Beneath the splendor of an age of prosperity lie the shocking intrigues of court politics and the brutality of the battlefield.
Shen Qingxian, the “Jade-Faced Asura” general who inspires fear across the northern frontier, disguises herself as her frail, illegitimate younger sister and marries into the Marquis of Anyuan’s household to investigate a conspiracy. She conceals her sharp edges and plays the role of a timid, sickly bride, treading carefully at every step.
Xiao Moyuan, the seemingly mild-mannered and carefree Marquis of Anyuan, is in truth the emperor’s blade, commanding a vast network of spies. He marries her by imperial decree, intending to use the “general’s younger sister” as a pawn. But he senses a kindred spirit in her, along with layer upon layer of mystery.
On their wedding night, he tests her with a hand clasped in his; she deftly plays along.
In their daily life, he moves carefully at every turn, while she counters every move.
He sees her murmuring military strategies by the rockery; she sees him reveal his edge in a moment of crisis.
A marriage bestowed by the emperor becomes the ultimate contest between two consummate actors. They spar relentlessly within the marquis’s residence and stand side by side amid the storms of court.
As their disguises are peeled away one layer at a time, what emerges is not the crime of deceiving the emperor, but a meeting of souls and the thrill of finding a worthy opponent.
“So, Lady Anyuan, what other surprises do you have that I don’t know about?”
“And you, carefree marquis, who are you really?”
When war fires flare up along the frontier once more, she rides out in red, her silver spear aimed at the very place where he has laid his plans and quietly set the board.
It turns out the deepest affection begins with a deception understood by both. The strongest alliance lies within a marriage that began with suspicion.
When the turmoil concealed beneath their brocade robes is finally revealed, they understand that the greatest fortune of their lives was meeting someone just like themselves.
