Twin Jades of Jiangdong (Novel) Vol. 1

Twin Jades of Jiangdong #1

by Fei Tian Ye Xiang, Moon (Translator), idledee (Illustrator)

Set in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms era comes a story of childhood friends and the changes their relationship faces in the midst of war.

From their days of childhood innocence to their time fighting, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce never forgot the promise they made to one another. Yet, as they faced the terror of war both together and alone, there still remained feelings left unsaid between them. But can a promise between children remain strong when those friends face a sudden shift in status and power?

This bittersweet story is the heartwrenching tale of two men and the complexities of their relationship as it transitions from friends to ruler and subordinate.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, LGBT, Asian Literature, Queer

372 pages, Paperback

Published January 20, 2026

About the author

Associated Names:
* 非天夜翔
* Arise Zhang
* Fei Tian Ye Xiang
* เฟยเทียนเย่เสียง (Thai Profile)

Reviews

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyment of this novel will depend on how you define three things: 1) Danmei/BL 2) Romance and 3) Bad endings. I will post mine at the end in case it’s considered a spoiler. Just know this is a historical fiction novel and neither JJWXC or Novel Updates have BL tags 🫣. Also, if you love learning about history though reading this will be perfect for you! This story was fascinating to me and I loved looking up all the characters and events so it took me a little longer than normal to read.

The heart of this story is the relationship between Zhou Yu and Sun Ce from childhood till death during a very unstable time in China history. It’s beautiful and tragic but strong and reliable. Historic events and time change things of course so be prepared for your heart to break and be put back together multiple times 💔

Personally, I think you can read this not knowing anything about the time period (end of Han Dynasty, Three Kingdoms Era, Battle of Chibi/Red Cliffs, etc) but I think it will be more enjoyable if you read up on the different real life characters like Cao Cao, Zhao Yun, Lu Bu, etc. Just about every character plays a significant role in Chinese history. Just remember that it will spoil you on who dies, how and who kills them

I finished the FTL (which had multiple maps and detailed history timelines!) so I could finally know for myself 1) is there any romance? 2) do they get together/stay together? and 3) what exactly is the “BE” everyone says it has?

❗️Spoilers below:❗️
1)There is yearning, sadness, joy, angst, pain, sorrow, fear, love, unsaid feelings, an unwavering connection, regret, and more- all the things that come with a love story- but they do not have any romantic intimate moments, they do not ever end up together (in fact they marry sisters), and one of them dies early. Seven Seas labels this as danmei but they also initially labeled Kinnporsche as danmei and that’s Thai so…
2)I didn’t consider this to have any romance at all. There were a few hints of more than platonic feelings, some yearning, occasional flirty behavior, and an extremely sad scene with Zhao Yu and his mom when he told her he didn’t wanted to get married. I don’t need physical intimacy for something to be considered romantic but IMO still no romance.
3)As far as a BE, if you expected a couple pairing and them to end up together then yes, it’s a BE. Also, it has tragic events as it is based off of history, so there is definitely heartbreak and death. The heartbreak is more about the relationship and how it changes. I don’t consider this a BE. It’s a story with some tragic elements though.

I thought this novel did a terrific job telling a beautiful and tragic story but I don’t think it will be enjoyed by everyone- especially if you are looking for a romance forward danmei. Also, I think you really have to like history, politics, war, etc.

Enjoyed this as a buddy read with @Laura!’

I have so many other thoughts on this very short novel so I might be editing often.

[Queens Love Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You're this kite. I hold your string in my hand so you will always come back to me in the end."



I finished this feeling quietly impressed and a little weighed down, in a good way. The story leans heavily into war, military politics, and the constant pressure of survival. A lot of time is spent on planning, negotiations, illness, travel delays, and the unglamorous work of holding power together. Progress comes slowly, and even success never feels safe for long. The pacing can feel heavy at times, especially when chapters focus on preparation or recovery instead of visible breakthroughs, but that weight made the setting feel believable to me. I also liked where the volume ended. It felt like a natural stopping point that gave closure without pretending the danger was over.

The characters are what stayed with me most. Zhou Yu carries himself with careful control, always thinking several steps ahead, every decision shaped by responsibility and a quiet fear of losing what he’s protecting. Because he holds so much inside, the moments where grief or devotion break through land with real force. Sun Ce feels like his opposite in the best way. He moves through the story with confidence and physical warmth, expressive and impulsive, yet deeply attentive to the people he loves. He understands others instinctively and commits without hesitation. Together, their connection feels grounded in shared history and mutual reliance. It’s intimate and tense, communicated through trust, proximity, and choice rather than declarations.

Since this is only a two book series, I found myself wishing there had been a little more space for romance in the first volume. The focus stays firmly on war and political maneuvering, and the emotional moments are intentionally quiet and restrained. I didn’t dislike that approach, but I wanted just a touch more softness early on. Even without it, the bond between the leads feels earned and deeply personal, and the story left me invested and eager to see how everything resolves.

Date Read: 2026.02.08

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 /5 *

I understand why this has a low average rating now.
It started off ok but by the 50% + mark my interest waned.

The plot is pretty much:

Zhou Yu (MC) and Sun Ce (ML) join forces.
Then they have to separate for some reason and sometimes don’t see each other for YEARS.
Repeat.

Thank god our trusty post-delivering falcon called Fei Yu was there to ensure all the plans went off without a hitch. They were the most hard-working character in the novel.

On a positive note, you can tell the author has a lot of passion about this time period in history and has done their homework. However, I mostly read danmei for the romance so won’t be picking up volume 2 because it’s non-existent.

Despite me not loving this, big shout out to Stacie. I had a lot of fun buddy reading this with you! If anyone wants to buddy read with me in the future, just let me know and we can make it happen =)

[Ky ! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t recommend if you don’t have any knowledge about the three kingdoms era / don’t know any of these characters. The story could definitely be interesting if you are already interested in the setting but without any knowledge of the three kingdoms era, it’s a really confusing read

[mara - hyrulevalkyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was…fine. It’s definitely more a war/political story than anything else. And I already know a spoiler about the ending of the series, so my expectations weren’t super high. I will definitely be reading the second book, but it’s not my absolute favorite Fei Tian novel

[goblin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ngl. i’m a little disappointed.

[iz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely underrated.

[fenrir · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Are you willing to stand with me, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, to conquer the world?" Sun Ce asked, face solemn. "That is all I shall ask. But if you come, you shall not be able to leave."

I'd recommend this book only to those familiar with the historical period and its figures, otherwise, I don't think it's worth picking up. I’m a fan of the characters, especially those from Wu, so seeing a book focused on Sun Ce and Zhou Yu was enough to convince me to read it.

Although marketed as a danmei, there's essentially no romance between the two characters, just a few ambiguous hints that could be interpreted as playful or friendly banter. Don’t start it if that’s what you’re looking for. What’s more, toward the end, the characters Xiao and Da, who historically become the wives of Zhou Yu and Sun Ce, are introduced, leaving me wondering what the author has planned.

The story never really takes off. It’s interesting enough if you’re invested in the characters, but Sun Ce and Zhou Yu are separated for almost the entire book. While I enjoyed appearances by figures like Lü Bu or Gan Ning, I imagine a reader unfamiliar with the era might wonder why certain characters show up only to disappear just as quickly.

"You have to sign your name, stamp, and hand your contract of servitude to me right now. That way I can go to your house later on and demand your mother hand you over."

[Megres. · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you don’t know the characters at all, it’s It Is not an Easy book to read. if you know them historically, it’s fun to see people like Cao Pi, Gan Ning, Zhao Yun (I literally screamed when he appeared), etc. show up. Otherwise, it can feel a bit rushed and it’s not always clear who is who.
The romance is very minimal, but honestly I couldn’t see how they could easily insert a romance between the protagonists, since they are both actually married (to two sisters).
I’m curious to read the sequel, but also a bit worried that the author might stick too closely to real history…( please, author, change things a bit.)

[Shaun "AceFireFox"]

DNF at page 181, Chapter 4, 49%.

This hurts to do because I was really excited for this for a while but I can't keep going. I like the two leads, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce, but so far they've barely actually been together and it feels like Zhou Yu has gone from prison and problem to prison to problem and it just feels a bit boring and repetitive. I don't find myself wanting to read it, despite liking it when I do, and I don't really think about it as much. There's also so many names that are just thrown at you almost with the expectation that you just know who they are, which may just be a me issue since I don't really know anything about this period of history.
It doesn't help that that I read up that there isn't even an actual romance in it whatsoever and it's all very one sided, but nothing is explicitly stated which is not really what I'm here for. I could have looked past that if I was more engaged and having a good time. I like their bond and their friendship, but after nearly 200 pages, they've spent more time apart than together.

Maybe I'll come back to it at some point. Maybe I won't. But I've tried.

[mihaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fei Tian is a big history nerd and there's nothing I can do but take it 😭 If you're like me and have almost no knowledge of the Three Kingdoms era then this will be quite a difficult read. I was just along for the ride 🫠

[qq · Rating 5 out of 5]

I js found the spoilers for this novel(I searched it up bc I hate myself) AhHhhaaHahahahhah what the hell 😭😭😭😭😭😭 I enjoyed reading the first volume though…… bc I didn’t have any of that in mind, well I read ts knowing it’s BE BUT STILL 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 2nd volume might be my biggest heartbreak

[Abby B · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5