The Han Family's Puppet Girl, Doted on by a General Like a Treasure

During the Yuanshou era of the Han dynasty, Wei Zhaozhao, a puppeteer performing on the streets of Chang'an, struggles to support her troupe and raise her younger brother after her father dies of illness, his name unjustly tarnished. Though highly skilled, she is repeatedly harassed by local thugs and looked down upon by the powerful because of her low status. Huo Zizhao, a cousin of Huo Qubing and a cavalry general who has just returned victorious from the frontier, happens upon her performance. Captivated by her resilience and her extraordinary ability to "bring puppets to life," he steps in to help her: he teaches the thugs a lesson, clears her father’s name, secures the troupe a chance to perform at the palace, and even publicly rejects a marriage proposal from the Chancellor’s daughter, declaring, "I will marry only Wei Zhaozhao." At first, the heroine draws back because of the gap in their status, but the hero’s sincerity wins her over: "I may be a general, but more than that, I want to be your husband." In the end, the two overcome the barriers of class. He gives up some of his military authority to stay by her side and look after the troupe, while she tells their story through puppetry, making them a famous tale in Chang'an.

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.