This book tells the story of a series of bizarre deaths in the Song dynasty capital. None of the victims had external injuries or signs of a struggle, as if they had quietly died in their sleep. Lin Xiu, the newly appointed coroner and a young woman disguised as a man, uses her exceptional forensic skills to discover that all the victims were poisoned with a rare toxin known as the Breathless Poison.
As the investigation deepens, she joins forces with Zhao Yu, a member of the imperial clan, and gradually uncovers a shocking conspiracy involving court intrigue and a change in the imperial succession. But as the truth comes to light, she begins to realize that the murders are closely connected to the long-buried mystery of her own origins...
