As his clan's youngest assassin, Xiahou Lian is tasked with finding a way into the aristocratic Xie family. When he manages to gain a post and befriend the family’s youngest son, their relationship could lead Xiahou Lian to make a choice that will follow him long into adulthood…Xiahou Lian, the Qielan Clan’s youngest assassin, needs to get inside the aristocratic Xie household for his next assignment. He secures a post under Xie Jinglan, the family's youngest son, and all players are in position. Yet as the date of the planned assassination approaches, the two boys find that they've become fast friends. Thus, Xiahou Lian takes a course of action that will haunt him for years to come…
As fates turn, Xiahou Lian is reduced to working as a dog for the chief of the Eastern Depot, a Ming dynasty spy agency. But the chief is the very boy Xiahou Lian once saved! What’s more, he seems more charming than resentful. There’s definitely something wrong with the chief…
“LET ME LIVE FOR YOU, ALL RIGHT?”
After converging in the capital, Xiahou Lian and Shen Jue soon learn that the imperial court is no safer than the roads that brought them there. Power is shifting perilously, secrets are tightening around them, and Xiahou Lian’s attempts to protect himself through deception place him in unexpected danger.
Shaken by the fallout, the two dare to rebuild the bond they once lost. As Xiahou Lian gains a foothold in the Eastern Depot, he and Shen Jue are swept into a storm of treachery and enemies. A once-overlooked pawn has become a deadly adversary, and every step becomes a gamble with their lives.
As peril closes in from all sides, Xiahou Lian and Shen Jue must rely on the fragile trust they’ve only just begun to reclaim—because this time, it may be the only thing that keeps them alive.
