The Marquis’s Daughter Is No Easy Target: An Iron Cavalry Brings His Beloved Home

This is the story of the remarkable lives of Liu Yunyan, the Grand Tutor’s daughter, and Gong Chengliang, commander of the Imperial Guard.

At fifteen, Qiao Nian, the false heiress of the Marquis’s household, has her origins exposed. Framed by the true heiress, Lin Yuan, she is reduced to a servant in the Laundry Bureau. Liu Yunyan, daughter of the Grand Tutor, steps forward to offer Qiao Nian warmth and support. Her sincerity catches the eye of Gong Chengliang, who has been ordered to investigate the case of the switched babies. Their first encounter, when tea spills from a cup, marks the beginning of their entangled lives. He is the cold and iron-willed commander of the Imperial Guard, yet only with her does he lower his defenses. She is a gentle but resilient noblewoman, who grows ever more courageous under his protection.

From tracking down the midwife to uncover the truth behind the baby swap, to outwitting Lin Yuan and the forces behind her, and then joining hands to wipe out Prince Ming’s remaining followers and foil Ouyang Xinhai’s treasonous plot, their fates are always bound up with the greater good of their country. Liu Yunyan uses a silver bell as her token, protecting the vulnerable and upholding order. Gong Chengliang wields his sword as a shield, defending the borders and safeguarding the people. The bustling life of Blackstone Lane, the undercurrents swirling through the Marquis’s grand estate, and the fierce winds and sands of the northern frontier all witness their journey from a shy first meeting to standing by each other through life and death.

When the schemes have been exposed and all has settled, they set aside their glory and build a life together in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of a southern academy, watching ink orchids bloom and listening to the silver bell ring softly. The story has the twists of feuds among noble families, the turbulence of political machinations, and a deep love that spans half a lifetime. It proves that the most moving protection is never found in war and bloodshed, but in still being able to hold each other’s hands after weathering every storm, passing warmth and justice down through the generations.