The Parasol Tree Has No Perch

Shao Yuan, Princess Zhaohua, was the noble phoenix of the Zhao Kingdom.

When her kingdom fell, the father who had once loved her most offered her, along with the surrender document, to the man beyond the city walls.

She cut off her hair and severed her ties. As her sister sobbed weakly, she walked barefoot onto the city wall and saw him amid the countless soldiers.

Shao Yuan did not jump. Not for her parents, nor for the people, but for herself.

She had always been indifferent by nature, selfish to the bone.

She knelt before the man and raised the surrender document. Her head bowed obediently, but her back was straight as a pine, and her eyes held neither sorrow nor joy.

*

Chao Yao, Borjigin Naren, was the sun rising over the grasslands.

He yearned for power and was determined to conquer every inch of land with his cavalry and unite the realm. Naturally, he succeeded.

He accepted the surrender document.

And it would do no harm to marry one more beauty to help secure his rule.

*

Chao Yao knew the beauty had thorns.

He gave her one chance to leave. She stayed, and he thought she had fallen deeply in love with him and was willing to remain, so he treated her with great favor.

But he never expected that even his newly built Qingtong Palace would fail to keep this phoenix from the old days confined.

She flew away.

The rational man went mad. Pain gnawed at him. All of it was futile, for the wheel of fate turned in only one direction.

1. The female lead loves herself most of all. The ending is tragic.

I don't think this is tragedy for tragedy's sake. These two were simply destined to end this way.

2. The setting is inspired by the Yuan conquest of the Song. I absolutely do not intend to distort history!!! The world is very loosely based on reality, so please don't overanalyze it.

Theme: Without a country, there can be no home.