Journey to the Capital to Find Her Family, Spoiled by Her Brother’s Archrival

Wei Zhao is a powerful and feared military commander in the capital, holding titles that include Divine Might General and Crown Prince's Junior Tutor. His life is dominated by political intrigue and the lingering enmity of Jiang Qianli, a man who has attempted to assassinate him repeatedly. The nature of this rivalry is revealed to be deeply personal and twisted; Jiang Qianli confesses that his obsession stems not from political ideology, but from a desperate, unrequited infatuation with Wei Zhao. When Jiang Qianli is captured, Wei Zhao chooses exile over execution, a decision driven by a desire to punish rather than martyr his rival. To ensure Jiang Qianli remains compliant during his journey into the frozen wilderness, Wei Zhao seizes Jiang Qianli’s younger sister, Jiang Yihuan, bringing her to the capital as a hostage.

Jiang Yihuan arrives in the capital with naive expectations, believing her brother has secured her a life of luxury. Instead, she is placed under house arrest in Wei Zhao’s private estate. Her demeanor is strikingly different from the refined noblewomen of the capital; she is frail, malnourished, and possesses a simple, almost childlike innocence born from a life of poverty and hardship in the countryside. Despite the grim circumstances, she views Wei Zhao with a mix of fear and admiration, frequently attempting to ingratiate herself through clumsy affection and requests for material goods, particularly expensive fabrics. Wei Zhao, initially intending to keep her as a mere lever against his enemy, finds himself increasingly exasperated by her persistent and oblivious advances.

The dynamic between the two shifts during a series of escalating incidents. After arsonists set fire to the guest quarters in an attempt to rescue Jiang Yihuan, Wei Zhao rescues her from the flames, an act that subtly softens his stance. He provides her with new clothes and food, acknowledging her frail health and the neglect she suffered under her brother’s misguided protection. The tension further complicates when Jiang Yihuan is bullied by Wei Zhao’s own sister, Wei Zhilan, and other noblewomen. Wei Zhilan, resentful of her brother’s coldness and his sudden attention to an outsider, orchestrates a scheme to trap Jiang Yihuan. Wei Zhao intervenes violently, defending Jiang Yihuan and punishing his sister, which signals a significant shift in his protective instincts toward the hostage.

As Jiang Yihuan recovers under the care of Wei Zhao’s mother, Madam Heng, she becomes a fixture in the Wei household. Her lack of courtly etiquette and blunt honesty inadvertently outmaneuver the scheming Old Madam Wei, earning her unexpected favor and amusement among the family matriarchs. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao’s feelings evolve from annoyance to a guarded affection. He grants her requests for luxury items, shares his bed for warmth under the guise of supervision, and consistently shields her from external threats, including assassination attempts and social harassment. Jiang Yihuan, unaware of the depth of Wei Zhao’s changing emotions, continues to treat him with a blend of dependency and playful teasing, often misinterpreting his coldness as a form of intimacy.

The narrative explores the power imbalance between the two protagonists. Wei Zhao holds all the authority, yet he finds himself unable to maintain his emotional distance from Jiang Yihuan. Her genuine nature contrasts sharply with the deceitful court environment he inhabits. The story sets the stage for a complex relationship where the hostage and her captor navigate familial obligations, political dangers, and growing emotional entanglement. Jiang Qianli’s exile serves as a looming threat, with his loyalists constantly plotting to rescue or avenge him, keeping Wei Zhao in a state of perpetual vigilance while he simultaneously tries to protect the very person his enemies seek to save.