Plot Synopsis
Mo Zhuohua, the illegitimate daughter of the wealthiest man in Jiangnan,played by Jing Tian, is determined to achieve academic success and realize her self-worth. To accomplish this, she studiespoetry diligently and travels to Dingjing, where she unexpectedly meetsPrince Ding, Liu Yan,portrayed by Feng Shaofeng. Liu Yan is renowned for his bravery and militaryprowess, and he is also instrumental in advocating for the reinstatement of the imperial examination for women. Despite harboring suspicions about Mo Zhuohua's identity, he still respects her lofty aspirations ofparticipating in the imperial examination and serving as an official.
Liu Yan is willing toprovide opportunities for Mo Zhuohua to showcase her talents and tolerates her occasional manipulative tactics. When Mo Zhuohua is forced to make a choice between her ambitions and her emotions, Liu Yan steps forward, bearing the ridicule of others andproudly accepting the title of her "outside husband," determined not to let Mo Zhuohua give upher dreams for him. In the end, the two of them walk side by side, bringingpeace andprosperity to the court and ushering in a new era where women can hold officialpositions even after marriage.
Episodes Recap
- 1-4
- 5-8
- 9-12
- 13-16
- 17-20
- 21-24
- 25-28
- 29-32
- 33-36
- 37-40
Episode 1 : Mu Zhuo Hua eloped and traveled to the capital to take the imperial examination.
Episode 2 : Mu Zhuo Hua treated Liu Yan's illness.
Episode 3 : Mu Zhuo Hua encounters Princess Rou Jia.
Episode 4 : Mu Zhuo Hua resolves the marriage matter.
Episode 5 : Liu Yan probes Mu Zhuo Hua
Episode 6 : Liu Yan Probes the Mastermind
Episode 7 : Mu Zhuo Hua passed the imperial examination.
Episode 8 : Mu Zhuo Hua participated in the hairpin flower poetry gathering.
Episode 9 : Mu Zhuo Hua questioned Liu Yan.
Episode 10 : Mu Zhuo Hua enters the Hanlin Academy.
Episode 11 : Mu Zhuo Hua is misunderstood regarding Shen Jing Hong.
Episode 12 : Mu Zhuo Hua receives a beating.
Episode 13 : Mu Zhuo Hua as the receptionist.
Episode 14 : Northern Liang wants to form a marriage alliance.
Episode 15 : Liu Yan kissed Mu Zhuo Hua
Episode 16 : Mu Zhuo Hua avoids Liu Yan
Episode 17 : Mu Zhuo Hua goes to Jiangnan for disaster relief.
Episode 18 : Liu Yan saves Mu Zhuo Hua.
Episode 19 : Mu Zhuo Hua Takes Away Mother's Ashes
Episode 20 : Mu Ba and Mu Zhuo Hua joined forces.
Episode 21 : Sun Yun Yun and Mu Zhuo Hua confronted each other face to face.
Episode 22 : Sun Yun Yun and Mu Zhuo Hua had a confrontation.
Episode 23 : Liu Yan expressed his feelings to Mu Zhuo Hua.
Episode 24 : Mu Zhuo Hua and Liu Yan agreed on three rules.
Episode 25 : Liu Yan discovers the truth.
Episode 26 : Confrontation between Empress Dowager Liu Yan.
Episode 27 : Princess Rou Jia secretly plotted.
Episode 28 : Liu Yan left Dingjing.
Episode 29 : Liu Yan recovered.
Episode 30 : Liu Yan discovered the conspiracy of Rou Jia Gong Zhu.
Episode 31 : Mu Zhuo Hua and Liu Yan discovered Rou Jia Gong Zhu's intentions.
Episode 32 : Mu Zhuo Hua is being targeted.
Cast & Role
Liu Chen
(Zhou Yi Ran)
Mu Rong
(Huang Hai Bing)
Rou Jia Gong Zhu
(Wang Li Kun)
Zhi Mo
(Zhan Yu)
Prince Ding confronted the Empress Dowager, and the princess also confronted the Empress Dowager. The Emperor passed away, and the plot reached its climax.
The Empress Dowager, a mediocre individual, caused a series of events that harmed everyone. The Emperor was so pitiful. He wanted to be a filial son, a compassionate father, a benevolent ruler, but he didn't do anything well.
With the Emperor's passing, Prince Ding became the decisive figure in the court, but unfortunately, his life was also short-lived. The princess stopped pretending and revealed her sword. Her ambitions for power led to turmoil within the palace.
Mu Zhuo Hua is not only intelligent with extremely high standards, but also has the ability to recognize and understand people.
People always say that the prince is ruthless, resembling the fearsome Yama, capable of scaring children. They also spread negative news about the prince's defeat in the Battle of Juma River, highlighting the losses and setbacks.
However, Mu Zhuo Hua doesn't believe it. She questions the events of that battle and instinctively believes that the prince is a kind-hearted person with courage and strategy.
In addition to the prince, Mu Zhuo Hua is also a loyal fan of the princess. Her admiration for the princess began with a chance encounter in her childhood.
She knew the princess long before she met the prince. The princess's words inspired and encouraged her to strive for greater things and help others.
When they met again as adults, despite knowing that she was being used, the princess still saved Mu Zhuo Hua from being chased and surrounded.
Mu Zhuo Hua was deeply grateful. Besides the prince and the princess, Mu Zhuo Hua had a circle of friends who were like sisters to her, including the powerful individuals around her, Zhi MoZhi Jian by the prince's side, the fallen sisters on the flower street, and the later triumvirate.
These were all friends that Mu Zhuo Hua carefully cultivated and befriended. If placed in the present day, Mu Zhuo Hua would truly be an extraordinary HR professional. She knows how to assess and utilize people, and understands the art of compromise and concession.
She is kind-hearted and never judges a person based on their background. Her kindness and sincerity ensure that Mu Zhuo Hua will never lead an ordinary and uneventful life; she is destined to achieve remarkable and earth-shaking events.
After all, she has already gathered so much support around her up until now.
The Empress Dowager is truly domineering.
I understand that it's not easy for someone like you, who has contributed to the royal family, to see your own descendants face difficulties. However, they are all of royal blood, and you shouldn't harm others' offspring in order to protect your own.
Moreover, your son already rules over the entire kingdom. Are you so afraid of others harboring intentions to seize the throne that you must eradicate them before they become a threat?
As a result, outsiders have benefited while your own soldiers and interests have been sacrificed. How do you justify this?
Perhaps it's because we fail to grasp the scheming nature of this old lady, how she plans for the future of her descendants. Maybe she has a narrow vision, only seeing what is near and fearing threats to her son's position.
She's even someone who observes religious practices. Have you noticed that more and more people like her turn to religion because they have committed so many wrongs that they can't find peace at night? They hope that through their constant prayers and recitations, they can save themselves and atone for their sins, as if this will bring them inner peace and safety.
If all evil deeds could be absolved in this way, it would be terrifying. Everyone would simply make mistakes, knowing that they can find redemption through faith.
Do good people turn bad, or do bad people simply grow old? I believe it's mostly the latter. Even if bad people age, their nature is difficult to change. Regardless of the misfortunes they encounter in life, they still have their own considerations and boundaries when it comes to distinguishing right from wrong.
And those who are inherently bad are unlikely to find the path of righteousness. Just like the Empress Dowager, when the princess talks about her, there is clearly a deep-seated resentment. So, she is undoubtedly an example of a bad person growing old.
The prince is fond of Zhuo Hua. It's unclear whether it's because she deliberately or unintentionally entangles him, or because of her intelligence, or perhaps because of her beautiful appearance.
In any case, the prince has fallen into the depths of love and cannot extricate himself. However, as a man, he always has doubts. He worries that the woman he loves is not interested in him but rather the external factors that elevate him, such as his appearance, status, or wealth.
Isn't it the same in reality? Many young men focus on establishing their careers before settling down. They believe that only after gaining social status and wealth are they deserving of love and relationships.
They are reluctant to let women go through the hardships and bitterness of life together with them. Instead, they hope to achieve success first and then enjoy the fruits of victory with their beloved women.
However, once they achieve success, they find themselves surrounded by women, and they struggle to discern their true intentions.
They encounter demands for gifts, cosmetics, houses, cars... These blatant requests for love make them unsure whether the women truly love them or their wealth.
On one hand, they are paying for things, while on the other hand, they have doubts in their hearts. Gradually, after being deceived several times, their hearts become numb. They start to believe that all women are materialistic and that true love doesn't exist. It's all about mutual benefit and putting on a show.
They think they should pursue the hottest women, drink the strongest alcohol, so that their lives appear perfect. After all, they can afford it, so why not indulge?
Love becomes a joke, a mismatched concept. But is love just a story?
No, love is everywhere; it depends on whether you put in the effort.
Look at the way the Empress Dowager sits high and punishes Zhuo Hua. Just by looking at her, you can tell she's a stubborn person. The more people plead for mercy, the more she takes delight in refusing to relent.
Even when everyone else has given in, just to spare Zhuo Hua's life, her three grandsons speak up, her granddaughter speaks up, and even her own son speaks up.
The more they plead, the more arrogant she becomes, and the more severe the punishment becomes. Perhaps it's precisely because the Empress Dowager is ruthless that the Prince subtly speaks in reverse, saying on one hand that the punishment is too lenient and should be investigated, while on the other hand, emphasizing Zhuo Hua's status as an official of the court.
He outwardly supports the Empress Dowager's actions while arguing his case and presenting the facts. He is merely stating these arguments but intentionally taking the Empress Dowager's side.
The Empress Dowager is not a fool. With the Prince's words, she naturally knows that she is the one without a valid argument, but she can't step down.
Fortunately, at this moment, the granddaughter of the Emperor arrives. The Emperor's granddaughter is also a ruthless person, who doesn't bother with reason. She just comes to see the Empress Dowager and advises her to take care of her own health, warning against getting too angry and damaging herself. That's a way out for the Empress Dowager.
With this back and forth, the Empress Dowager, looking at those who have spoken up, can no longer persist. She also can't just strike them all down, as it would leave her without a defense when they refute her later.
So, she reluctantly backs down. Looking at the Buddha beads in the old lady's hand, almost crushed from her grip, you can tell how angry she is. She envies everyone speaking up for Zhuo Hua and resents that Zhuo Hua, in the end, didn't bow down and apologize.
There are many such ruthless people in life, and dealing with them requires a reverse approach, just as it is with this type of person.
Zhuo Hua explored her grandfather's garden and accidentally encountered the prince when she climbed over a wall. The prince captured her with his large hand, leaving a crimson mark on her neck.
It turns out even people in ancient times knew how to grow strawberries, but they misunderstood the situation quite naturally. Coincidentally, Zhuo Hua had a scheduled dinner the next day.
The attendees were all obnoxious men, seemingly refined and elegant, but eager to make a big deal out of her gender, like sour Confucian scholars.
In order to establish her authority, Zhuo Hua reluctantly agreed to attend.
As the top scholar, he must be concerned about the princess, but the princess also sympathizes with Zhuo Hua. So, as the top scholar, he naturally has to protect Zhuo Hua with all his might.
However, due to a series of unfortunate events, people who spread gossip witnessed their interactions and started spreading rumors about the two of them.
These rumors are truly terrifyingly audacious.
It turns out the tongues of ancient people were quite long, with one person telling three, and three people telling a whole group.
Soon, everyone knew about Zhuo Hua and the top scholar, as an enamored couple.
What's even more frightening is that the next day, this gossip was printed into books and widely circulated.
The affair between the top scholar and the second-ranked scholar, it's truly a fascinating topic, a fresh masterpiece that hasn't been seen before.
Upon hearing this news, the prince couldn't sit still. He acted out of jealousy and refused Zhuo Hua at the door several times, without even giving her a chance to explain. Actually, the most captivating episode was when the top scholar brought hairpins for the princess.
The prince couldn't help but show his tenderness towards Zhuo Hua, preparing many bitter medicines for her to drink.
Is this a sweet form of punishment?
Is it too exhausting for a woman to bear so much and accomplish great things? Originally, her adventure and courage were only focused on uncovering her mother's background.
Later, after getting to know the prince, it became an incidental task to unravel the prince's emotional knots, and to uncover the truth behind the Battle of Juma River, who set the trap and what the secrets were.
Can such a delicate girl be so brave? In our society, more and more girls are no longer following the conservative path of being a good wife and mother, but instead taking on the role of challenging the strong in life.
Is this about overturning the rules of the world?
Does it mean that when women become powerful, they no longer need to have children and carry on the family legacy, and can single-handedly raise the banner of prosperity for their entire family and country?
As for household chores, taking care of children, comforting both sets of parents, and even the most difficult task of giving birth, let the men handle it all.
Haha, it doesn't sound bad, does it?
Let's switch roles and experience it for ourselves. I may not know how many of our female compatriots are still among the top 100 companies now, but I do see more and more women around me occupying high positions in both their families and careers.
They are gradually gaining a voice, making their own decisions, and taking a stance. I think this is a positive phenomenon. Women may be more delicate and sensitive, but so what? It doesn't mean that they are incapable of achieving great things.
Zhuo Hua has set a good example, so let's follow suit. We men are also willing to take on responsibilities at home and cook a delicious meal.
The general's only daughter, drifting through half of her life, sought nothing more than to live a good life. She exhausted all her strength to survive, evading the pursuit of enemies and striving to acquire skills.
In the midst of the glitz and glamour, she sought a livelihood, only desiring to live peacefully and end her life in such a manner. However, even such a humble wish couldn't be fulfilled.
She ended up dead, betrayed by a traitor, not through a blatant assassination.
The Empress Dowager was truly ruthless, willing to sacrifice others' lives and disregard her son's pleas in order to secure her own offspring's position and maintain her own stability in power.
Survival in the royal court is not easy. Those with talent must strive to win the favor of the Emperor, hoping to one day ascend to the throne.
One must seek reliance and find protection to avoid the schemes of siblings and the calamities of the world.
Is the life of the Queen's son the most fortunate? Not necessarily. If he is cunning enough, he can do whatever it takes for the sake of the country, employing any means necessary while enjoying the fruits of his labor.
But this Emperor lives in constant fear and anxiety, worrying about battles on the border every day and guarding against his own mother's machinations against his brothers.
Can such a life be called happiness?
Just as she was about to rise to the top, she perished in the prime of her youth.
What was the point? Perhaps it was the relentless pursuit of revenge that kept her going, or else why not lead a peaceful life in a small village?
Oh, humans, there's no need to be too exceptional. Being average is enough. Isn't it exhausting to be constantly striving and fighting? In the end, if you lose your life, what good is it all for?
Zhuhua has always been independent based on her own abilities. She first molded herself into an overlooked transparent figure and then did everything she could to acquire knowledge.
Once her wings were fully grown, she began planning an escape. Escaping for the sake of achieving academic success is quite unusual and not often seen in many stories.
Nevertheless, it's still an engagement she made. Zhuhua's runaway this time is also intertwined with this arranged marriage.
Zhuhua, who successfully escaped to the capital city, didn't have an easy time.
In order to disguise herself, she first rented a house in the Flower Street to seek shelter. Initially, she intended to focus on studying for her exams.
However, fate had other plans. Have you ever seen a maid who earns more money than their master and keeps them plump and well-fed?
Well, Zhuhua is one such maid.
She first helped her sisters who were engaged in the profession of selling smiles by providing them with medicine, and in the process, she earned enough to support both herself and her servant.
Later on, due to a fortuitous encounter, she crossed paths with the legendary Lord of the Underworld. The lord became Zhuhua's final reliance and support.
Apart from the lord, there's also the princess who can be counted as one. The princess's life hasn't been easy either. She has also endured a lot of hardships since childhood, evident from the bite marks on her wrist and the desolate look when mentioning the Empress Dowager.
The princess isn't all glamorous and lofty; she also has many hidden struggles. I haven't grasped the character of the princess accurately, so I'm not sure if she has always been a fragile dependent or if she eventually starts doing things for the people's welfare.
Perhaps there will be significant hidden plotlines and arrangements in the later stages. As individuals, we shouldn't fight alone. When we find someone we can confide in, we entrust ourselves to them.
Joining forces with strength is the right choice.
The Emperor's eyes are filled with reluctance, and there's a hidden emotion in his heart that he has never expressed. It's a mixture of blessings and heartache, a sentiment that only he can understand.
Perhaps the Crown Prince also understands it. It's a perfect ending, but it's a pity that the Emperor is still alone. I wish him a better future ahead.