Where Is the Land Not at Peace?

[No rebirth, no transmigration, no golden finger. A purely historical tale of statecraft, family, and intrigue, with spies within spies.] (One-on-one romance, two equally matched leads who help each other succeed. The heroine gets her moment in the spotlight later on, and the hero’s identity is unexpected.) The land is shattered, with north and south facing each other across the divide. In a chaotic age when everyone is simply trying to survive, she refuses to settle for an ordinary life. Driven by lofty ideals of serving her country and its people, she stumbles forward through a world where it’s impossible to tell friend from foe. The ill-fated bond between a traitor and a “poor boy” begins with a struggle over the seal that holds the fate of the nation in its hands... Is he human or a ghost? She doesn’t know. All she wants is to get away from him. “I’ll give you a heartbeat. Let’s see if you can escape my grasp.” He toys with her, scenting his prey, and she leaps into the river without hesitation. When she surfaces, he has her bound and at his side. From then on, wherever she runs, his ghostly shadow follows. By day, he’s a man. By night, an eagle. Which one is really him? She never sees through him, but he has long since seen through her. Beneath his cold exterior, he saves his warmth for her alone. Where can the land be free of turmoil? Wherever the two of them are, that is home. (This story is set in a fictional world inspired by the Southern Song dynasty. The story is entirely fictional; please don’t look for historical accuracy.)