Ballad of Sword and Wine: Qiang Jin Jiu (Novel) Series

FALL OF AN EMPIRE

Fresh from victory at Duanzhou, Xiao Chiye leads the Libei Armored Cavalry deep into the eastern desert, hoping to deliver a killing blow to Amur and his Biansha Horsemen. Xiao Chiye will gamble everything on this final strike—but even as he forges ahead, Amur’s Scorpions lurk in the heart of the empire, poised to strike at everything Xiao Chiye has left behind, including his beloved.

Shen Zechuan, far from defenseless, prepares his Zhongbo troops to confront the capital of Qudu and its girl emperor, Li Jianting. But the coming battle will test more than military might. Shen Zechuan understands better than anyone that the real war will be won or lost in the hearts of the people. Can the nation ever kneel to the son of Shen Wei, the empire’s most reviled traitor?

This triumphant series finale contains an exclusive new chapter from Tang Jiu Qing!

This limited Special Edition contains the Regular Edition, but with bonus merchandise shrinkwrapped to the book: a double-sided bookmark, a sticker sheet, a paper standee, and four postcards!

FALL OF AN EMPIRE

Fresh from victory at Duanzhou, Xiao Chiye leads the Libei Armored Cavalry deep into the eastern desert, hoping to deliver a killing blow to Amur and his Biansha Horsemen. Xiao Chiye will gamble everything on this final strike—but even as he forges ahead, Amur’s Scorpions lurk in the heart of the empire, poised to strike at everything Xiao Chiye has left behind, including his beloved.

Shen Zechuan, far from defenseless, prepares his Zhongbo troops to confront the capital of Qudu and its girl emperor, Li Jianting. But the coming battle will test more than military might. Shen Zechuan understands better than anyone that the real war will be won or lost in the hearts of the people. Can the nation ever kneel to the son of Shen Wei, the empire’s most reviled traitor?

This triumphant series finale contains an exclusive new chapter from Tang Jiu Qing!

UNDER SIEGE

Having at last consolidated the six prefectures of Zhongbo under his rule, Shen Zechuan stands between two looming threats: the Biansha Horsemen to the east, and the imperial court of Qudu to the west. Although Qudu remains paralyzed by internal strife, Shen Zechuan knows it’s only a matter of time before the fledgling emperor and her supporter, Xue Xiuzhuo, turn their eyes to him.

To the north, while Hassen continues to hammer Libei’s generals with relentless attacks, Xiao Chiye suspects his real target lies along the vulnerable border of Zhongbo. If he’s right, Shen Zechuan will be cut off and surrounded before reinforcements arrive.

Yet when Hassen’s attack comes, it is with a brutality no one anticipated. Forced to make a desperate stand, Shen Zechuan must hold the walls until Xiao Chiye arrives—or the city falls.

EYE FOR AN EYE

In the aftermath of the enemy general Hassen’s devastating ambush, Xiao Chiye struggles to hold together a fractured Libei Armored Cavalry. Morale is at an all-time low, and the enemy’s tactics grow ever more unorthodox. Unless Libei’s generals can adapt to Hassen’s ruthless ingenuity, their forces may not survive the next assault.

To the south, Shen Zechuan is determined to claim the last three prefectures of Zhongbo. To unify the region, he must crush King Yi, a self-proclaimed tyrant lording over Zhongbo’s south, and push back the Biansha Horsemen who have seized the east. If he succeeds, Zhongbo will become the crucial linchpin between north and south in the war against Biansha. Yet when the campaign puts Xiao Chiye on the front lines against Biansha’s most deadly forces, Shen Zechuan must risk losing the man he loves most in pursuit of the victory they so desperately need.

SINS OF THE FATHER

As Shen Zechuan attempts to consolidate power in Zhongbo with the aid of Yao Wenyu, his greatest stumbling block continues to be his own name. No matter how great his deeds, so long as he bears the stain of the traitor Shen Wei, he remains foiled in his ambitions. If Shen Zechuan is to expand his hold over the region, he must find a way to overcome his past.

Meanwhile, in the north, Xiao Chiye struggles to find his footing in the Libei Armored Cavalry. Their enemy Amur has sent his most powerful general northward, and the cavalry find themselves pressed back time and again by an adversary who seems to anticipate their every move. Xiao Chiye is hungry to step out of his father and brother’s shadow and become the commander who carries Libei to victory—but can he prove himself before it’s too late?

OPENING GAMBIT

Having successfully foiled the bandit attack on the city of Cizhou in Zhongbo, Xiao Chiye sets off in pursuit of their leader, attempting to cut him off before he returns to his lair. At the same time, having gained control of Cizhou, Shen Zechuan sets his sights on the neighboring prefecture of Chazhou in hopes of brokering a trade agreement. But Chazhou is a lawless place, ruled by a ruthless bandit chief who has long neglected the starving populace. If Shen Zechuan wishes to make his mark here, he must rely not on any army, but his own cunning.

As Shen Zechuan fights for a foothold in Zhongbo, a new power is rising in the capital of Qudu. Those with ambition eye the throne from all sides. The board is set for a game of wits that will decide the fate of the nation—and Shen Zechuan is playing to win.

DESPERATE MEASURES

After a close call with a deadly epidemic and an attempt on the emperor’s life, the imperial court of Qudu is in turmoil. The emperor is determined to hold someone among the noble clans accountable, a desire Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye are prepared to use to their political advantage. The chaos gives them another opportunity as well—a chance to investigate the suspected mastermind behind the fall of Zhongbo five years ago.

Yet as they delve deeper into the past, new dangers emerge in the present. For every move they make, their unseen adversary seems always a step ahead, driving them into a trap from which there is no way out. As Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye’s lives grow more and more entwined, both find they are increasingly reliant on each other. But when Xiao Chiye extends a hand in their most desperate hour, will Shen Zechuan take it?

KNOW THINE ENEMY

After a passionate night together, Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye part the next morning as enemies. A new emperor has ascended the throne, and the court is in flux. Power and position are in reach for anyone who dares to grasp them—and Shen Zechuan will stop at nothing to pursue his ambitions. But while Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye counter each other’s moves on the board, grander schemes are afoot in the capital of Qudu.

As court conspiracies swirl around them, Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye find themselves unlikely allies against a mysterious adversary pulling the strings behind a series of calamities targeting the emperor. Yet, in order to work together, there must be trust, and with trust comes risk: in setting their masks aside, they may inadvertently find their whole selves laid bare.

The fan-favorite danmei/Boys’ Love novel series originally released in Chinese!

In this historical tale of war and political intrigue, an intense relationship burns between the son of an infamous traitor and the vengeful nobleman who despises him…at first.

Shen Zechuan is the eighth son of the traitorous Prince of Jianxing, a man who doomed his cities and people to destruction at the hands of the foreign enemy. As the only surviving member of his reviled line, Shen Zechuan is dragged to the capital in chains. He bears the hatred of the nation, but no one’s hate burns hotter than that of Xiao Chiye, the youngest son of the powerful Prince of Libei.

Xiao Chiye would love nothing more than to see Shen Zechuan dead–but against all odds, he clings to life. Rather than succumb to his family’s disgrace, he becomes a thorn in Xiao Chiye’s side, clawing his way into the cutthroat political world of the capital. Yet as these two bitter enemies beat against the bonds of their fate, they find themselves kindred spirits, unlikely allies…and perhaps something more.

This Chinese historical fiction tale built around the desire between two men (danmei) has attracted fans from around the world and inspired a comic and an audio drama. The Seven Seas English-language edition includes exclusive new covers and interior illustrations.