Predictably sweet, it's for the feels, not the plot.
This series is pretty typical for its genre, a historical romance featuring a smart, composed heroine named Ming Tan. She’s set to marry into a “respectable” family, but surprise, they're a total mess. The whole thing is clearly a political move, but Ming Tan isn’t having it. Once she finds out her fiancé got his lowborn cousin pregnant, she starts digging up evidence to call the whole thing off.
Around the same time, she (accidentally) crosses paths with Jiang Xu, the Prince of Dingbei. He’s a royal and a military commander, currently on the run from assassins because he’s trying to get to the bottom of a battle gone horribly wrong. As he investigates corruption in the capital, he and Ming Tan keep bumping into each other.
Ming Tan’s no ordinary girl, she’s the fourth lady of the powerful Ming family, so her marriage has serious political weight. Her fiancé’s family is desperate to cling to that power, no matter how shady they have to be. Even Jiang Xu has to step carefully around her family at first. But as things unfold, he and Ming Tan start working together to break off the engagement, since it benefits them both.
Once the engagement’s canceled, Ming Tan is finally free, until Jiang Xu goes to the Emperor and asks to marry her himself. Because her marriage is practically a state affair, the Emperor agrees, and just like that, she becomes the Princess of Dingbei.
As for the rest of the story? It’s full of familiar tropes, the evil stepmother and stepsister, the funny and loyal guy friends, the sweet cousin, the overly trusting dad, and of course, our classic cold male lead who falls hard for the smart, kind female lead. Jiang Xu and Ming Tan are pretty textbook, but their chemistry is solid, and honestly, they’re fun to watch together.
Bottom line, don’t expect a groundbreaking plot. This is a comfy, costume drama with some light political twists, a few emotional bumps, and plenty of cute, cheesy, and feel-good moments. If you’re here for the romance, it delivers.
Around the same time, she (accidentally) crosses paths with Jiang Xu, the Prince of Dingbei. He’s a royal and a military commander, currently on the run from assassins because he’s trying to get to the bottom of a battle gone horribly wrong. As he investigates corruption in the capital, he and Ming Tan keep bumping into each other.
Ming Tan’s no ordinary girl, she’s the fourth lady of the powerful Ming family, so her marriage has serious political weight. Her fiancé’s family is desperate to cling to that power, no matter how shady they have to be. Even Jiang Xu has to step carefully around her family at first. But as things unfold, he and Ming Tan start working together to break off the engagement, since it benefits them both.
Once the engagement’s canceled, Ming Tan is finally free, until Jiang Xu goes to the Emperor and asks to marry her himself. Because her marriage is practically a state affair, the Emperor agrees, and just like that, she becomes the Princess of Dingbei.
As for the rest of the story? It’s full of familiar tropes, the evil stepmother and stepsister, the funny and loyal guy friends, the sweet cousin, the overly trusting dad, and of course, our classic cold male lead who falls hard for the smart, kind female lead. Jiang Xu and Ming Tan are pretty textbook, but their chemistry is solid, and honestly, they’re fun to watch together.
Bottom line, don’t expect a groundbreaking plot. This is a comfy, costume drama with some light political twists, a few emotional bumps, and plenty of cute, cheesy, and feel-good moments. If you’re here for the romance, it delivers.
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