Nine Clouds Record (4)

金万重Aug 2024

4.0

Word count: 52K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

The story goes that Yan Xuechu and Hu Boyuan both testified that Zhang Xiuhe had instigated them from beginning to end, and both were put to death. Xiuhe was thrown into the imperial prison, and court and country alike called it a happy day. Zhang Xiuhe's son Zhang Shan, watching his father's faction of villains slaughtered one and all, their roots laid bare, and his father cast into a death-cell, was panic-stricken and distraught, at a loss what to do.

Editor's review

This is Volume 4 of Nine Clouds. The plot centers on Yan Xuechu and Hu Boyuan confessing that Zhang Xiuhe instigated them, the execution of the corrupt faction, and Zhang Xiuhe's imprisonment in the imperial jail, to the public's satisfaction. Meanwhile, Zhang Xiuhe's son Zhang Shan watches his father's faction fall and his father taken to prison, and is left panic-stricken and distraught. This volume clearly enters the closing phase of the conflict, setting the exposure of the corrupt faction against the collapse of a family, with the narrative shifting from exposition to a sudden downturn in the characters' fortunes. Zhang Shan's panic and helplessness are the emotional anchor of this section, through which readers can see the typical ancient-novel treatment of good and evil retribution and family entanglement. The pace is faster than in previous volumes, with dense events, and is suited to readers who have finished the earlier volumes and want to follow the characters' fates. As you read, note how the author juxtaposes the public's "satisfaction" at the faction's downfall with Zhang Shan's "distress," and the moral judgment carried by plot elements such as the imperial jail and executions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have read the first three volumes of Nine Clouds and want to follow the ending
Readers who enjoy good-versus-evil retribution and the exposure of corrupt factions in ancient novels
Lovers of classical narrative who are interested in family entanglement and characters' predicaments
Researchers interested in how chapter-style novels handle the closing of conflict

Not a good fit for

Readers who have not read the earlier volumes and start with this one
Readers who prefer light, warm content without conflict
Readers uncomfortable with plots involving ancient justice and family collective punishment

Reading tips

Be sure to read the first three volumes first; the character relationships and causal chains in this volume all build on earlier text.
As you read, compare the two threads—the corrupt faction's downfall and Zhang Shan's situation—to sense the moral judgment in the narrative.
Note the juxtaposition of the public's "satisfaction" and Zhang Shan's "distress," and consider the author's stance.
After finishing, look back at earlier volumes' groundwork for Zhang Xiuhe and his son to understand how the ending is arranged.

版权信息
第二十八回悖逆子舍父丧命奸党贼籍产就戮
第二十九回乐游园赏秋咏菊诗打围场看剑听宝瑟
第三十回杜蘅院丞相梦八仙凝晖阁英阳诞双男
第三十一回英阳主细评柏叶茶白凌波雅宣牙牌令
第三十二回兰阳主约咏美人诗桂蟾月斗趣骰角令
第三十三回三场试六子联金榜九云楼八美说笑话
第三十四回庾太君大宴群芳园两公主文誓白衣佛
第三十五回杨丞相陈疏乞养真上人返本还原

FAQ

Can I start reading directly from Volume 4?

Not recommended. This volume follows closely on the first three; the relationships and causal chains among Yan Xuechu, Hu Boyuan, Zhang Xiuhe, and others are built on earlier text. Reading it directly would make it hard to understand how the corrupt faction was exposed and why Zhang Shan is so panic-stricken; it is best to start from Volume 1 in order.

What is Zhang Shan's situation in this volume?

According to this volume, Zhang Shan watches the corrupt faction's household being slaughtered, its foundations fully exposed, and his father Zhang Xiuhe thrown into a death-row prison; he is panic-stricken and distraught. This character's predicament is the emotional anchor of the volume and embodies the ancient novel's treatment of family entanglement and good-and-evil retribution.

How does this volume's narrative pace compare with Volume 1?

This volume is dense with events: the faction's confession, executions, and imprisonment follow one another, and the pace is clearly faster than Volume 1, which mainly lays out background. The conflict is concentrated and brought to a close, making it suitable for readers already familiar with the character relationships to follow continuously.

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About the author

金万重 Author

Kim Man-jung is an ancient author about whom little is known; public information is limited, and his exact nationality, dates of birth and death, and personal experiences are not clearly recorded. Judging from the surviving works, he is known for the full-length ancient romance novel Nine Cloud Dream, which is divided into multiple volumes, with four related works included in the library. The story has elements of time travel and alternate history, placing a love story in a fantastical ancient setting, with detailed plotting and intricate character relationships; it combines the tenderness of romance with the tone of classical narrative. These works are often classified under literary appreciation and time-travel alternate history, indicating that readers value both their literary interest and their imaginative premises. Although details about the author himself are difficult to verify, Nine Cloud Dream, with its complete length and distinctive thematic features, remains a noteworthy work of ancient romance fiction and offers later readers a sample for understanding the narrative style of such novels.