(Updates according to the rankings)
Twelve years ago, on the night of the Lantern Festival, a torrential rain poured down. Late that night, a trusted aide of Liang Hongzhuo, Left Administrator of the Censorate, knocked on the gates of Guangping Prefecture. By dawn, the entire Prince of Guangping's household had perished. Liang Hongzhuo disappeared that night. Three days later, his body was found on the Lotus Terrace of the Liang River, horribly mutilated. Rumors ran wild, with everyone claiming the Lotus Terrace was haunted and had claimed his life.
Six years later, an identical murder took place. The victim was Su Huaiyi, Ning Yun's mentor and Administrator of the Court of Review and Appeals.
Since Ning Yun had spoken with Su Huaiyi in private the day before his death, he was immediately named the prime suspect.
During the massacre twelve years ago, ten-year-old Ning Yun was the sole lucky survivor. The Chancellor saved him and adopted him as his foster son. To uncover the truth behind his family's bloody murder, Ning Yun became Su Huaiyi's disciple and studied the art of solving cases and tracking down criminals.
Another student training alongside him was named Lu Yu. Three years ago, talk suddenly spread around the city that there was more to the Prince of Guangping than met the eye. Ning Yun and Lu Yu investigated in secret, but Lu Yu was killed. Three years later, his older brother Chu Shao, stationed with the army, received an anonymous letter. It said only that Lu Yu had died unjustly and that his death was connected to the Prince of Guangping case.
To uncover the truth behind his younger brother's unjust death, Chu Shao left the army and took up the post of Chief of the Court of Caution in Jinzhou. On his first day, he arrested Ning Yun and imprisoned him for killing his mentor, then tortured him.
Now that Su Huaiyi has died horribly on the Lotus Terrace, Ning Yun and Chu Shao set aside their past grievances and join forces once more to honor their deceased mentor and friend by investigating this series of bloody cases spanning twelve years. Their investigation uncovers the true reason behind the long-buried massacre at the Prince of Guangping's residence.
To find the mastermind and protect the Great Yong, Ning Yun sets out on a journey to uncover the truth. Chu Shao joins him on the road.
Theme: Everything that has been done leaves a trace.
