The Swallow Behind the Vermilion Wall: The Archduke’s Beloved Nemesis

An imperial edict of marriage betrothed Shen Qingci, the Shen family's legitimate daughter, to the ambitious Third Prince, Zhao Mingyi. The favor and glory envied by all felt to her like a gentle shackle.

She could not forget her heart-stirring encounter with Xiao Huaijin, the empress's nephew, while playing the qin in a peach grove. Nor could she forget the dark figure who carried her to safety after she was poisoned during a spring hunt and lost consciousness. For her sake, he had volunteered to travel to the frontier, hoping to earn military merit and fight for a future for the two of them.

In the bitter cold beyond the frontier, he worked to clear her name.

When he learned of the betrothal, all that remained in his eyes was the fierce resolve to “win quickly and return quickly.”

The imperial edict was absolute, and the wedding date was set.

Family honor, court politics, and the strict codes of propriety stood between them like an impassable chasm.

Could the feelings they had yet to confess only be buried deep?

“If you care for each other, why not take a chance?”

The question from a close friend rang in their ears like thunder.

Could a noblewoman and a young general carve out a way to survive amid the struggle between imperial power and the great clans, protect each other, and defy fate?