The Sky

冯玉奇Nov 2025

3.0

Word count: 161K words
Chapters: 22

Summary

A sequel to Nie, Xiao unfolds against the turmoil of the Republican era, centering on the loves and hatreds of its protagonists. Sima Wen loses himself to the temptations of money and beautiful women and becomes entangled with Xuehong and Zhixian; his younger brother Sima Ying also faces setbacks in love, and his relationship with Shiying is repeatedly tested. In a time of foreign aggression and warlord strife, while family indulgence leaves some young people without direction, the protagonists witness injustice, struggle through pain, and gradually awaken. Realizing that personal fate is bound to the nation's, they break free of emotional and ideological constraints, set aside personal suffering, and resolve to devote themselves to building a new China, achieving self-redemption in the tide of the times.

Editor's review

As the sequel to *Nie*, *Xiao* unfolds its emotional entanglements against the turbulent backdrop of the Republican era. Sima Wen loses himself to the temptations of money and beauty, his relationships with Xuehong and Zhixian tangled and complex; the bond between Sima Ying and Shiying is likewise repeatedly tested. The novel is not merely a tale of romantic attachment: family indulgence, foreign aggression, and warlord strife all bear down on the young, who gradually awaken through painful struggle. Its value lies in showing the link between individual and national destiny: the protagonists break free of emotional and ideological shackles, set aside personal pain, and resolve to devote themselves to building a new China. Readers may follow the character arc of "lost—struggling—awakened," and observe how the author uses family relations and the times to explain the young people's turn. Suitable for readers interested in Republican-era popular fiction, youth coming-of-age, and narratives of nation and home.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy coming-of-age and emotional-entanglement stories set in the Republican era
Readers interested in how young people find their direction in turbulent times
Readers who want to understand how popular fiction writes nation-and-home narratives
Readers comfortable with multi-sided romantic entanglements and an oppressive historical atmosphere

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer a single storyline and a light, brisk pace
Readers impatient with multi-sided romantic entanglements and lost, drifting characters
Readers expecting rigorous historical research or broad social analysis

Reading tips

First sort out Sima Wen's relationships with Xuehong and Zhixian, then observe the turning points of his loss and change.
Read the romantic setbacks of Sima Ying and Shiying against the historical backdrop to understand the characters' choices.
After finishing, trace the main thread of "personal pain—national destiny—self-redemption."

版权信息
自序
第一回
第二回
第三回
第四回
第五回
第六回
第七回
第八回
第九回
第十回
第十一回
第十二回
第十三回
第十四回
第十五回
第十六回
第十七回
第十八回
第十九回
第二十回

FAQ

What is the relationship between *Xiao* and *Nie*?

*Xiao* is the sequel to *Nie*. The story still unfolds against the turbulent Republican backdrop, continuing around the protagonists' loves and hates. Readers may treat *Xiao* as an extension of the characters' fate and ideological transformation, focusing on how they gradually awaken amid emotional turmoil and the pressures of the times.

Why does Sima Wen lose himself?

The material shows that Sima Wen loses himself to the temptations of money and beauty and becomes deeply entangled with Xuehong and Zhixian. The novel also depicts family indulgence causing some young people to lose their direction, so his loss is both a personal choice and a product of his upbringing and the ethos of the times.

How do the protagonists finally achieve self-redemption?

Witnessing many injustices and enduring painful struggles, they gradually awaken to the truth that individual destiny is closely bound to the nation's. They break free of emotional and ideological shackles, set aside personal pain, and resolve to devote themselves to building a new China. This turn from personal romance toward national responsibility forms the novel's redemptive thread.

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About the author

冯玉奇 Author

Feng Yuqi was a writer of popular fiction in the Republican era. Public information about him is limited: neither his dates of birth and death nor his native place are clearly recorded. Yet the 172 works held in our collection attest to the sheer volume of his output. His writing is driven by plot, and his subjects range across wuxia, modern romance, social fiction, and time-travel and alternate-world fiction. Representative works include Chivalrous Five-Flower Chart, Wen Suchen, National Soul: Blood and Flowers, The Understanding Flower, Sea of Blood and Flowers of Love: Favors and Grudges, Soul Broken at the Slanting Sun: The Strange Man of the Desert Island, and Remnant Light on Green Waves. Most of these appeared in Republican-era popular-literature journals and as standalone volumes. His language is plain and accessible and his narrative pace brisk; he excels at interweaving love and hatred, gratitude and grievance, and chivalrous adventure, while also depicting the ways of the world. His work had a certain influence among urban readers of the time. Today his writings are collected in the Feng Yuqi volume of the Republican Popular Fiction Collection, offering a useful sample for studying the generic ecology of Republican-era popular literature.