The Phoenix's Reign: Salt and Iron Rule the World

[Alternate History + Serious Drama + Political Intrigue]

A match for "The Rise of the Phoenixes": an idealist and a natural political adversary join forces to restore the realm!

A woman from Jiangnan, whose family fell into decline after a coup, puts the past behind her and refuses to accept the marriage her stepmother has arranged for her. Instead, she joins forces with the enemy of her enemy. As an age of chaos descends, threatening both the nation and its people, she sets out to restore the realm. Watch as a woman enters politics and finds her footing in a court full of men. An idealist clashes with those who benefit from the status quo. Who will prevail? Read on to find out!

Witty and entertaining, with a tightly paced plot and one climax after another, the story weaves reflections on history, human nature, politics, and statecraft into a series of events involving coups, conspiracies, court intrigue, and war. It is both gripping and grounded in a view of history that looks beyond binary oppositions and strives for lasting peace and stability.