Su Yunlan, owner of a teahouse, is the most mysterious and beautiful woman in the capital. The burn on her left shoulder, shaped like a flame, still throbs, and the silver needles hidden in her sleeve are coated with the poison of vengeance. The scorching fire in her dreams, the wedding robe consumed by flames, and the phoenix’s cry all remind her that those responsible for destroying her family will not let her go easily.
Pei Jingheng, heir to the Marquis of Wuding, is the emperor’s sharpest sword. The scars left by the chains around his wrist glow with a cold blue light every full moon, while hidden against his chest is half of a gold-inlaid silver bell bearing the same mark as Su Ci’s birthmark.
Though they stand on opposite sides, with no hope of reconciliation, their journey together begins in deceit and exploitation. But things gradually spiral out of control. It seems everything was destined from the start: they are fated to share the turmoil of this war-torn age. A vengeance wielded like a blade in the name of love will ultimately reveal the way home amid the ashes.
