Shen Qing’s Screen

For her family’s sake, Shen Qing marries into a marquis’s household. As soon as she arrives, she is targeted by Concubine Liu, who cuts her allowance and spreads rumors about her. Lu Yan is initially cold toward Shen Qing, but he is surprised to discover that when she faces Concubine Liu’s schemes, she remains “calm and dignified, turning her opponent’s strength to her own advantage.” For instance, she uses the shoddy fabric Concubine Liu gives her to embroider a screen that leaves everyone astonished, turning the tables and making Concubine Liu lose face. Later, when Lu Yan is framed by political rivals, Shen Qing secretly helps clear his name using leads from her father’s former subordinates. The two gradually fall in love. With Lu Yan’s support, Shen Qing also secures justice for her mother, eventually becoming the true mistress of the marquis’s household. Together, they stabilize the political situation.