LINKDING

excerpt: This must be what happened: The head elder said I would find Ai-Lian in the wooded hills that bristle with red maples. As the evacuating townsfolk slung meager belongings onto packhorses under flickering torchlight, the ascendant moon enflamed the lavender canopy beyond the town walls. I handed the reins of my horses to the elder himself as he supervised the evacuation. His were an uncouth people—but terrified. They eyed my sheathed jian, Fate Cutter, immortalized in song by countless minstrels. That was how they knew me through my riding mask. I reassured each harried frontiersman and woman, each rough-clothed child, with the clasp of an elbow, the pat of a shoulder. I touched them all, saying in the strong northern dialect of the Zhong-ren, “ni-men bu pa. Ni-men yao shenma hao pa, fang kai ba. Ni-men fang xin.” But huddled before me, they were afraid. They would not let go their fears. They would not take heart. ➤ a fantasy novelette set in a historical china, and holy shit it is SO SO SO GOOD ➤ about two sword-brothers, meeting again after decades apart ➤ the way the story circles around itself over and over again, uncovering new layers each time, new complexities, new details about what happened and what is happening -- it's so beautifully constructed and leads the reader on so compellingly ➤ and the story it's telling.....one about love, and trust, and classism, and imperialism, and the threat of monstrous creatures inflitrating......about, at its heart, the relationship between these two men, their importance to each other, and the fractures at the heart of their relationship, and the wide-reaching consequences ➤ I love it so much, it's brilliantly and beautifully done and with such fascinating explorations of its themes! ➤ 10k words

<blockquote>“I… I’m not who you think I am.” Shen Qingqiu quickly shook his head and reached out to cover Luo Binghe’s mouth with his hand. “No, no, let me start again: You need to know, before I was me, I was someone else.” Better. That made more sense. Start from the beginning. / Shen Qingqiu gets drunk and tells Luo Binghe about his transmigration secret. Luo Binghe thinks it’s just a very weird love confession.</blockquote>

<blockquote>After Guanyin Temple, Lan Wangji has to adjust to the fact that Wei Ying is here to stay...albeit in a body that's still unfamiliar to them both.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Post canon, Luo Binghe plans the perfect date: delicious food, beautiful scenery, and a rare Abyssal monster. Little did he know that The System was also planning a celebration. Can Shen Qingqiu avert disaster?</blockquote>

<blockquote>Anna, and how she searches throughout the years.</blockquote>

<blockquote>No one in their right mind would ever seriously try to woo Lin Ronghu, the Emperor's infamously ruthless (if unofficial) spymaster. Not that that's stopped the local legend, a (self-described) beautiful detective with peerless martial arts. His crush is a major inconvenience - at least until there's a murder that puts Lin Ronghu's most hated political nemesis straight in the frame. Since Lin Ronghu can't believe that anyone would be that stupid, he decides that maybe having a private detective around might be good for something after all...</blockquote> ➤ original fic that rather reads as nif fanfic

<blockquote>It’s too late for any of Hanguang-Jun’s rabbits to be awake -- one of the sundown chores for young disciples is to herd them back into their hutch -- but the rabbit field is as good a spot as any for quality sulking, so Lan Jingyi makes his way there. Someone has beat him to it. Lan Jingyi stares at Hanguang-Jun. Hanguang-Jun stares passively back. When Lan Sizhui is swept away with the Ghost General, off on a new adventure, Lan Jingyi is the one who returns to Cloud Recesses alone. </blockquote>

<blockquote>Isabel said, “I think I’m being possessed.” You said, “You’re not being possessed.” You also said, “Don’t be so dramatic,” which you would later look back on and regret.</blockquote> ➤ really good and interesting, and then that last line!!!

<blockquote>“The woman remarkable enough to capture the heart of the Qilin Scholar must be possessed of unparalleled beauty and refinement, a true pearl.”</blockquote> ➤ one of the tags is: pretending that you have a secret lover to cover up your political scheming ➤ series consists of: suffer the same condition half of yours is with me sleepless

<blockquote>The blob finished rotating into place in a way that wasn’t quite compatible with geometry as Shen Qingqiu understood it, and cleared a throat it didn’t seem to have. “Greetings,” it said, somehow clearly addressing him in particular more than the room as a whole despite its total lack of features other than blueness and translucency. “I’m here on behalf of the Hyper-Celestial Peace and Order Enforcement Bureau. Crime scene secure, proceeding to interviews. Beginning with Subject One: You are Shen Qingqiu, formerly Shen Yuan, also known as Peerless Cucumber?”</blockquote> ➤ the one where a space cop comes to a peak lord meeting to explain that the people behind the system are being punished, and thus unintentionally revealing a whole pile of sqq & sqh's secrets ➤ series consists of: and judgment is just like a cup that we share and the wind takes a bird where it blows well past the weeds

<blockquote>The honeymoon period is over, but deeper connections mean more hurdles ahead.</blockquote> ➤ Post marriage identity reveal, I like that sqq's old name is never shared

<blockquote>Demonic Emperor Luo Binghe's reputation precedes him. It's just not very accurate.</blockquote> ➤ Oh this is so interesting and fun on the subject of sqq's shifting identities and complex relationship to who he himself is! And I love that he has fun with it too, this many years into a happy future!

<blockquote>The System drops PIDW Luo Binghe at a convention. Binghe is going to have sex with this actor who's disguised as his Shizun. It's going to be satisfying and cathartic, and won't awaken any feelings in him whatsoever.</blockquote>

<blockquote>The first time Lan Yuan hears a story about the Wen remnants, he is seven years old. The second time Lan Sizhui hears a story about his family, he is seventeen years old. / Or, the things the cultivation world says about the Wens in the Burial Mounds and the things Lan Sizhui learns much later</blockquote> ➤ About sizhui's understanding of his Wen identity as he grows up

<blockquote>or, the famous strategist mei changsu plays xanatos speed chess against truth serum: the fic. </blockquote> ➤ yessss

<blockquote>To be fair, Joe did know there were some things Nicky wasn’t quite telling him. But it didn’t matter to him who Nicky’s ancestors had been. What mattered was Nicky, who was kind, and thoughtful, and relentlessly committed to doing the right thing, including his share of the dishes. Really, what else did you need to know that someone was a keeper?</blockquote> ➤ I enjoyed that the relationship arc wasn't "will they get together" but "how will their relationship handle this major stressor"; a fun switch-up from the usual sort of thing

<blockquote>“I would like to hear your opinion of Lin Shu,” said Prince Jing abruptly one evening.</blockquote>

<blockquote>A failed attempt at reincarnating a supersoldier meets his former self's old boyfriend.</blockquote> ➤ incredible worldbuilding and characterizing, as always for shukyou. I was particularly drawn in by the questions of identity in this story.

<blockquote>The Queen's politics cannot be compromised by her body, but there are ways around every rule, and Obi-Wan Kenobi is sufficient motivation to be creative.</blockquote> ➤ Padme and sabe switching places for sex with obi-wan. I do love the whole identity thing with the handmaidens and padme

<blockquote>Bucky becomes Natasha. Natasha becomes the Winter Soldier.</blockquote> ➤ I AM SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW. THIS IS SO GOOOOOOOOOD

<blockquote>Marguerite always felt that behind Percy's apparently slow wits there was a certain something, which he kept hidden from all the world--and most especially from her.</blockquote> ➤ the one with interesting stuff about his mother

<blockquote>Undercover was easy, and Ray was good at it.</blockquote>

<blockquote>A murder mystery at Smallville High drives Kon to brush up on his detective skills – and his undercover work. He might need to call in some help. Good thing his best friend is an expert at both.</blockquote>

<blockquote>One of the weird things about becoming the Bookman is his photo gallery.</blockquote>

➤ RayK is a shapechanger undercover as RayV, angsty but happy ending

Napoleon's not exactly himself at the moment. Neither is Illya. ➤ (In which Napoleon inexplicably is convinced he's Illya and Illya pretends to be an old friend of his to try to help snap him out of it.) ➤ Good and enjoyable, though the ending is rather abrupt