A poor scholar, born into the final years of the Yong dynasty. No golden finger, no powerful patrons. Through his own learning, he climbs from licentiate to grand secretary.
He accepts gifts, picks sides, and falsifies disaster reports, becoming the very sort of person he hates most.
He builds canals, stabilizes grain prices, and cracks down on local bullies, all to save a few more people in these final days.
“Surviving in shades of gray, knowing the tide of history cannot be turned, yet still giving his life for his country.”
This is not a wish-fulfillment novel. It is the story of a scholar who gives everything he has, only to earn the words, “A lone minister. That is enough.”
