Ascending to the Clouds

Yun Zheng, an orphan, travels thousands of miles to the imperial capital, where she's tricked into becoming a stand-in bride. On her wedding night, the groom dies by a red silk sash. She sinks down beside the groom, hiding her face behind her sleeve, her shoulders shaking. For a long time, she refuses to get up. Onlookers say she's devastated and overcome with grief. Those in the know say she's mourning the enormous wealth that should have been hers. While everyone argues, Xiao Zining slowly steps forward to comfort her. But the woman turns her head, her features delicate, her eyes bright and her voice clear and steady. "He was murdered." - Xiao Zining, a noble son of the prince's household and the imperial capital's most dazzling beauty, is inexplicably caught up in a murder case. He pretends to be the "groom" who took part in the wedding ceremony and is named the prime suspect. After the case is closed, the woman who dared to accuse him stops him. Her gaze falls on the red silk and jade pendant at Xiao Zining's sleeve, confirming that he is the man who had just gone through the wedding rites with her. She blocks his way. "Pardon me for asking, sir, but what is your name, and where do you live?" Xiao Zining smiles faintly, his face as beautiful as an immortal's, his wide sleeves and flowing robes free of dust. Which woman in the Eastern Continent doesn't dream of him? With a woman this persistent, the only thing to do is make her back down. So he asks softly, "Who do you think I am?" Yun Zheng looks up at him coldly. With the hand she'd just used to touch a corpse, she grabs his clean sleeve. "The fee for standing in as the groom is fifty taels of silver. Pay up." Xiao Zining: "...?" - The imperial capital is full of treachery and intrigue, with demons lurking and spirits stirring in the shadows. There are always those who guard the way of righteousness in this world and uphold the clear truth of heaven's justice. Only by chance, when a ray of light suddenly broke through, did Second Young Master Xiao glimpse what filled her dreams: vast rivers, mountains, and open plains, and a sharp sword upon a golden terrace. Don't say I rely on the wind to soar. I will rise to the heavens on my own. [Reading Guide] 1. A slow-witted, sweet girl devoted to solving cases x a vain peacock who loves showing off, with a sweet, one-on-one romance 2. The mystery isn't very complicated. Half a brain is enough. 3. A fictional Tang setting, with an empress as ruler Theme: Pursue the truth and defend justice