Mountains, Rivers, and the Moon

Villain or hero, power or honor: the choice can turn on a single thought. When Wen Mingshang first met Luo Qinghe in the capital, she was the young general her colleagues could not decide was good or evil. Wen Mingshang was the one who turned the tide in a crisis and rescued Yanling from disaster. Yet after the victory, she was also the one who ordered a massacre, abandoning all claim to benevolence and righteousness. “Those who accomplish great things must make sacrifices. I have a clear conscience.” That was Luo Qinghe's first answer to her. Hearing this, the young Magistrate Wen frowned and cursed, “Hypocrite!” The young general, famous from an early age, turned and smiled at her coolly. “You are no match for Magistrate Wen's naivete.” Wen Mingshang had thought they would surely grow old without ever crossing paths again. But after braving the snow and wind of the northern lands, she saw the struggle of human hearts hidden beneath the halls of state. When she looked back, she saw that woman riding toward her. “The road ahead will be full of turmoil. You can still turn back.” “But I don't want to.” Even an age of prosperity has its hidden currents; in times of chaos, iron and blood forge the passes. Though we know that beneath gilded palaces, bones crumble to dust, we would still write with our blood and make our bones the brush, composing a vast and stirring song. An alternate-history setting with no real-life counterparts, and no claim to strict historical accuracy. The second installment of the Mo Ling Trilogy is a court-politics story. The first book, set in the jianghu, is listed on my profile. The timeline differs, so you can read this without having read the first book. A civil official and a military general go from disliking each other to falling hard. Neither woman is purely good. The massacre really happened, though there were reasons for it. Please bear that in mind before reading. Plot-driven, happy ending. Going premium on December 16, with three chapters released that day www Theme: Hold fast to yourself in adversity and believe in the light.