Gu Sui'an is a woman from modern times who transmigrated into the body of a cannon fodder character in a novel set in the Great Yong Dynasty. In the original story, the male lead, Crown Prince Li Chongyan, falls in love with the female lead, Ruan Liuzheng, while Gu Sui'an, his cousin, becomes a vicious antagonist driven by unrequited love. Her schemes lead to her family's downfall and her own death during exile. Aware of this tragic fate, Gu Sui'an resolves to avoid the plot entirely, choosing instead to live a quiet, uneventful life tending to her garden and cultivating modern crops like watermelons and grapes. She intends to stay far away from the male and female leads, hoping to preserve her safety and comfort.
However, her plans are immediately disrupted on New Year's Eve when Li Chongyan confronts her in the palace. Contrary to the novel's plot, where he treats her with cold indifference, Li Chongyan reveals a deep, obsessive desire for her. He declares that he wants her to become his Empress, confessing that he has coveted her since childhood. When she resists, he forcibly takes her, driven by madness and jealousy over her engagement to another man. This encounter shatters Gu Sui'an's understanding of the story, as the male lead's behavior is nothing like the detached figure she remembered from the book.
Following this incident, Gu Sui'an attempts to distance herself further, adopting a submissive and harmless persona to avoid provoking Li Chongyan. She tries to dissuade her mother and the Empress from arranging a marriage between her and the Crown Prince, insisting that she sees him only as a cousin and has no romantic feelings for him. Her family, particularly her protective father and elder brother, agree with her assessment, noting Li Chongyan's ruthless and dangerous nature. They begin searching for a suitable husband for her who is not involved in the imperial power struggles, hoping to secure her happiness away from the treacherous palace.
Meanwhile, Li Chongyan's obsession deepens. He monitors Gu Sui'an closely, becoming increasingly possessive and suspicious of any attention she receives from other men. He leaves her with calligraphy copybooks as a means of maintaining control and connection, despite her reluctance. When he departs for Jiangling to suppress bandits, his primary motivation is not just military duty but also the desire to eliminate threats to his position and ensure his return to claim Gu Sui'an as his own. He secretly investigates political rivals and bandit activities, planning to destroy his enemies while keeping Gu Sui'an as his ultimate prize.
Gu Sui'an continues her simple life, focusing on her agricultural projects and avoiding entanglements with the novel's main characters. She keeps her modern knowledge hidden, fearing that revealing her identity could attract the female lead or draw unwanted attention. As autumn approaches, she supports her brother Gu Yuanchao as he prepares for the imperial examinations, hoping to find a suitable match for herself outside the royal circle. The story sets the stage for a conflict between Gu Sui'an's desire for a peaceful existence and Li Chongyan's relentless pursuit, as he refuses to accept her rejection and intends to make her his Empress regardless of her wishes.
