Zhou Zishu: A young clan leader who took charge in a time of crisis, master of the Window of Heaven, and unrivaled in strategy. He is both the brilliant commander who personally built the Jinzhou Tiger Army and a master schemer capable of turning the Jinzhou court upside down.
Liu Qionghua: A peerlessly beautiful physician and top-tier shadow guard, skilled in both medicine and assassination. She is more than qualified to run Kunzhou's leading apothecary, and is also a deadly assassin who can kill with a single strike.
On a rainy night in the wilderness, the orphan Liu Qionghua encounters Qin Huaizhang, master of the Four Seasons Manor, and his disciple Zhou Zishu, who are fleeing their pursuers. Through a twist of fate, she joins the manor and is trained as the master's shadow guard. In this chaotic age, every faction covets the Four Seasons Manor, which knows everything about the Nine Provinces and possesses a mountain of treasures. Besieged by the Jinzhou authorities and various martial arts factions, the manor is slaughtered. Lady Lingshu dies pregnant with triplets, and the manor's master, Qin Huaizhang, falls after fighting to the bitter end. Zhou Zishu takes charge in the crisis. The young manor lord, shadow guard Liu Qionghua, and junior disciple Qin Jiuxiao join forces to protect the Four Seasons Manor.
Later, circumstances force Zhou Zishu to head north and return to Jinzhou, where he takes up his father's post defending the border. But he is met with suspicion at every turn. Despite his many military achievements, he cannot rise through the ranks, so he has no choice but to establish the secret organization known as the Window of Heaven. It helps Helian Yi secure the border, investigate major cases involving salt taxes, private armies, treason, and more, bring down political rivals, and ultimately help Helian Yi ascend the throne. Liu Qionghua also travels north to accompany him, protecting the princess, investigating and carrying out assassinations, swimming across rivers, and overcoming every obstacle as she devotes herself to guarding Zhou Zishu. Yet, after witnessing the treacherous intrigues of the Jinzhou court and the sinister schemes of its people, can Zhou Zishu still keep his heart clear?
The Jin River flows on, as I bid you farewell forever!
This farewell is not only the break between Zhou Zishu and Helian Yi as lord and subject, but also the final parting between Liu Qionghua and Zhou Zishu, in life and death. In heaven or hell, they shall never meet again!
Is this novel a prequel to "The Order of Mountains and Rivers"? It really changed my view on fan fiction. This detailed description is too closely integrated with every plot of the original work. Writing a prequel is like darning. I have never seen a fanfic that can make a prequel more exciting than the original!
It's so beautiful, I can't wait to read more.