Lovers' Ordeal

This is a household-intrigue story dressed up as a wuxia tale. The heroine, Lan Xin, is the eldest young lady of the Lan family. Her father, Lan Zhengming, is the magistrate of Wuyou County. Lan Xin has loved practicing with swords and spears since childhood. As an adult, she is always at the forefront, catching thieves, beating bandits, and suppressing outlaws. She has never lost, and even the county yamen's Five Tiger Generals admit defeat before her. Lan Xin is the brightest young woman in Wuyou County, and everyone likes her, until her half-sister Lan Yue appears. Lan Yue grew up in the pleasure quarters and is calculating and deep-minded. She schemes against Lan Xin at every turn and even tries to take everything from her. At last, Lan Xin can bear it no longer and fights back. When she discovers that Lan Yue has colluded with bandits and Wuyou County is facing a great disaster, she steps forward to confront them, only to be struck by a deadly poison, with her life hanging by a thread...

Blurb:

They are sisters, and they are rivals in love.

The elder sister is not only beautiful, but kindhearted and well-liked. She can write poetry and paint, and she can wield a spear and sword, so she often boasts that she is “a woman of both letters and arms, a beauty unmatched in the world.” As a child, she liked Wu Guo and never forgot him. She and Qi Zhiyuan grew up together, and she always depended on him. Only when she is about to lose him does she realize how deeply he loves her, and that he is the one she truly loves.

The younger sister and the elder sister share a father. The younger sister is beautiful and gracious, but deeply calculating and adept at dealing with all kinds of people, making her very popular. Born and raised in the pleasure quarters, she has seen plenty of insincere socializing, so she is good at hiding her true self and winning people's trust. Jealous of how her sister is “surrounded by everyone's love,” she sets traps for her at every turn. When it comes to love, she wavers between Qi Zhiyuan and Wu Guo. Whoever her sister likes, she wants to steal away.

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