The Heavens' Hidden Mandate

A wealthy merchant in the capital dies a violent death, and his entire estate goes to Shen Zhaoyuan, the widow who had only just married into the family.

Everyone laments that the merchant was a slave to his lust. One look at Shen Zhaoyuan's famed beauty, and they are certain she traded it for this vast fortune.

As for the merchant's grisly death, the capital is a place of deep waters, and there must be something suspicious about the case.

With the new emperor on the throne, troubles abound. First, the entire Su family, close to a prince, vanished under mysterious circumstances. Then a wealthy merchant with close ties to the late emperor met a violent end.

To reassure the people, both cases must be investigated. And the first suspect in the merchant's case is Shen Zhaoyuan, who now controls a fortune.

Shen Zhaoyuan becomes the target of everyone's suspicions, but strangely, all the evidence points to the prince implicated in the Su family's disappearance.

-

General Huo Yanqing returns to court victorious. Before even entering the palace, he submits a memorial:

First, he refuses an arranged marriage. Second, he requests an investigation.

His reasons: his heart belongs to someone, and with the new emperor only just enthroned, no petty schemer can be allowed to run rampant.

But when he finally meets Shen Zhaoyuan, he freezes in place.

Those features look so much like the missing acquaintance from the Su family, so much like the person who has occupied his thoughts for so long.

Later, the general who once commanded troops on the battlefield sheds his air of violence and grips Shen Zhaoyuan's wrist, anguish and longing long suppressed surging in his eyes.

“Who, exactly, are you?”

[Reading Guide]

*One-on-one romance, happy ending, both leads have only been with each other in body and heart.

Theme: May every true love be treated with tenderness