The Old Man's Mirror Records: In Search of Feng Yansi (Mystery)

Angels, please add this to your want-to-read list!

Dare I forsake the mirror's rosy face and pale,

Alone upon the bridge, sleeves filled with wind?

Who says idle thoughts are long since cast aside?

Each spring, the same old sorrow comes again.

After Feng Yansi died, the Southern Song poet Lu You excoriated him in The History of Southern Tang: "Feng Yansi advanced through his literary talent, but had no other merits. He rose and fell three times in his life, scheming for power and position, neglecting the path of self-cultivation and inner virtue. He was a true hypocrite."

Lu You's maid Cijing disagrees, and resolves to write a new biography of Feng Yansi, uncover the truth behind his death, and discover why Southern Tang fell.

When she begins studying Feng Yansi's collection of lyrics, Yangchun Ji, she unexpectedly discovers ten poems connected to "weather" and "astronomy," each containing hidden clues. Together, they can resolve the historical mysteries.

[Case One: Wind]

A cup of green wine, a sigh at the season's turn;

Alone on the bridge, my sleeves filled with wind.

[Case Two: Rain]

Fine rain, passing light, fragrant grass growing tall;

I weep a few lines of tears for the spring that has slipped away.

[Case Three: Snow]

Snow clouds suddenly shift, gathering like spring clouds;

I gradually feel the years are worth gazing out upon.

[Case Four: Clouds]

Clouds disperse; deep night, moonlight beneath the steps;

The wind is cold, my clothes thin, my heart filled with every sorrow.

[Case Five: Thunder and Lightning]

Life is like dew, and like lightning too;

When we meet, don't refuse the golden cup of wine.

[Case Six: Stars]

Alone, I turn my back to the starry screen and fix my old brows;

The incense mark turns to ash beside the lamp.

[Case Seven: Mist]

Mist hangs in the wind; willows thin among the haze;

When we meet, let's take hands and sing our hearts out.

[Case Eight: Dust Motes]

Dust brushes the jade dressing table; the phoenix mirror grows dim;

Clouds drift by nature, never fixed in one place.

[Case Nine: Sandbanks]

Between the waves, a boat returns from a hidden sandbank;

How can I bear to part again, with autumn already here?

[Case Ten: Bright Moon]

The new moon rises over the woods after everyone has gone home;

Dare I forsake the mirror's rosy face and pale?

[Reader's Guide]

1. Who was Feng Yansi? Answer: A renowned lyric poet of Southern Tang, a master of rhetoric, and a chancellor. He was a favored official of Li Jing, father of the Last Ruler of Southern Tang, Li Yu.

2. Main characters

Cijing: Lu You's maid, clever, beautiful, skilled in martial arts, sharp-minded, and deeply principled.

Lu You: A patriotic poet, the foremost cat lover of the Southern Song, generous, loyal, steadfast, and upright.

3. Main storyline

Critic vs. defender of his reputation, Lu You vs. Cijing: together, they explore Feng Yansi's life.

4. Other details

Filed and documented. Manuscript complete, currently being polished.

Pure historical fiction, mystery and deduction, plot-focused, serious tone.

P.S. Yes, Lu You's cat is in it too. The cat is an important supporting character who inspires clues while they solve cases.

October 17, 2024: Screenshot saved as proof.

Theme: Recreate the character and atmosphere of Southern Tang, and closely examine Feng Yansi's eventful life, which has inspired both praise and criticism.