An ancient-style novel with two male leads, blending court intrigue with the martial world and following the "powerful equals" route. It features both the treacherous machinations of court politics and the deep affection of two kindred spirits who find each other in troubled times. The prose combines the refined elegance of a scholar with a general's iron resolve, while the romance develops with restraint and intensity.
[Character Profiles]
- Shen Qingci (the shou): A proud, refined young man from a fallen aristocratic family, and the greatest scholar of the court. He seems gentle as jade, but is actually shrewd and calculating. To uncover the truth behind his family's wrongful case, he risks using himself as bait. He excels at music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but is even more skilled at strategy.
- Xiao Che (the gong): A Northern Pacification General commanding a vast army, known as the "God of Slaughter." He acts with ruthless authority and shows his enemies no mercy. Yet he falls for the scholar who dares to play the zither beneath his blade. He is an incredibly powerful fighter, a blunt and rugged man who says exactly what he thinks.
