Fantasy: Di Renjie and the Shadow Over Tiandu

The second year of Wu Zetian’s reign was a time of upheaval. Luoyang, known as the Divine Capital, was a flourishing city that never slept. Yet behind its grandeur lurked darkness still waiting to be uncovered. One late night, a scream rang out from a stately mansion in the southern part of the Divine Capital, shattering the silence. The owner, Shen Xu, Vice Minister of Rites, was found murdered in his study the next morning. The sight was horrific: his eyes were wide open, a short sword was embedded in his chest, and blood soaked the desk. A blood-written note lay on the desk as well: “A blood debt must be repaid in blood.” Wu Zetian was furious when she heard the news and ordered the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review to investigate immediately. Yet days passed with no progress. Rumors spread. Some said a vengeful ghost was responsible, while others suspected a power struggle. Just as the Court of Judicial Review was at its wits’ end, the empress personally issued an edict appointing the renowned Di Renjie to oversee the case. When Di Renjie received the edict, he was sitting alone in his study, using his brush to stir the sandalwood incense in the burner. Wisps of smoke curled upward, as if concealing some hint of what was to come. He raised his head, clasped his hands toward the eunuch who had brought the edict, and said, “I shall not fail the empress’s trust.”