何不同舟渡 (Why Not Sail Together) by 羡鱼珂 (Xian Yu Ke)

Genre: Ancient Romance, Political Intrigue

Tagline:

No cheats, no time travel, no rebirth. Pure ancient Chinese historical romance with high-IQ espionage and political maneuvering.

Undercover double agent + growing young thief: A lone wolf playing a nurturing game to raise a rabbit with fangs, only to want to spend the rest of her life with her.

She is the most insignificant thief in a chaotic world, doing anything to survive.

She stole ten taels of silver from a young master, unaware that he was...

Synopsis:

She was nothing more than a weed in the chaotic world, a petty thief who would stop at nothing to survive.

One day, she stole ten taels of silver from a young master, not realizing he was the infamous traitorous general, his hands stained with the blood of his own people.

Her desperate antics to survive piqued his interest. He lit an incense stick and turned her into a plaything in a deadly game of survival.

“I’ll give you one incense stick’s time to run. Don’t let me catch you, or else—

You’ll face eternal damnation.”

She fled to a noble family, took on a new identity, and married into safety, believing she could finally live a peaceful life. But when she looked up, she found him smiling at her, calling her “sister-in-law” in a tone both gentle and menacing.

She lost the game and became his slave.

True to his word, he cast her into fire and sword, dragging her through hell. Yet she discovered that under his relentless tempering, she emerged with an unbreakable armor, capable of standing tall in the chaotic times with nothing but her own backbone as a woman.

He was like a boat ferrying her across the river, only to vanish into the darkness after one journey. Who was he, really?

The road forward is long, and the way back is distant. Both are lost souls—why not cross the river together?

[Author’s Note]: This story is set in a fictional world inspired by the Southern Song Dynasty, referencing historical events such as the Jingkang Incident and the founding of the Southern Song. All characters are purely fictional. Please avoid making comparisons or overanalyzing the historical accuracy.

Original title: “The Distant Return”