Shen Yuan, the legitimate daughter of the Hou Mansion, is known for her beauty, with a face like a hibiscus and skin like smooth jade—reputed as the most beautiful woman in Yangzhou. She is betrothed to Lu Shen, the Earl of Kangping, yet soon after their engagement, she has a dream. In the dream, her husband coldly neglects her. Lu Shen’s reason for marrying her turns out to be her resemblance to her half-sister, who mysteriously disappeared. When the sister eventually returns, Shen Yuan suffers a tragic and lonely death. The one who mourns her loss the most, however, is Lu Shen’s uncle, Lu Zhiyun—a powerful and ruthless Grand Chancellor and Duke of the Nation, feared across the court. Every month, he visits her grave alone, keeping silent company, even as Shen Yuan lies long-departed. Unmarried to the end, Lu Zhiyun ultimately visits the Hou Mansion to take her spirit tablet as his bride. After being reborn, Shen Yuan vows not to repeat her misfortunes and instead sets her sights on the cold, stoic power-holder. At the Garden of Joy banquet, Lu Zhiyun appears: a man past thirty, handsome and mature, clad in a red court robe with a leather belt and a jade crown, exuding an aura of restrained dignity. As he passes by her, Shen Yuan intentionally lets her handkerchief fall, hoping to draw closer and test his response. Lu Zhiyun, known to avoid women and despise the scent of powder, surprises everyone who expects to see Shen Yuan make a fool of herself. The usually aloof Chancellor picks up her handkerchief instead, his expression indifferent, and only says in a low voice, “Take it.” No one knows he has carried a yearning for this beauty across two lifetimes.