss..." After they both regained their balance, Wan Lu stuttered out. 

Ran Yan exhaled, lightly said: "Let"s pick up the shattered pieces and throw them into lake, leaving it here might hurt someone."

Wan Lu made a sound of agreement, kneeled and picked up the pieces. She only picked up a few pieces when she realised Ran Yan had also knelt down with her to help. In the morning light, looking at the deeply quiet expression half visible behind the black veil, Wan Lu"s heart could not help but sigh. After her bout of serious illness, young lady really was different. 

"Miss, quickly get up. Let this servant to pick this up would be better!" Wan Lu came back to herself and said quickly.

"No trouble, let"s pick it up quickly, we still have to go to the city!" Ran Yan faintly smiled. 

The both of them quickly cleaned up after the shattered pieces. When they reached the entrance of the estate, the driver was waiting impatiently. Seeing the silhouette of the two people, could not refrain from urging them, saying: "Seventeenth Miss, hurry a little, the village only has this carriage, the steward may need it anytime!"   

Wan Lu felt wronged on behalf of Ran Yan, a daughter of the legal wife[8] actually being yelled at by a driver. Even though the driver"s words did not contain any malice, but was a something that a legal daughter should not suffer.

However, Ran Yan did not feel that anything was amiss, and allowed Wan Lu to help her onto the carriage. 

The interior of the carriage was decorated adequately; there was only one seat with a low table, light blue curtains, so clean that it had no strange smells. Ran Yan had never met the village steward, but from the decorations of the carriage she could vaguely guess his personality - calm, inflexible, never negligent when handling affairs. 

The carriage slowly started moving. Even though it was in Ran Yan"s nature to be calm, she could not help but feel excited. She had long heard about the grand circ.u.mstances of the Zhen Guang era[9], to be able to personally witness it, it was definitely worth it to be reborn again.

Wan Lu felt Ran Yan"s delight and also jumped with joy. She reached out to part the curtains, saying: "Miss, our village is barely five miles away from Suzhou city, and the scenery on the way is great!"

Ran Yan took down her veil and looked out the window, it was the peony garden they had pa.s.sed by the other day. Under the morning light, the peonies were already giving the impression of defeat. It was already early summer, the peonies should wither soon. 

The carriage travelled along the path, occasionally jolting, so Ran Yan lost interest in admiring the scenery. It took about half an hour before the carriage gradually steadied.

Four to five miles, even if it were walking it would not take long. Once the carriage entered the main road, the city walls quickly came into sight. 

As the carriage"s speed slowed, the bustling noise from outside became louder and louder. Ran Yan pulled open the curtains, saw the ma.s.sive crowd at the city gates and with exuberant interest observed their clothes and appearance, as well as their bearing and manners. 

The Wei and Jin Dynasties heavily influenced the clothing of the south. Most people wore robes with wide sleeves, their gestures resembling flowing water and floating clouds, warm and carefree coexisting together, hair twisted up, wearing headscarves[10]. There were also some men wearing round-necked robes with narrow sleeves, their feet wearing soft boots, also wearing headscarves. 

The round-necked narrow sleeved robes were the influence of Hu fashion, after improving upon it, it became what people later called the embryonic form of Tang clothing, it was also the current most fashionable style. 

On the other hand, women"s clothing were more varied and different, ruqun[11] with crossed-collars, ruqun with straight collars[12], long full body robes with straight lapels[13]... only they were all covered under the black muslin veils, half hidden half visible, reality was not as Ran Yan imagined, most of the women wore common clothes with dull colours, it was not all fine silk and satin, powdered cosmetics and fragrances. 

Thus according to the clothes on Ran Yan"s body, if she stood amidst the crowd, she could be considered a n.o.ble.

The driver was very familiar with the city, knew Ran Yan wished to go to the east city, so he took a shortcut. 

The Tang Dynasty implemented a square city system (Fang Shi Zhi). The layout in the city resembled a chessboard in general, grids drawn in straight lines, roads criss-crossing each other. Fang referred to the people"s residential district, whereas Shi was the business district separated from Fang, surrounded by a wall. In the daytime it was freely accessed, at night a curfew was imposed.  

So after entering the city, when pa.s.sing by the residential district, it was quiet all around, the white walls with their black clay tiles, the bluestone alleyways, the little bridge and people"s homes. Even though Suzhou city was modelled after Chang"an, but it certainly had a different feel from Chang"an. 

After a while, Ran Yan faintly heard bustling noises, and surmised that they were approaching the east city soon.

At this moment, Wan Lu happily said: "Miss, we"ve reached the east city!"

They had to pa.s.s through a city gate before entering the east city. Soldiers also guarded it, but they did not need to examine them like they did when entering the city, hence it was a lot quicker. 

After the carriage entered the east city, it stopped at the side of the road. The driver drew back the curtains and said: "Seventeenth Miss, we"ve arrived. I don"t know when Steward Zhou would require the carriage, I need to hurry back. When you return, you just need to hire a carriage in the city." 

After Wan Lu helped Ran Yan down the car, she unrestrainedly cast her gaze around. Ran Yan did not have any change on her to tip the driver, and could only say: "No problem. Thanks for your help, when I return I will definitely reward heavily."  

The driver was a man around 40-50 years old, hearing Ran Yan"s words, sighed and said: "You are the Ran family"s Miss, sending my mistress is only a matter of fact, you don"t need to be like this."

The driver jumped back on the coach, rushed the carriage out of the east gate, reaching the gate, he turned his head and looked back.

Even though he was far away, Ran Yan could see that his gaze contained something, it was called pity. 

Ran Yan smiled lightly. Her circ.u.mstances now were still not yet the worst, she did not need someone"s pity, and she had never been a person whom resigned herself to adversity. Being in the lively east city, an ecstatic Wan Lu by her side, Ran Yan"s mood was not bad. 

The two arm in arm, just as they were about to move forward, a crowd gathered suddenly not far ahead, pointing fingers and jeering, how unpleasant, and it was especially men who crowded around. Some people were just unable to restrain themselves and could not wait to stick their noses in. 

[1] 布袍 (bù páo): a long cloth garment worn by common folk during the Qing Dynasty, it is the traditional clothing of the Manchu people.
[2] 在下 （zài xià) :  a humble way to refer to oneself.
[3] 娘 （niáng）：a way to address a young lady, short for 姑娘 (gū niang).
(can also be used to refer to one"s mother or an older lady)
[4] he actually said 见笑了（jiàn xiào le): to be laughed at.
[5] 穿过 （chuān guò）： Travel through time/alternate dimensions etc
[6] 幂蓠的皂纱 (mì lí de zào shā): Mìlí refers to a cloth cover the head or the whole body. Zaosha means black muslin cloth. link to picture
[7] 捧高踩低 (pěng gāo cǎi dī)：unprincipled flattering of one"s superiors and trampling on one"s juniors.
[8] 嫡女 （dí nǚ):  daughter of the first wife (thus having a higher status than children from other women)
[9] 贞观之治 (zhēn guàn zhī zhì): Zhenguan era (626-649) during the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty.
[10] 幞头 （fú tóu): The early futou was just a close-fitting piece of cloth wrapped around the head. Later on a kerchief was put under the turban padded with wood, silk, gra.s.s or leather to form the shape of hair buns. After the mid Tang Dynasty, the cap finally took shape, still given the name futou. The two corners of the futou are round or wide, tipping slightly upwards.link
[11] 襦裙 （jiāo lǐng rú qún): a type of garment consisting of a short blouse paired with wrap-around a skirt. link
[12] straight collars would expose the cleavage
[13] 直裾袍(zhí jū páo): link