Off the Rails

Synopsis: As the year draws to a close, news of a government official being murdered reaches the capital, sending shockwaves throughout the court. Lu Zhuoguang travels to Danyu with the Ministry of Justice to investigate. The murder is riddled with strange circumstances, but that would be one thing—what truly troubles him is that, in an effort to assist with the investigation, the local county magistrate recommends a woman named Zhou Xing. She does not exactly seem like a respectable sort. Not only does she openly touch his hand in front of everyone, she is constantly showering him with sweet talk, making no attempt to hide her amorous intentions. It is almost as though she is always looking for an opportunity to do something to him. He is a scholar, a mere xiucai, and yet he has been publicly subjected to such shameless advances without a single person stepping forward to demand justice on his behalf. How could such a thing be tolerated? And to make matters worse, there are even people making callous remarks: “It’s for the sake of the investigation. Can’t you just put up with it?” ———— The first time Zhou Xing met Lu Zhuoguang, he was dressed in a spotless white robe, his brows and eyes curved in a gentle smile. His voice was as soft as a spring breeze and drizzle. “I, Lu, am an unremarkable man. I possess neither worldly wealth nor lofty ambitions. In this life, I have learned to read and write and earned the title of xiucai. That is more than enough for me.” Later, on a dark and moonless night, she saw this very Lu Xiucai—the man who claimed to possess “neither worldly wealth nor lofty ambitions”—holding a freshly severed head in one hand and a blood-soaked book in the other. Bathed in moonlight, he muttered regretfully, “A rare edition by a renowned master… The characters are impossible to make out now. What a pity.” — Description from novelcodex.orgFull novel: Off the Rails — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠