In the 11th century, King John of England needed money to support his army and to ransom his brother, who had been captured during the Crusades. To raise funds, he imposed a tax on the dead: if someone committed suicide, all their property was confiscated, and if someone committed murder, their property was also seized. As a result, causes of death were often concealed, leading to the establishment of a dedicated debt collection unit known as the crowner, tasked with determining causes of death. Over time, this title evolved into coroner, a role that remains today. In Thailand, the police system is used for autopsies.

    "You..."

    That means police officers conduct autopsies in collaboration with doctors, with the police coordinating all relevant parties. In this ancient land, would they accept the system of autopsy and forensic investigation? All Lalita knew was forensic medicine. What could she do…? How could she survive here? How would she get back…?

    "You..."

    "Ah... uh… yes," Lalita snapped out of her reverie, realizing someone was calling her. She looked up to find about ten maidservants bustling around, helping her get dressed. Their eyes were filled with fear, and they froze when Lalita glanced around. Two maidservants who were tying her hair even dropped to the ground, trembling.

    Lalita sighed and decided to remain silent, refusing to speak further. The maidservants exchanged glances and slowly resumed their work. They chose exquisite fabrics and luxurious accessories, matching the outfits, for her, but Lalita raised her hand to decline, opting for a simple white silk dress instead.

    "She looks sad, probably frustrated not knowing how to communicate with us."

    "Shh, shh, don't talk too much. Aren't you afraid of being beheaded?"

    Lalita understood every word but chose to keep quiet to avoid further questions. She overheard people discussing whether she was truly the Qilin’s Daughter or a demon that needed to be eliminated. Lalita glanced out the window, seeing the procession of guards patrolling constantly. Every corner was heavily guarded, and due to her previous swift-footed escape, they decided to chain her ankle, awaiting another judgement.

    Utterly ridiculous.

    My head hurts…

    Lalita touched her forehead to check her temperature. She felt slightly feverish but nothing serious. She wasn't worried about severe illnesses as she was fully vaccinated. But what should she do when the interrogation started?

    As she pondered, she felt something move past her feet. Looking down, she saw a small, furry white creature. Lalita met its golden amber eyes and took a liking to it, allowing it to jump onto her lap. The maidservants noticed and cried out in alarm.

    "That dirty cat is back again. No matter how many times we throw it out, it keeps coming back. This time, let's kill it."

    "Don't!"

    Lalita finally spoke. "Don't harm it. If this cat wants to stay with me, let it stay."

    "Y-yes, Your Highness ." The maidservants were startled, glancing at each other nervously before bowing their heads, making a path towards the palace door. Their faces and eyes clearly showed their fear and reverence. "His Majesty has ordered you to present yourself as soon as you are dressed. Please follow us."

    Lalita stood up. Well, whatever happens, happens!

    ---

    "I saw with my own eyes that the Qilin appeared and brought her here. Her eyebrows are slender, her eyes sharp, and her skin is as white as snow."

    "But she harmed His Majesty. She might be a demon in disguise. We can't trust her." The grand hall was filled with heated debate, going around in circles without reaching a conclusion. Li Xuanyue sat on the throne, looking thoroughly bored, his patience wearing thin with each passing breath.

    But then a refreshing breeze swept in gently, and the arguments slowly died down until there was complete silence, except for the sound of long robes dragging across the floor and the clink of chains around her ankles.

    "She has arrived, Your Majesty."

    Lalita stepped in with the soft morning sunlight behind her, followed by four guards, which only made her stand out so much that people couldn’t take their eyes off. Her tall, slender figure seemed crafted by the hands of a goddess, her face beautiful like the moon, her neck elegant, and her skin fair and smooth. Just her appearance alone was enough to captivate all men.

    The noblemen, adorned with elaborate hats and holding chaohu[1], stared intently at Lalita, making her lose confidence. Her pale hands grew clammy with sweat, and she quietly regretted choosing her own outfit. She took a deep breath to compose herself, then walked with more grace and formality than ever in her life. The white silk gown with gold thread that reached her ankles made her steps slower and more graceful.

    She faced the man at the pinnacle of the realm, the man who whispered his name and kissed her with burning passion. His face was powerful and strong, just like the rest of his body, brimming with energy, majestic like...

    Like...

    Lalita's eyes locked onto Li Xuanyue's sharp gaze. His body was muscular and powerful. She found her eyes lingering on his strong neck, always thinking it embodied male valor. The deep, soft scent of his body reminded Lalita of their intimate touch. She didn't like how she kept staring at him, her gaze slowly drifting to the most heated part of a man. The rising nervousness threatened to overwhelm her, as her body still vividly remembered the intense sensation of touching him. Her cheeks flushed uncontrollably, and he looked like he was about to laugh!

    "State your name, who your master is, and your purpose here."

    Lalita remained silent, refusing to speak. He didn't press her, just took the scruffy white cat from a eunuch, holding it by the scruff of its neck without caring how much it yowled.

    "If you don't speak to me, it dies."

    Her long eyelashes fluttered, and her beautiful body trembled, knowing he wasn't bluffing. This man was ruthless to maintain control over the realm. Historians were divided: some praised him as a decisive ruler, while others condemned him as a cold-blooded tyrant. Lalita hesitated as he pulled a dagger from his boot and ran the blade along the cat's neck. When she still didn't speak, he raised the knife to strike.

    "No, don't! I'll speak…I’ll speak."

    The dagger stopped just short of the cat's neck, looking frightening. Lalita suppressed her anger and stepped forward to take the cat, but Li Xuanyue placed it on his lap, keeping it as a hostage. "Answer every question, and I will spare its life."

    "I despise people like you the most."

    "But I don't feel the same way," Li Xuanyue responded with a cold smile, scratching the cat's chin. "Where do you come from, and how did you get here?"

    "I come from... the south, which was… a distant place. As for how I got here, I don't know. I'm not sure if it's a dream or reality."

    "You standing before me is reality…" Li Xuanyue emphasized, his eyes hawk-like. "Who is your master?"

    Lalita pondered. Because she often appeared in court, she wasn't afraid when interrogated. Considering her official rank, her highest superior was Police General Lersak. "My father is my master."

    "Who is he?"

    "Uh... to compare, it's like the minister overseeing the capital city, no, the entire country."

    "Capital city... country... what are you talking about?"

    "Uh… I mean city... the capital, and country... I mean... the entire region."

    "Which region do you come from?"

    Which region... In this era, there's no Siam, no Thailand. What should she answer? Lalita was stumped, so she remained silent for a moment. If she answered, she would hesitate. If she didn't answer, it wouldn't do.

    Li Xuanyue patiently scratched the cat behind its ear. "If you don't want to answer, that's fine. I have other ways to extract the truth from you. What I need to know most is your name. Tell me your name."

    Lalita bit her lip, glancing at the scribes who were recording every word, similar to shorthand clerks in a courtroom. Every word spoken here would be documented. Lalita didn't want her presence recorded in this era because any mistake could mess up history. It was too risky.

    "I am nameless. You may call me whatever you wish, Your Majesty."

    "Nameless? You must enjoy being threatened," his hand drew his knife again. She appeared before him like a dream in the night, floating with brilliant light and wind, as beautiful as an angel descended to earth. She was the one chosen by the Qilin. There was no way she had no name. He was sure her name would be as beautiful as she was.

    "You have two choices. First, prove yourself to be the Qilin’s Daughter, the bringer of prosperity to the Li Region, and not a demon sent by another region to cause turmoil."

    Have you watched too much sci-fi or what... Lalita thought. The headache she had felt since morning was getting worse, but she tried to endure it, having worked through worse while performing autopsies for hours. Outside, snow was falling, the cold biting hard, making it difficult to adjust. Her nose began to turn red from the chill. Before she could say anything, a large cloak was thrown over her face.

    "Put it on. You're irritating me."

    The cloak was made of sheepskin lined with deep red satin, still warm and scented with him. Lalita wrapped herself in it without a word, thinking it was quite warm, so warm that her cheeks turned red, extending to her neck.

    "I am just an ordinary person, with no supernatural powers. I just happened to come here by accident."

    "It's true that you may be an ordinary person, but your coming here must have a reason. There are no coincidences in fate. You must have a purpose to fulfill, otherwise, you wouldn't appear. If you can't prove who you are, you will have to die."

    Lalita stomped her foot. "That's not fair."

    "There is a second option. Acknowledge me as your Master and owner."

    "I refuse to choose either," Lalita shook her head, starting to feel frightened. He was trying to force her to stay here forever. "Please believe me, I didn't intend to come here. All I want is to go home."

    "If I don't permit it, you can't go anywhere!" he slammed his hand on the armrest of the throne. Lalita was equally defiant, stomping her foot with the same attitude she used with her brothers.

    "You have no right to command me! Don't try to force me."

    "You!"

    "Let's not argue just yet. Brother, you should give her a chance to think it over first," another voice interjected, stepping in gracefully.

    Lalita turned to see a tall, strong young man, probably around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, dressed similarly to a high-ranking general. His features resembled those of the man on the throne. This young man was Li Xuanlong, the brother of the person scratching the cat’s chin!

    "You never show up here. What's your business?"

    "How could I miss out on the fun?" Li Xuanlong laughed like a mischievous boy, though Lalita later learned he was a skilled archer who had recently returned from leading troops at the border. His eyes gleamed like a tiger's. His followers carried a tray with a bleached white skull.

    "Han Gui is here now."

    Hearing the name Han Gui, Lalita quickly connected the dots. Han Gui was the governor of Shenzhou, a significant power in the Li Region and related to the royal family. Historically, when the previous Wang of the Li Region died, Han Gui rebelled, gathering various towns against the region. Li Xuanyue ruthlessly suppressed the rebellion, executing all involved without mercy. This event led to the demotion of two hundred nobles to slavery. Han Gui's death indicated that Li Xuanyue had recently ascended the throne, and the chaos in the Li Region had begun to settle.

    But...

    Lalita looked at Li Xuanyue, thinking he must be around thirty years old now. History recorded that he took the throne at twenty, quickly crushed Han Gui's rebellion within a year, and fiercely battled other regions. Could history have recorded the timeline incorrectly?

    "My brother, didn't I order you to bring Han Gui back alive?"

    "What could I do? Han Gui's own men beat him to death before I stormed the city. They decapitated him to surrender, but his son escaped with the head. By the time I retrieved it, it was too damaged to preserve."

    "And how do I know this is really his head?"

    "Let her answer," Li Xuanlong pointed at Lalita. "If she is truly the Qilin’s Daughter, she would know everything. Is this Han Gui's head? And can you tell me what battle we are facing and what my brother's objectives are?"

    "Xuanlong!" 

    The tall figure immediately stood up, causing the cat to tumble from his lap. Lalita moved to pick it up, but Li Xuanyue snatched the cat away from her.

    "It's strange. I've never seen you this anxious, brother. Although the questions may be tough, if she can answer them, no one will dare to doubt her again."

    Li Xuanlong raised an eyebrow at his brother. He began circling Lalita. The first and second choices, huh? As if he didn't know his brother's intentions. So, as the younger brother, he would help push this girl into his brother's arms. "If she can't answer the questions correctly, she will be executed. Brother, you must be worried that she is just a young girl who knows nothing about warfare."

    "Young girl? You mean me?" Lalita pointed at herself. She was twenty-seven years old. "May I ask, Your Highness, how old are you?"

    "I was born in the Year of the Dragon. I'm fifteen this year."

    "Fifteen? Huh! Only fifteen?" Lalita recoiled in shock, and Li Xuanlong started to look displeased.

    "So what if I'm fifteen? I'm already considered an adult."

    "And..." Lalita turned to Li Xuanyue, estimating that he must be around thirty.

    "I'm twenty this year."

    "Twenty!" Dr. Lalita held her head, scrutinizing him again. Oh, boy, why act so mature—uh! imposing. And what happened in the early morning? She was just hit on by a kid! "If you're twenty this year, then you've only recently ascended to the throne."

    "That's right." Li Xuanlong noticed her troubled demeanor. If she wasn't a high-ranking noble or general, she wouldn't know such details. He wanted to push her into his brother's grasp. "If you can't answer my questions, it will be difficult for you. But if you agree to become my brother's concubine, he can protect you fully."

    "I can answer," Lalita lifted her head, her eyes no longer fearful. She would teach this brat a lesson. "I don't need to be anyone's concubine. I'll prove myself."

    Stubborn...

    Li Xuanyue met her determined gaze, but Lalita pointed at the troublesome skull with unwavering eyes.

    "I have a way to prove if this is Han Gui's head... but I have a condition."

    "Name it."

    "Return the cat to me."

[1] The object is a long, flat item made from jade, ivory, or bamboo, depending on the status of the noble holding it. Its purpose is to serve as a notebook for recording reports. When presenting themselves at court to discuss various matters, these nobles must carry a hu plate indicating their position. Besides signifying rank, it is also used as a notebook to jot down notes when presenting reports, with the writing done on the inside of the hu plate facing the holder.