The Radiant Rivers and Mountains

[Two formidable leads + political intrigue + female lead disguises herself as a man + no golden finger, no transmigration, no rebirth]

She is the only daughter of a third-rank vice minister and the granddaughter of the Duke of Dingguo, a military adviser from the dynasty's founding. She often disguises herself as a man, enjoying wine, music, and business, and cherishing a free-spirited life above romance.

But as her father once told her, "This capital is crawling with demons and monsters that devour people."

They devoured her father and her innocent, carefree nature;

they devoured his father and brother, and the noble integrity he held dear;

they even devoured the splendid lands beyond the frontier and the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers.

She holds a secret letter over his head, demanding that he grant her one request.

"I want to stay by Commander Shen's side and kill my enemy with my own hands."

"The court is a treacherous place. If you follow me down this path, you may sink into its mire and lose your life. I'll avenge your father's murder for you. Go back to your paradise..."

"I'm already mired in it. Rather than live in fear, I'd rather follow Commander Shen and kill the enemies who wronged my family and country. At least I'll have the satisfaction of it. Even if I have to give my life for what I believe in, I won't hesitate."

She only asks for a place by his side, whether as a minor official or a servant. Instead, he obtains an imperial decree betrothing her to him.

They cut down the demons and monsters one by one, yet the truth grows ever more elusive.

Who is really moving the pieces?

[This story is set in a fictional world inspired by the Ming dynasty, drawing on its official hierarchy and customs. Please don't nitpick the historical details.]