Radiance Along the Roadside

In the fictional Great Yong Dynasty, literary culture flourishes on the surface, while the imperial court and aristocratic clans wage fierce hidden battles. Scholars from humble families have little hope of advancement, and the strictures of ritual are severe, especially the rules that “aristocratic clans must not marry into humble families or other outcasts” and “princes must put the realm first and abandon personal feelings.” Murong Chan, a gloomy and sensitive hostage prince, and Shen Limo, a clear-eyed, free-spirited outcast from an aristocratic clan, are brought together by the idea of “guidance.” Shen Limo is like the light of dawn, illuminating Murong Chan’s imprisoned soul; Murong Chan’s purity and perseverance, in turn, help Shen Limo rediscover his belief in “protection.”