A member of a lesser branch of the Jia family, Jia Heng is a solitary figure in a cold, neglected courtyard. From birth, he has been fated to lose both parents, and he is raised outside the Rongguo Mansion, enduring the contempt and exclusion of the pampered main branch. No one knows that beneath his seemingly ordinary, timid exterior lies astonishing talent and brilliant business acumen. He also carries a hidden inheritance from his mother and holds the plot of Dream of the Red Chamber in his mind. He lies low, biding his time, determined to break free from fate, raise up his branch of the family, and reverse the tragedy of the Red Chamber.
He hides his talents and patiently bides his time, revealing his brilliance for the first time at the Lantern Festival family banquet. A single poem amazes Daiyu, and one glance at a shop’s shortcomings wins over Baochai. His openhearted companionship wins Xiangyun’s affection. Step by step, he revitalizes canal transport in Jiangnan, opens money houses, and builds a commercial empire rich enough to rival the state, crushing the likes of Jia Lian and Jia Zhen and face-slapping everyone who looked down on him. He makes his name in the imperial examinations, rises to become a Grand Secretary, and is ennobled as the Duke of Loyalty and Valor. With power over the court, he navigates the emperor and the nobility while keeping those close to him safe.
The cool and proud Miaoyu breaks her vows for him; the talented Tanchun leaves the Rongguo Mansion for his sake; the gentle and patient Ping’er and Xiangling stay devotedly by his side; and the clever, perceptive Baoqin and Xiaohong lend him their support and advice. Daiyu understands him, Baochai helps ease his burdens, and Xiangyun brings him joy. The women around him offer their sincere affection without rivalry or infighting, all willing to share in his prosperity.
From a lowborn member of a lesser branch to the powerful Duke of Loyalty and Valor, from a life of solitude to one surrounded by devoted women, Jia Heng uses his wit to break through dead ends, his power to command respect, and his sincerity to win the hearts of the women he loves. He purges the Jia family of its parasites, helps the lesser branches rise, and rewrites the doomed fate of the Rongguo and Ningguo Mansions, forging a thoroughly satisfying path to success with no regrets.
