Chapter 2180: The Corpse Official

Chapter 106: The Coroner

After the funeral, a coroner from the government arrived.

The elderly man in charge of the ancestral hall had just finished burning incense when a voice from behind him startled him.

"Is this the ancestral hall of the Wang family?"

He quickly turned around and saw a man in a light brown official robe with the characters "大夏" (Da Xia) embroidered on the front. He was carrying a black wooden box.

"Yes, sir, it is. May I ask who you are?"

The official nodded slightly and said, "My name is Bai Qi. I am a coroner from the Capital."

The old man was taken aback. A coroner from the capital? He immediately became respectful.

"Sir, please come in."

Bai Qi stepped into the ancestral hall and scanned the surroundings. He noticed a fresh incense burning in front of the main plaque.

"Who is this incense for?"

"It is for Wang Ping, the deceased. His funeral was just held."

Bai Qi walked over to the front of the plaque and carefully examined the incense. He sniffed the air around the plaque.

"Did you use the standard incense?"

"Yes, sir, it is the common sandalwood incense."

Bai Qi nodded and then turned his attention to the room where Wang Ping's body had been kept.

"Where was the body?"

"In that room, sir." The old man pointed to a side room.

Bai Qi walked into the room. It was still somewhat messy, with traces of straw scattered on the ground. He knelt down and carefully examined the floor.

He then stood up and looked around the room, his gaze lingering on the walls and ceiling.

"Has anyone touched anything in this room since the body was removed?"

"No, sir, we were waiting for the officials to arrive."

Bai Qi nodded again and then took out a small cloth bag from his sleeve. He opened it and took out a pair of thin gloves, which he put on.

He then took out a few small tools from his black wooden box, including a small brush and a magnifying glass.

He began to meticulously examine the room, brushing away dust and dirt from various surfaces and examining them with the magnifying glass. He paid particular attention to the areas where the body had been laid.

After a while, he stood up and went back to the black wooden box. He took out a larger piece of white cloth and spread it on the ground. He then carefully collected samples of dust and other materials from the room and placed them on the cloth.

The old man watched him, feeling a sense of awe. This coroner was truly thorough.

After collecting the samples, Bai Qi carefully folded the cloth and placed it back in his box.

"Where is the body now?" he asked.

"It is in the coffin, sir, in the main hall."

Bai Qi went into the main hall and approached the coffin. He looked at it for a moment and then gestured to the old man.

"Open it."

The old man hesitated. "Sir, the body has already been prepared for burial. It would be… inconvenient."

Bai Qi's tone became firm. "Open it. I need to examine the body."

Reluctantly, the old man and a few other villagers carefully opened the coffin.

Bai Qi leaned over the coffin and began his examination. He looked closely at Wang Ping's face, neck, and hands. He gently touched the skin and felt the rigidity of the limbs.

He then carefully lifted the shroud and examined the rest of the body, looking for any signs of injury or abnormality. He used his magnifying glass to examine certain areas more closely.

The villagers watched in silence, feeling a mix of unease and curiosity.

After a thorough examination, Bai Qi straightened up and closed the coffin.

"Thank you," he said to the old man.

He then turned to the villagers. "Have you seen anything unusual in the past few days? Anything out of the ordinary regarding Wang Ping?"

The villagers exchanged glances, but no one spoke.

Bai Qi waited patiently. Finally, a young man stepped forward hesitantly.

"Sir, I… I saw something strange the night before he died."

"What did you see?" Bai Qi asked, his eyes sharp.

"I was coming back from the fields late. I saw a figure near Wang Ping's house. It was dark, so I couldn't see clearly, but it seemed to be carrying something heavy."

"Can you describe the figure?"

"It was tall and thin, sir. That's all I could make out."

Bai Qi nodded and made a note in a small book he took from his sleeve.

"Anything else?"

Another villager spoke up. "Wang Ping seemed troubled in the days leading up to his death. He was quiet and seemed to be deep in thought."

Bai Qi listened carefully to everything the villagers had to say, asking clarifying questions and taking notes.

After he had finished questioning the villagers, he returned to the room where the body had been kept. He took out his tools again and continued his examination, looking for even the slightest clue.

He spent a long time in the room, meticulously examining every inch of it. The old man and the villagers waited patiently outside, respecting his work.

Finally, Bai Qi emerged from the room. He looked tired but his eyes were still sharp.

"I have completed my initial examination," he said. "I will be taking the samples I collected back to the capital for further analysis."

He carefully packed his tools back into his black wooden box.

"Thank you for your cooperation," he said to the old man and the villagers.

"Sir, do you know what happened to Wang Ping?" the old man asked, his voice filled with hope.

Bai Qi paused for a moment. "I cannot say for sure at this point. Further investigation is needed."

He then turned and left the ancestral hall, his footsteps echoing in the silence. The villagers watched him go, a sense of uncertainty lingering in the air.

The arrival of the coroner had brought a brief flicker of hope for answers, but now they were left with even more questions. The death of Wang Ping remained a mystery, and the villagers could only wait and see what the investigation from the capital would reveal.