The fans are the ones ailing right now.
Singapore-based publisher Rosmei has unveiled the covers for both volumes of its upcoming historical danmei series, Art Thou Ailing?
The Volume 1 dust jacket sets the mood with fireworks lighting up a wintry night sky. Remove it, and you’ll find lead characters Chu Mingyun and Su Shiyu sitting together in an intimate moment. The back cover keeps things simple with gold inking of a bird perched on a tree branch. Volume 2’s dust jacket shifts to a warmer golden hue, showing a boat sailing, while the inner cover also features the couple seated together. As for extras, Volume 1 comes with a postcard of a fan, while Volume 2’s features an umbrella.
Ru Si Wo Wen penned the novel, which spans 89 chapters and three extras. The series has also been adapted into an audio drama with two seasons on MaoerFM. An ebook version will release through a collaboration with Publang, a small publisher specializing in Korean BL novels.
The publisher previously didn’t offer a synopsis for the title, but has started updating listings on its website, including Art Thou Ailing?
Art Thou Ailing? synopsis
In the empire of Great Xia, civility is a mask, courtesy a weapon—and love, perhaps, the most dangerous of all.
Chu Mingyun, Grand Commandant and master of his own ambition, rules half the capital with a fan in hand and a smirk that rarely fades. Known for his cunning, feared for his temper, and trailed by shadows both loyal and lethal, he moves through the imperial court like a chessmaster plotting his endgame.
Su Shiyu, Grand Secretary and paragon of virtue, is his equal in every way—measured, refined, and maddeningly unreadable. His name alone is enough to silence a room, and his smile, courteous though it may be, conceals more than it reveals.
A minister’s suicide. A cryptic message. A rumour that shakes the court to its foundations. As secrets brew beneath silken robes and ceremonial smiles, Chu launches a quiet campaign of subterfuge… and seduction. But behind Su’s mild gaze may lie a sharper mind than anyone has dared to suspect.
Every glance is a gambit, every compliment a calculated move—and in the end, only one question remains:
Who’s playing whom?
Preorders for Volume 1 will open later this year.
Source: Rosmei
