Feng Xing

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“When everyone scorned me because I was merely a woman, I kept convincing myself: ‘Actually, you can give it a try.’” – Fang Feng Sheng

There was a famous saying in officialdom: there is no yamen without Shaoxing.

She was the only descendant of the Fang family, the most prominent family of private advisors in Shaoxing.

A calamity broke the Fang family apart. Her father was implicated and put to death, and she cut her way through thistles and thorns to prove her name.

However, walking down this path, she discovered that there were things beyond her imagination.

~ ~

Zong Yue knows that he could marry Fang Feng Sheng because he had blocked all her paths of retreat. But it doesn’t matter—one day, the person will become his, and so will her heart.

Associated Names
One entry per line
凤行
女师爷
Related Series
Ying Chong (Alternate Story)
Recommendations
The Little First Grand Secretary in My House (3)
The Black Horse (3)
Counterattack of the Cannon Fodder Chambermaid (2)
The Grand Princess (2)
Rebirth of a Star General (1)
The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. I Have Read A Gem # 5
  2. To do (read) list
  3. Pregnancy
  4. clearing my bookmarks
  5. Strong, Independent Heroines in Ancient China

Latest Release

Date Group Release
10/25/21 Phoenix Walk c111
10/02/21 Phoenix Walk c110
09/25/21 Phoenix Walk c109
09/18/21 Phoenix Walk c108
09/11/21 Phoenix Walk c107
09/03/21 Phoenix Walk c106
08/28/21 Phoenix Walk c105
08/20/21 Phoenix Walk c104
08/13/21 Phoenix Walk c103
08/07/21 Phoenix Walk c102
07/31/21 Phoenix Walk c101
07/23/21 Phoenix Walk c100
07/15/21 Phoenix Walk c99
07/10/21 Phoenix Walk c98
07/06/21 Phoenix Walk c97
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Review
10 Reviews


marchmallow
marchmallow
Jul 12, 2020
Status: Completed
Translator here.

This story is heavy on world-building and political intrigue. As written in the synopsis, FL's father was implicated in a certain embezzlement case and consequently 'committed su*cide' in prison. The first half of the plot revolves heavily around this, as FL believes that things were not as simple as they seemed, and that so many hands were moving in the dark. After her father's death, she becomes hell-bent on overturning his case and clearing his name to the point of obsession. It's very political and realistic. None of the... more>> characters are OP.

Apart from your usual game of thrones, this story delves deep into the consequences of the minute and seemingly harmless machinations happening outside the capital. This story is a perfect depiction of the Chinese saying: 'an ant may well destroy an entire dam'.

It may sound a bit bland, but the well-balanced plot, as well as the three-dimensional side characters, make it very interesting and worthwhile, and it's also well-paced with very satisfying end results. The novel is a bit short but is neither rushed nor contrived, and the length is just right. There is no dog blood drama, but there's plenty of scheming against men of power instead of women in the inner courtyard (for a change).

Now, the setting is in ancient China, in an imperialist era with strict hierarchy that adheres to Confucian ethics and patriarchal principles. Women literally did not have rights and were bound by virtues and ethics, and considering this, since the FL was determined to reverse her father's case, with her meager status, she had to take extra measures, hence the cross-dressing.

FL is very clever and independent, and also very self-aware. Feng Sheng is a very relatable and human character. She's intelligent and scheming but isn't all-knowing. She's relatively a bit 'mature' for a young ancient woman compared to similar FLs of this genre, as she's around 18-20 years old at the beginning of the story. Having been schooled by her father in the ways of a scholar & official since young, she's also a lot more open-minded.

Now, on to the ML. He's an imperial prince, and this noble birth comes with an arrogance that's etched deep in his bones. He's used to people vying for his favor, and used to commanding subordinates. He only has to bow to one person, and that person is his father. He's taciturn and domineering, and this is evident very early on during his first interactions with the FL...

Edit: Okay, ML might seem a bit headache-inducing at the start. You can ignore him for the first half of the story. He eventually gets better.

Spoiler

Around halfway through, the FL got in deep trouble (which was within her calculations). Her life and death was decided by the emperor, and ML used this as an opportunity to request his father for marriage with her, thus saving her life.

This was actually a result the ML expected and just blatantly took advantage of. To say he's shameless and scheming... well, he did save her life. And the tough situation FL was embroiled in was actually calculated by her own self. She was very aware that her schemes could lead to her death.

For the record, he never intended to shackle her in their marriage. He was aware that having her stay in the rear court was like trapping her, so he let her do literally whatever she wanted. He was very aware about his shortcomings. He only came on a little strong in the beginning, but he eventually mellowed down.

He opened an academy with her, let her roam out whenever she felt like it, and only restricted her when it concerned or health, like when she was pregnant, etc. He spoiled and indulged her in... a sort of different way.

As for the r*pe tag, I am, by no means, excusing the ML's behavior. They were married, and ancient people believed it was only right for husbands to want to sleep with their wives. HOWEVER, this was only at the start. Literally one or two chapters, and later on it got better. FL called him out on his behavior, too. I feel like I've been so desensitized by Cnovels that, although ML may be a bit of an a**hole, I find him a little more mellow than some MLs out there.

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The author is known for writing consistent characters. (Moreover, she's really good at writing characters from the ancient era.) That being said, both leads don't suddenly become romantic once they get together. There's an initial awkwardness, and their relationship is more steady and mature rather than passionate. There isn't much doting, and there is barely any fluff. Despite this, I still very much enjoy their dynamic once they become comfortable with each other.

Plus, the antagonists are also smart, and the more you read about them, the more you understand their motivations. You can't just classify them as black or white.

Some of my favorite elements about this story (contain MAJOR spoilers) :

Spoiler

1. FL was neither reborn nor transmigrated. She relied heavily on her intelligence. Her father had raised her as a son. Ancient women didn't participate in politics, so they didn't need to study, but Feng Sheng's father was very thorough in her education and even told her some dark political secrets.

2. FL is disguised as a man for half of the story. Having cross-dressed most of her life, she admitted that dressing up as a boy wasn't merely about wearing clothes tailored for men, but gestures and habits also needed to be learned and perfected to make it fool-proof. Her father being the head of the household, she also registered her male persona in their household registry and fabricated a believable story about how she had a twin, but the other had to live in the temple due to illness.

3. Aside from meeting the right person (not ML) at a critical juncture, FL's overall success was mostly earned by herself... well, if you don't count the ML saving her life twice...

4. FL is very self-aware and confident, but not too overconfident. She knows just how powerful her enemy is, and that she will be swallowed whole if she decides to investigate her father's case in great fanfare. Who was she? In her male disguise, she was just a young and intelligent scholar. She had to do everything methodically, with the help of other people.

5. FL also knew that to be able to succeed, she had to gamble. As I mentioned, she wasn't too overconfident. She had to really weigh her options and take great risks... even gamble with her own life.

6. ML had a very clear goal from the start, and he never let his feelings for the FL sway his plans. They were two people walking different paths in the beginning, and only when the situation favored them did he actually move the FL towards his direction and start incorporating her in his own plans.

7. ML is quite ambitious but his situation is delicate, so he has little room to maneuver his schemes and has to be extremely patient. He isn't OP and suffers the consequences of his decisions.

8. A wise emperor and father, who treated all of his sons equally and didn't favor any of them despite favoring ML's mother. A product of his time, sure, but he's so much better than a lot of imperial fathers in other C-novels I've read out there.

9. A somewhat realistic timeline. FL didn't immediately overturn her father's case once she set her mind to it. It took her a couple years and quite a lot of effort. It was a step-by-step process of trial and error with the aid of several talented people.

10. ML does have some rivals, but they were never forceful with MC despite their feelings. They respected her abilities, and they knew when to let go.

11. A couple years after marriage, the ML had to leave for an official errand assigned to him by the emperor. It was at a critical time in the imperial court, so there were several people tripping him up, but the FL used her smarts to scheme for him so he could successfully finish his mission.

12. They strive to be harmonious in their marriage and plan together, and the ML trusts and is in great awe of FL's abilities that he lets her attend his private meetings with his subordinates. They also open an academy together after brainstorming for it for quite some time.

13. A loving relationship between in-laws. ML's mother is actually the MC in one of the author's other works, Ying Chong. Here, we witness her relationship with the emperor in the timeline before her rebirth. (I also gave that one 5 stars! Also a great story.)

14. FL also has sincere female friends.

15. Smart antagonists, with scheming abilities on par with our main leads.

16. Their children are adorable and hilarious.

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Pomelo
Pomelo
Sep 25, 2020
Status: c38
This is probably on the list of my favourite novels, but I'm not going to assume that everyone and their grandmother is going to like it just because I do, because my preferences can be pretty specific. How do you know whether this novel is for you or not? Let me detail what this novel is, and what this novel isn't.

Short protagonist background: Fang Feng Sheng a daughter who'd been married out, but thought that her father's death is very suspicious. She suspects foul play. She is an only... more>> child who had been the apple of her father's eye, and he educated her well (which in these times meant that she was raised like a boy). Her in-laws are pretty shitty, husband was not present at all, and so she quickly planned for a way to get out of the household completely with the intention of disguising as a man, enter the government, and figure out what conspiracy her father got caught in.

That brings us to point number one:

Protagonist isn't OP: As a woman who'd married out, whose birth family had to fearfully cut ties with her father because of the scandal he's implicated in since they're all not looking to get captured an accused of treason, she has no family backing to rely on, no one but herself and her wits. There's nothing wrong with wanting to read OP protagonists; they're entertaining and cathartic. But that's not this story. We see her biding her time, planning her moves and actually work as part of the bureaucracy a lot before she even manages to get anywhere close to the hot potato that her father had been entangled in.

What can I say, I'm a sucker for highly intelligent MCs that actually demonstrate how exactly they're intelligent. You know, as opposed to the side characters just praising them for it, and yet we rarely see how that intelligence influences the way the MC solves the problems coming their way. I know this might be too slow and not enough action for some readers, so I'm just putting this up front to make it clearer.

Random aside: MC isn't earth-shatteringly beautiful. This is a character trait that has been used waay too often in c-novels that I actually sit up and take note when a writer chooses not to do this. She's pretty, sure, but even as the MC was staring at her face in the mirror at one point, she didn't think she was that outstandingly beautiful either.

Which brings us to the next points:

Face-slapping is next to none: Other than the first part where she hit back on her scheming in-laws and used their own greed and venality to blackmail them into a separation, there's not much face-slapping in the story. (Oh, she used the Third Prince that just happened to be visiting her in-laws as a convenient catspaw, and hurt his dignity somewhat, which probably started his fascination with her).

Main genre is probably thriller in a professional setting: What is Fang Feng Sheng's burning wish? To uncover the truth and cleanse her father's (Fang Yan's) good name, allowing him to be buried in the family burial grounds once more. How is she going to do this? By being the best damned administrator she could be, in her position as the advisor to Fan Jin Chuan, which meant uprooting bribe, graft, corruption etc, and setting traps to uproot people who cheat the state of its salt tax and sell black market (and thus untaxed) salt.

The supporting characters feel complex and rich. Even the salt officials that she meets that are clearly lining their own pockets, or even running his own private salt extraction/black market business are not just two-dimensional characters who did Bad Things because they were greedy, or have some unfettered vices they need to pay for. Sometimes, the cracks and broken parts of the system are shown too; like the official who didn't look much better than a farmer, who frankly admitted that if he didn't use his salary to pay for his staff, he wouldn't have the money to actually run the government in his small corner, and he has enough pride and/or integrity to not ask for bribes or run his own salt side business.

I can't say enough about how real the world is, in all its flawed glory (I'm a sucker for solid worldbuilding, so this sells it for me).

Romance?: It's barely there in the early parts of the story. Even in the first half, even as we can see a few male characters' interests in her, she's not reciprocating at all since her brain space is occupied mostly with work/ the long road of clearing her father's name. She doesn't have time or attention span for it. The writer also happened to be pretty even-handed, in that no particular male character seemed to have the upper hand than another. So, no single one actually have that bloody obvious male-lead-halo of being the handsomest, most charming and most powerful guy in miles who are always helping her.

This can be a downside to some readers as they don't come off as doting as male leads could be in other works. I appreciate it because it's more realistic, but again, preferences matter.

The first, Zong Yue, is the Third Prince that's been mentioned earlier. He's not a powerful prince, actually, and he has no maternal clan to back him. He's so

un-powerful that the other princes/imperial concubines in the imperial family just assumes he's in the crown prince's faction. So far, he's been sent here and there, looking for all the world like he's the emperor's dogsbody than a carefree prince. It's one of the reasons why he's not all around her all the time; there's court intrigue to manage, probes and accidents from other princes to dodge and deflect. He has work to do too.

The second Fan Jin Chuan, just sees her (in male attire) as another sharply intelligent, respectable scholar he can be friends with. And you know what? I'm even happier that there's none of the all-too-common love-at-first-sight. He genuinely respected her for her mind, and later on, for her perceptiveness on how things work in the ground. For all his intelligence and high-ranking exam results, he's more of a scholar and nerd than a bureaucrat, too used to seeing things in black and white than shades of grey. This is why he wasn't ashamed at all to ask her to be his advisor as he took up his new post. Later on, he starts staring at her more, and feeling more and more conflicted in view of her male beauty...

Character Notes:

    • Zong Yue: Mostly gets frustrated by the MC in the first half. He's too used to being a prince and getting people to automatically fawn and give way to him, or desperately tries to please him. He gets vexed when he's just looming/being intimidating (that's just his default expression/resting bastard face), but instead of acting like most people around him, she treats him like he's just another person. She doesn't fawn, and doesn't even try to read his hints and figure out what he might want. I don't think he even realises that he wants things (her?) at the beginning. I find it entertaining that in his encounters with her, he's almost always the only one who ends up pissed off, while she would wonder in passing about his mood before focusing back on her work.
    • He gets better in the second half once he doesn't expect her to read his mind/actually brush up on his communication skills. Some people might consider that as an annoying flaw in one of the male leads. I find that it makes him human. He worries a lot about her while she continues to charge headlong into danger to avenge her father and restore his good name.
    • Fan Jin Chuan: A ranked minister sent by the emperor to a remote post. A nerd and a scholar, and way too idealistic for his own good. By my reckoning, he'd have stepped on enough toes to get assassinated or 'had a fatal accident' within a month in his job if it wasn't for Fang Feng Sheng being his aide and reality check. His intelligence is real, though, and he picked up what she'd been trying to teach him (subtlety and patience among them) pretty quickly. Half the time he exasperates her and the other half she's impressed with his sense of duty/ethics (even if she didn't want to have it).
TL;DR: An educated woman goes undercover as a man to uncover the conspiracy that got her father killed. She uses her intellect to untangle plot, straighten up her corner of the imperial bureaucracy while stopping her idealistic boss from getting himself killed. Occasionally, she meet and frustrates the Third Prince, the emperor's errand boy. Some romantic tension also happens.

To summarise in one pithy line: "My name is Fang Feng Sheng. Your Highness Crown Prince, you killed my father. Prepare to die." <<less
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Lydia
Lydia
Sep 12, 2020
Status: --
It’s an intelligent novel, one that makes you think - not at all for those who want to “waste time” - the author herself explains multiple times that this piece of work is going to be very detailed-oriented and more intricate than her other novels. Here are 5 reasons why I love this novel:

1) The translation is superb (I’m a stickler for grammar and fluidity) and the translator does such a thorough and meticulous job of getting across all the nuances which may be missed if the reader is not... more>> cognisant of the culture or historical background. Often times too many “great” novels are ruined by mtl and atrocious, headache-inducing translations which have me running away long before I can even get into the story.

2) The female lead is very likeable, although she is deeply scheming, she never tries to justify some of her more “questionable” actions - she understands her limitations and is very realistic in her approach to life. She is also not unteachable, i.e. Stubborn and self-righteous, if she’s given better advice than her own, she’ll use it to reach her goals. Of course, the best aspect of her character is the fact that she can make moves without blind confidence in a “golden-finger” or cheat system - everything she does and achieves is a result of her own ability and far-sightedness. Even when she’s rescued by ML, it’s not because she was entirely helpless since she always has a plan B.

3) The plot is not bogged down by one-dimensional development. Whatever actions taken on this side of the sea has ramifications in another part of the nation and makes for an interesting read; seeing the consequences of the actions of certain characters. It’s not just all about the romance between the two leads either and both characters also have personal goals which are not influenced or overshadowed by their feelings for one another. So definitely one for the more intelligent readers out there who prefer intrigue to mindless drama & never-ending face-slaps.

4) Main characters are not given precedence, the side characters also make frequent appearances which all joins together to paint the bigger picture - even peasants in remote villages have a part to play - and for once, I’m not annoyed by so-and-so in a courtyard some miles away from the action because I know there’s something important the author is trying to convey to the readers.

5) It’s a good length overall so won’t be tiring to keep up till the end (not a fan of novels with thousands of chapters where nothing actually ever happens) and should hopefully have a satisfying conclusion.

Give it a chance! <<less
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izanyas
izanyas
Sep 30, 2020
Status: c42
Absolutely loving this so far, what a gem to stumble upon completely by luck. I adore how Fang Feng Sheng thinks and works through the various obstacles and relationships thrown her way, and I even find myself loving Zong Yue's side of the story within the imperial family—something I really wasn't expecting when I first met him. Fan Jin Chuan, the Song Family, Zhi Qiu and Zhi Chun, so many side characters bring so much liveliness to it all. The translation is so enjoyable, well-written and obviously well-researched, it is... more>> a true joy in the midst of so many lackluster English translations. I truly appreciate being allowed to read the author's notes as well!

I find myself reading more and more slowly as I reach the end of currently translated chapters—I don't want the pleasure to stop! But I will be very excited to continue reading update by update later on. This story is lovely and its translation is a gift. <<less
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darkelf01
darkelf01
Sep 09, 2022
Status: c29
Dropped at ch. 29.

... more>>
Spoiler

I don't agree with MC's action and her three views. Actually it was quite realistic for its era, but as a human, I can't agree with her just watching unperturbedly from the sideline when they have the power to do something. It's realistic, yes, and the author did explained their reason for writing such an MC but it disturbed me. I meant, she wanted to upturn and reveal the truth about her father's unjust case, right? But she herself allowed corruption to slide by because she reasoned they can't do anything about it.


I was laughing angrily after reading that because a few chapters ago, people also told her there's nothing she can do about the case because she's powerless but she still pushed on. Well that's admirable but now she said the same thing to the upright scholar I'm getting fond of. Also, it might be the same thing that killed her father but she still let it be because it's already a tradition in the officialdom. Well, what's the difference between her and the killer, then?

My middle finger is for this hypocritical 'realistic and wise ancient woman' 🖕

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stardust09
stardust09
Aug 23, 2020
Status: c87
I totally loved this! I binged read this novel and even mtled it (rip brain cells). The plot is good and very intricate, the translation flows smoothly, and the characters are well-developed. The FL is very cunning, head strong, and independent. Furthermore, the interaction between FL and ML is very interesting. Although he is quite an a**hole, I was looking forward to his character development and his progress with the FL. Basically, everything about this novel is good, until.....

... more>>
Spoiler

I reached about chapter 80 after their marriage. AHH There should be a r*pe tag in this! I was so pissed with the ml. He was blatantly violating the FL. The FL was saying no but HE FORCED HER! Not once, but quite a few times! I felt so bad for the FL : (. She was such a brilliant and beautiful girl but she was forced into the backyard of the bastard ML. She got no choice but to marry the ML or else the emperor won't let her off. I don't know if there would be a redemption for the ML after this or something, but I can no longer stomach it so I stopped. : (

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I never managed to finish it because of some issues I had with the novel. I wanted to rate it with 3 stars because of how dismayed I was with the ML, but I still rated it 4 stars for the translation, plot, and FL. <<less
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Mehmeh713
Mehmeh713
Jun 16, 2022
Status: Completed
Love all the political intrigue along with the balanced romance. FL and ML are both also really likable (especially FL). Other than the protagonists, the other characters were also pretty nicely fleshed out, they weren't one dimensional good vs bad and a lot of their behavior and reactions feel like actual human beings rather than cardboard figures.

my only minus point is that some parts were overly detailed to the point that it felt kind of draggy. I actually kind of just skimmed through some of it like the details about... more>> the salt and so on and even then it's still possible to understand what's going on so I do feel like it was unnecessary and draggy.

romance -> their dynamic is actually very balanced considering the huge power gap between them. At the start, ML comes off as pretty forceful and domineering but to be fair he does respect her decisions even when he doesn't have to. It's also pretty amusing seeing him lose his temper because of her while she just goes on with her day like nothing's wrong. After they get married, things further improve because it truly shows how much ML respects and adores FL. He's willing to trust her with his plans and to act on her ideas even though women aren't normally allowed to do so. They become true partners in every sense.

Spoiler

things I found especially romantic:

1. Giving up his plans just to marry her and save her life.


2. Telling her that it doesn't matter whether or not she can conceive and effectively saying that he won't have a child with someone else (he said something like even if she can't conceive, there are other solutions and it won't affect them which I took to mean that he would adopt.)

3. Inviting her to discussions with her advisors

4. Discussing with her on the educating women issue

5. Chasing after her when she left and coaxing her without any care for his image.

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whitespade
whitespade
Dec 14, 2021
Status: Completed
I suggest you to wait for the superb translation. The MTL is readable, but the translation is so good it's better to wait.

The MC and ML are intelligent people. No, actually everyone in this novel is intelligent, especially the willy officials. This novel really celebrate the resourcefulness and cunningness of these officials from the lowliest ones that eke a living by petty bribes to the highest one that can move the direction of the country by their will.

The solution for all these bribes taking official is clear taxation. So you... more>> will read lots and lots about these kind of thing, so if you find it dry you can skim it and the novel is still understandable.

Everyone is fine in the end, and I mean EVERYONE. So if you don't like bloodthirsty novel this one is good. <<less
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mochispinky
mochispinky
Jan 13, 2021
Status: c122
I feel like I picked this book at a wrong time. I wanted to relax my braon but this instead made me hthink too much and gavr a headache.

It has a lot of plot going on after the first half, I almost hate the word 'salt'.

We see our MC is super smart but is emotionaally dumb. She obviously feels extreme distress for her dad and its understandable.

However, how she acts with the males she comes across is a tad bit annoying. She feels guilty all the times and she doesn't... more>> know why. That is a baffling thing which I least expect from an extremely smart women.

Spoiler

Even till now I don't get what her problem was when they got married and she had to get physical with ML. I'm not saying it in the sense that she had to súbmit, which she did anyways, but how after 2 or 3 times there is no mention of so called struggle. If she hated him or was nervous or simply dont like thr act.. Then we are lrft in dark. Nothing is clearly said except portryaing ML as r*pist and her assuming that he was treating her as pr0stitute. Its only an year later a line is written thst she came to like it.

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I wont go into details but except for some praise worthy comebacks, she is bland.

ML, is ookayy I suppose. He forces her emotionally and physically (to what degree depends on readers perspective). However, to me who has read so many novels with ancient China setting, his behaviour seems totally normal.

Both are imperfect humans who are portrayed as the most intelligent.

I loved the translations, particularly the details and images every chap had.

This is recommended to people who love reading detailed intelligent plots where not even small detail could be missed. <<less
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Eeria
Eeria
Mar 14, 2022
Status: Completed
I agree with another reviewer about the quality of translation. It’s so good it’s better to wait for them. The story was good. Actually up until FL solved her heart knot, the story was pretty great. After, it became a bit like slice of life while trying to tie up all loose ends to the story. I felt it should have been written as extras instead.

The FL was very focused on her objective and I loved seeing her using her wits to get there. The ML was the classic jerk... more>> turn good, without the womanizing part. The romance part never is the main focus of the novel so it’s a bit dry in that area. The novel explore salt trade and all the complications with managing it in a very detailed manner which was interesting. <<less
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