40 parts Complete Wei Wuxian, a fugitive from Yunmeng arrives at Gusu, where he is granted refuge on the condition that he will serve as the secret shadow of General Lan Wangji. When General Lan Wangji is plotted against by his own brother, King Lan Xichen, Wei Wuxian rescues Lan Wangji and together pretend to be a cutsleeve farmer couple to hide in plain sight, even adopting a child, moving on to Yiling as a merchant couple.
When situations change in Yunmeng and King Jiang Fengmian realize that his adopted child has been wronged, Wei Wuxian is called back to Yunmeng with the title of Prince Regent which Wei Wuxian, fearing that he will be again accused of being power hungry, passes on to his royal born, merchant husband Lan Zhan. When the Wens attack Gusu and burn down Cloud Recess, the people of Gusu seek shelter in the neighbouring Kingdom of Yunmeng where Prince Regent Lan Zhan and Consort Wei become their hope.
One the other hand Lan Xichen, chooses to take shelter in the distant court of Lanling under the protection of his lover Jin Guangyao, who soon shows his true colours. Will Gusu rise again defeating the Wens and returning Lanling's humiliation? Or will the position of the Gusu refugees remain something temporary?