When Qu Ning was seven, her parents and older brother all died in battle.
Emperor Yong'an, mindful of her family's loyal service, arranged for her to marry the Crown Prince and brought her into the palace to be raised by the empress.
As an orphan who was able to marry the Crown Prince, Qu Ning was envied by everyone for her good fortune.
On the day of the Crown Prince's wedding, the noble young ladies gazed at his retreating figure with tear-reddened eyes, secretly praying that he would soon grow tired of Qu Ning.
No one expected Qu Ning to lose favor. Instead, she knelt for a long time in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, begging for a divorce.
After the wedding, Qu Ning had a nightmare. She dreamed that the Crown Prince loved someone else, and that a year later, she would die at his hands.
When she woke up, Qu Ning wanted to save her own life, so she immediately divorced the scummy Crown Prince and quickly found herself another husband: a country bumpkin from a family with only a few acres of poor farmland.
Quite a few people gloated, mocking Qu Ning for being hopeless and waiting to see her struggle in the mire.
They waited and waited. Before they could see Qu Ning bend her back, the country bumpkin passed all six imperial examinations.
Then came the news that the Crown Prince, whom they all thought was such a catch, was actually a fake!
The fake Crown Prince was deposed, while the country bumpkin gained a new identity, leaping up to become the esteemed Crown Prince and eventually ascend to the throne.
Those who had mocked Qu Ning for being blind now knelt at her feet, their eyes red again as they watched her become the mother of the empire.
Theme: In adversity, you need confidence and resolve. Take charge of your own life.
