Where Nothing Is Forbidden and Everything Aligns

Qiu Xinran is a talented young diviner from the reclusive Nine Schools, trained in the arts of fortune-telling, geomancy, and physiognomy. After completing her studies under her master, she descends from the mountains to settle in Chang’an, where she opens a fortune-telling shop on the second floor of a restaurant owned by He Baojin. Her unconventional methods and bold claim of never making a wrong reading quickly attract a diverse clientele, including noblewomen seeking advice on marriage and fate. Her life changes dramatically with the return of Xia Xiuyan, the Marquis of Dingbei, a celebrated general who defeated northern invaders seven years prior. Qiu Xinran recognizes him immediately, revealing a shared history from her childhood in the capital, where she had once predicted his cold-hearted nature and short lifespan.

Xia Xiuyan, however, appears to have forgotten their past or chooses to ignore it. He is viewed with suspicion by many in the capital, particularly by He Zhong, his deputy general, who believes a deceitful Daoist’s divination forced the sickly heir to lead troops into battle, a decision that nearly cost him his life. The tension between Qiu Xinran and Xia Xiuyan escalates during the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet. When they encounter each other privately by a lake, He Zhong interrupts, causing Qiu Xinran to fall into the water. The incident is covered up due to Xia Xiuyan’s favored status, but it marks the beginning of a complex and hostile dynamic between them. The Emperor later tasks Qiu Xinran with selecting a residence for Xia Xiuyan, forcing them into closer proximity.

As Qiu Xinran integrates into palace life, she observes Xia Xiuyan’s true nature. He is not the frail, sickly boy he pretends to be. When she discovers traces of poison in his medicine, she realizes he is being targeted by unseen enemies. Her suspicion is confirmed when she is kidnapped along with Xia Xiuyan by assassins during a palace banquet. Held captive in a mountain cave, the two are forced to rely on each other for survival. Xia Xiuyan reveals his hidden strength, killing one of their captors, while Qiu Xinran uses her wits and a hairpin to kill another attacker. They escape into the night, pursued by more assassins, and are forced to fight together to survive.

During their escape, Qiu Xinran witnesses Xia Xiuyan’s lethal competence with a bow and arrow, confirming that his illness is a carefully constructed facade. He captures one of their pursuers, who reveals a message indicating a conspiracy involving a promise and a mysterious seal. After the pursuer is killed by an arrow from the shadows, Xia Xiuyan ensures Qiu Xinran’s silence by knocking her unconscious. She wakes up in her quarters, with the official story being that bandits attacked and they escaped by luck. However, rumors spread that Qiu Xinran herself is a skilled archer, a cover story devised by Xia Xiuyan to protect the truth.

The events on the mountain deepen the bond between them, though trust remains fragile. Xia Xiuyan continues to manipulate situations to his advantage, while Qiu Xinran navigates the dangerous political landscape of the capital. She becomes involved in the education of the Ninth Princess and attends astronomy lessons, all while keeping her distance from the Marquis. Yet, their paths continue to cross, and the underlying tension suggests that their pasts are inextricably linked. The story sets the stage for a larger conflict involving court intrigue, assassination attempts, and the secrets Xia Xiuyan has kept hidden for years.

Qiu Xinran’s divination skills prove crucial as she detects omens of danger and navigates the treacherous waters of palace politics. Her relationship with Xia Xiuyan evolves from mutual suspicion to a reluctant partnership, bound by shared secrets and survival. As the conspiracy against him unravels, Qiu Xinran finds herself increasingly entangled in his world. The novel explores themes of identity, deception, and the weight of destiny, as both characters struggle to uncover the truth behind the events that separated them years ago. The narrative promises further revelations about Xia Xiuyan’s true intentions and Qiu Xinran’s role in the unfolding political drama.