Also known under the title In this historical wuxia tale, two rival investigators try to get to the bottom of a mystery...and their own complicated feelings. On a snowy night, an envoy sent by the Kingdom of Khotan is ambushed on the road, massacred with his escort. Not a living soul remains, and the attackers vanish--along with a precious jade intended as tribute to the Emperor of Sui. A member of the emperor’s secret intelligence agency, the Jiejian Bureau, pursues the case: the formidable deputy chief, Feng Xiao. His investigation takes him to Liugong City, where top martial artists from across the land gather for a mysterious auction. But a rival intelligence agency, the Zuoyue Bureau, has business in the same city--and they have sent Cui Buqu, an ailing but brilliant man who hides more secrets than even Feng Xiao. Equally proud, the two immediately clash in a battle of wits, but neither can crack the case alone. To solve the mystery before the trail goes cold, they will have to join hands to uncover the truth…however unwillingly. This historical fiction mystery about powerful martial artists (wuxia) built around the desire between two men (danmei) takes place in the same universe as the beloved novel series <Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu<. The Seven Seas English-language edition will feature uncensored text and exclusive new art.

Autorentext

Meng Xi Shi is a Chinese danmei author with a number of popular novel series, including Thousand Autumns, Peerless, and The Fourteenth Year of Chenghua (inspiration for the drama series The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty).

Klappentext

POISON AND PERIL IN THE CAPITAL

Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao have thwarted the corrupt officials embezzling grain in Guangqian County, but the Thirteen Floors of Yunhai and their elusive leader, Xiao Lü, remain at large. As Feng Xiao recovers from the battle, he finds his relationship with Cui Buqu on new footing—though Cui Buqu will be last to admit it.

Yet on their way back to the capital, a strange new case leaves them both at a loss: The entire household of a villa has been brutally massacred, and there’s no sign of the murderer. The only traces they find point to an arcane poison—one that, if deployed in the Sui capital, could put the empire itself at risk. Yet time is running out for Cui Buqu, whose precarious health continues to deteriorate. To get to the bottom of this final case, he must put his very life on the line in the investigative duo’s greatest trial yet.

This final volume includes a 2-page foldout illustration bound into the book and a chibi illustration on the inside back cover, both by special guest artists!

The final volume!