1. The Missing Calligraphy and Paintings from the Palace
This foreshadowing feels somewhat connected to the imperial handwriting and edict that Jiaozhou Governor’s wife Yulan showed to Han Ji. But this still feels a bit forced—do they really need to go through such a complicated process, using calligraphy gifted by the emperor to Consort Hui, just to imitate handwriting and seals? Does it really require such a roundabout method?
Personally, I still think the content of the calligraphy and paintings themselves is problematic.
As for Consort Hui, in my view her identity still doesn’t feel “clean.” Yulan, on the other hand, is very likely a villain—so what exactly is her objective?
When Li Zhang appeared, I began to suspect that Yulan might still be connected to You Chen’an. As for the forged edict, could the seal on it possibly have been carved by Li Zhang?
⸻
2. The Identity of “Peacock” (孔雀)
So far, at least three people have impersonated Peacock. • One is Chu He; • One is Zhou Han’s younger twin brother, or Jiang Daohai. When Zhao Senyao sought medicine from the “ghost envoy,” the fake Zhou Han had a scar on his right hand—and Jiang Daohai has one as well; • One is You Chen’an. He is able to obtain the Peacock mask, which makes him highly suspicious.
Why do I say at least three? Because judging from the conversation between the King of Southern Zhao and his subordinate in Episode 16, Peacock is not You Chen’an—there may be someone else.
If the King of Southern Zhao knew You Chen’an was Peacock, he wouldn’t say, “Peacock has lived up to my trust,” and then order Gao Luoqian to escort You Chen’an back to Southern Zhao.
So there are two possibilities: 1. Peacock is someone else entirely, still hidden among Tang officials. Peacock and You Chen’an are allies—publicly loyal to the King of Southern Zhao, but privately engaged in interest exchanges with You Chen’an. 2. The real Peacock has already been killed by You Chen’an, who then took Peacock’s place and continued to liaise with the King of Southern Zhao under that identity.
At present, the first possibility seems more likely.
⸻
3. The Disappearance of Civilians at the Tang Border
These missing civilians are very likely connected to human experimentation conducted by Southern Zhao.
The diagrams in You Chen’an’s possession should eventually explain this plotline. You Chen’an is very likely aware of the experiments—perhaps even an executor.
In Episode 16, when the Prince caught fireflies for Chu Chu, she mentioned that there are many fireflies at the burial grounds. This clue should connect to the location where the bodies of the missing civilians were disposed of.
⸻
4. The Diagrams and Who Performed the “Facial Reconstruction”
Were the diagrams drawn by You Chen’an himself, or by someone else?
Where did You Chen’an learn his coroner skills? Is there another coroner or physician—perhaps a master—who has an extremely deep understanding of human skeletal structure?
Using the fake You Chen’an as a test subject, the disguise was repeatedly refined. The skill involved is so advanced that the fake You Chen’an looked almost indistinguishable from the real one. Chu Chu only confirmed his identity through the scar on his chest.
My speculation is that the diagrams and the surgical procedures were done by You Chen’an’s master—though it’s also possible that You Chen’an himself did them (purely entertainment speculation).
Coroner techniques feel like something that must be passed down through mentorship. Perhaps You Chen’an’s master was originally a physician who conducted experiments on living humans, was rejected by society, and later met You Chen’an. You Chen’an provided living subjects, the master taught him the skills, and the two formed a mutually beneficial master–disciple relationship.
⸻
Unresolved Questions
There are still many unanswered questions: • How could a forged imperial decree sent by carrier pigeon reach Southern Zhao within a single day? • Why was the heavily guarded Three Judicial Offices breached so easily by just a few death guards?
It was mentioned earlier that the “ghost envoy” was actually Zhou Han, a former Shence Army school commandant who had already died. This lines up with the later reveal that Zhou Han changed his name to Laifu and was sent to the stone quarry.
Wang Ye deliberately sent Leng Yue there to verify whether it was really Zhou Han—and it turned out Zhou Han was indeed still at the quarry. Zhou Han then explained that he has a biological younger brother, which explains why the two of them look exactly alike.
Later on, Zhou Han was instructed to impersonate the ghost envoy to lure Changshou out. Changshou appears both at the opening of Chu He’s pharmacy and in the very first episode. However, since Zhou Han was not a real ghost envoy, he knew nothing of value. So after Changshou was captured, they drugged him to knock him out, then put the real ghost envoy in instead, in order to extract useful information.
This actually mirrors what happened in Season 1 with Qin Luan in a very similar way. Back then, Qin Luan believed he had seen through the scheme meant to disrupt his sense of time, but in reality, what was being manipulated wasn’t time at all—it was location.
The same logic applies here. Changshou had already sensed that something was off and thought he had uncovered the trick. But in truth, by the time he went to verify it, the fake ghost envoy had already been replaced by the real one. He believed he was testing the lie, when in fact he was stepping straight into the truth that had been carefully switched beneath his feet.
Its a marginal improvement. I am just watching to pass time at this point. Sword into Plowshares airs tonight…
TIC2 dont even have fixed banner spot.
In case anyone thinks Tencent favored TIC2, it really didn’t. The platform barely gave it promotion, no fixed banner slot, and the exposure was actually quite limited.
Xiao Jinyu hasn’t been weakened at all. Everyone else in the Three Judicial Offices was trained under him—so…
“Jing Yi said that he can trust them and doesn’t need to shoulder everything himself. I think that’s exactly how Xiao Jinyu grows this season too—he starts delegating work, trusting his partners, and positioning himself as the one who backs everything up. In a company setting, that’s honestly the best kind of leader.
To be frank, if he had continued working the way he did in Season 1, given his character setup and physical condition, he would’ve worked himself to death from overexertion. This season, he actually sleeps, bathes, eats, and drinks soup—so his complexion is noticeably better. Even when he gets poisoned, he doesn’t just drop dead on the spot. Logically, it all makes sense.”
Xiao Jinyu hasn’t been weakened at all. Everyone else in the Three Judicial Offices was trained under him—so of course they’re capable; that’s only natural. He treats every member of the Three Judicial Offices with respect and trust, puts them to good use, protects them at every turn, and shoulders the responsibility himself. In return, every one of them is willing to charge ahead for him without hesitation.
When it comes to love, Xiao Jinyu is honestly a romantic idiot. He’s always thinking that what he gives is still not enough, believing that he’s brought Chu Chu nothing but storms and hardship. Yet what Huamei told him in the pleasure quarters—“deep love breeds fear”—is exactly the point. He’s far too harsh on himself. Still, he is growing. Gradually, he learns to share the burden of responsibility with the other members of the Three Judicial Offices.
Every single person in the Three Judicial Offices was carefully chosen and cultivated by Xiao Jinyu. Their strength is itself proof of his ability to recognize talent and employ people well. With the prince bearing the pressure of enemies on all sides, he had to turn the inside of the Three Judicial Offices into an iron fortress. And the facts prove that precisely because he treats his subordinates so well, they are willing to fight unconditionally for him.
The one giving the commands is still the prince. The one holding authority over the Three Judicial Offices is still the prince. And in the end, the one who gathers and consolidates all the clues is still Xiao Jinyu.
Xiao Jinyu is simply too good a person—intelligent, broad-minded, strategic, and capable of reflection in matters of love, which allows him to grow and improve. Someone like him deserves the loyalty and protection of everyone in the Three Judicial Offices, and he deserves the emperor’s trust and regard as well.
Here’s a bolder guess: could it be Xiao Jinyu faking his death?
From the beginning, the plot repeatedly emphasizes one point: The enemy is hidden while we are in the light; the situation is passive. Many investigations can’t proceed deeply because Xiao Jinyu, being at the center of visible power, actually becomes a limitation. And “faking death” might be the only way to break the stalemate.
Even more crucial is the repeated mention of a head in the first few episodes. The drama shows multiple discussions between Xiao Jinyu and Chuchu about the head, which feels like a planted clue. In the future, there will likely be a key scene where the head is examined.
If Xiao Jinyu really faked his death, could Chuchu have been fooled too? It’s possible that only when she personally examines the head will she realize that the person in the coffin is not Xiao Jinyu at all.
If the first half of the plot shows the protagonists in a passive position, being led and pressured by the villains, then starting around episode 15, you can clearly feel the tide turning. Foreshadowing begins to align, and characters are no longer just responding to crises—they’re taking the initiative to set traps.
No matter who is actually in the coffin, it seems like a signal— the reversal has begun. From here on, the story of The Imperial Coroner will likely involve the protagonists personally taking action, laying plans, and letting the villains walk step by step into traps that were prepared long ago.
If the first half was about suppression and restraint, the next part is likely to be a series of decisive and clean counterattacks. The truly exciting part of The Imperial Coroner 2 is just beginning.
This foreshadowing feels somewhat connected to the imperial handwriting and edict that Jiaozhou Governor’s wife Yulan showed to Han Ji. But this still feels a bit forced—do they really need to go through such a complicated process, using calligraphy gifted by the emperor to Consort Hui, just to imitate handwriting and seals? Does it really require such a roundabout method?
Personally, I still think the content of the calligraphy and paintings themselves is problematic.
As for Consort Hui, in my view her identity still doesn’t feel “clean.”
Yulan, on the other hand, is very likely a villain—so what exactly is her objective?
When Li Zhang appeared, I began to suspect that Yulan might still be connected to You Chen’an. As for the forged edict, could the seal on it possibly have been carved by Li Zhang?
⸻
2. The Identity of “Peacock” (孔雀)
So far, at least three people have impersonated Peacock.
• One is Chu He;
• One is Zhou Han’s younger twin brother, or Jiang Daohai. When Zhao Senyao sought medicine from the “ghost envoy,” the fake Zhou Han had a scar on his right hand—and Jiang Daohai has one as well;
• One is You Chen’an. He is able to obtain the Peacock mask, which makes him highly suspicious.
Why do I say at least three? Because judging from the conversation between the King of Southern Zhao and his subordinate in Episode 16, Peacock is not You Chen’an—there may be someone else.
If the King of Southern Zhao knew You Chen’an was Peacock, he wouldn’t say, “Peacock has lived up to my trust,” and then order Gao Luoqian to escort You Chen’an back to Southern Zhao.
So there are two possibilities:
1. Peacock is someone else entirely, still hidden among Tang officials. Peacock and You Chen’an are allies—publicly loyal to the King of Southern Zhao, but privately engaged in interest exchanges with You Chen’an.
2. The real Peacock has already been killed by You Chen’an, who then took Peacock’s place and continued to liaise with the King of Southern Zhao under that identity.
At present, the first possibility seems more likely.
⸻
3. The Disappearance of Civilians at the Tang Border
These missing civilians are very likely connected to human experimentation conducted by Southern Zhao.
The diagrams in You Chen’an’s possession should eventually explain this plotline. You Chen’an is very likely aware of the experiments—perhaps even an executor.
In Episode 16, when the Prince caught fireflies for Chu Chu, she mentioned that there are many fireflies at the burial grounds. This clue should connect to the location where the bodies of the missing civilians were disposed of.
⸻
4. The Diagrams and Who Performed the “Facial Reconstruction”
Were the diagrams drawn by You Chen’an himself, or by someone else?
Where did You Chen’an learn his coroner skills? Is there another coroner or physician—perhaps a master—who has an extremely deep understanding of human skeletal structure?
Using the fake You Chen’an as a test subject, the disguise was repeatedly refined. The skill involved is so advanced that the fake You Chen’an looked almost indistinguishable from the real one. Chu Chu only confirmed his identity through the scar on his chest.
My speculation is that the diagrams and the surgical procedures were done by You Chen’an’s master—though it’s also possible that You Chen’an himself did them (purely entertainment speculation).
Coroner techniques feel like something that must be passed down through mentorship. Perhaps You Chen’an’s master was originally a physician who conducted experiments on living humans, was rejected by society, and later met You Chen’an. You Chen’an provided living subjects, the master taught him the skills, and the two formed a mutually beneficial master–disciple relationship.
⸻
Unresolved Questions
There are still many unanswered questions:
• How could a forged imperial decree sent by carrier pigeon reach Southern Zhao within a single day?
• Why was the heavily guarded Three Judicial Offices breached so easily by just a few death guards?
Wang Ye deliberately sent Leng Yue there to verify whether it was really Zhou Han—and it turned out Zhou Han was indeed still at the quarry. Zhou Han then explained that he has a biological younger brother, which explains why the two of them look exactly alike.
Later on, Zhou Han was instructed to impersonate the ghost envoy to lure Changshou out. Changshou appears both at the opening of Chu He’s pharmacy and in the very first episode. However, since Zhou Han was not a real ghost envoy, he knew nothing of value. So after Changshou was captured, they drugged him to knock him out, then put the real ghost envoy in instead, in order to extract useful information.
This actually mirrors what happened in Season 1 with Qin Luan in a very similar way. Back then, Qin Luan believed he had seen through the scheme meant to disrupt his sense of time, but in reality, what was being manipulated wasn’t time at all—it was location.
The same logic applies here. Changshou had already sensed that something was off and thought he had uncovered the trick. But in truth, by the time he went to verify it, the fake ghost envoy had already been replaced by the real one. He believed he was testing the lie, when in fact he was stepping straight into the truth that had been carefully switched beneath his feet.
In case anyone thinks Tencent favored TIC2, it really didn’t. The platform barely gave it promotion, no fixed banner slot, and the exposure was actually quite limited.
To be frank, if he had continued working the way he did in Season 1, given his character setup and physical condition, he would’ve worked himself to death from overexertion. This season, he actually sleeps, bathes, eats, and drinks soup—so his complexion is noticeably better. Even when he gets poisoned, he doesn’t just drop dead on the spot. Logically, it all makes sense.”
When it comes to love, Xiao Jinyu is honestly a romantic idiot. He’s always thinking that what he gives is still not enough, believing that he’s brought Chu Chu nothing but storms and hardship. Yet what Huamei told him in the pleasure quarters—“deep love breeds fear”—is exactly the point. He’s far too harsh on himself. Still, he is growing. Gradually, he learns to share the burden of responsibility with the other members of the Three Judicial Offices.
Every single person in the Three Judicial Offices was carefully chosen and cultivated by Xiao Jinyu. Their strength is itself proof of his ability to recognize talent and employ people well. With the prince bearing the pressure of enemies on all sides, he had to turn the inside of the Three Judicial Offices into an iron fortress. And the facts prove that precisely because he treats his subordinates so well, they are willing to fight unconditionally for him.
The one giving the commands is still the prince. The one holding authority over the Three Judicial Offices is still the prince. And in the end, the one who gathers and consolidates all the clues is still Xiao Jinyu.
Xiao Jinyu is simply too good a person—intelligent, broad-minded, strategic, and capable of reflection in matters of love, which allows him to grow and improve. Someone like him deserves the loyalty and protection of everyone in the Three Judicial Offices, and he deserves the emperor’s trust and regard as well.
Their sweet talks always include something unusual lmaoo
From the beginning, the plot repeatedly emphasizes one point:
The enemy is hidden while we are in the light; the situation is passive. Many investigations can’t proceed deeply because Xiao Jinyu, being at the center of visible power, actually becomes a limitation.
And “faking death” might be the only way to break the stalemate.
Even more crucial is the repeated mention of a head in the first few episodes.
The drama shows multiple discussions between Xiao Jinyu and Chuchu about the head, which feels like a planted clue. In the future, there will likely be a key scene where the head is examined.
If Xiao Jinyu really faked his death, could Chuchu have been fooled too?
It’s possible that only when she personally examines the head will she realize that the person in the coffin is not Xiao Jinyu at all.
If the first half of the plot shows the protagonists in a passive position, being led and pressured by the villains, then starting around episode 15, you can clearly feel the tide turning. Foreshadowing begins to align, and characters are no longer just responding to crises—they’re taking the initiative to set traps.
No matter who is actually in the coffin, it seems like a signal—
the reversal has begun.
From here on, the story of The Imperial Coroner will likely involve the protagonists personally taking action, laying plans, and letting the villains walk step by step into traps that were prepared long ago.
If the first half was about suppression and restraint, the next part is likely to be a series of decisive and clean counterattacks.
The truly exciting part of The Imperial Coroner 2 is just beginning.