A Fragrance That Reveals Elegance

Notice: A new book launches on June 15: the historical romance and crime-solving novella Snow in Spring. It’s very short. I haven’t been able to write a full-length story lately, so I’ll be writing short stories for a while as a transition. Its style is similar to Green Jade Pagoda and Green Mysteries: a dignified, restrained widow who is the richest woman around and absolutely unmatched in intellect (her husband is back from the dead) versus a beautiful but fiery young heir to a prince’s estate, unmatched in martial prowess and especially good at eating his words. The story is all rapid-fire case solving, romantic push and pull, and forbidden love: the days when two once-ruthless, ambitious father-and-son warriors from a prince’s estate are bewitched by two utterly irresistible mother-and-daughter beauties (not related by blood), and fight off countless rivals in a frenzy. A few disclaimers: First: There is a male lead. Second: The power imbalance is intense, but the women turn the tables and only make the best choices for power, wealth, and their own needs. This is not a traditional historical romance about a delicate, helpless heroine. Third: The mother and daughter are both true temptresses. The mother is pure, irresistible allure, while the daughter is the ultimate intelligent, poised wife. Fourth: The heroine is a real wife, and she has a daughter with her former husband (the daughter is adorable). The male lead is still painfully torn between being her daughter's "big brother" or "cousin," while playing the part of both Holmes and Liu Xiahui. Fifth: The former husband really does come back from the dead, and gets his comeuppance. The heroine will have a proper new fiance in the middle of the story. The male lead and her former husband have no legitimate claim to her, but still fight each other tooth and nail, causing chaos all around. Sixth: This is an indulgent story, and occasionally gets a little improper. Both men and women have their own secret desires and weigh the pros and cons. Seventh: In the end, power bows to human feelings and private desire. The emperor lowers his head to beg for love, with the realm beneath his feet and his beloved by his side. Zhao Jinse: A bookstore just opened across the street. The owner is stunningly beautiful and keeps sneaking glances at me every day. Every time, he looks like he wants to say something but stops himself. Is he trying to hit on me? A few days later, he came to her door. Fu Dongli: There's a corpse hidden in the wall behind you. Could I take a look? Little Scene Once they had known each other for a while, Fu Dongli said to her earnestly, "I'm the only one who's not interested in you as a person and just wants to use your amazing nose to solve cases. All the other men have ulterior motives. Aren't you touched?" Zhao Jinse: "When you sneak a kiss next time, could you at least make a move?" P.S. This is a story about a gorgeous, flirtatious temptress meeting a top-tier sharp-tongued man, along with all kinds of victims and murderers. Theme: