A Vow of Mountains and Rivers

Eighteen years ago, elder Sawu found the orphan Miao Yuan in the capital and raised her in the Miao village. Now a free-spirited troublemaker, Miao Yuan learns she must break a curse by traveling north to find a man shrouded in purple aura and bear his child. Armed with two pills from Sawu, she reaches the capital and locates Zhou Jingheng, the imperial heir with the aura. Despite her bold proposal, Zhou dismisses her as insane, even after she offers to cure his paralyzed legs. Through disguises and schemes, Miao Yuan repeatedly approaches Zhou until they share a fateful night, breaking her curse and curing his legs. To avoid complications, she drugs him to forget her face—but a mix-up with the pills binds him to her alone, rendering him unable to touch other women and earning him the title “Heirless Emperor.” Six years later, Miao Yuan enters the palace with their son, Yang. While facing hostility from Consort Wen, Yang catches the eye of the heir-desperate Empress Dowager, who senses a familial bond. As a returning guard recognizes Miao Yuan, both her and Yang’s identities are exposed. Now, they must navigate the treacherous court, where revealed secrets will unleash a storm of intrigue and power."