The Sword and the Brocade

Born a concubine’s daughter, Shi Yi Niang (Tan Song Yun) was very well aware of her low status and lack of social connections. However, her low rank never once stopped her from speaking her mind or pursuing her dreams. Believing women should be free to pursue a life outside the home, Yi Niang hoped to someday use her embroidery skills to secure her freedom. But destiny had something else in store for her.  With the once esteemed Luo family now in a shocking state of decline, the only hope for salvation must come through an advantageous marriage alliance. Selected to be her family’s savior, Yi Niang is promised to a great general, the Yongping Duke, Xu Ling Yi (Wallace Chung). Now the wife of a man she hardly knows, Yi Niang finds herself entering an unfamiliar and unfriendly world. Scorned by the Xu family, Yi Niang must use every ounce of her strength to win their trust without betraying her own dreams.  Facing challenges on every side, Yi Niang and Ling Yi come to realize they have an ally in each other. Learning to depend on each other, an unexpected love begins to bloom, their strengthening relationship giving each a renewed strength to face the challenges ahead. But will their combined strength be enough to save the Xu family from impending ruin? Adapted from the novel, “The Concubine-born Daughter’s Strategies” by Zhi Zhi, “The Sword and the Brocade” is a 2021 historical romance drama directed by Wen De Guang.