The Viper's Testament

In the twilight years of Wu Zetian's reign, the failed rebellion of Prince Li Zhen leaves behind a cryptic will. Decades later, a petty forger in Chang'an discovers his long-lost grandfather was the prince's spymaster. To claim a hidden fortune, he must complete a perilous list of crimes—each task a twisted echo of the original rebellion. But when someone steals his coded identity in the city's network of signal towers and carrier pigeons, he learns that in this ancient world, a kidnapping begins with the theft of one's social mask. Kotaro Isaka-style multi-perspective crime caper set in Tang Dynasty China.