Li Chengyuan is the second prince of the Li dynasty, a man of calm voice, flawless manners, and a dangerously unyielding conscience. At court, people speak of him carefully: he does not seek power, but he too often appears where lies begin to crack.

He possesses a rare gift: the Hearing of the Jade Seal. Li Chengyuan can hear broken oaths, traces of curses, and vows buried with the dead that have never truly fallen silent.

When people begin dying one after another in the remote county of Qinghe, the imperial court sends him to investigate. The deaths occur near an old Temple of the Jade Seal. There are no wounds on the bodies, only a strange mark on the victims’ palms, and the silence of the locals is far too heavy to be explained by simple illness.

Outwardly, he seems like cold jade: dark hair, pale princely robes, straight posture, and an attentive gaze. But behind that silence is a man who has lost too much and still chose not to become cruel.

His honor is quiet, but heavier than a sword.