Francis finds himself fighting for both the Ming dynasty and the Manchus at various points in the book, but he never wavers from his commitment to spreading Christianity throughout China.

• 弗朗西斯在书中的不同地方有时替明朝说话，有时又为满洲人辩护，但他坚持要将基督教传遍全中国的信念始终没有动摇。