China - 1860. The Taiping Rebellion, led by a man who claims to be the living brother of Jesus Christ, controls huge swathes of Southern China. Caught in the chaos are Mark Falchion, a young China-born scholar and experienced swordsman; Meng, a vengeful Taiping warrior; and Mei, a beautiful young archer and former house slave now swept up into the Taiping army. Their destinies collide during a battle for the fortress town of Sungkiang, gateway to the rebels' main prize - Shanghai. The Scholar's Blade is a tale of brutal warfare, betrayal, and forbidden desire, all set against the backdrop of history's bloodiest civil war - the Taiping Rebellion.