The Lovely Village Girl and the Young Scholar

1. Gu Xiaoman, the village beauty, dreams of having enough to eat and drink without worry. She hears that "a skilled craftsperson can survive even a three-year drought," so she decides to find one to marry.

Her neighbor, the young scholar Shen Yuanzhang, feels a pang of jealousy when he hears this. "A scholar can make sure you have enough to eat and drink, too!"

Gu Xiaoman scoffs. Scholars are fickle and love taking concubines.

2. Seeing one skilled craftsman after another go to the Gu family to propose, Shen Yuanzhang studies harder while doing his best to ingratiate himself with Gu Xiaoman's family.

"Xiaoman, look, I can carry water and chop firewood!"

To her surprise, beneath Shen Yuanzhang's sweat-soaked shirt are solid, well-defined muscles!

"Xiaoman, look, I can sell couplets and paintings, and I can even take the imperial examination to become a licentiate!"

Gu Xiaoman also discovers that when Shen Yuanzhang wears a long robe, he not only speaks with refinement, but has a very handsome face.

3. Gu Xiaoman blushes, struggling to make up her mind. After turning it over and over, she grits her teeth. Fine, I'll take the gamble. I'll choose him!

Shen Yuanzhang is overjoyed. Looking at Gu Xiaoman's flushed cheeks, he secretly vows, I'll make sure you never have to worry about food or drink!

Note: An adorable village beauty and young scholar, in a pure farming-life story about family matters and the necessities of daily life. No court intrigue, just a warm and healing tale.

Theme: A promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold