Watching Snow at the Pavilion in the Heart of the Lake

Yue Rong transmigrated into the past, becoming the younger sister of Yue Shu, the notorious traitor of the Li Dynasty.

Before this, her teacher had assigned an essay asking students to choose a historical figure and write them a letter.

Yue Rong, who had little interest in history, complained about the assignment, then dutifully chose Xie Yunbi, a figure she knew a little about, as her recipient. Hoping to get a high score, she read up on all sorts of material before writing A Letter to Mr. Xie. After cobbling together a pile of flowery phrases, she finally turned it in.

At twenty, Xie Yunbi had placed first in the highest tier of the Li Dynasty's imperial examinations. He was a man of great strategic talent and remarkable literary skill.

Such a gifted young man was highly valued by the emperor, who intended to make him the leader of the incorruptible officials and use him to counterbalance the powerful Yue Shu.

As the empress dowager's nephew, Yue Shu held unchecked power at court and launched sweeping reforms. He also secretly colluded with the Tartars, and had his political enemy Xie Yunbi, whom he regarded as a thorn in his side, driven out of the capital and assigned to a post on the frontier.

Unexpectedly, Xie Yunbi proved skilled in both letters and arms, driving the Tartars back at every turn. Seeing that he had become the only obstacle to their southward advance, they requested a truce.

They had just one condition: with their army at the city gates, Xie Yunbi had to go in person to their camp to negotiate.

It was an obvious trap, but for the sake of the people, Xie Yunbi agreed without hesitation. Taken captive by the enemy, he refused to surrender even at the cost of his life, and ultimately died. Yue Shu, however, ordered the court historians to alter the records, covering the loyal minister in mud and leaving him with an undeserved reputation for infamy.

It was only a hundred years later that historians cleared his name. When Yue Rong transmigrated into this world, she discovered that she was the sister of the traitor who had driven him to such a tragic fate.

What she did not know was that when Xie Yunbi was banished from the capital and at the lowest point in his life, he received a letter addressed to him: A Letter to Mr. Xie.

It expressed admiration for his talent, respect for his character, and sympathy for his untimely death.

The letter was like a ray of light shining into the darkness. From then on, he knew what fate awaited him and what would be said of him after his death.

"Qingqing, do not blame your elder brother. He is another me," he told her before choosing to face his death.

It turned out that Xie Yunbi had been wronged for a hundred years, while Yue Shu, the traitor reviled to this day, had borne the stain of infamy for countless generations.

Only then did Yue Rong understand. Even his own younger sister had misunderstood Yue Shu. Together, the two men condemned as traitors in the history books had saved the tottering Li Dynasty from collapse amid wind and snow. Between the fluttering sleeves of their pale blue robes flowed rivers as calm and clear as still water.

"Do not say that my lord is a fool. There is someone even more foolish than he is."

Reader note:

The ending is happy.

Theme: A journey to clear away the fog and find the truth.