The Tang Dynasty’s Female Forensic Doctor

Miss Xing wished to follow them to scout for information, but Ran Yan held her back firmly. Adding to that was Miss Shu’s unfriendly face. Ran Yan could only send two maidservants to lead Xiao Song to the prepared courtyard.  

The Ran estate’s architecture was not lavish, the decor was also commonplace. However, the scenery was the one good thing about it. Regardless of which courtyard, they were filled with lush, verdant plants, its layout very appropriate. 

Miss Xing stretched her neck out to look at Xiao Song’s tall and straight back view carrying an umbrella disappearing into the night rain. She could not help sighing, “Really a good Master that is hard to meet in a hundred years! Miss, there aren’t many people like this. You should hold on tightly.” 

Ran Yan agreed noncommittally. Miss Xing saw that her att.i.tude was flippant, thus continued saying, “I saw that his forehead is full, his countenance also does not contain the colour of peach blossoms[1]. He definitely will not be a Master like Fourth Master Qin. His background is also good… I think he is probably a child of the royal family, otherwise how can he wear purple at his young age?” 

“Regardless, isn’t the current ruling family Lee? How can a child of a royal family be surnamed Xiao?” Ran Yan said disapprovingly. She was too lazy to figure out these things. She simply said these words just in reply to Miss Xing, “Since when were you able to understand physiognomy[2]?”

“Don’t change the subject.” Miss Xing was completely unaffected by Ran Yan’s attempt to change the subject. She said confidently, “Maybe he does not wish for people to know of his ident.i.ty and lied about his surname? All the plays and storytellers say so.” 

“If that is the case, then why would he wear a purple robe to show off?” Ran Yan walked

along to corridor while replying. 

Miss Xing went blank briefly. The explanation she though was iron-clad was disapproved by these two sentences. However, this did not influence her happy mood. She slapped her thigh and said, “If that isn’t the case, then he must be a big official? That even more promising! Miss…” 

Actually, Miss Xing’s previous words were not without sense. A young person occupying a high position, the first thing one would think of was that he was a relative of the emperor. Or perhaps he benefited from his ancestors[3]. The aristocracy, generals and ministers of the Tang Dynasties were too numerous. It was possible that he inherited a position. 

Reaching the courtyard, Ran Yan removed her veil, and deeply breathed in. The air mixed with the faint scent of the soil and plants filled her lungs, making her whole body feel comfortable. Hearing Miss Xing still nagging away endlessly beside her, she helplessly promised repeatedly, “I will listen to you, if he’s really a good one, I definitely won’t let him slip away. Rest a.s.sured.” 

Only then did Miss Xing nod, satisfied and followed Ran Yan into Wan Lu’s room. 

Wan Lu hadn’t slept yet. With Madam Liu’s help, she was slowly drinking her Chinese cinnamon soup and congee. 

The Chinese cinnamon soup was made from boiling tangerine peel, nongpiao, Chinese cinnamon, dried ginger and liquorice root. It’s main use was to recuperate those that have been saved from hanging. Wan Lu was nursed for two days. Although her complexion was still deathly white and she could not move on her own, but her condition was much better than before. 

Wan Lu saw Ran Yan and struggled to get up, but was stopped by Ran Yan’s hand. She sat kneeling by the bed, brought her fingers together and took Wan Lu’s pulse. 

After feeling her pulse for a little while, Ran Yan relaxed slightly, “You’re recovering well. Does your throat still hurt?” 

Wan Lu shook her

her head. Her voice was hoa.r.s.e, as if it was only the sound of breathing, “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” 

Ran Yan paused a while. Thinking that Wan Lu’s body was stable now, she should be able to ask some questions, “Wan Lu, do you still remember who the person that wanted to kill you was?” 

Bringing up the events then, a layer of fear clouded over Wan Lu’s beautiful phoenix eyes. After thinking for a long while, she shook her head and said, “I did not see the face clearly. In the beginning… I ran past that Master. Afraid that he will notice Miss, I walked in a circle around the Banks’ roses canopy to a different direction. After hiding behind a fake hill, I unintentionally overheard two women conspiring to set Fourth Master Qin up. In the end I was discovered, before I could call for help, someone hit me at the back of my head…”  

Wan Lu’s throat still had not recovered completely. As she spoke, she could no longer make any sounds and was only left with sounds of her breath. 

Ran Yan patted her and said, “Don’t speak anymore. Wait till your body recovers before saying everything.”

Wan Lu was an impatient person. She still had words unspoken and was agitated to the point of almost crying. With difficulty, she said, “Bracelet, I’ve seen it!” 

“Don’t rush, I will ask questions, you just need to nod or shake your head.” Ran Yan knew that Wan Lu did not know how to write many characters and did not have the ability to use writing to express herself at all, thus used this method. 

Wan Lu nodded.

Ran Yan asked, “You said that you’ve seen the bracelet that the murderer wore on their wrist before, is that right?” 

Wan Lu nodded again. She seemed to be trying to recall the owner of the bracelet. She could only vaguely remember that she had recently seen that bracelet

that bracelet before somewhere, but not knowing if it was because she hurt her head, or if it was because her memory was shallow, but she could not recall who it was. After all, the women of Suzhou city who liked wearing jade bracelets were too many. 

“Did you see it after I’ve recovered fully?” Ran Yan guessed. If that bracelet were not extremely precious or had some special features, generally a person would not have a deep memory of a normal bracelet. Moreover, in the past Wan Lu had looked after Ran Yan without leaving her side. The only people that she could have seen wearing bracelet could only be those from the Ran residence. 

Wan Lu excitedly nodded. 

Recently? Women that Ran Yan met recently flew past Ran Yan’s mind’s eye. First she expanded the search criteria. These few days, she had been out on the streets a few times, but Wan Lu wouldn’t pay attention to other people’s wrist on the streets. Other than that, places where women gathered, there was only the Yin residence! But that was the first time she had been to the Yin residence after she recovered. Wan Lu had indicated that she had seen it before then….

“Caixiu House!” Ran Yan suddenly recalled this place. Han Shan and that maidservant’s death, all were to cause a disaster for Fourth Master Qin. 

“That’s right!” Wan Lu was excited to the point where she did not care about the pain of her hoa.r.s.e throat and shouted in agreement. In the end, she could only emit the heavy sounds of laboured breathing. 

Ran Yan recalled the people she met at Caixiu House that day.

Wan Lu seemed to remember something. Her eyes brightened and she eagerly rasped out, “Cui… Mei…” 

“Cui Mei?” Ran Yan said this name out loud. She slowly remembered that music courtesan called Cui Mei in Caixiu House. That women was suffused with a gentle temperament, her appearance fair and gentle,fair and gentle, her eyes docile and submissive. Her features were dainty and delicate, but not outstanding in a single aspect. In Ran Yan’s current recollection, she could only remember her overall impression, but she had forgotten her specific looks. 

On Cui Mei’s fair wrist, there was a pure white jade bracelet. Its quality was top notch, resembling sheep fat. At that moment, Ran Yan even felt that this bracelet matched her temperament. It seemed like Wan Lu also had formed an impression because of this. 

That day, Cui Mei avoided Ran Yan’s treatment, emphasising that she was a music courtesan and did not sell her body. However, she seemed to have already been infected with syphilis. 

“Other than hearing them conspiring to frame Fourth Master Qin, did you hear anything else?” Ran Yan turned and asked. 

Wan Lu shook her head.

Ran Yan continued questioning, “Was the other woman’s voice familiar?”

Without know why, perhaps because this body was previously good friends with Yin Wan-wan, Ran Yan did not wish for that person to be Yin Miao-miao. It was possible that Yin Miao-miao had really decided that her younger sister was killed by Qin Musheng and so took revenge because of this. On that day, after she suggested hide-and-seek, the crowd of n.o.ble ladies all scattered. At this time, she absolutely had the time to conspire with another person. 

However, under Ran Yan’s attentive gaze, Wan Lu shook her head. 

T/N: Thank you to everyone who commented. People seem to have trouble keeping track of the characters, so I have created a character list, it"s rather disorganised but it should serve its purpose. 

Sorry for the late update, I was on holiday and couldn"t post the chapter. 

[1]Peach blossom is a euphemism related to love affairs

[2]看相: to tell fortune by reading the subject"s facial features

[3]抑或受到祖辈蒙阴: Not completely sure on the meaning, I think its trying to say that he basks in the shade of his ancestors (aka inherited his position)