Jiang Yan, a poor scholar who died unjustly in the fictional ancient dynasty of Dasheng, is reborn on the eve of the decree to burn books. In his previous life, his talent and outspoken remonstrations led to his being framed for spreading heresy. He died in prison and watched helplessly as countless books went up in flames, dimming the light of civilization. This time, he awakens with a heart full of regret and all his memories of the future. He resolves to stop the impending cultural catastrophe at any cost.
His adversaries are the all-powerful Imperial Preceptor, who advocates ruling by keeping the people ignorant, and his cronies, along with a decaying, rigid imperial system that fears new ideas. Jiang Yan knows that passion alone will not win. He must use the advantage of his foreknowledge and plan carefully at every turn: rescue in advance the reclusive master who will later be wiped out for hiding books, befriend the idealistic young officials he failed to connect with in his previous life, and cleverly exploit factional struggles at court to secretly relocate or reproduce crucial texts. Every step is like walking on thin ice, because his identity as someone reborn is both his greatest trump card and his most dangerous secret. As the countdown to the book burning ticks away, he must wage a silent war against powerful conservative forces over knowledge and destiny. He must not only preserve the flame of civilization, but also transform himself from a pawn at the mercy of others into the player who directs the game, overturning a national fate and personal destiny that seem impossible to change.
