The year Xizhou fell, only the princess, Tantai Xue, survived among the royal bloodline. Taking the name Ji Xueyao, she used her mind-reading ability to walk a knife’s edge, establishing the Red Lotus between the Western Regions and the Central Plains with the sole aim of restoring her kingdom.
Gao Yicheng, the Fifth Prince of Great Qi, watched his mother die unjustly within the palace. He fled with his younger sister, spent ten years living under an assumed name, and founded the Startling Insects under the alias Sichen, all for the sake of revenge.
They both lived in the dark, each believing they were destined to walk alone for the rest of their lives.
Until that night
By a twist of fate, she read every memory he had and learned all his secrets, including the bitter hatred buried deep within him.
When he discovered she knew everything, he had no choice but to keep her locked at his side.
From then on, they used and tested each other.
Facing the icy chill in Gao Yicheng’s eyes, Ji Xueyao boldly proposed that they join forces.
He replied coldly, “What do you have to offer me in exchange for an alliance?”
She smiled alluringly. “Myself.”
His expression remained cold. “There’s no trust between us, only mutual exploitation and shared interests.”
She smiled and answered, “Then may we, as allies, ride straight to victory.”
No one could have imagined that these two, who met in a life-or-death clash in Yinzhou, would become partners in life and death, plotting to rule the realm together.
Amid the treacherous intrigues of court and the clash of armies between three kingdoms, vows of eternal love entwine with the enmity between their nations. At last, these two who have entered each other’s souls must discover whether the road they have traveled together for half their lives can still lead to the same destination.
Core theme: Two people burdened by hatred meet in the shadows. They move from suspicion and wariness to understanding and love. Yet with both carrying the weighty responsibilities of their families and countries, too much lies between them. This is a story about continually choosing between duty to family and country and personal love.
