At fourteen, Xuan Ming carries the blood debt of his parents, who died after being falsely accused. With a copy of The Essentials of the Great Zhou Legal Commentaries and what little silver he has, he sets out along a thorny road toward the heart of the empire. The cold rain of Yunzhou, the drifting life on the canal, and the bitter frost beneath the eaves of the capital temper the unyielding will within his frail frame. Under the protection of Mr. Su, his teacher at the village school, he studies hard; among the ledgers of the Hanmo Studio, he hones his meticulousness. Fate also brings him together with Meng Chen, an upright young man from a prominent family. For a poor scholar, every step is a struggle, yet Xuan Ming lives by the creed “Keep your heart true and your spine straight.” At the prefectural examination, he submits a powerful essay forged from blood and tears, condemning corrupt officials and the suffering of refugees. It erupts like thunder, shaking the court and opening the imposing gates of the empire's literary heart, the Wenyuan Pavilion.
It's an ancient story about dangers and survival in desperate situations. It's very interesting.