The Deer & the Cauldron: Book 2

Name: The Deer & the Cauldron: Book 2
Rating: 4.6 (12 reviews)

by Jin Yong Book 2 in the Deer and the Cauldron series.

First published 1999

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4.1(12)

Trinket’s world expands beyond the Forbidden City as imperial errands, secret-society obligations and accidental promotions carry him through monasteries, provincial strongholds and the competing networks of the early Qing empire. He must continue convincing Kangxi that he is a loyal servant while concealing his position within the Heaven and Earth Society and surviving the demands of the fanatical Mystic Dragon Sect.

The volume develops the mystery surrounding the former Shunzhi Emperor and the contested memory of the fallen Ming. Trinket repeatedly escapes situations that a more honourable martial hero would confront directly, turning disguise, negotiation and cowardice into effective weapons. His shifting identities expose how political authority depends on performance, patronage and the stories each faction tells about legitimate rule.