The Lantern Records

In this revised edition of *The Lantern Records*, a companion novel to *The Hairpin Records*, the stakes are high as protagonist White Qianlan navigates a tangle of mystery, intrigue, and romance. As the County Mistress of Zero Ridge, her life is upended when her grandfather sacrifices himself for the nation, leaving her with a damaged brow bone and a reputation for bringing bad luck. The Emperor and Empress step in, presenting her with a pool of eligible bachelors—but this only sparks a fierce rivalry among the fifteen men now residing in her courtyard. As alliances shift, tempers flare, and violence breaks out, Qianlan finds herself at the center of a deadly game. With the authorities baffled and the body count climbing, she takes matters into her own hands, relying on her sharp wit to untangle the clues. Accustomed to working with the dead as a skilled coroner’s assistant, she is far more at ease with corpses than with courtiers, yet she is determined to uncover the truth behind the sinister events unfolding around her. Will she solve the mystery and secure her place, or will she become the next casualty?