[Concubine daughter's rise + second male lead takes the lead + possessive pursuit + groveling redemption + angst before sweetness + face-slapping and villain takedowns]
Shen Qingzhi, a concubine-born daughter of the Minister's residence, has spent half her life enduring hardship and admiring the gentle Crown Prince, hoping only for a safe place to call home.
She doesn't know that her fleeting glimpse has already been etched in the heart of Gu Xiaohe, the iron-fisted Prince of Jing.
He watches coldly as she is bullied, secretly protecting her. Just as she is about to be drawn into the Eastern Palace's schemes, he seizes her hand in marriage in open court, using his military power to force the match and take her into his household.
He claims her by force, keeps her at his side, and loves her with an obsessive intensity that hurts.
Only when her heart is dead and she leaves does this decisive, ruthless prince realize his regret. He searches for her across the land, casting aside his pride and humbling himself completely.
From possessive pursuit to groveling redemption, this gardenia blossom, battered by hardship, is ultimately cherished by the obsessive prince and loved by him alone for the rest of her life.
