The Great Ming Case Files

This novel blends history, fantasy, and humor. It tells the story of Lin Feng, who possesses a mysterious bronze box that can transmigrate through time and space. In the Ming Dynasty, he matches wits with the powerful minister Yan Song and his son, then unexpectedly gets caught up in the turmoil of a Japanese pirate invasion.

The story features tense political maneuvering at court: Yan Song and his son kidnap Princess Anning to seize the bronze box, only to fall for Lin Feng’s decoy and end up ambushed by the Jinyiwei. It also delivers playful fantasy elements: the bronze box can not only transmigrate, but also reveal visions of the future, setting up plenty of mysteries. Lighthearted comedy runs throughout, too. Yan Song’s men make fools of themselves while keeping watch, the innocent Princess Anning is always getting into ridiculous situations, and the craftsmen have one amusing mishap after another while making smoke bombs. Even the Japanese pirates’ invasion becomes comic thanks to their absurd motives, like stealing buns and bragging. As characters such as Qi Jiguang join the story, Lin Feng leads everyone in using their wits and wild ideas to fight the foreign enemy, writing a Ming Dynasty legend that is as absurd as it is stirring, amid all the laughter and banter.