Xiao Ying Jin Shu: One

[Book One complete. Book Two to come. Thank you, dear readers, for your company and support!]

The nine kingdoms vie for supremacy in a time of chaos.

Born an orphan, she was rescued and raised by Lin Fu, who gave her the name Xiao. Her father served in the army of Qianyang and dreamed of becoming a renowned general, a hero who would bring peace to the world. Growing up surrounded by his example, Lin Xiao inherited his ambition. She was determined to take the battlefield as a woman, pacify the warring lands, and become a hero remembered throughout history.

In the seventeenth year of the struggle for supremacy, Qianyang was defeated, and her father lost an arm.

In the nineteenth year, Lin Xiao received a broken blade. Her father was gone.

In the twenty-third year, Qianyang planned to conscript soldiers and reclaim its lost territory. But the Lin family had no eligible sons, and women could not earn glory on the battlefield. So Lin Xiao disguised herself as a man and enlisted, intending to reclaim her identity as a woman once she had won fame and success.

From then on, sandstorms and bloodshed tempered her iron will, while battle and war forged a hero.

Since joining the army, Lin Xiao has risen from a lowly soldier to a commander of five thousand. She has met and parted with countless people, but one person has always stayed by her side.

She first met Zhao Jin in Laogu, saw her again in Ji'an, built a bond of trust with her in Junyang, and entrusted her heart to her in Fengyu.

Xiao is like a blazing fire, while Jin is like frost wine. Their first encounter was a clash, and they took an instant dislike to each other. Lin Xiao thought Zhao Jin was arrogant, sharp-tongued, and unpleasant. Zhao Jin thought Lin Xiao was blunt, dim-witted, and far too sentimental.

But after weathering storms together and sharing the long years, they grew inseparable. Lin Xiao gradually discovered that beneath Zhao Jin's proud exterior lay a steadfast heart, and beneath her cold demeanor a tender soul. This peerless strategist captivated her completely, and Lin Xiao defied the so-called natural order of men and women joining together, without fear or regret.

Bonus scene (not part of the main story):

Lin Xiao pulled Zhao Jin into her arms.

"Why are you hugging me?"

"My father once warned me that if I ever met a good strategist, I should hold on tight. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about being too strong and breaking."

Zhao Jin put on a cool act, saying one thing while meaning another: "Who wants you to hold on to her? Whether you break or not has nothing to do with me."

"Then..." Lin Xiao tightened her arms around her, holding her close with tender care. "Would it matter if I made you my wife?"

Jin smiled and parted her lips. A gentle breeze carried her soft reply.

Her words settled in Lin Xiao's heart, sweet as honey, with a taste that lingered.

Reading Guide:

1. This is a fictional setting, so don't scrutinize the history. The worldbuilding is my own, with fantasy elements, an underworld, and gods, but no heavenly court or immortals.

2. This is a plot-driven story in two books. The first book has little romance, with feelings developing gradually. The leads get together in the first book, but are not yet married. The romance ends happily, while the main plot has a tragic ending.

3. There are many male supporting characters in the plot, both good and bad, and some will help bring the leads together.

4. Both leads are each other's first love and have only been with each other. They take turns taking the lead in their relationship. A straightforward, affectionate, fierce, loyal-dog (tiger) general x a cool, self-possessed strategist who never lets anyone get the better of her.

5. The story uses fixed points of view, mainly Lin Xiao's and secondarily Zhao Jin's. Other characters' perspectives are expected to appear in the form of biographies.

Theme: Why should women have to prove they are no less than men? Women are already every bit as capable.