1. He Ning wakes up to find herself inhabiting the body of Jiang Ziya's legendary first wife, Ma Zhaodi, a "jinxed woman" supposedly cursed to bring her husband misfortune.
Despised by the Jiang family and shunned by the neighbors, she is treated with cold indifference by Taigong Wang himself, who is busy cultivating and seeking immortality. Worse, she seems to have a mild bad-luck debuff of her own: she always loses small bets, has the worst luck imaginable, trips on perfectly flat ground, burns every meal, gets caught in a gust of wind whenever she hangs out the laundry, runs into drizzle every time she goes out, and sometimes even causes people nearby to suffer inexplicable bad luck.
Looking through Ma Zhaodi's memories, she learns that Taigong Wang is about to leave the mountain and take part in the Investiture of the Gods. The future will be extremely dangerous. He Ning doesn't want to be a disposable ex-wife, much less get caught up in a fight between immortals!
So while Taigong Wang is away visiting a friend, she promptly packs her bags and runs for it! Her goal is to get far from Chaoge and find somewhere scenic to lie low.
2. Jiang Ziya has a very faint impression of Ma Zhaodi, the woman who is technically his wife. All he knows is that she has an unusual fate and a timid, mediocre disposition, and is almost entirely forgettable. A cultivator should devote his heart to the Great Dao. A wife from the mortal world? Mere passing clouds.
But when he briefly returns home to retrieve something old, he suddenly realizes his wife has become a little... well... strange. Her behavior is completely unlike before, and the timid, humble nature that seemed etched into her bones has faded. She's become lively, quick-witted, shrewd, and eccentric. He makes a quick calculation and, well, what do you know? The secrets of heaven are in chaos, and this woman's fate seems to have shifted. How interesting!
3. With a mission from his sect approaching, he must go to the Weishui River to "fish for a wise ruler" and wait for Ji Chang. As he sits by the river fishing and contemplating the Heavenly Dao, he is surprised to discover that "Ma Zhaodi" has come to the Weishui too, and is doing... astonishingly well? When she spots him, she looks as if she is facing a mortal enemy and would love nothing more than to vanish on the spot. Jiang Ziya's thoughts stir, and with a flick of his wrist, his straight hook catches the hem of her skirt with pinpoint accuracy.
"Miss, the wind is strong by the stream. Watch your step. This Daoist is fishing here for those willing to take the bait. You... why are you hiding?"
"Reverend, that hook of yours... has no bait and no barb. I doubt you'd catch even the stupidest fish with it."
"You're mistaken, miss. A bare hook catches fate, and the heart's true intent. Look, haven't I just caught a lively little 'fish' that's eager to wriggle away?"
This interesting "other soul" who has practically leapt onto his hook, wearing the skin of a jinx, is far more intriguing than some vague, willing ruler! This fish, oh... no, this woman, is his catch for sure! Let's see how long she can keep running.
Reader's notes:
* Jiang Ziya's given name is Shang or Wang, and his courtesy name is Ziya. Taigong Wang is an honorific for him, and this story always refers to him as Taigong Wang.
* The story generally follows the world of Investiture of the Gods, with a few original details. For example, the male lead appears to be around twenty, not a white-bearded old man. Taigong is a cultivator and a high-ranking disciple of the Chan Sect, so he can preserve his youthful appearance and change his form. In the story, he chooses to travel in the guise of a handsome young man.
* Includes faked death, identity reveals, pursuing a wife, and mild darkening.
Synopsis written on August 2, 2025. It will be refined before the story begins.
Theme: Soulmates can love one another eternally.
