We begin the story with our female lead, Xiao Qiao (Song Zu Er), sitting and listening to her Grandfather about his falling out with the Wei Family. Fourteen years ago, when the Wei was under attack and requested reinforcements from their ally – The Qiaos, Grandfather Qiao made a devastating decision – saving his people of Yanzhou instead of joining the fight and letting the Wei family be decimated by the enemy, Li Su. The massacre leaves behind our male lead, Wei Shao (Liu Yu Ning), who was hidden in a chest at the time and watched his family being killed.

Man, that’s pretty sh****!! Can’t really blame our male lead for his bloodthirsty attitude now.

OMG. I’m dead. Wei Shao’s advisor is the undead villain from the The Legend of Shen Li. What are the chances of me watching only a single drama a year to see him again here. Lolol.

So Grandfather Qiao comes up with an idea to bury the hatchet between the two clans: forge an alliance with marriage – Wei Shao to Xiao Qiao’s cousin, Da Qiao (He Hong Shan). At the same time, a childhood sweetheart Liu Yan (Ji Xiao Bing) of Liangya also offers a marriage proposal to our heroine. The two great beauties of Yanzhou threatened to be married off.

That night, our two girls are deep in thought about their future/marriage/husband, neither has the appetite for sleep. Da Qiao is awakened by her love, Bi Zhi. I’m not sure what he does, but they are in love and she says her goodbye to him, as she needs to fulfill her duty as the governor’s daughter.

Xiao Qiao witnesses this scene and comes up with a plan to help them both out. She sneaks her cousin out with Bi Zhi that night. She explains to Da Qiao how her plan works out for the both of them. Her simple and sweet cousin gets to live a peaceful life with her beloved man, while she will marry Wei Shao in her stead. Xiao Qiao says she doesn’t need her husband’s sweet love anyway (she already assumes a dead marriage, which makes sense) so long as she can use some of his power and status. Her marriage with Liu Yan didn’t look great anyway, with them gifting her family a weasel instead of a lynx, on top of a lacking group of betrothal gifts.

Gotta give it to Song Zu Er’s eyes as she glares at Bi Zhi to warn him not to mistreat her cousin, “Or else I will hunt you down.” So sharp and scary!

Her last meeting with her grandfather, telling him her idea to gift the city of Panyi as part of her dowry to Wei Shao. If he agrees to the marriage, he gains the heart of the land without shedding any blood. Clever girl. Grandfather Qiao laments, “Did heaven mean to punish or bless the Qiao clan by giving us a talent like you?” Awww.

Our heroine leaves her home in a wedding outfit… Zu Er is so pretty.

The wedding party arrives outside the gate of Xindu and our male lead goes crazy with blood-thirst, aiming an arrow at the carriage. CRAPPPPP. His advisor advises against it because it is honestly better to gain Panyi without striking a blow. He calms down and allows the carriage to pass. Whew.

The negotiation for the marriage begins and it comes to a standstill when the topic of the venue clashes the interests of both parties. The Qiaos want to get married in Xindu to secure their side of the equation but the Weis insist they host the wedding at Panyi, which puts the Qiao at the disadvantage of handing over the seal and losing everything if Wei Shao doesn’t follow through with his promise. The Panyi seal is their only bargaining chip.

Wei Shao descends from his chair and approaches the veiled chamber where our heroine is sitting and listening intently. He announces, “If Yanzhou doesn’t act in good faith, you may go back with the bride.” And then he lifts the curtain coming face to face with a beauty like no other.

And his tune changes. “BUT this marriage is my grandmother’s wish. So if you want it to happen, it must be held in Panyi.”

Xiao Qiao’s next step is to find Wei Shao’s weakness and what he truly wants. After some investigation from her maids, she learns that Wei Shao is having a hard time getting the people of Xindu to cooperate with him. We also see that Wei Shao may appear cruel and ruthless, but he is also haunted by the past, he even sleeps with the lights on and holds onto his sword because he doesn’t think he can trust anyone. His four trusted generals are hilarious though. Lol.

Xiao Qiao comes up with a plan to help Wei Shao earn Xindu’s folks’ trust by enlisting them to help repair the streets, dig a working well, and even clear the roads by offering the wild flowers to her. She pays them handsomely and Wei Shao and his four generals are like WTF is it that easy? Rofl.

He pays her a visit and spends a few seconds too long to gaze at her while she tends to the wild flowers.

She finally catches his intense gaze and snaps herself into her pretend demure self. Heh. She smartly defends herself, the people are treating her nice because they long for HIM and are waiting to see what he wants.”I’m a Qiao, people here naturally despise me. If you agree to marry me and let go of the grudge from fourteen years ago, it proves that you are magnanimous. They will no longer fear you and will follow you.”

He smiles mockingly and acknowledges that she’s too good with words, but he is no fool and that she better make a decision soon regarding the Seal of Panyi. “I have patience, but not much.”

Her maid Xiao Tao shivers after Wei Shao is gone and describes him as cold as stone.

However, Xiao Qiao says to herself, “My heart is like water and water wears down stone.” hee! The fight is on!

Xiao Qiao changes tactics again, hoping to play the bad guy and get the people behind Wei Shao. It works like a charm, even though his sword to her neck is not cute. He knows she did it on purpose but that is exactly why he hates people from her family. “Always manipulating people at every turn, always scheming, thinking you can control everyone.”

He continues, “Still, at least you’re better than your grandfather.” He casually puts a medicine vial on the bridge and tells her to use it on her neck wound.

Later that night, he launches into a speech to convince the people that he has erased the grudges of fourteen years. He knocks down the wall of memorial and promises to accept all people of Xindu, no matter where they are from.

Xiao Qiao is extremely touched…at his public display of affection to the people. 😛

But she doesn’t get to see his wicked face afterwards…. Uh oh.

Next day, Xiao Qiao hands over the Seal of Panyi, totally bewitched by his performance last night. He marvels at the seal for a few seconds and then his face contorts in happiness and disgust. He approaches where she’s standing and bends down 90 degree to meet her eyes (Lol, did he crack his back?).

“Your family is too naive. You think a betrothal can wipe away fourteen years of hatred? You think your beauty alone could enchant me?”

He grabs her petite jaw and tells her they won’t be fooled twice. “For the seal, I will spare your life. But pack your things and leave Xindu.”

OMG. WHAT? I did not see this twist coming. No way he’s actually kicking her out right…

Right….

He tells his men to drag her out and she commands not to be touched. She glares up at him, “I misjudged you.”

Her eyes are so good at glaring. I love it.

Outside of Xindu, she’s caught by her other marriage prospect Liu Yan, and his troops. She plays the weak and stuck-in-a-hard-position card and while he comes in for a hug, she turns into her maid’s shoulder to fake-cry on. HA.

He takes her back to Panyi. Of course his troops is able to enter, thanks to Xiao Qiao.

Wei Shao gets wind of Liu Yan and his army in his coveted Panyi. He wonders HOW he could have entered the city?

Answer: Xiao Qiao.

Cue his pikachu???? Face. ROFL. This backfires quickly, didn’t it?

Fueled by what he presumes as another betrayal, he orders his soldiers to prepare for another battle, this time into Panyi. When his advisor tells him to investigate the matter further, he angrily spits out, “Yes, we should find her. Then kill her to boost morale!” And that’s what his soldiers run around chanting when they invade Panyi.

Turns out Liu Yan is another wolf in disguise. His plan to win against Wei Shao involves using sulfur as explosives to blow up the blockade holding the water in the dam. This would bring a great flood directly into Xindu.

She tries to speak for the innocent people but Liu Yan holds to his belief that it’s for the greater good. He knows it’s no use trying to change her mind so he orders his people to escort her back and guard her safely.

Damn. Xiao Qiao’s face at another betrayal, in a matter of days.

Xiao Qiao and her ladies are all tied up in the room. Her maids complain that Liu Yan is worse than Wei Shao. Ehh, I’m not so sure about that; the other man literally drove you out of the city, leaving you defenseless.

Anyway, our female lead is no sitting duck so she burns the knot with the candle on the table and escapes confinement (did she really leave the maids still all tied up? Lol) She runs to the granary and burns down the containers containing sulfur. The fire catches Wei Shao’s eye, thinking Liu Yan’s plan backfired on himself, and it’s clearly a blessing from heaven. So he orders a full-scale attack and quickly invades Panyi successfully, defeating Liu Yan and his soldiers. He also learns that it was Xiao Qiao who set fire to the granary, trying to protect Xindu people.

Liu Yan refuses to leave without Xiao Qiao and it leads us to the confrontational scene in the trailer. Xiao Qiao is caught between two armies, with Liu Yan throwing out sweet words to convince her to come to his side: “I consider you as a jewel.”

While Wei Shao grumbles hesitantly, “Come here….” Even his chubby general is like, “Better if you hadn’t spoken.” LOL

Xiao Qiao deliberates for a second about her choice and future…

“You do see me as a jewel…but you treat all others as ANTS!!”

And she runs off to Wei Shao’s side with him thrusting forward to catch her in a beautiful symbolic moment.

She’s in his embrace for a moment before her senses come back and she wiggles out of his arms and slaps him across the neck. LOLOLOL. I think she’s too short to strike him in the face. HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAH. So cute.

Wei Shao: “Pikkaaa??”

Aww her face scrunches up, full of indignation. Speechless about being slapped maybe for the first time since becoming a powerful general, he stands there while four pairs of eyes from his trusted generals awkwardly glance back and forth, unsure of the right response. Then they decide to run after the already escaped Liu Yan…..Lolol.

Our female lead finally realizes what she did and crouches down to the ground in embarrassment. Why is she so cute!

Alone now with no spectators, he tends to her twisted ankle, asking how she is and when she responds delicately, he compares her superficial injury to the deadly wounds he usually sees during battles. She yanks back her ankle, annoyed, how could he compare apples to oranges?

She takes issues with his motto: kill the innocent, rather spare the guilty. And how could he accuse her of eloping with Liu Yan without proof? She even helped him burn the sulfur and invade the city successfully! He stands up and says matters of war have no place for a woman anyway. She knows she could have died but she doesn’t mind if one life can be traded for the thousands. Her Qiao family has always protected its people.

He finally stops her self-pity talk and tells her to hop on his back. Teeeheeeeeee. When her bead of sweat glides down his neck in close proximity, he appears moved, maybe finally understanding how hard this delicate flower worked today to be sweating like a man on the battlefield. I love that it bothers him but not her. Heh.

As they tread through the fiery streets, she expresses her desire to NOT marry him anymore. But once she’s alone in her room with her maid, Xiao Qiao confirms that she still wants to marry Wei Shao, but he must be the one to act now, to act on his own free will.

The next day, the mayor of Panyi has a small discussion with Wei Shao. Even though he has the seal to Panyi, the people are confused with the marriage proposal of Liu Yan and they need confirmation that the marriage alliance is still on between the Weis and Qiaos before he can rightfully claim Panyi. HA. I love it. So the next few days we have Wei Shao’s generals trying their best to speak to Xiao Qiao but every day, her maids claim she’s still too unwell and maybe…just maybe their lord should visit instead. 😛

I love their exasperated faces at her excuses.

When his advisor suggests he apologizes properly, he spits back that he has nothing to apologize for and storms off to drag her out of her room. When he nears her pavilion, the whole scooby doo gang sees Xiao Qiao secretly heading off in her carriage. They follow her…

She’s meeting with her cousin, Da Qiao! Aww that is so sweet how they are genuinely concerned for each other’s well-being. T____________T

Da Qiao is here to take Xiao Qiao away! T_____________________T

But Xiao Qiao surprises Da Qiao: “But what if I insist on marrying Wei Shao?”

Shocked, her cousin wonders how she could favor Wei Shao, someone who is known as ruthless and cruel. Xiao Qiao defends Wei Shao, explaining that people only hear about his cruelty towards Li Su but not many talk about his saving thousand of lives.

Then she appears to struggle to say the next line…

“He…he…he… he’s dashing and heroic. The first time I met him, I was already smitten.”

The mentioned gentleman hiding behind the rock to eavesdrop on the two girls suddenly stands up straight and puffs out his chest. Chubby General shakes his head, “Smitten? The Qiao’s silver tongue really outshines even the best strategist’s tales!”

Wei Shao tskks tskks at his general in disapproval. LOL.

That night, he appears in a better mood and comes to Xiao Qiao, admitting that it was his mistake for casting her out of Xindu. Yay! One step in the right direction!

He thanks her for fighting back against Liu Yan and saving the Wei people.

Then he lets on about her secret meeting: “You agreed to marry me not for yourself, but for the people…and for your cousin.”

Her jaw drops and he continues, “Since you’re unwell, avoid places like the mountains, where the wind is harsh.” She thinks he’s up to no good and asks him point-blank what he’s planning to do.

He adds, “I don’t quarrel with women.” Hehehe. He reminds her to take her medicine and walks off.

The corner of her lips quirk up with a smile.

Next day, the mayor gathers the people around Xiao Qiao as she admits the Qiao’s mistake fourteen years ago and that Wei Shao didn’t take over Xindu for revenge, rather he’s after a greater goal. He will rebuild the Yongning Canal that was destroyed by Li Su and caused a great drought in the Wei state. With the marriage alliance between the two families, Panyi is now part of Wei and will lend a hand in restoring the canal to its former glory!

Watching with his gang from afar, he’s impressed she figured out his grand plan.

They relocate to face the dried up canal and have a heart-to-heart talk. That day when she gave him the seal, it was out of sincerity and remorse. When he drove her out of Xindu, he only betrayed her alone.

“But now that I have rallied the people of Panyi to help you dig the canal, if you go back on your word again, the ones you’ll betray…are the people of both states.”

He turns to her, taken aback, as she tips her head, “Lord Wei, how can you bear that?”

KO-ed.

Ah, Da Qiao and Bi Zhi leave Panyi and head to Boya, per Xiao Qiao’s request, to make it their backup plan in case things fail here. Our girl is thinking ahead already. I love this simple couple.

Xiao Qiao receives news that her grandfather has passed. The way she cries knowing that she missed the last chance to see him.

I know that she must have grown up being well-loved by Grandpa, but as a viewer, I didn’t like what the man did back then. And seeing how they lived somewhat of a peaceful time for fourteen years while letting the Weis be slaughtered like pigs was pretty disgusting of him. And what genius plan did he have to resolve the issue? Sending his beloved granddaughter off to marry a man with a big grudge on them. He should have wheeled himself out of his sick bed and offered a heartfelt apology to the Wei family! Then I would have respected the man more. Thus, that is where he failed and where our heroine shines, she doesn’t see just Yanzhou/Panyi as her people, she sees Xindu people as people too. And that’s winning half the battle.

Now that was premiere I was waiting for! A smart female lead who has a head to think. Thanks drama gods! I love their dynamics so far. She knows her family was wrong, so she’s understanding of his anger, while she’s careful and subdued around him right now, she doesn’t let him step all over her like a doormat. Her expressive face is my love right now. It moves and wrinkles! Lol. To think she does all these mental calculations behind that pretty face is such a cherry on top! And poor male lead, grappling between hatred for her grandfather, yet also at the same time he sees that she’s a different person, and maybe even better than most people he knows. It’s tough position for both sides and I loveeeeeeeeeee that.

Now time for me to binge! Catch ya later!