Lin Wan, head of the forensic department, opens her eyes to find herself the abandoned empress in the inner palace. From the start, she’s landed with the full bad-ending package: the Cold Palace and a cup of poisoned wine. Before she can even shed a tear for herself, a bizarre murder occurs in the neighboring palace. A favored consort is found hanged from a beam in a room with its doors and windows locked. Everyone claims a vengeful ghost is responsible.
Lin Wan: ...Thanks, but I’ve only just transmigrated, and my professional instincts have already kicked in.
A staunch materialist, she immediately cosplays as an ancient version of Sherlock Holmes, conducting autopsies with her bare hands, analyzing microexpressions, and examining crime-scene evidence. After one round of investigation, she has the real culprit on their knees begging for mercy.
From then on, the Cold Palace becomes the hottest crime-solving office in the capital.
Consort A: “Your Majesty, they’ve fished another body out of the imperial garden well. Please come take a look!”
Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review B: “Your Majesty, we have no leads on the massacre in the western part of the city. Please come help us!”
Even the dog emperor who sent her to the Cold Palace starts showing up every day.
At first, Xiao Che watches her coldly. “You’re putting on a ghostly act to attract attention.”
Later, he blocks the doorway, his handsome face faintly flushed. “Wanwan, I can’t solve this case without you.”
Lin Wan expressionlessly hands him a bill. “Consulting fee, charged by the hour, Your Majesty.”
She only wants to make money and build a career, while saving enough to make a clean getaway. But she never expected that a series of seemingly unrelated murders would turn out to be linked in a vast web pointing straight to the heart of imperial power. And she is already the prey at its center.
Xiao Che shields her behind him, his gaze dark. “Trying to run? Too late. You can have both the empire and me.”
Lin Wan: Thanks, but I just want to be an ordinary, wealthy forensic doctor.
