A New Arrival at the Marquis’s Estate: After welcoming two sons, the Jingbei Marquis’s household celebrates the birth of its legitimate youngest son, Yun Zhao. Marquis Yun Chong personally names his beloved son “Zhao,” meaning “upright and honorable,” placing hopes in him that differ from those he has for his two older brothers.
A Close-Knit Brotherhood: The eldest son, Yun Lin, is sixteen, serious, and disciplined. The second son, Yun Huan, is ten, lively, and restless. Though they are very different from their little brother Yun Zhao, their daily martial arts practice and studies foster a deep bond between the siblings.
A Strict Father and a Loving Mother: Though the Marquis of Jingbei spends much of the year guarding the border, he keeps a close eye on all three boys’ studies through letters. His wife, Madam Su, gently holds the family together, while their five-year-old daughter, Yun Rou, is the apple of everyone’s eye.
Crisis Strikes: The Canglang tribes of the north launch a massive invasion. The Marquis of Jingbei and his eldest son are trapped in Shuofang City, while the second son is sent home gravely wounded. The family faces an existential crisis.
A Mission in a Time of Crisis: With the support of the old marquis, fourteen-year-old Yun Zhao refuses to flee south with his mother. Determined to sell the family’s belongings, recruit volunteers, and head north to rescue his father and brothers, he sets out on a perilous mission.
