A goofy, battle-hardened female general x a sweet, lively, gentle little ray of sunshine who gets spoiled rotten
Chen Youyu x Shen Futang
During the Shengyuan era, a young heroine rose to prominence, achieving countless great feats and becoming the dynasty's first female general.
Yet while women her age were already having their third child, there was still no word of a marriage for the general.
The Shengyuan Emperor, who doted on his niece, slapped the table and decided to issue an imperial decree arranging her marriage.
The general refused. She wouldn't accept it. What made her inferior to those men? Why should she have to marry one?
The emperor froze, then thought it over.
At last, he declared, "Fine. If you've got what it takes, bring home a wife."
The legitimate daughter of the Minister of Rites, now of marriageable age, was fretting over her marriage.
Her father said he would find her a suitable match from a family of equal standing, someone who would cherish and love her, and never mistreat her.
He spent a whole year searching. At last, the young lady, still waiting for her betrothed, angrily flung down the storybook in her hands.
Could there really be no good men in this world?
No, she would follow the example of the noble young ladies in her storybooks and make the first move!
Barely out the door, the young lady ran straight into the general, who was looking for a wife.
The general fell in love at first sight and came right out with it: "Miss, will you marry me?"
The young lady looked up at the sky. Was this really still the Shengyuan era? Could women marry wives now?
And so, in the great hall, the emperor, who had already steeled himself to let his niece marry a man, stared thoughtfully at the pair of beautiful women standing below.
He gestured for his ministers to speak up and stop them.
But the Minister of Rites, who had spent a year scrambling to find a husband for his daughter and had nearly gone bald from worry, suddenly saw the light.
Of course! Who said the general wasn't good enough? She seemed perfect to him!
"I beg Your Majesty to grant my daughter's heartfelt wish."
Chen Youyu, not yet past her prime but already teased as a fading beauty, looked challenging. "It's only a marriage. Why shouldn't this general take a wife?"
Theme: Who says women are inferior to men?
