A Di Renjie Mystery: The Chang Le Case

[Ancient crime-solving + mystery + history + Tang Dynasty + everyday life and relationships]

1. Background

During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, the young and talented Di Renjie travels to the capital to take the imperial examinations. He enters official service as the magistrate of Changle County, improves local governance, and solves mysterious cases.

2. Cases

Planned cases include Bloodshed on Mount Hua, The Missing Persons Mystery, The Mysterious Berries, Souls Lost in Jinbei, Exotic Treasures, The Case of True Intentions, and The Legend of Mount Nan, along with twenty or thirty smaller cases. There will be at least thirty cases in total.

3. Characters

1) Main and supporting characters

Di Renjie: The male lead, an intelligent ordinary man who is good at solving cases and knows a little medicine.

Madam Di: The third female lead, gentle, virtuous, understanding, and emotionally perceptive.

Zheng Wu: The second male lead, one of Di Renjie’s four personal aides. Of middling strength, exceptionally clever, and somewhat more emotionally perceptive than most.

The second female lead: One of Di Renjie’s four personal aides. Highly skilled in combat, intelligent, and emotionally perceptive.

Another second male lead: One of Di Renjie’s four personal aides. Highly skilled in combat, but reserved and shy.

Di Pu: The steward and one of Di Renjie’s four personal aides. Experienced in worldly affairs and meticulous in his work.

2) Character principles

No golden finger: Even the most capable people have their moments of confusion. Di Renjie is an ordinary man, too.

A strong general has no weak soldiers: Di Renjie’s four personal aides are never weak.

4. Content

Not a historical novel: The economy and purchasing power are close to those of the early Tang Dynasty, though there are some differences. Some characters’ ages should not be judged by historical records.

Not a wuxia novel: Although the characters have different levels of combat ability, they are all ordinary people compared to wuxia heroes.