As a docent at the Du Fu Thatched Cottage Museum, Yan Xiaozhao's job every day was to recount Du Fu's tragic life. She had shed enough sympathetic tears to fill a basin.
Who could have guessed that after suddenly traveling back to the High Tang era, she would become Du Fu's fiancée?
Yan Xiaozhao (hands on hips, laughing at the sky): I'm going to become the greatest cheat in history. Husband, hurry up and marry me!
But the elders in her family were determined to break off the engagement. They would never marry their precious daughter to a down-and-out young man. They even found another match for her, and planned to marry her off that very day.
With joy and sorrow arriving all at once, Yan Xiaozhao made a snap decision: elope!
Just after she ran away from home, the great Du Fu came to their door to argue his case (and got beaten black and blue). She pretended to be passing by, gave her own family a good thrashing, then made a graceful exit. With plenty of cunning, she climbed Mount Tai, hoping for an utterly romantic encounter.
Unfortunately, she nearly froze to death.
Luckily, the great Du Fu showed up in time to save her. Yan Xiaozhao gave up her status as his future wife and shamelessly clung to him, beginning a grand (and lovey-dovey) campaign to win her husband over.
What if her future husband keeps failing the imperial examinations?
The little maid Yan Xiaozhao says it's no problem. I can get rid of either Li Linfu or Yang Guozhong.
What if her future husband is so poor he can't afford to eat?
The little maid Yan Xiaozhao makes a delicious feast. Young master, try my cooking. How about we open a restaurant?
What if her future husband's poems aren't popular enough?
The little maid Yan Xiaozhao carves movable type all over the floor. Young master, I can do printing, too.
Li Bai flirts with her future husband and then leaves, and her husband is feeling gloomy. What can she do?
The little maid Yan Xiaozhao proudly puts together a distilling apparatus, gets the Poet Immortal drunk in three cups, and carries her husband home.
[A doting wife and Tang history prodigy heroine x an earnest, honest, patriotic, devoted-to-his-family, devoted-to-his-maid, passionate hero]
Theme: Rise and fall are inevitable, but never forget your original purpose and give everything your best.
