The Black Lotus of the Great Ming

In sea-locked Ningbo, where salt merchants rule and officials turn a blind eye, a sharp-tongued girl named Xu Miaoxue survives by scamming the rich and helping the poor. But after pretending to be an official’s wife and stealing from the wrong people, she becomes a wanted criminal overnight. With the city hunting her down and powerful forces closing in, she must gamble on a single goal that could change her fate—getting into the nobles’ secret banquet at Ruyi Harbor. Aliar, a storm of power, and a game she was never meant to play… Once she steps in, there is no turning back. — Description from novelcodex.orgFull novel: The Black Lotus of the Great Ming — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠