A Murdered Envoy, a Stolen Treasure
On a snowy night, an envoy sent by the Kingdom of Khotan is ambushed on the road, massacred with his escort. Not a living soul remains, and the attackers vanish-along with a precious jade intended as tribute to the emperor of Sui. A member of the emperor's secret intelligence agency, the Jiejian Bureau, pursues the case: the formidable deputy chief, Feng Xiao. His investigation takes him to Liugong City, where top martial artists from across the land gather for a mysterious auction.
But a rival intelligence agency, the Zuoyne Bureau, has business in the same city and they have sent Cui Buqu, an ailing but brilliant man who hides more secrets than even Feng Xiao. Equally proud, the two immediately clash in a battle of wits, but neither can crack the case alone. To solve the mystery before the trail goes cold, they will have to join hands to uncover the truth...however unwillingly,
HISTORICAL PERIOD
Peerless is set in the first era of the Sui dynasty, Kaihuang. Emperor Wen of Sui (given name Yang Jian) established his dynasty in 581 AD after usurping the throne from the previous Zhou dynasty. Though Sui was a short-lived dynasty that eventually fell apart in the hands of his son, Emperor Yang, Emperor Wen is viewed as one of the most influential emperors of ancient China, both for his prosperous rule and for the reunification of the Central Plains after over two hundred years of war and turmoil