九命奇冤

by Jianren Wu

"九命奇冤" by Jianren Wu is a murder mystery novel published in 1906. Set during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, the story follows the Liang family's quest for justice after the powerful Ling family orchestrates a deadly arson that kills eight people. When local authorities fail them through corruption and bribery, the survivors take their case to Beijing, hoping the emperor will intervene. The novel uses ancient crime stories to critique contemporary corruption while employing innovative flashback techniques influenced by foreign literature.