Female prisoner x low-ranking official | Marriage first, love later | Mystery
Yao Shao never dreamed that she could be arrested and thrown into the imperial prison on a charge of being a sexual predator, just for taking an evening stroll.
With no way to escape, she is inexplicably bailed out by Zheng Linglu, a half-baked low-ranking official she has never met and has no connection to.
Overnight, Yao Shao goes from an imperial-prison inmate guilty of every crime under the sun to a self-sacrificing stepping-stone in someone else's career: You will rise to greatness, while I alone head to the Yellow Springs.
Zheng Linglu: I'll bail you out, and you'll help me investigate the case. Seems fair to me.
Yao Shao: ...Fair? You big-headed turtle!
Several days into the investigation.
Zheng Linglu: I forgot to tell you. If we solve the case, we'll be married by imperial decree. If we don't, you'll be the only one sent to the executioner's block.
Yao Shao: ...Even brothel girls don't get hustled this hard. I'd have more dignity selling myself to pay for my father's funeral!
Please note:
1. One-on-one romance, slow-burn happy ending. The plot comes first, with romance as a secondary thread.
2. The setting is fictional, with no real-life counterparts. It is a mishmash of various made-up ancient customs, so anyone who demands strict historical accuracy should steer clear.
Blurb dated July 2, 2023.
Theme: Clear away the fog and seek the truth
I'm working hard to save my manuscript, and I'll probably update it more steadily during the summer 🤷