Beautifully translated into English. A story of intrigue, set in the fabulously interesting time of the Ming dynasty, China. It was a time when tradition held that women did not play chess. At that time, Jin Xiaomei, a young girl of seventeen had grown up in the Plum Valley Chess Club where she was forbidden to play by her father, the master of the club. Jin Xiaomei had other ideas. Follow her as she dresses up as a man and plays in other clubs to gain knowledge and experience. She enters the emperor's chess competition to determine the Grand Master of the dynasty. But there is another story. What is the secret under the mahogany tree? Who are the people who are out to destroy Jin Xiaomei and the Plum Valley Chess Club? And what of Prince Zhu? Will Jin Xiaomei resist his advances so she can pursue the one she loves? Will Jin Xiaomei endeavours lead to the emergence of legend or tragedy? This story is loosely based on history, and many of the events portrayed are accurate.