"How fitting that the one who saved my life should now be the one to lead me away from it."

Xishi, a legendary beauty in the Yue kingdom has been asked to become a seductive spy to topple the conquering Wu kingdom. Along with her childhood friend Zhengdan who will become her palace maid, she is tutored by the handsome Political and Military advisor to the King Goujian of the Yue kingdom, Fanli. 

"The mind destroys; the heart devours"

As Xishi enters the Wu palace, peril is all around her. She makes alliances and also breaks them.

Although, aspects of the narrative did drag slightly; I understand there was a lot of growth for Xishi as a young woman in a dangerous world who is also falling in forbidden love. However aspects of the reflections didn't align with how badass her actions are. 

I really enjoyed this retelling; there was a lot of beauty in Liang's use of descriptors in her world building. Ann Liang usually writes YA; I believe this is her first venture into more adult Wuxia-esque genres.