Liu Chuirong is the illegitimate daughter of the declining Ding’an Marquis’s Mansion, having spent seven years in obscurity and mistreatment at her maternal grandmother’s home in Qingzhou. Upon receiving a summons to return to the capital for her elder sister’s wedding, she is unaware that the true purpose is to marry her off to the eldest son of the Duke Weiguo’s Mansion, a union arranged to salvage the Marquis’s failing finances. During her journey, her carriage is ambushed by bandits, and she is forced to leap from a cliff with her loyal maid, Lu Zhu. They survive by landing in a hidden cave, where they encounter Shen Jingzhi, a cold and capable official from the Cui Liu Division who is investigating a conspiracy in the region. Despite initial hostility, Shen Jingzhi recognizes her noble status and provides them with a token and dagger for protection before arranging for them to continue their journey to the capital.
Upon arriving in the capital, Liu Chuirong uses the token to gain entry and is welcomed by her mother, Madam Li, who displays an affection that feels calculated and hollow. The family is preparing for the wedding of Liu Chuirong’s elder sister, but the atmosphere is tense with underlying financial desperation. Liu Chuirong is informed that she is betrothed to Shen Jingzhi’s older brother, Shen Qinghan, a man who was severely injured on the battlefield and is predicted to die within five years. The marriage is a strategic move by the Duke Weiguo’s Mansion to secure a compatible match for their dying heir, while the Ding’an Marquis’s Mansion hopes to gain wealth and status through the alliance. Liu Chuirong’s mother reveals that the family’s accounts are fabricated and that they have been draining resources to maintain appearances, leaving Liu Chuirong with no choice but to accept her fate.
On the day of her elder sister’s wedding, Liu Chuirong is drugged and left vulnerable in the garden, where she is assaulted by a rogue named Cai Er. She falls into a pond while trying to escape, and is rescued by Shen Jingzhi, who happens to be attending the banquet. The incident draws the attention of the guests and the family, and Cai Er is apprehended. However, a doctor examines Liu Chuirong and determines that the cold and trauma have damaged her health, rendering her infertile. This diagnosis creates a crisis for the Duke Weiguo’s Mansion, as the primary purpose of the marriage was to produce an heir. The Princess, mother of the Shen brothers, is torn between her sympathy for Liu Chuirong and the need to protect her family’s lineage.
The Princess decides to cancel the engagement, believing that marrying an infertile woman would be detrimental to the Shen family. Shen Jingzhi opposes this decision, arguing that breaking the promise would damage the family’s reputation and leave Liu Chuirong in a desperate situation. He insists that the matter be handled with caution, suggesting that the engagement should not be publicly broken without careful consideration. Meanwhile, Liu Chuirong remains unaware of the internal deliberations at the Duke Weiguo’s Mansion, trapped in a web of family obligations and political maneuvering. Her relationship with Shen Jingzhi, which began with a chance encounter in the cave, becomes a focal point of tension as both families navigate the complexities of duty, survival, and hidden agendas in the treacherous world of the capital.
