A Chronicle of Love and Revenge in Troubled Times

Setting: From the late Western Han to the early Eastern Han.

Protagonist: The protagonist, Qiu Jiu, was originally surnamed Zhang. His father changed his surname to Qiu and left him these final words: "You may take the Zhang name again only when your enemies have been slain and your grievance avenged!"

While still an infant, the protagonist became a casualty of court intrigue. Everyone in his family was massacred except for his father and himself. The reason for the massacre is unknown, and the identity of the enemy is a mystery. When he was twelve, his father was murdered as well. Thus began Qiu Jiu's perilous quest to uncover the truth and destroy his enemies.

The protagonist's quest for vengeance unfolds alongside the fall of the Western Han and the founding of the Eastern Han. Historical events of the time, including Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han throne, the Green Forest and Red Eyebrows uprisings, and the founding of the Eastern Han, are all intricately connected to the protagonist.

Author's note: The prose is elegant, the plot full of twists, and the ideas ingenious. Though fantastical, the story is grounded in reason. Every implausible plot point and element is given a convincing explanation: this is the principle behind the book. The poems woven throughout the novel are another major highlight.