Core character
1. Xie Linzhou: After being a criminal in the previous dynasty, he appears to be the shopkeeper of the "Wangyou Tea House" in a small town in the south of the Yangtze River. He has a gentle personality and enjoys studying tea art. In fact, he secretly collects scattered classics from the previous dynasty in an attempt to restore the truth about the injustice done to his family. The index finger of his left hand was burned by candlelight when he was copying classics in his early years, leaving a shallow scar. He carried an old jade pendant with the word "Linzhou" engraved on it. 2. Shen Yan: At that time, the young minister of Dali Temple was ordered by the emperor to go to the south of the Yangtze River to investigate the case of "privately hiding books banned by the previous dynasty". He had a cold personality and a meticulous mind. He did not follow personal feelings when handling the case. However, because he was enlightened by the literati of the previous dynasty when he was young, he had a secret respect for the culture of the previous dynasty. He is accustomed to using a dark iron folding fan, with unknown verses from previous dynasties engraved on the inside of the fan bone.
Story background
In the 30th year since the founding of the Dajing Dynasty, although the court's pursuit of "remnants of the previous dynasty" has eased, there are still officials who use the name of "forbidden books" to exclude dissidents. Due to its prosperous literary style, Jiangnan became the hardest hit area for the circulation of banned books. It also became an excellent place for Xie Linzhou to hide his identity and find the truth. The arrival of Shen Yan broke the peace of the town and caused the fate of the two to intersect.
Core conflict
· Opposing positions: Xie Linzhou is Shen Yan's nominal "target of investigation". Shen Yan's duties require him to bring to justice those who secretly possess forbidden books. However, once Xie Linzhou's secret is exposed, not only his own life will be in danger, but also the orphan children of the former dynasty who were housed in the teahouse will be implicated.
