Guardian of the Ding: The Nine Cauldrons Mystery

At an old bookstore in Kuanzhai Alley, a young woman hurriedly leaves a bronze bell for safekeeping. That night, she is mysteriously murdered. As former detective He Ming examines her belongings, he discovers a secret: hidden beneath a cold-welded layer on the bell are lost ancient Shu inscriptions about the Nine Tripods. He initially thinks it is a simple case of silencing a witness, but then realizes that the victim and her father were secret guardians of the Tripods.

An international artifact-smuggling syndicate lurks in the shadows, and danger closes in at every turn. Forced into the fray, He Ming finds himself at the start of a battle where the fate of a national treasure is at stake.