Transmigrated as the “Fuma” (Imperial Son-in-Law) of the Great Qin Tyrant [Book Transmigration]

Tuqiu Jiu, a modern man, transmigrates into the body of a fourteen-year-old minor noble in the Qin State during the 19th year of King Zheng. The original owner is imprisoned in Xianyang, facing a death sentence for the murder of Li Bu, the son of the powerful Tingwei Li Si. The case appears open and shut: Tuqiu Jiu’s two younger half-brothers, Tuqiu Zhi and Tuqiu Fei, were found unconscious beside the victim with the murder weapon, and they confessed under torture. As a result, the brothers are sentenced to dismemberment, while Tuqiu Jiu, deemed a minor, is sentenced to penal servitude as a slave-official. His entire family, stripped of their status after the conquest of Han, faces severe punishments ranging from mutilation to slavery.

Upon waking in the damp, rat-infested prison, Tuqiu Jiu realizes the gravity of his situation. He is physically weak, malnourished, and has no allies. The judicial system is rigid; petitions for retrial must be made at the sentencing reading, which he missed due to his unconscious state. Desperate, he grabs the prison doctor and insists on his innocence, arguing that the true killer remains at large and poses a threat to the Tingwei’s family. His plea catches the attention of a passing official, Wen Wuhai, a man of the Dafu rank. Wen Wuhai, intrigued by the boy’s unusual courage and logical deduction, agrees to review the case files. Before leaving, he sends a slave-official to deliver warm clothing to Tuqiu Jiu, an act of kindness that leaves the protagonist bewildered.

While awaiting the outcome, Tuqiu Jiu analyzes the crime scene details he recalls from the original owner’s fragmented memories. He identifies critical inconsistencies: Li Bu was stabbed while unconscious, yet no one heard him cry out; the brothers had no means to bring a weapon into the heavily guarded villa; and they failed to flee despite having the opportunity. Tuqiu Jiu deduces that a third party, skilled and familiar with the villa’s layout, committed the murder and framed the brothers. When Wen Wuhai grants him a audience, Tuqiu Jiu fabricates a story about a divine vision to explain his sudden change in demeanor and to justify his request to visit the crime scene. Wen Wuhai, aware of the era’s superstitions, accepts the excuse and takes Tuqiu Jiu to Li Bu’s former residence.

At the crime scene, Tuqiu Jiu examines the latrine where the murder occurred. He discovers a hidden mechanism in a large bronze mirror: two circular openings allow someone hidden behind the mirror to strike through it. He reconstructs the murder: the killer hid behind the mirror, strangled Li Bu through one hole to silence him, and stabbed him through the other. He also finds faint footprints outside the window, which he uses to estimate the killer’s height at approximately 1.8 meters. This clue narrows the suspect pool to three young men from prominent families: Zhang Xiang, Sima Yue, and Wang Xi. Wen Wuhai, recognizing the political sensitivity of implicating descendants of high-ranking officials, agrees to reopen the investigation.

Back in prison, Tuqiu Jiu faces harassment from his two younger brothers, who blame him for their suffering. He outsmarts them by provoking them into attacking him, ensuring they are punished by the prison warden for starting the fight. This establishes a precarious balance of power in the cell. Shortly after, the investigation concludes. Zhang Xiang is identified as the murderer, driven by jealousy and political rivalry. He confesses, and the Tuqiu brothers are cleared of the murder charge. However, because they retracted their earlier confessions, they and Tuqiu Jiu are sentenced to penal servitude for obstructing justice. As the family awaits transfer, Tuqiu Jiu’s abusive father, Tuqiu Dun, beats him for defiance. The beating is interrupted by the arrival of Wen Wuhai, who reveals his true identity as Tuqiu Yue, a long-lost relative of the family. This revelation shocks everyone present, hinting at deeper family secrets and a complex past that connects the judicial inspector to the condemned family.