Beneath the West Tower

West of the Tower is a historical fantasy novel set in the Song Dynasty, centered on Zhang Yuan, a character modeled after Wang Anshi. It tells the story of Zhang Yuan's life, from taking the imperial examinations to entering officialdom and rising to the highest ranks, wielding power across the court as he begins to push through reforms. But the reforms face all kinds of obstacles and ultimately fail, and Zhang Yuan himself dies of depression amid a heavy snowfall.