Swooshing Swords, True Love

Synopsis of Gu Long's traditional wuxia novel Sword Whispers, True Love:

Li Jiqiu meets Escort Chief Le Zhentian and his adopted daughter, Le Jiaqian, at the Jinghua Escort Agency. With their help, he finds the “Jack-of-All-Trades” near the Tianqiao. Using a combination of persuasion and force, and with help from Tie Ying's men, he finally tracks down Bai Xue'an and Miss Green, who have gone into hiding. He then learns that both are spies planted by the Fourth Prince in the Second Prince's household. Their actions are part of a plot to frame the Second Prince and make him fight someone else's battle. At this point, Madam Bai, the superior of Bai Xue'an and Green, whose real name is Furong, also comes looking for them. She fights Li Jiqiu, but is defeated and flees. Later, however, she abducts Furong and takes her back to Prince Yong's residence, where she has her brutally tortured. When Li Jiqiu hears what happened, he feels guilty toward Furong and rushes into Prince Yong's residence without a second thought, determined to get her back by himself.

The Fourth Prince has now taken an interest in Li Jiqiu. He abandons his earlier strategy of weakening the Second Prince's influence and instead decides to recruit Li Jiqiu. So he joins forces with Korondo, Nian Gengyao, and Madam Bai to stage a show. They lure Li Jiqiu into breaking into Prince Yong's residence to save Furong, using the incident to force him out of the Second Prince's Eastern Palace. Then they drive Furong out of Prince Yong's residence, leaving Li Jiqiu no choice but to stay and look after her. They deliberately make Princess Dejin learn of it, too. Torn between love and resentment, Princess Dejin makes a scene, while the Eastern Palace sends men to attack Li Jiqiu. This chain of schemes cuts off every path for him to return to the Eastern Palace and turns him against the Second Prince.

But even the most careful plan can have a flaw. Li Jiqiu had already suspected Escort Chief Le Zhentian. After capturing him and forcing him to talk, he learns the name of his contact, Zhao Junping. Following the trail upward, he finally pieces together the whole story and avoids falling for the plot.