Under the Moonlight (2025)

the 2 main leads solve cases for the government. one is a detective one is not but their bickering and banter keep you engaged

Same Ming Dynasty setting, it tells a story about an austistic Shuai Jia Mo, who is obsessed with mathematics, stumbles upon a historical problem in Jinhua County, he's met with multiple obstacles in his attempts to correct the mistake, triggering a tension between various stakeholders.

Both dramas are set in the Ming dynasty and are focused on the "small folk" (notably constables, prostitutes).
Ripe Town is a short series that revolves around a single case, while Under the Moonlight is a longer series that feature 10 different cases.

Both dramas share some cast members, including a child actor Yu Yao who plays a tragic character in Ripe Town but shines with his comedic delivery in Under the Moonlight.

The story in Ripe Town doesn't have a romantic storyline while Under the Moonlight features a love triangle (but this drama is one of the rare cases where it's done well)

Overall, Ripe Town has better cinematography and tighter writing but Under the Moonlight, despite being a lower budget project, punches way above its weight.

Investigating mystery from the past - dealing with manipulations and machinations of rich and powerful - mature love - a closer look at lower- and middle-class life