A Retiree's Guide to the Jianghu

Jiang Zao wakes among a jumble of corpses. After falling into a river, she loses all her martial arts skills, and when poison flares up in a remote village, she is taken in by a self-indulgent, bossy young master named Fu.

After several months of peaceful living, people from her organization come to take her away.

Fu has secretly fallen for her, but, too proud to admit it, he tries to make her stay. "You can stay by my side. I'll be able to protect you."

At the edge of a sheer cliff, amid fierce winds and torrential rain, Jiang Zao is held hostage. If Fu hands over the seal of the former dynasty's crown prince, they will let her go.

Fu throws it over without hesitation. It's only a seal, nothing compared to her.

The rain blurs his vision as he watches Jiang Zao disappear over the cliff. Nothing could hurt more.

With enemy forces at the gates, Fu sees the woman beside the rebel leader and the seal in her hand, and at last everything becomes clear.

There are no coincidences in this world. It was all planned long ago.

The rebels fail to take the city and are captured. Fu still wears a fierce look, his jade-white face seeming sinister as he says, "Be good and drink your medicine."

Jiang Zao: He seems a little off.

Jiang Zao's thoughts: "I came through a sea of blood, setting a trap with myself as bait. He entered it at his leisure, willingly offering up his seal and his heart."

"My feelings for him were real, but so was my deep scheme. I carefully planned my misfortune, tricked him into handing over the seal at the cliff, and merely pretended to side with the rebels. We were both ready to use each other and then part ways."

"He rescued me, blind, from prison and kept me in his manor, looking after me with great care. On the night before I left, I gave him one night of passion."

"After escaping certain death, I learned that Fu Linchuan had been granted a marriage, and I rushed back in a frenzy."

"I came to steal him away."

"He's mine. Why should I hold back?"

Theme: Staying true to yourself