A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 77 Are you sure you want to open the coffin?

"Take back the word 'ma'!" Song Shuyu said unhappily. "If you can't solve the case, you can go home and eat your own food!"

Zhang, the registrar, immediately fell silent and lowered his head, trying to minimize his presence.

Mu Qingcheng suddenly remembered something, leaned closer to Zhang the Registrar, and whispered a few words in his ear.

Since they were sitting diagonally opposite each other, and the carriage wasn't particularly spacious, half of her body leaned against Song Shuyu. Song Shuyu was secretly delighted, but on the surface, he tried his best to avoid suspicion, putting on an awkward expression as if he had limited space and really wanted to avoid her but couldn't.

After giving her instructions, Mu Qingcheng sat back down, completely unaware of the adult's reaction.

Song Shuyu couldn't help but feel secretly sad. After twelve years apart, it seemed that she had only grown a head, but neither a heart nor eyes!

As they approached the mortuary, Sanhu seemed restless. He asked in a low voice, "Coroner Mu, are you sure you want to open the coffin?"

"This is the second time you've asked me this," Mu Qingcheng replied calmly. "I not only need to open the coffin, but also conduct an autopsy. Please tell me the exact height and appearance of the eldest young master, Liu Pei, so I can verify the external characteristics of the body. Also, what illness did the eldest young master die from? Was it a sudden acute illness, or a long-term, incurable disease?"

Sanhu resigned himself to his fate and had no choice but to tell him everything: "The eldest young master suffered from tuberculosis, which was a chronic illness that was difficult to cure. He died peacefully, without suffering too much pain, though he had become very thin. He was twenty-four years old, about five feet four inches tall, with a small mole on his nose, high brow bones, phoenix eyes, and regular features; he was quite handsome..."

"Half a year after death, the flesh has rotted away. How can you still recognize the person?" Registrar Zhang interjected.

Song Shuyu couldn't stand Zhang Zhubu's appearance today, so he retorted, "That's a matter for the coroner to worry about. What's the use of your anxiety?"

Why is it that Mu Qingcheng can whisper secrets to each of them, but not to him? Zhang Zhubu immediately shrank back, deciding to be a quail and never speak again.

Mu Qingcheng looked at Song Shuyu, her eyes filled with confusion. Why was the master so angry all of a sudden? However, while the master could be unhappy, she was a subordinate, and she had to be dedicated to her duties. Therefore, she calmly said, "Appearances cannot reveal everything, but bone structure remains constant. Although one cannot completely identify a deceased person's appearance based on bone structure, a general outline can still be deduced. For example, the height of the cheekbones, the width of the face, and the length from the crown of the head to the chin can all be used as references."

Upon hearing this, Song Shuyu immediately chimed in, “I understand. People often say that true beauty lies in the bone structure, not the skin. A person’s bone structure determines the beauty or ugliness of their facial features. No matter how rotten the outer skin may be, the inner bone structure will not change, right, Coroner Mu?”

Mu Qingcheng offered an approving smile, "Your Excellency is wise."

Song Shuyu visibly became happy. "Registration Officer Zhang, you should consult with Coroner Mu more often in the future. When you arrive at the mortuary, follow Coroner Mu's arrangements in everything."

"Yes, sir." Clerk Zhang dared not utter a word and nodded repeatedly.

There are two mortuaries on the outskirts of the city. The southern mortuary is for the deceased who have been claimed but are not buried for various reasons. The northern mortuary is for the deceased who do not have household registration or are living alone and have no relatives or friends to collect their bodies.

Led by Sanhu, the carriage entered the Nanzhuang compound.

Mu Qingcheng jumped off the carriage, looked around, and called out, "Grandma Yang, are you there?"

(End of this chapter)