{"product_id":"the-plum-in-the-golden-vase","title":"Jin Ping Mei","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInside a wealthy merchant’s household, gossip cuts deep, desire breeds rivalry, and money bends the law.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn The Plum in the Golden Vase, Xiaoxiaosheng turns the world of Ximen Qing into a crowded portrait of appetite and power. A rich merchant in Qinghe, Ximen owns a pharmacy, lends money, and cultivates officials. He wants pleasure, rank, and greater wealth—and his household becomes a battleground for favour.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePan Jinlian, beautiful and sharp-minded, fights to keep her place among wives, concubines, and servants. Wu Yueniang guards her standing as principal wife, while Li Ping’er changes the balance of jealousy. Beyond the courtyard, bought office and bent laws expose a wider corruption. Frank sexual scenes and biting satire make private desire part of a searching social critique.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat you'll discover\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA household at war\u003c\/strong\u003e – Watch gifts, gossip, and well-timed complaints become weapons in the struggle for favour.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWomen guarding their place\u003c\/strong\u003e – Meet Pan Jinlian and Wu Yueniang, each determined to protect her position under one roof.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe reach of silver\u003c\/strong\u003e – Follow Ximen Qing’s wealth beyond his courtyard, into bought office and a law bent by money.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEveryday life in focus\u003c\/strong\u003e – Enter a detailed world of merchants, servants, officials, and hangers-on, all drawn into household affairs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAppetite under scrutiny\u003c\/strong\u003e – Explore the uneasy bond between pleasure and greed in a novel many read as a warning.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect for readers who enjoy long, detailed social novels, are curious about Ming China, and welcome frank sexual content.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpen the first page now and enter a household where comfort, status, and desire are always at stake.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Library of Alexandria Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59534634582364,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1027\/9442\/8764\/files\/00998_en_ebook-front_c09.jpg?v=1792174985","url":"https:\/\/libraryofalexandria.com\/fr\/products\/jin-ping-mei","provider":"The Library of Alexandria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}