If the protagonist of the previous story is Yu Qian, the well-deserved protagonist of this story is Wang Yangming. In spite of that, Li Dongyang connects to me more. He bears the burden of humiliation; he truly has a bright and clear heart. In the story, sages provide philosophical outlook on life. They do not consider perfection as a blessing. The great virtue of man lies in his ability to correct his mistakes and continually make a new man of himself.
A refreshing style of writing from the author, narrating history in the form of a novel, while adding associations to contemporary society to allow easier reading and "lower the barrier" for people who are keen on learning more history but afraid of reading dry texts or textbook/academic style writing that is so prevalent of many history books. A definite recommendation to readers who want to understand more about the Ming Dynasty of China.