WHAT'S IT ABOUT: A historical wuxia novel about two rivals working under the Emperor & Empress who work together to solve a grand political conspiracy to overthrow the dynasty.
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT:
Canon m/m with a rivals-to-lovers dynamic! The development of their relationship from torture-at-first-sight to trust and devoted protectiveness is wonderful, and through it all, they never stop bickering or trying to pit each other in petty schemes.
Fake marriage, fake dating, fake make-outs, cross-dressing, all in the name of undercover mystery solving.
Both characters are ruthless, competent, and amoral with very equal power dynamics despite their differences. I love that while Cui Buqu is physically frail, he's still intelligent enough to go head-to-head with Feng Xiao, who's an excellent fighter. They both succeed & fail in equal measures when scheming against each other & they'll save each other as well (despite being in denial).
Peerless
WHAT'S IT ABOUT: A historical wuxia novel about two rivals working under the Emperor & Empress who work together to solve a grand political conspiracy to overthrow the dynasty.
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT:
WHERE CAN I FIND IT?: Translation | Original Chinese