Anqing is a border kingdom, with Qianxi as its capital. Anqing's current emperor, An Changhe, ascended the throne at the age of thirty-two and named his reign Anhe. He has three sons, born to the empress, Noble Consort Shu, and Noble Consort Feng, respectively.
In the spring of the nineteenth year of Anhe, Noble Consort Feng died of illness. Her nineteen-year-old son, the Third Prince An Yi, was overcome with grief. While sorting through her belongings, he found a box of face powder. His mother had never used face powder, so the discovery aroused his suspicions. He believed the powder might have been the main cause of her death. After investigating, he learned it had come from outside the city. Claiming he wanted to inspect local conditions and travel the martial world, he left Qianxi to search for clues.
In the summer of the twentieth year of Anhe, Liu Jiang, Vice Minister of Justice, left Qianxi with his wife to investigate a case. The two were attacked and killed on their way back to the capital. Their only daughter, sixteen-year-old Liu Yuyun, survived because official duties kept her from traveling with them.
In the autumn of the twentieth year of Anhe, Liu Yuyun was appointed Vice Minister of Justice.
In the winter of the twenty-second year of Anhe, Liu Yuyun was framed by others and offended the emperor. She was demoted to magistrate of Xin'an County and was to take up the post after the New Year.
In the twenty-third year of Anhe, Liu Yuyun arrived in Xin'an County. The story officially begins there.
Is Xia Xiqing Liu Jinyun? Why a girl?