When Beirong breaks the passes, the Shen family is destroyed. The orphan Shen Qingxue flees to the capital with her maid Shen Rufeng, seeking refuge with the Zhao family to whom she is betrothed, only to suffer all kinds of humiliation. Shen Qingxue publicly breaks off the betrothal, establishes her own household, reclaims her ancestral property, founds a girls' school, and enlightens impoverished young girls. Cavalry General Zhao Lei falls in love at first sight, studies culture diligently from an illiterate roughneck, pursues her with a sincere heart, and finally obtains an imperial decree for marriage through outstanding military achievements, willingly taking his wife's surname 'Shen'. After marriage, Shen Lei guards the frontier while Shen Qingxue manages the household and runs the school. Having endured hardships such as treason rumors and a disfigured/crippled leg, the two remain deeply devoted to each other through life and death. Military strategist Dugu Zheng stays to teach at the girls' school and becomes a bickering yet loyal couple with the fiery and brave Shen Rufeng.