TV-Series
Description
Pu Zhao grows up in a small village as the childhood friend of sisters Fu Yin and Fu Ning. During this time, Fu Ning develops unrequited affection for him, while he harbors feelings for Fu Yin. The violent destruction of their village by the Taibai Imperial army shatters their lives, separating them. Pu Zhao is captured and forced into slavery by the empire.
Enduring years of enslavement, Pu Zhao demonstrates aptitude in engineering and construction. He acquires literacy and masters reading technical blueprints. These skills attract Mo Heng, the Taibai Empire's Chief Engineer, who takes him as a pupil. Following Mo Heng's defection to the resistance, imperial suspicion falls on Pu Zhao, leading to his imprisonment. His circumstances change dramatically through encounters with a young girl who frequently visits his cell. Unaware of her true identity, he confides his past and his desire to end the war. This girl is revealed as Empress Long Cheng. She grants him immunity, bestows a noble title, and appoints him the new Chief Engineer.
Empress Long Cheng develops a precocious attachment to Pu Zhao, often sneaking out to spend time with him. Though his technical expertise proves valuable to the empire, his motivations remain complex, driven by trauma from enslavement and lingering connections to his past. He clings to a necklace given by Fu Ning, a tragic keepsake from the village's destruction, believing both sisters perished. This belief fuels his single-minded focus on Fu Yin, unaware of Fu Ning's survival and her profound feelings for him, creating a fraught emotional dynamic.
His reunion with Fu Yin and Fu Ning occurs under strained circumstances as they stand on opposing sides of the conflict. Fu Ning, who lost both arms during the village attack, now uses magnetic prosthetic limbs crafted by the Mujia spirit Yun, summoned by Fu Yin. Pu Zhao's loyalty and affections face intense testing as the war escalates. A pivotal moment forces him to choose between killing Empress Long Cheng or Fu Ning. His refusal leads to an attempted suicide, interrupted by imperial guards. Later, he undertakes a sacrificial act to destroy the dangerous dark fire core, permanently losing his eyesight to save others.
By the series' conclusion, significant shifts occur in his relationships. Despite enduring early feelings for Fu Yin, Pu Zhao ultimately forms a romantic bond with Fu Ning, resolving the longstanding emotional tension. He accepts his new role within the empire alongside Ning.
Enduring years of enslavement, Pu Zhao demonstrates aptitude in engineering and construction. He acquires literacy and masters reading technical blueprints. These skills attract Mo Heng, the Taibai Empire's Chief Engineer, who takes him as a pupil. Following Mo Heng's defection to the resistance, imperial suspicion falls on Pu Zhao, leading to his imprisonment. His circumstances change dramatically through encounters with a young girl who frequently visits his cell. Unaware of her true identity, he confides his past and his desire to end the war. This girl is revealed as Empress Long Cheng. She grants him immunity, bestows a noble title, and appoints him the new Chief Engineer.
Empress Long Cheng develops a precocious attachment to Pu Zhao, often sneaking out to spend time with him. Though his technical expertise proves valuable to the empire, his motivations remain complex, driven by trauma from enslavement and lingering connections to his past. He clings to a necklace given by Fu Ning, a tragic keepsake from the village's destruction, believing both sisters perished. This belief fuels his single-minded focus on Fu Yin, unaware of Fu Ning's survival and her profound feelings for him, creating a fraught emotional dynamic.
His reunion with Fu Yin and Fu Ning occurs under strained circumstances as they stand on opposing sides of the conflict. Fu Ning, who lost both arms during the village attack, now uses magnetic prosthetic limbs crafted by the Mujia spirit Yun, summoned by Fu Yin. Pu Zhao's loyalty and affections face intense testing as the war escalates. A pivotal moment forces him to choose between killing Empress Long Cheng or Fu Ning. His refusal leads to an attempted suicide, interrupted by imperial guards. Later, he undertakes a sacrificial act to destroy the dangerous dark fire core, permanently losing his eyesight to save others.
By the series' conclusion, significant shifts occur in his relationships. Despite enduring early feelings for Fu Yin, Pu Zhao ultimately forms a romantic bond with Fu Ning, resolving the longstanding emotional tension. He accepts his new role within the empire alongside Ning.