Female protagonist + no romance + ruthless power-seeker + extremely self-interested + light ensemble cast + multiple female characters + strategic maneuvering
[“I am Ting Yun: Ting as in ‘towering like an abyss, standing like a mountain,’ Yun as in ‘the clouds rise at the start of a journey.’”]
[She hates privilege only because she doesn’t have it]
[She considers everything carefully and plans for every eventuality]
Holding steady amid wind and thunder is the resolve to burn away all hesitation;
Clouds parting to reveal the sun is the radiance left in the storm’s wake.
Strength gives her the means to survive,
Power is the ideal she pursues,
Self-love is her creed,
And caution is a lesson she must learn to survive.
[The self is the ultimate object of faith]
Loving yourself is the beginning of a lifelong romance. Here’s to you, to me, and to all the readers!
