The Sword Dancer (Lovers and Rebels, #1; Tang Dynasty, #4)

by Jeannie Lin

bandit might steal a sack of grain or a string of coins from an individual, but a dishonest bureaucrat stole from the entire population.

one should not aim to prove the guilt or innocence of the accused,’ he said. ‘Rather one should strive to seek the truth.’

Justice wasn’t the same for everyone. It wasn’t a sacred, immutable force.

most difficult feeling to sort out was how she felt about him. Maybe it could never be fully understood. It was what the Taoists called knowing without knowing.

In Buddhist thought, small actions had far-reaching consequences across distance, across time.