We start in a very Chinese historical-ish drama fashion, with a punishing chunk of backstory and a million names. It’s like studying for a test.
Qiao Man is learning the family history she’d already know
Her grandfather once had a connection with another man, but this is not a BL, so we mean a political connection. That man was the patriarch of the Wei family.
Li Su from the land of Bian attacked the Wei’s, and based on divination by baby Qiao Man, the Qiao’s retreated rather than send promised help. A young Wei Shao watched his older brother, father, and grandfather get slaughtered while hidden in a chest.
Her grandfather did it to keep them from a war, but now Wei Shao has grown up and is seeking revenge. He’s about to take back his land of Xindu, and there will probably be war.
But Wei Shao’s grandmother wants him to marry Qiao Man’s cousin, Da Qiao, to fix things. The problem is, he likely hates them all.
Otherwise, things are perfect
All green and full of flowers. Da Qiao frolics in nature with her friends while Bi Zhi, a handsome groom, watches. Which in English feels like a double meaning. He’s a groom, but might he also be a groom? Poor Da Qiao is making eyes at him while Qiao Man talks about Wei Shao.
Qiao Man, or Man Man to her cousin and now us, is also getting married. Her fiancé is a childhood sweetheart whose family looks down on her. Instead of giving a lynx as a betrothal gift, they bring a ferret. Nasty people!
Everyone thinks Man Man is lucky to have this love match, while Da Qiao is marrying someone who hates their family.
Man Man disagrees. She blackmails her very kind cousin into handing over her favorite clothes and accessories. Then, tearfully, they promise each other that as long as one can have a happy marriage, all will be okay. But they mean two different things.
Because Man Man sneaks Da Qiao out to run away with Bi Zhi. Man Man wants Wei Shao’s status and power, and not to be looked down upon by her in-laws. The clothes are sent with Da Qiao.
They cry as they part.
Then Man Man waits for everyone else to catch up
Eventually, they realize she can be Wei Shao’s bride instead.
Meanwhile, Wei Shao successfully takes over Xindu, and has Li Su chopped into pieces and stuffed in the chest Wei Shao hid in as a child. Wei Shao’s advisor is not thrilled because this will not get public support. Marriage might, but Wei Shao does not want to marry a Qiao.
Man Man tells her grandfather she plans to turn Wei Shao into an ally by offering strategically located land, Panyi, as part of a dowry. Grandfather wants her to be good to the Wei clan and repay the debt he left unpaid.
I think Man Man saved her cousin’s life, because without that land offer, Wei Shao was ready to put an arrow in his new bride at the gate.
But she’s not going to hand over the seal to Panyi
Man Man maybe thinks she’ll die if he gets the land before they get married? While the negotiations go on, Wei Shao looks at his bride. He’s definitely into her beauty, but not going to give in on these negotiations.
Man Man thinks she needs to find what he wants. From her maids, she learns about the whole chopping Li Su into pieces thing. She’s unsurprised by his treatment of an enemy and wants to know how he treats others. But the people are terrified of him. He doesn’t let anyone close to him, and he sleeps ready to kill people.
The truth is, he has nightmares from the slaughter of his family and being kept in a chest. He sleeps with the lights on and doesn’t want anyone to know.
Man Man surveys the city, which is a bit singed in places. Wei Shao is nearby, trying to figure out how to make the people not hate him. They make eye contact.
Man Man thinks she’s figured out what he wants.
So she gets the people to repair the city
I think she’s bribing them with food? The people fall in love with her, bringing her wildflowers. Wei Shao learns about this and goes to see her.
She argues that if he marries her, he’ll seem magnanimous to the people, and they’ll follow him. He destroys a flower while telling her that she is being manipulative, and he has limited patience. The flower represents Man Man.
The maid thinks he has a heart of stone. Man Man thinks if he were easily swayed, he would not be trustworthy. But her heart is of water, and water wears down stone. Nice.
The water metaphors continue. Wei Shao will wait for the people to be on his side, since a river does not freeze overnight. Governing people is like managing water: you cannot rush it. This is a lot.
Man Man visits a local shrine that was set up to mourn the dead when Xindu was taken over. Wei Shao is angry to see her there when the people died because of her family’s actions. He wants to tear it down.
The people object, and the former local magistrate tries to kill him. Wei Shao has no trouble stopping him, and his advisor keeps him from murdering the man.
Man Man thinks about how Wei Shao’s grandmother hopes the marriage will help Wei Shao move on from his past and live a little more peacefully.
Man Man has a new idea
She shows up as Wei Shao is dealing with the magistrate. In front of the people, she turns herself into the bad guy. She suggests he kill the magistrate and maybe even up to 100 people.
Wei Shao puts his sword at Man Man’s neck. She cries and asks for forgiveness, but he says he’ll never forgive her. He frees the magistrate, who now loves him.
Man Man’s carriage gets pelted by vegetables, and the people are against the marriage. But Wei Shao knows it was an act. Not that he likes that either. She’s manipulative, like her family. He’s not wrong. But he gives her balm for the cut on her neck.
She gives him a charm(?) she was handed at the shrine that says: Do not disgrace our united hearts/It is not proper to have regrets. I’m not sure I get this.
Now the people love him, but they’re hungry
Because they underestimated the population numbers, and it’s been a drought year. But guess who would have supplies? Panyi.
Wei Shao pulls down the wall and the fear it symbolizes. He says the grudges of 14 years are erased. Everyone is a citizen of Xindu. (Except maybe his wife-to-be.)
Man Man watches and seems to be touched as he promises they will work together to rebuild the city. Wei Shao sees her smiling.
He finds armor from his grandfather’s horse in the rubble of the shrine, and smiles.
Man Man sees that they are out of food in the city. She goes to Wei Shao and gives him the seal for Panyi. She knows he treats the people well and hopes he will accept her and forge an alliance for the people.
He laughs when she calls him kind, and gets evil lighting, asking if she thinks he’s gullible. Does she think a betrothal can wipe out 14 years of hatred? Or her beauty can enchant him? To him, this is all manipulation. He will not be deceived again.
And then we get the credits showing he’ll eventually be So In Love
He’s a lot easier for me to read than her, fitting with their characters. He’s a straightforward, violent warlord who wants to kill his enemies. She’s smart and works behind the scenes to orchestrate what she wants. But what does she want? To save her family. By getting Wei Shao to calm down? Maybe?
I love that scenes with him always look cold and dark.
Though the setup was a whirlwind of people and places, I appreciate that they got it done fast. I’m here for the marriage of convenience of two kinda enemies. Well, he wants to kill her. As I said, I’m not sure what she wants besides wearing his stone heart down to… save her family?
But they’re both smart and practical. She’s not expecting the betrayed warrior to be a nice guy. He can see through her act easily. They’ll make a great pairing and eventually an awesome power couple. I’m looking forward to seeing them start to get past the political stuff and start getting all loving and willing-to-die-for-each-other, politics be damned.
I’m just so happy to be back in a horrible world of death and war and revenge and forced marriages and all those good things.
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