Bu Bu Jing Xin

Bubu Jingxin

Covers of all three volumes of the 2012 Taiwanese edition published by Yeren Culture Publishing (野人文化出版社)
Author	Tong Hua
Original title	步步驚心
Country	China
Language	Chinese
Subject	Time travel, Imperial China
Genre	Romance, historical fiction, chuanyue
Publisher	Jinjiang Original Network (晉江原創網) Ocean Press (海洋出版社) National Press (民族出版社) Huashan Arts Press (花山文藝出版社) Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House (湖南文藝出版社) Yeren Culture Publishing (野人文化出版社)
Publication date	2005
ISBN

Startling by Each Step, also known as Bubu Jingxin (Chinese: 步步驚心), was Tong Hua's debut novel. Originally published online in 2005 on Jinjiang Original Network (晉江原創網), it was later published by Ocean Press (海洋出版社), National Press (民族出版社), Huashan Arts Press (花山文藝出版社), Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House (湖南文藝出版社), and Yeren Culture Publishing (野人文化出版社). Tong Hua revised the novel in 2009 and 2011. The latest edition contained an additional 30,000 word epilogue.

Twenty-first century woman, Zhang Xiao, encountered traffic collision after work that sent her back in time to the Qing Dynasty during the Kangxi Emperor's reign (in the year 1704). She found herself trapped in the body of a young daughter of a Manchu aristocrat, Ma'ertai Ruoxi, younger sister of Ma'ertai Ruolan, who was a concubine of the emperor's eighth son, Yinsi. Stranded in the past, Ruoxi became acquainted with Kangxi's other sons, including the fourth prince Yinzhen and his full brother, the fourteenth prince Yinti. She forged a close friendship with the thirteenth prince, Yinxiang. Using charm and wit, Ruoxi won the emperor’s favor and became his lady-in-waiting, attending to the monarch and his family.

During Ruoxi's stay in the Forbidden City, she and Yinsi developed a mutual attraction. She initially rejected him but later agreed to marry him if he gave up his ambition for the throne. Ruoxi knew that Yinsi's path will ultimately lead to his lifelong imprisonment after Yinzhen became emperor. Yinsi refused and Ruoxi warned him to be wary of Yinzhen, providing him a list of those who would support his ascension.

After breaking up with Yinsi, Ruoxi fell in love with Yinzhen. Meanwhile, Yinsi and his supporters, acting on Ruoxi's advice, framed Yinzhen for plotting against the crown prince Yinreng. Yinxiang took the blame and was sentenced to house arrest. After this incident, Yinsi discovered that Ruoxi was romantically involved with Yinzhen. The battle for the throne became inflamed when Yinreng's other crimes later came to light. The crown prince lost both his position and freedom. Kangxi then began to show preference for Yinti and offered Ruoxi as a concubine to him. Ruoxi, however, declined. Outraged by her boldness, the emperor demoted her to the laundry department.