Jiang Yin is a transmigrator who has been inserted into a novel as a cannon fodder maid serving the female lead, the daughter of Minister Li. Her original mission was to seduce the male lead, Prince Qi, to create conflict between the main couple, after which she was to be sold into a pleasure house and receive a substantial reward from the system to live comfortably in the real world. However, the system malfunctioned and went silent, leaving her stranded in the body of Jiang Yin, who had already been sold to the Zui Xian Ju brothel due to her failed role in the plot. Trapped in the brothel with no system support and facing the threat of being sold to a depraved merchant named Liu, Jiang Yin desperately seeks an escape.
During a chaotic escape attempt within the brothel, Jiang Yin is cornered by pursuers on a staircase. She spots a noble young man wearing an expensive water-blue Crane Cloak and a golden waist token. Recognizing his high status, she throws herself at his feet, begging for salvation. The young man, Shen Shouyu, is blind but possesses an ethereal, handsome appearance and a calm demeanor. Despite his guard's objections, Shen Shouyu agrees to take her, paying the madam to release her. He leads her to a private pavilion, where he reveals that he is not there for pleasure but wishes to offer her a night of peace. Jiang Yin, seeing an opportunity, agrees to stay by his side, hoping to secure her freedom through his influence.
That evening, Shen Shouyu returns with wine and food. He reveals that it is the anniversary of his mother's death and that he has been suffering from insomnia and emotional turmoil. As they drink, Shen Shouyu appears to fall under the influence of a drug administered by an unknown party, causing him to overheat and become disoriented. In his delirium, he kisses Jiang Yin and pulls her into bed. Jiang Yin, initially terrified, eventually succumbs to the situation, helping him through the night. The next morning, Shen Shouyu reveals that he is a member of the royal Shen family and proposes to take Jiang Yin into his household as his principal wife, promising to return in half a month to formalize the arrangement. He gives her a thousand taels of silver and instructs her to remain in the pavilion for the next fifteen days, providing her with a token to ensure her safety if he does not return.
Jiang Yin, initially relieved by the financial security and the prospect of leaving the brothel, begins to suspect that Shen Shouyu’s intentions are more complex than they appear. She learns that he is blind and has been living in relative obscurity, possibly due to political intrigue within the royal family. During her stay, she attempts to leave the pavilion to check on a fellow brothel worker, Qing Yao, only to find the door locked. Shen Shouyu reveals that he has silenced Qing Yao to protect Jiang Yin from enemies who are targeting him. He explains that his actions, though controlling, are necessary for her safety in the dangerous environment of the capital. Jiang Yin realizes that her escape from the brothel has led her into a more intricate web of royal politics and personal danger, with Shen Shouyu as both her protector and her captor. As she navigates this new reality, she must balance her desire to return to her original world with the growing complications of her relationship with the blind prince.
