A Modern Mind in an Ancient World of Schemes

A woman who writes household intrigue serials wakes up in the body of Emma Hale, a minister's daughter. On her first day in the house the family property is confiscated. Victor Kane, who commands the guard, takes her into his service and sends her into the residence of the Prince of Danyang under the name of the prince's legitimate daughter, who died some time before. Her assignment there is an old killing. Inside the residence she handles the prince's adopted daughter and the man she is betrothed to. She traces the killing back to the adopted daughter. Under that she finds the prince has been giving his own children over in blood rites as part of a move on the throne. Kane works the same case from outside, and the two of them take it apart from both ends.