Zhou Ping was born into a powerful clan in Jiangdong and possessed a beauty capable of bringing kingdoms to their knees. She had three husbands in succession.
Her paternal aunt first became a Zhaoyi and later an empress, and secured Zhou Ping the position of crown princess of Qi.
But even after the betrothal gifts had been delivered, Cheng Han refused to accept Jiangdong's surrender without a fight. They sailed downriver and launched a surprise attack on Jiankang, intending both to humiliate Jiangdong and to sabotage the marriage alliance. They abducted Zhou Ping, who was awaiting her wedding.
Qi had only recently been established, and could not overcome the natural defenses of Jianmen Pass.
She was forced to marry the crown prince of Cheng Han. She lived in the Han palace for three years, and she and the crown prince treated each other with respect and affection.
Lu Bi, who had grown up with her, was deeply ashamed. He kept his weapons at hand day and night, and when the moment came, he marched west, destroyed Cheng Han, beheaded its crown prince, and escorted the King of Han to the capital. He also brought Zhou Ping home.
By then, Qi's crown prince, Sima Ji, had ascended the throne. She had once been considered as his crown princess, but now she was a young widow whose husband had died.
Sima Ji had no intention of continuing the political marriage alliance. He planned to choose a woman from one of the northern aristocratic clans to be his empress.
Zhou Ping was trapped in an utterly awkward position. While the world condemned her, Lu Bi, also born into one of Jiangdong's foremost aristocratic clans, handsome and shrewd, a master strategist renowned as a Confucian general, played the qin outside her door all night, solely to ask for her hand.
For the bond they had shared since childhood, and out of gratitude for his rescue, she accepted his proposal.
People of the time envied her, saying that Zhou Ping could not marry the emperor, but had turned around and married Lang Lu instead. What incredible good fortune!
The devoted couple spent several loving years together, then entered the capital hand in hand as the princes and nobles came to pay court.
But who could have guessed that, at their first meeting in the Great Chancellor's Temple, Sima Ji would catch a fleeting glimpse of her and develop the desire to take his subject's wife...
Zhou Ping was forced to marry for a third time.
Reader's note:
1. The female lead has had previous relationships, while the male lead, Lu Bi, has not. Sima Ji is the second male lead, and the male lead and second male lead receive roughly equal page time.
2. This is an alternate-history setting in which the realm is divided into three. The female and male leads are on Jiangdong's side. The female lead first marries the crown prince of Cheng Han, then the male lead, and finally the emperor of Qi.
3. This is not a polyamorous story. Each marriage takes place only after the previous one has ended. The female lead is never involved with two men at the same time.
4. This is a story with a strong male lead and a weak female lead, not a story about a dominant heroine. The female lead is gentle and weak, though she has moments of resilience, and has little control over her fate throughout her life.
Theme: Fate is decided by people.
