Ming Xiaoxiao, the capital’s most adored young lady, is the only daughter of the Grand General Who Guards the Nation. Raised in a life of pampering, she gets swept into a whirlpool of power struggles and romance after a “husband-selection fiasco.” When her father, Ming Yue, pressures her to marry, the mischievous girl holds a “son-in-law competition,” challenging her suitors with unconventional tests in cooking, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. To her surprise, she attracts four men from vastly different walks of life: Jing Shian, the cold and ruthless Prince An; Wu Jing, a gentle young nobleman; Xi Jingci, an ambitious Crown Prince; and Chu Yu, the battle-hardened Prince of Dingbei. Jing Shian has secretly admired Xiaoxiao for years and is willing to give up his title to marry into the general’s household. Wu Jing quietly protects her, but their bond ultimately becomes more like that of siblings. Xi Jingci and Chu Yu each have their own schemes and repeatedly create crises.
Amid the farcical competition, Xiaoxiao gradually sees through the conspiracies and joins forces with Jing Shian to resolve a border war and a rebellion at court. They go from testing one another to entrusting each other with their lives. In the end, Jing Shian wins Xiaoxiao’s heart with the astonishing decision to marry into the general’s household. Together they travel the martial world and protect their country, forging a legendary marriage in which the woman takes a husband. As she grows, Xiaoxiao also uncovers her mother’s past and inherits her mastery of medicine and poison, along with her father’s resolve as a general. Together with Jing Shian, she helps build a peaceful and prosperous realm, leaving behind a timeless tale of a divine couple.
