The Imperial Cat: Empress and Detective

The Royal Cat tells the story of Shangguan Rongxue, Su Wuhuan, and Li Xian as they solve cases and find love. It also weaves in political struggles from history. The story revolves around several major cases: the headless general, the Shangyuan Festival rebellion, a series of robberies, the murder of the Imperial Preceptor, the fog-shrouded mystery on a rainy night, and a disappearance in Dongdu. The suspense keeps mounting, the plot moves at a brisk pace, and the characters are vividly drawn.

In the third year of Linde under the Tang dynasty, the Two Sovereigns rule together, but for various reasons, Emperor Li Zhi and Empress Wu Zetian have grown estranged. The struggle between the Li Tang imperial clan and the Wu faction intensifies, while Prince Lu, Prince Ying, and the other imperial sons engage in open and covert rivalry. The court is split into three factions: one openly or secretly supports the Li Tang clan, one follows Empress Wu, and one remains neutral. Meanwhile, foreign powers such as Tibet and Goguryeo are poised to seize Tang territory. Internal and external threats are on the verge of erupting, and the political situation is shrouded in uncertainty.

Just then, strange and eerie incidents begin occurring throughout Chang'an. Some people see ghostly figures; others encounter foul and disturbing happenings. Rumors spread everywhere. Shangguan Rongxue suspects there is more to these events than meets the eye, so she goes to the Dali Temple to gather information and quarrels with Su Wuhuan. She then conducts her own investigation and questions a wealthy merchant surnamed Shen, obtaining a clue that leads her to a brothel. There, she discovers a new murder case, and Su Wuhuan joins the investigation.

But the following morning, a bizarre sight appears on the streets of Chang'an: a headless general riding a horse. Who killed him, and why? Shangguan Rongxue and Su Wuhuan investigate once again. After painstaking inquiries, they uncover the man’s identity. He turns out to be the great general Yuchi.