Eight Thousand Miles of Clouds and Moon

Yang Yue is an orphan who grew up on the border, relying on her twin brother, Yang Yue, from childhood.

That year, her brother was admitted to the Imperial College as a student, but vanished without a trace on the road to the capital.

With no other choice, Yang Yue disguised herself as a man and went to the capital in her brother's place, while also investigating his whereabouts.

To everyone's surprise, Yang Yue made an astonishing debut, placing first in all three stages of the imperial examinations and entering the Hanlin Academy. Step by step, she rose to become chancellor, on the verge of reaching the highest position a subject could attain.

Yang Yue glanced at the purple-and-gold court robes the eunuch had brought her, sweat pouring down her forehead. That very day, she went to the imperial study to resign.

But the first time she stood just a few steps from the emperor, she looked up and met a pair of familiar phoenix eyes.

The man in the golden-clawed dragon robe looked at her with a faint, knowing smile, just as he always had.

The late emperor left few heirs. The current ruler, Zhao She, was a crown prince found among the common people when he was young. After ascending the throne, he waded through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, curbing the power of regents and eliminating powerful in-law clans. He feared anyone with too much merit might threaten imperial authority.

But for that top-ranking scholar, even wealth and honors were not enough. He wanted to build her a world of glory and keep her bound to him with fame and fortune.

That day, after court, he kept her alone in the imperial study and heard her say she wished to resign and return to her hometown to enjoy her retirement.

The young emperor smiled, slowly removed his ceremonial crown, and tapped his knuckles against the desk.

“You used my help to find your elder brother and avenge your family. Now you want to cross the river and destroy the bridge? Why not come closer, my dear minister, and explain yourself to me?”

Xie Yunci bore the secrets of his family. He abandoned his title as a duke's heir and concealed his identity among the border troops.

Years later, while on a mission to capture a fugitive, he caught sight of an old acquaintance.

His cold expression held a hint of careless amusement.

“You've executed vassal kings, killed court officials, and taken control of the imperial army. The world already sees you as a treacherous minister and a villain. Now you've disguised yourself as a man, defied an imperial decree, deceived the emperor, and thrown the court into chaos. The top scholar turns out to be a woman. Chancellor Yang, do you plead guilty?”

Cornered with nowhere left to run, Yang Yue laughed freely and spoke in a steely voice.

“I am innocent. My only mistake was being born a woman, unacceptable in this world.”

“Call me a treacherous minister or a good chancellor, as you like. In this life, I, Yang Yue, have served my country and its people, with the whole world in my heart. I have nothing to reproach myself for before heaven and earth, or before my country. I have never been inferior to any man.”

Xie Yunci wiped the blood from his sword and gazed toward the border, where beacons blazed beneath the night sky. Then he replied,

“A Yue, my feelings for you have never been inferior to any man's.”

“Scholars die remonstrating; warriors die fighting. You remonstrate, and I fight. In that way, we can still stay together through life and death.”

One-on-one romance, both leads' first love, happy ending.

Two men pursue one woman. A modest ensemble cast and a moderate amount of political intrigue.

A career-driven heroine, skilled in both civil and military arts, with genuine talent and ability.

Theme: Women can rule the world too.