Desire of Dragons

An ambitious scribe, a cunning spirit catcher, and their arranged marriage. May they survive it.

Mu Fanqing may be a lowly official's daughter, but she has grand plans to study at the academy to become an imperial cultivator, chosen by the emperor himself. That is, until she receives an imperial edict commanding her marriage to Xiao Shu, a reclusive spirit-catcher with a reputation of being an all-around scoundrel.

She thinks her life is ruined, but it turns out that her husband-to-be is just as reluctant to be wed as she. They decide to make a pact, signed in blood, that they will be a couple in name only and stay out of each other's business.

However, that is far easier said than done when Fanqing discovers that her husband has a secret criminal double life. He uses spirit-hunting as a front for an opportunistic smuggling business. This is especially deadly since Fanqing has her own crime. She has taken on a dragon as her magical master. The only problem is that associating with dragons is forbidden. Upon pain of death.

His secret could get them inspected by the imperial court. Her secret could get them both killed.

Fanqing wonders how long she can keep both secrets from being discovered. Especially as her own sister joins a band of investigators hunting down the leader of the smuggling ring, and a string of grisly murders point to a shapeshifting spirit who has a grudge against Shu. What will she do if it comes to choosing between keeping her secret, or protecting the husband she never wanted but is starting to fall for all the same?

Desire of Dragons is the first book in the Crimes of Da Xian series. An epic series following Fanqing and Shu as they navigate their arranged marriage, solve supernatural crimes, and commit a fair number of crimes of their own... all whilst struggling to survive the imperial court. This no-spice, slowburn Romantasy is perfect for fans of C Dramas and Chinese mythology.