Stuck in a Military Marriage, I Storm the Base with the Empress Dowager

Shen Nianyu is a seventeen-year-old high school student in the small town of Yangcheng during the summer of 1977. She lives with her grandaunt, Shen Fenglian, in a modest courtyard house. The narrative begins with Shen Nianyu displaying exceptional martial arts skills when she intervenes to stop two armed assailants from kidnapping a pregnant woman. Her swift and precise combat abilities impress two military officers, Jin Chengze and Sun Weimin, who are passing by. Despite her heroic act, Shen Nianyu maintains a low profile, hiding her true capabilities behind a plain appearance characterized by thick bangs and glasses.

The story reveals that both Shen Nianyu and Shen Fenglian are time travelers who have transmigrated into these bodies after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning in their original eras. Shen Nianyu originates from a wealthy modern family where she enjoyed a life of leisure and extreme sports, while Shen Fenglian was formerly an Empress Dowager in a historical imperial court. Both women possess magical spaces that accompany them through time. Shen Nianyu’s space is a fully stocked modern villa containing food, luxury items, and technology, while Shen Fenglian’s space is her former bedchamber filled with antiques and treasures. They have reached an understanding to keep their abilities secret and live quietly in Yangcheng.

Shen Nianyu uses the magical spring water found in her space to enhance her physical appearance and combat skills, transforming from an ordinary girl into a beautiful and formidable young woman. She continues to attend school to obtain her graduation certificate while managing household affairs. Her past life included being bullied by a local bully named Zhang Peng, the son of a committee director. Upon graduating, Shen Nianyu confronts Zhang Peng and his gang, physically defeating them in a public display of strength. This incident draws the attention of the local authorities, but Zhang Peng’s father, realizing the Shen family’s protected status due to their high-ranking connections in Beijing, forces his son to apologize rather than retaliate.

The military officers, Jin Chengze and Sun Weimin, return to Yangcheng on a mission and visit the Shen residence. Jin Chengze is revealed to be Shen Nianyu’s childhood betrothed, a arrangement made by their grandfathers to honor a sacrifice Shen Nianyu’s grandfather made to save Jin Chengze’s grandfather. Jin Chengze, a highly decorated and handsome officer, initially appears cold and aloof but finds himself drawn to Shen Nianyu’s competence and straightforward nature. The two families arrange for Jin Chengze to stay for a few days to allow Shen Nianyu and him to get to know each other.

As Jin Chengze settles into the courtyard, he and Shen Nianyu begin to interact more closely. They discover that they share similar values and a pragmatic approach to life. Shen Nianyu accepts the betrothal as a practical arrangement, recognizing the Jin family’s prestige and Jin Chengze’s excellent character. Meanwhile, Shen Fenglian, now rejuvenated by modern skincare and a relaxed lifestyle, enjoys her new life and takes a liking to Jin Chengze as a potential son-in-law. The story concludes with the two young people beginning to build a relationship, balancing their hidden identities and extraordinary circumstances with the mundane realities of life in 1970s China.