Pines at the Ravine's Bottom [Mystery]

Manual tags: Mystery and crime-solving, episodic cases, marriage before love, dual secret identities

Blurb 1:

Li Xiu, a low-ranking female official in the Great Zhou Dynasty, has always enjoyed a blissful life with her husband, her cat, and a warm bed.

At the county office, she spends her days handling petty disputes and trivial cases.

At home, ever since she married the frail scholar Pei Xun in accordance with their parents’ wishes, the two have treated each other with respect and lived in harmony. Their life together is sweet enough.

Until one day, at a murder scene, Li Xiu watches her seemingly helpless husband use a silver needle to take down a criminal with swift, precise force. She can’t help exclaiming, “As expected of the brilliant Prince of Lin’an!”

Pei Xun turns with a soft laugh. “Likewise. Who would have thought that the powerful, high-ranking female chancellor at the empress’s side was none other than you, my wife?”

Blurb 2:

In the third year of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the female official Li Xiu is sent by the empress to investigate an old case.

To uncover the truth, Li Xiu travels far to the southwest. She races from place to place, following every clue, until she finally finds a lead. But she never expected it to point straight to the person beside her in bed, her husband in name, Pei Xun.

With the truth close at hand, Li Xiu presses her dagger to his delicate neck. “You certainly know how to surprise me, husband!”

Pei Xun’s charming eyes remain full of laughter, and he is as affectionate as ever. “My dear, one night as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of affection~”

△ An alternate-history setting inspired by the Wu Zhou era

Couple: A couple married by arrangement, solving cases while loving and fighting each other

New story coming soon

Blurb 1:

After her family falls into decline, Miss Zhang comes to the capital to fulfill her betrothal. But before she can even show the marriage contract, the other party goes back on their word and throws her out.

Miss Zhang refuses to be discouraged and heads straight to the Imperial Medical Academy to take the exam to become a physician in the Great Song Dynasty.

From then on, when the prime minister’s daughter-in-law has a private ailment, she’s the one they call.

When the spoiled, domineering princess develops spots on her face, she’s the one they call.

When a concubine seeking favor wants a beauty formula, she’s the one they call.

Student at the Imperial Medical Academy, junior physician, official female physician, top physician at the Imperial Medical Academy.

And so begins the rise of Miss Zhang, the Great Song Dynasty’s foremost female physician.

Blurb 2:

Zhao Weize, Duke of Ying, is twenty years old, tall and refined, with handsome features. He is also a cousin of the reigning emperor, a promising young man, and a dashing gentleman praised by everyone in the capital.

Yet he can’t stand the female physician sent by the Imperial Medical Academy. She first ran into him on the road and wouldn’t leave him alone. Now she’s even managed to get into the academy and sneak into his residence to get close to him. Her smiling eyes are full of admiration and affection. How utterly improper!

Being an imperial physician is hard. Being a female physician in the Great Song Dynasty is even harder.

Ever since Miss Zhang accidentally offended the Duke of Ying, who has both power and the emperor’s favor, while making a house call, she’s had a lot to complain about. She can’t shake him off, but she can’t offend him either. When necessary, she has to smile every three sentences, nod every five, and praise him every ten. After an exhausting hour of acupuncture, all she gets in return is, “Know your place.”...

Zhao Weize: She’s so in love with me!

Miss Zhang: One house call is more exhausting than farming ten acres of medicinal herbs.

Theme: Women standing strong on their own