To his horror, Baoliu is convicted in court of killing his step-mother and sentenced to be beheaded. On the day he is to be executed, his father purchases another man to be executed in Baoliu’s place, giving Baoliu the Golden Rat status. He watches the man die in his place and is then turned out into the street to survive however he is able, since his father has also disowned him.

Baoliu knows that he is innocent of the murder and is determined to find the real killer, but surviving in the slums of medieval China is a struggle. He makes an unexpected friendship, and the two boys work on the ship docks and scrounge whatever they can to survive.

Wulffson's premise is based on the ancient Chinese custom of Ka-di, where substitutes could be purchased and executed. Baoliu is a sympathetic and likable character who is haunted by the man who died in his place and searches for the truth about this man. But when Baoliu finds out about the replacement, nothing is quite as it had seemed in this exciting, action packed story.

Don Wulffson is a master at characterization, and his powerful multi-level plot and vivid descriptions take you right to twelfth century China. This story is a real winner for reluctant teen readers. It is storytelling at its very best with real emotion, fast paced action and a satisfying ending.