Volume 11 - Chapter 3

The Apothecary Diaries

The Hanged Body in the Office - Part 1 #

Rahan knew that encountering a human corpse was not that uncommon.

There were over a million registered households in the capital and surrounding areas. That number was likely an underestimate. Since there was a flat poll tax on adults, people would lie about not having children, claim adults died before coming of age, or even report males as females. While there were cases of failing to report deaths, there were probably more people not registered at all.

Including the rear palace ladies and menial workers, nearly ten thousand people worked in the imperial court.

With more people, there were more opportunities to witness death. If it seemed rare, it was probably because people tried to hide corpses, considering them an ill omen.

There were cases of fatal training accidents due to poorly executed moves. According to last year’s records, there were three deaths, and eighteen cases resulting in career-ending injuries for martial officers. The low numbers suggested many went unreported.

Civil officers were also driven to suicide by the intense workload.

“There were seven cases last year, I believe,” Rahan muttered, looking at the hanging body.

It was not a civil officer’s corpse, but that of a martial officer in uniform.

“Is that a large teru teru bozu doll?” asked Rakan, as always making comments where one couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious. The young Shunsai nearby had turned pale, opening and closing his mouth - a normal reaction.

TL Note

Teru Teru Bozu Doll

“Lord Rakan. What should we do? Shall I clean up the room immediately, or would you prefer to work elsewhere?”

Onso, the deputy, inquired of Rakan.

“It’s fine to use this room if you clean it up quickly.”

“Even if you don’t mind, Father-in-law, others will.”

To Rahan, a corpse was not a beautiful thing. One whose life functions had ended had transitioned from a being to an object, decaying over time. Decay could hardly be called sanitary, and was not beautiful to Rahan.

“This room gets good sunlight.”

Even in this lingering cold season, securing a nice warm spot for an afternoon nap was Rakan’s top priority.

Aside from Rahan’s group, many others - precisely seventeen martial officers, ten civil officers, and three palace ladies - had gathered to gawk.

“By the way, who is this person?”

Rahan narrowed his eyes while readjusting his glasses. He didn’t want to scrutinize the corpse, but they needed to identify who it was. No work would get done today.

“A martial officer Lord Rakan brought in about two years ago. As Lord Rakan put it, ‘One of the Lances.’”

Onso explained.

“The one who switched sides, you mean?”

“Yes. Shall I retrieve his personnel file from over a year ago?”

This was the Lance piece that had been captured, according to the shogi board explanation Rahan had given Rakan yesterday.

While Rahan had conveyed the information, he didn’t know what the ‘Lance’ looked like. Memorizing faces was Rikuson’s job, not Rahan’s.

“So this guy committed suicide in Father-in-law’s office, huh?”

Rahan looked around.

The ‘Lance’ was hanging from a central beam in Rakan’s office. The high-ceilinged room with several large beams had been chosen as Rakan’s office specifically so he could use a hammock. However, the man himself had been too sluggish to actually get on the hammock - a pointless backstory.

In other rooms, it wouldn’t be possible to hang a noose right in the center.

A chair lay overturned a short distance from the dripping bodily fluids from the corpse, likely having been kicked over.

Rakan’s office seemed to have been left unattended during his absence. It had been cleaned, but not thoroughly. Rakan’s favorite long chairs were neatly wiped down, but dust remained in the corners of the shelves.

“Hmm.”

Rahan observed the hanging noose on the beam, the dangling ‘Lance’, and the overturned chair.

“Father-in-law.”

“Hmm?”

“Is the murderer who killed this ‘Lance’ man still among us here?”

Rakan gestured with his chin toward the gawkers.

“Eh?!”

The young Shunsai looked back and forth between Rakan and the crowd in surprise.

“Wh-What do you mean?”

“Yes, be quiet now. We don’t want the culprit to catch on.”

Rahan gently chided the boy. While he didn’t intend to be kind to males, he thought basic courtesy was the least he could offer the boy who had taken his brother’s place.

Shunsai covered his mouth with both hands. Obedient children were easy to handle.

“Who might it be?”

Rahan asked Rakan.

“The white go stone.”

To Rakan it might be a go stone, but Rahan couldn’t tell. He narrowed his eyes.

“Ah.”

The gawkers started leaving one by one. While the culprit was gone, at least Onso, Rakan’s deputy, had confirmed their identity. He might not be as skilled as Rikuson, but this man was adept at remembering faces too.

“Sir Onso.”

Rahan looked at Rakan’s deputy, thinking this was going to be troublesome.

“You aren’t thinking of leaving the rest to me so you can go about your work, are you, Lord Rahan?”

Onso flashed an unsettling grin and gripped Rahan’s shoulder tightly, apparently having some martial arts training that made his grip painfully strong.

Rahan exhaled and looked at Rakan, wondering what to do.

“I want to sleep. But before that, I want to meet Maomao.”

Rakan’s mind seemed to work in a way normal people couldn’t comprehend. He could arrive at solutions without formulas, but the process was indecipherable. No matter how accurate, building a case was difficult.

“Well, um…”

Rahan called over a junior officer nearby.

“Go to the medical office and request an examination of the…body.”

“Not a hanging body?”

“Just say ‘body’ for now. Actually, since we have new medical trainees who just started, why not call them too? We have a fresh corpse, which should be useful for studying.”

Rahan was indirectly saying “Bring Maomao.” While not guaranteed, this would likely bring Maomao over about 80% of the time. That should make the unmotivated Rakan a bit more functional.

Rakan provided answers, but answers alone didn’t explain anything.

Rakan had identified the culprit. Rahan and the others had to determine the method and motive for the killing.

Which is why, pushing his glasses up with a sigh, Rahan had to gaze upon something unbeautiful once more.