Le paravent de laque (Juge Ti)

The setting feels so authentic and layered—I'm curious whether the author did specific research or drew from personal knowledge to craft this world.

The build-up to the climax was detailed, but I wonder if the slower sections were intentional to build atmosphere or if they could have been tightened.

The cultural details added so much depth; I'm interested in how these elements influenced the story's development or the characters' choices.