I Would Pluck the East Wind's Finest Branch

Name: I Would Pluck the East Wind's Finest Branch
Author: The Stone Won't Turn

愿折东风第一枝

by The Stone Won't Turn (石非不转)

Status: Ongoing
Length: 1.5M Words
Genre: Two Male Leads
Updated: 14h ago
English: Request a translation

Read on Fanqie

Synopsis

[Traditional court intrigue + pure love + equally matched leads + dual character arcs + survival in troubled times + ensemble cast]

“The court is high and the rivers and lakes far away. Will you come with me?”

❀❀

At the end of the dynasty, a blizzard brought a devastating military defeat, and the Great Yu empire began its decline.

The Li clan, blamed for the catastrophe, was wiped out, leaving Li Changxi as the sole survivor, barely clinging to life.

And the one who accidentally saved him was Rong Yi, the commander’s son: once his closest friend, now his sworn enemy.

[“A life for a life, a debt repaid in full. I'll let you keep your miserable life so I can settle every last score with you myself.”]

❀❀

After leaving the capital, Li Changxi hides in a slum teeming with all kinds of people, mastering every trade in the book as he devotes himself to uncovering the truth behind the wrongful case.

Rong Yi becomes a hound of the imperial court, searching high and low for his old friend and the millions in embezzled funds that have vanished.

Four years later, they meet again in a brothel.

[“I heard this was some case involving a naked man and a courtesan. What are you doing here? Which one are you?”]

[“Why don't we find out who's who next time?”]

❀❀

As they return to court, Li Changxi and Rong Yi's fates rise and fall with the last dynasty.

A haunting at the imperial examinations, a corpse hidden in the imperial tombs;

Gang wars, a struggle in the harem;

The court's southern inspection tour, an assassination attempt on the emperor...

Maintaining a relationship that is both hostile and friendly, the two travel south of the Yangtze, enter the southern frontier, cross the great desert, and roam the grasslands.

And a tender, hard-to-name affection begins to spread and grow in the fading light of a troubled age...

Stats

755Chapters

295Reads · 30 days

10.2kReads · all time

103Shelf adds, last 14 days

8.6Score

11 ch/weekPace

In booklists 126

See all

Alternate History, Political Scheming, and Struggles for Supremacy!

Traditional historical fiction. No System, no transmigration, and no plagiarizing ancient poetry!

795Books13.2MViews6hUpdated

BL!!! BL!!! Something with a Fresh, Original Premise!!!

918Books408.2kViews14hUpdated

Recommend Your Number One Danmei Pick

459Books2.6MViews15hUpdated

Looking for a Historical Romance With Two Male Leads! Great Writing, Rated 9.0 or Higher! No Quick Transmigration!

That old-fashioned, elegant kind of boys' love! Sweet or angsty, either is fine, but they absolutely must be each other's only ones!

389Books2.7MViews16hUpdated

Anyone Know Any Dual Male-Lead Stories Rated 9.5 or Higher, With Both Leads Equally Powerful? 😎

Two strong male leads and super sweet romance. The relationship should develop at a moderate pace, neither too fast nor too slow.

114Books294.1kViews17hUpdated

There Aren’t Any Good Historical BL Novels at All!!!!

Please recommend some! Preferably completed. Most of what I’ve read lately is still updating, and there just isn’t enough to read!

255Books750.9kViews19hUpdated

Historical BL

Are there any historical BL novels?!!! I really want to read farming stories or cultivation stories, either is fine. Please ꒦ິ^꒦ິ

362Books1.3MViews19hUpdated

Give Me a Top-Ranked Dual-Male-Lead Novel from Tomato Novel

Two equally strong leads, good writing, and no dumbed-down characters.

843Books2.5MViews19hUpdated

Any Recommendations for Stories with Two Male Leads? Anything Good Will Do.

368Books63.8kViews20hUpdated

Political Scheming! Two Strong Leads, Two Men, and Rivals (Not Necessarily)

129Books2.3MViews20hUpdated

Looking for Ancient-Style Political Intrigue with a Smart Protagonist Who Plots on a Grand Scale

The protagonist should have their own faction. No System!!!

709Books2.3MViews21hUpdated

In a Reading Slump, Looking for Boys' Love

I've been on Tomato for almost a year now. Lately I'm in a reading slump, and on top of that I can't find anything good. Nothing interests me, and I can't even get through the books on my shelf. Please, please recommend some good BL novels!

455Books133.7kViews21hUpdated

Looking for a Great BL Novel I Won't Get Tired Of

863Books536.1kViews22hUpdated

Any Stories About Two Men?

162Books29.2kViews22hUpdated

Male-Male Romance with Two Strong Leads, No Delicate Pushovers

Looking for books similar to "Are You Crazy?! You Want the Three Armies to Surround a Temple and Seize a Monk? (Crushing Green Pearls)". Both leads must be equally strong, and they absolutely must both be men!!! Happy ending! A flirtatious, teasing type is fine, but not the pouty kind who sheds tiny pearls of tears!! Please!!!!

289Books327kViews22hUpdated

Power Plays, Scheming, and Brainy Strategists

Become my pawn once again. I will win this game, even if the gods themselves stand in my way. I will beat them by half a move.

714Books9.2MViews22hUpdated

Any Normal Romance Between Two Men? Please, I'm Begging You

Nothing with those over-the-top descriptions of someone being breathtakingly beautiful right from the start. Keep it realistic; I get embarrassed easily 😗. And no instant love like instant ramen 😘. Thanks!

997Books1.8MViews23hUpdated

Boys' Love! Any More High-Quality, Original Stories That Aren't Clichéd?

I've read all the highly recommended stories on Tomato that looked good. Are there any other good ones? Only male-male romance!! No ABO! No quick transmigration!

1.3kBooks1.8MViews1dUpdated

I'm Out of Books to Read. Come to the Rescue! ٩(♡㉨♡ )۶

Recommend some good books to help fellow bookworms get through their reading slump!

295Books12.7MViews1dUpdated

Looking for High-IQ Political Intrigue

Both the male and female leads are intelligent and strategic, while the supporting characters are loyal and warmhearted.

190Books4MViews1dUpdated

Top-Tier Political Intrigue Novels

Modern or alternate-history settings are both fine, as long as they feature top-tier strategic maneuvering. I just want political intrigue, strategy, and workplace or officialdom drama.

398Books3.9MViews1dUpdated

Looking for a Smart, Rational Political Intrigue Novel

No dumbed-down characters, and no using political scheming as a cover for romance. I want a broader scope.

173Books386.6kViews1dUpdated

Any Fresh, Unusual Premises That Aren’t Mainstream? Two Male Leads, Please

744Books1.1MViews1dUpdated

Please, Are There Any Good Male-Male Romance Novels?!

1.1kBooks801kViews1dUpdated

In same booklists

I Confessed to My Master's Sword A Ladleful

A Little Cutie’s Guide to Staying Safe Writing It As It Is

I Transmigrated into an Orphan, Only to Find Myself Surrounded by Family and Friends Ai Luo'en

Truth and Lies Winter Meets Xiao Cang

The Rich Family’s Adopted Son Is Out of Prison! Tracing the Northern Goose

Love Is a Serious Mental Illness GREAT Li

Open Up! Your Takeout Order of Ancient Ferocious Beast Has Arrived! The Tale of the Tortoise and the Hare

A Gift Destined by Fate Yu Xixixi Sheng

Can a Straight Man Be the Principal Wife? Xu Huanfei

Transmigrate into a Book and Stir Up Trouble: Big Shot, Why Haven't You Run Yet? Little Bok Choy Loves Carrots

Reborn as the Marquis of Zhenxi, I Went on a Rampage, and the Grand Tutor Dotes on Me Old Stories in the Breeze

False Phoenix Roast White Jade

The Thousand-Year Crane Never Returns Even If My Name Isn't Heihei, Someone Else Could Have the Same Name

Qin’s Top-Tier Star Hide Your Fox Tail

I’m Just a Restaurant Owner, So Why Does Everyone Keep Showing Up to Die? Jing Yan Yu

System Says: Your Loved One Is Gone King Mimiko

Eternal Light Through the Night Always on My Mind

A Crazed Green Tea, Hopeless Romantic Who Steals Your Partner at the First Sign of Trouble Witnessing the World

Crown and Shackles My Desk Has Drawers

My Online-Dating Ex Became My Sugar Daddy A Cat That Smells Like Oranges

See all novels like I Would Pluck the East Wind's Finest Branch More Two Male Leads novels

Reader comments 148

Google Translate

This story is truly expanding rapidly, snowballing like a tangle of family feuds, political intrigue, and the struggles of the lower classes, making it both thrilling and heart-wrenching. The protagonist, Li Changxi, is incredibly relatable. Falling from grace to the depths of despair would break most people, but he stubbornly perseveres, managing to survive in a place like Luwang Village.
19 likes11mo ago
I love the characters the author created! They're all so vividly portrayed, each with distinct personalities, yet none are one-dimensional. The protagonist doesn't fall in love out of nowhere, and the supporting characters don't just revolve around the protagonist. I didn't see any plot threads in this book; they felt like they truly lived there, their stories simply being recounted.
16 likes11mo ago
A turbulent world suddenly descends, and all beings drift and sink. If no one holds the torch for me, I will refine myself into the fuel. In the end: those who save themselves will find life in the face of despair; those with unwavering faith will find light in the long night. Those who commit evil will have their hearts consumed by karmic fire; those who owe lives will ultimately pay their debts.
13 likes11mo ago
A good book that takes time to build up, the writing is excellent! The layers of foreshadowing are laid out gradually, yet without feeling jarring. Now, I'm already immersed in the tense and intricate plot, and the writing style is even more skillful and adept.
13 likes11mo ago
It really has that old-school feel to it 😘😘😘😘 The plot is intricately woven, and it's one of the better-written realistic stories I've read. [Please update more!][Please update more!][Please update more!][Please update more!][Please update more!] 💕
11 likes4mo ago
To be honest, it has the flavor of political intrigue, but instead of revolving around a single core theme, it unfolds a grander panorama of chaos, with each person a vibrant stroke on this canvas. There is no absolute good or evil, only different choices made under the torrent of change.
11 likes11mo ago
What truly captivated me after reading this book was its portrayal of the survival logic of those at the bottom of society. After falling from grace, he didn't immediately return to his former life, but instead adapted to the life of the lower class. Earning a living through his musical skills, even facing ridicule from those around him, didn't break his spirit.
10 likes11mo ago
I'm only writing this review after reading it for a few days. This book is very different from others; it doesn't have abstract settings or overpowered plot devices. It's the kind of book that gets better the more you read it, and I feel like there are many amazing plot twists to come. The audiobook is also very engaging, and I'm already hooked, haha. I hope it stays this way!
10 likes11mo ago
I didn't expect it to be a novel with two male protagonists, and it's so interesting. The two meet in the imperial court and become friends in the martial arts world. From best friends to enemies and then to confidants, watch how they establish themselves in this chaotic world. It's a very interesting novel.
9 likes11mo ago
To be honest, this book requires you to calm down and read it attentively. It's not something you can binge-read. It's like brewing a pot of fine tea; you have to savor it slowly. You'll feel the ups and downs of the characters in this chaotic world, experiencing their ideals and helplessness. After finishing it, you'll feel a heavy weight in your heart and have many thoughts to ponder.
8 likes11mo ago