She sings opera, witnesses bloodshed, and lays bare the human heart.
Liu Menglan has two faces:
Onstage, she is the most captivating opera singer in the capital, her water sleeves sweeping gracefully as she sings of life, death, and deep devotion in The Peony Pavilion;
Offstage, she is the only “one in the mirror” who can see the final moments of the dead.
When the Minister of Revenue’s daughter drowns, Liu is so moved by her singing that she actually “sees” the murderer shove the girl into the lake. The jade pendant at the culprit’s waist is identical to the one worn by the Fifth Prince himself!
The opera troupe is on the verge of being shut down. If she reveals the truth, all thirty-eight members will vanish overnight; if she keeps silent, her conscience will torment her day and night.
Then, one night backstage, someone covers her mouth and drags her into the darkness. A mysterious figure whispers in her ear:
“Your gift shouldn’t be used only for singing.”
“From today on, solve one case with every opera you perform.”
“If you sing well, the troupe survives. If you don’t…”
[Traditional Opera Heritage × Mystery and Detection × Court Intrigue]
When The Peony Pavilion, The Injustice to Dou E, and Farewell My Concubine all become codes for crime scenes,
she uses her golden voice to sing out the darkest secrets of the entire dynasty.
