Jiang Yuan was a beggar.
As far back as she could remember, she had lived among the bands of refugees and beggars, nameless and rootless.
Qi Hexian, Grand Tutor of the dynasty, gave her a name.
Jiang was an ancient noble surname, meaning foremost beneath heaven. Yuan meant the beginning of all things, the start of everything.
Looking at her, he said softly, "Your name is your life."
At the time, Jiang Yuan was still young and naive, and didn't understand what he meant.
Only later, as she steadily made her way toward the highest throne,
did she suddenly realize that her name had always been a verdict.
But the human heart is never satisfied. Once she had gained the realm, she wanted something else as well.
She lowered her eyes and asked Qi Hexian, "Is there love in this name?"
Qi Hexian gazed deeply at her but said nothing for a long time.
The Great Chen Dynasty was nearing its end, and factional struggles at court grew ever more vicious.
Caught off guard, Qi Hexian fell victim to a plot and was abducted to a bandit's den.
With his life hanging by a thread, it was an utterly inconspicuous little beggar who rescued him.
In that moment, it was as if he had found the sovereign destined for him in the vast darkness.
So he called her Jiang Yuan.
He taught her strategy and adaptability, and guided her in the art of ruling as an emperor.
She lived up to his expectations, bringing down the rotten old dynasty and restoring peace and prosperity to the realm.
Qi Hexian had thought that once the realm was at peace, his mission would be complete.
But when she asked him, "Is there love in this name?" he hesitated.
How could the Grand Tutor, who had always planned for every eventuality, fail to understand her feelings?
He said gently, "I gave you the finest characters in the world. How could there be no love in this name?"
Now that things had come to this, she could go forth to claim her vast realm, while he should make his way toward his own green hills.
His green hills had always been Jiang Yuan.
[Reading Guide]
Mutual devotion, with both leads' first times reserved for each other.
An ambitious empress who schemes her way to the top × a pure-hearted Grand Tutor who plans the whole game
From humble beginnings to the pinnacle, an alternate-history political intrigue with a romance that's sweet but bittersweet.
Theme: May peace reign throughout the realm
