Destined - Season 1

The Emperor, losing money, wants the princess to marry Gu Jiu Si, the son of wealthy merchants. Jiu Si can’t stand Ye Shi An, who all parents think is the model son. Liu Yu Ru, is the legitimate daughter of a cloth merchant and wants to marry Shi An. Her path crosses with Jiu Si while trying to retrieve her fur coat so she can sell it to help her sick mother.

After being kicked out of the Ye tea party, Jiu Si decides to humiliate Yu Ru by proclaiming his love for her for all to hear. This backfires when someone overhears this and tells Jiu Si’s parents, who are trying to marry him off quickly, before the Emperor’s envoy arrives with the decree to marry the princess. The Gu family initiates the marriage, and within 3 days, the wedding takes place with the Emperor’s envoy closely observing for any deception.

Realizing his parents are in a difficult predicament with the Emperor, Jiu Si steps up and marries Yu Ru despite the misunderstanding. After the wedding, he lets Yu Ru know that they can dissolve the marriage when they find their true love, which upsets Yu Ru, who has already resigned to make the marriage work. Jiu Si’s mother finally understands the confusion and encourages Yu Ru to stay strong, providing her with all the support she needs.

Jiu Si’s parents have a heart-to-heart with Yu Ru and make her aware of the difficult predicament they are facing. They give Yu Ru free rein of the manor while they attend to business elsewhere and whip Jiu Su into shape, which she does by confronting Jiu Si at the brothel. Zhang Yue Er takes this opportunity to generate rumors that the Gu family is not happy with Yu Ru so that Yu Ru’s mother can be punished.

Realizing she needs to make a customary visit to her family’s house after the marriage, Yu Ru concedes some of her rules for Jiu Si, so he agrees to make the visit with her. Due to the rumors, Yu Ru’s mother is punished, causing her some injuries, which she tries to hide in fear of humiliating the family if found out. Yu Ru realizes this and tries to handle the family herself, but Jiu Si decides to step in when things spiral out of control.

Ru Yu opens up to Jiu Si about her family life on their way back to Gu manor, and they get along better. Jiu Si is happy to have Ru Yu’s confidence in him but still struggles with studying. To distract her from getting him to study, he challenges her to go after her ambitions and when she does, he misses her constant presence. He finds her buried deep in the Gu family shops’s accounting books, trying to understand the business.

While at the shop, Ru Yu helps a long-time customer of the Gu family with the approval of her mother-in-law. She becomes so excited about being called Boss Liu for the first time that divorce no longer upsets her, but now upsets Jiu Si. With her newfound ambition, Jiu Si feels compelled to excel in his studies and now does it willingly and diligently. Yu Ru encounters trouble with her first business deal, so Jiu Si gives her some tips. They make a deal to see who will reach their goal first.

With Jiu Si’s help, Yu Ru is able to secure the goods needed to meet Mr. Zhou’s business needs; however, a new businessman, Luo Zi Shang, significantly undercuts her proposed price and delivery. Jiu Si enlists his friends to investigate Zi Shang while Yu Ru thinks of ways to gain Mr. Zhou’s trust. Zi Shang meets with Yu Ru to convince her to work with him.

Wang Rong, the son of the commissioner of Yangzhou, insults Yu Ru’s reputation and is taught a lesson by Jiu Si. However, the commissioner uses this opportunity to portray the Gu family as being bullies so that Jiu Si’s uncle will lose his standing in the Eastern Capital. Jiu Si accounts for his actions and willingly receives his punishment but demands Wang Rong apologize to Yu Ru.

The Gu family’s backers in the Eastern Capital have been demoted, leaving the Gu family vulnerable to attacks. They decide to leave Yangzhou but give Ru Yu the opportunity to divorce Jiu Si, so she is not affected by their misfortune. As the Gu family decides where to take their shops, Mr. Zhou requests help from Jiu Si.

Jiu Si takes a huge gamble playing against Lady Xi Feng at the brothel house, which is under the command of Luo Zi Shang. As a result, he becomes sworn brothers with Mr. Zhou, and during their discussion, Yu Ru realizes where they should move their shops to. Everyone wishes and prays that Jiu Si passes the exam, making him feel uncomfortable with all the attention.

Everyone is relieved after Jiu Si has finished the examination. Yu Ru works hard to plan for the Gu family’s move to Youzhou without eliciting attention. Though Jiu Si’s parents suddenly change their mind about telling Jiu Si their predicament, he overhears their conversation and takes a sudden interest in their business affairs. Yu Ru visits her birthplace with her mother, hoping to convince her to go to Youzhou with her.

Luo Zi Shang remembers Yu Ru as the little girl who lived next door to him growing up and treated him with kindness after becoming homeless due to the fire. Though Yu Ru has vague recollections of a little boy as her neighbor, she doesn’t connect him to Zi Shang. Jiu Si gives Yu Ru a memorable birthday celebration, but Yangzhou is soon in chaos when Commissioner Wang takes over the city.

After receiving Jiu Si’s divorce letter to protect her, Yu Ru resolves to save him. Although many Gu personnel and connections perish, Jiu Si and Ru Yu manage to stay alive and escape. To save the Yang family, Wen Chang sacrifices himself and urges Jiu Si to live on and bring justice to the people. Jiu Si and Ru Yu receive news that the entire Ye family has perished.

Jiu Si and Yu Ru embark on a long journey to reach Youzhou and face many obstacles and difficulties along the way. Exhausted and malnourished, they collapse at the Youzhou border. Commissioner Wang uses Ye Yun to coerce Ye Yi Shan to do his bidding so that other scholarly and noble families will follow suit.

Jiu Si and Yu Ru recuperate with Mr. Zhou then head to Wangda to meet with Madam Gu. Yu Ru grapples with her mother’s death, but Jiu Si is there to support her. The Gu family is having a hard time setting up their shops as merchants from other cities have flooded Youzhou for the same purpose.

Jiu Si and Yu Ru realize that they must change the way they do business in Youzhou, given the instability of war and the ongoing flooding of the Yellow River. They both decide to donate their business assets to the Youzhou government but need to convince the people working for them that it is the right thing to do. Luo Zi Shang is not fazed by Commissioner Wang’s newfound arrogance towards him, for he has plans of his own for Yangzhou.

After donating their wealth to the Youzhou government, Jiu Si and Yu Ru reflect on what they should do next. Yu Ru starts a small business from scratch while Jiu Si asks for a position as a mere civil servant, surprising the commissioner of Youzhou; Yue Er decides to pull her weight by helping to cook while keeping the secret of what happened to Yu Ru’s mom hidden.

Though well-meaning, Jiu Si struggles in his job as he’s never learned to put theories he’s learned from books and school into practical application. Though he’s being given a hard time by the yamen officer, Jiu Si respects him for his honesty and sensibility. Yu Ru overcomes obstacles to get the raw materials for her rouge. She enlists her stepmother and sisters to help with making the rouges.

Yu Ru can’t help but worry when there is no foot traffic in her rouge store for days on end. Jiu Si tells her to be patient, and soon enough, Madam Zhou arrives with her friends, who are all interested in her cosmetics. A rival rouge store begins to scheme against Yu Ru as their sales have dropped considerably. Yu Ru pushes to the limits and does something drastic and out of character.

Fan Yu causes trouble for Jiu Si, and he’s kicked out of the Yamen to work as a gate guard instead. Jiu Si discovers that Master Zhao is stealing the grains from the Youzhou granary so he can sell them to other cities for profit. Yu Ru is taken hostage by bandits to use as a bargaining tool so that Jiu Si will allow the transport through his gate during his watch.

Although Jiu Si let the grain through his gate, he placed a tracker so that Zhou Ye and his troops can find it. He then heads to Heifeng Fort to save Yu Ru, who finds out Shen Ming is actually a good person whose actions are for the benefit of the people. Jiu Si’s bluff pays off when he negotiates with the bandit leader of Heifeng Fort. His success is rewarded.

Fearing their connection with Lord Liang will call into question their loyalty to the Emperor, Jiu Su and Yu Ran decide to help Commissioner Fan and General Zhou. To show their sincerity, Yu Ran agrees to source 300,000 sacks of grain in the south for the Youzhou army, while Jiu Su stays behind. Yu Ru must risk going to Yangzhou to cover the remaining 50,000 sacks of grain to fulfill her contractual agreement.

Yu Ru works with Ye Shi An to not only bankrupt Commissioner Wang’s bank but also to purchase enough of the remaining grain she promised for the Youzhou army. Little does she know, Luo Zi Shang is helping her behind the scenes. She decides to stay for a couple of more days to help save Ye Yun and Ye Shi An and take them away from Yangzhou.

After Ye Yun kills Commissioner Wang, she is reunited with Ye Shi An and Yu Ru. Together, they journey back to Youzhou, making it just in time as per her contractual agreement with Commissioner Fan. They hear that Luo Zi Shang is now the commission of Yangzhou and has spread rumors that he was the one who killed Commissioner Wang. Lord Liang and his army march towards Youzhou while the Youzhou army is at the Eastern Capital.

The Liang army of 100,000 is at Youzhou’s door. Jiu Si holds down the fort with 15,000 soldiers while Zhou Ye heads to the Eastern Capital to get reinforcements. Jiu Si does a great job keeping the Liang army at bay when Lord Liang realizes he is his nephew. Jiu Si doesn’t back down, but Commissioner Fan and General Zhou believe Lord Liang is purposefully trying to reduce the Youzhou forces in the Eastern Capital, so it won’t help Jiu Su.

Zhou Ye goes against his father’s orders to remain in the Eastern Capital as he is determined to save the people of Youzhou. Jiu Si meets his uncle and continues to bluff that Wangdu has enough armed forces to beat the Liang army. However, Master Zhao escapes from prison and informs Lord Liang that there are only 10,000 armed forces protecting Wangdu. Lord Liang decides to conquer Wangdu as quickly as possible. Jiu Su and Yu Ru come to terms with dying together.

When the battle seemed most bleak for Wangdu, Zhou Ye and Wan Qin arrived just in time to turn the tide. Jiu Si captures Lord Liang, and Commissioner Fan becomes the new Emperor. General Zhou finally understands Zhou Ye, while Jiu Si, Ye Shi An, and Shen Ming are all promoted for their valiant efforts in protecting Wangdu.

Zhou Ye finally gains the admiration and respect of his father. Jiu Si volunteers to investigate the ledgers to understand why there is no money in the treasury to build a dam for the Yellow River. The old officials create obstacles for him, but he has found friends willing to help him. Luo Zi Shang suddenly appears as Grand Tutor for Crown Prince Fan, who believes his father values Jiu Si more than him.

Princess Yun Shang has liked Jiu Su ever since she was a child. She invites Yu Ru to a banquet when she finds out Jiu Si is married to her. The Empress Dowager pressures Emperor Fan to arrange a marriage between Princess Yun Shang and Jiu Si. Shi An is upset to hear Ye Yun has been teaching Shen Ming how to write. Jiu Si’s uncle warns him of the danger to him and his loved ones if Jiu Si continues with the corruption investigation.

Jiu Si discovers where Sun He, Minister Liu’s subordinate, is hiding. He is able to get a confession from him and uses it to coerce Minister Liu to testify against all the corrupt officials. However, Jiu Si is framed for the death of Minister Liu and all the “evidence” points to him as the murderer. He is imprisoned and works with Yu Ru to find out who the real murderer is.

Yu Ru finds evidence, but in order to see the Emperor, she must endure finger-crushing punishment first. Jiu Su meets with the ill Emperor, who issues an edict to send the crown prince Fan back to Youzhou alone and exonerates Jiu Su. Crown Prince Fan is worried the truth will come out, but Luo Zi Shang comforts him by saying Jiu Si will be killed.

Yu Ru is at the mercy of the Empress Dowager and Princess Yun Shang. Jiu Su arrives to protect her, but rather than submit to the Empress Dowager, he defies her and is accused of trying to kill the Empress Dowager. The Emperor is at a loss for how to handle the situation, so Yu Ru makes the ultimate sacrifice.

As Jiu Si and Yu Ru’s family and friends struggle with the aftermath of her death, the Emperor reveals his true plan for the future of Da Xia. Crown Prince Fan is sent to Youzhou alone, and Luo Zi Shang is no longer his tutor. Jiang He pledges his allegiance to the Emperor and begins colluding with Luo Zi Shang. Jiu Si is on his way to completing the Yellow River dam with a wealthy business backing him.

The Emperor’s plan is going accordingly, with Jiu Si and his young friends all earning merits from the Emperor and for the country. Despite the efforts of corrupt officials to create obstacles for Jiu Si, he has finally completed the Yellow River dam with Yu Ru’s help behind the scenes. Yu Ru is beyond excited to finally reunite with Jiu Si. Luo Zi Shang leaves the capital, realizing he’s been deceived by Jiang He.

Now that the Yellow River dam is completed, Yu Ru gives Jiu Si the biggest surprise of his life. They rush back to the capital to meet with the emperor. Meanwhile, Luo Zi Shang has discovered Yu Ru is alive and is again manipulating the crown prince. After seeing his son for the first time after three years, the emperor realizes he is not fit to be the next Emperor, so he summons Gao Lan to return after sending him away.

Although the Emperor had plans to make Zhou Gao Lang his successor, Crown Prince Fan declared himself the Emperor when his father died. The head eunuch goes crazy due to poisoning, and Zhou Gao Lang is sent on a suicide mission to fight at the southern border. The supplies for his army are cut off by Luo Zi Shang. Yu Ru and Jiu Si head south to help him but are targeted by assassins.

Though General Zhou and his army are victorious and headed back to the capital, Luo Zi Shang issues a false edict, accusing the Zhou family of treason. The new Emperor is cowardly and foolishly attests to the false edict when pressed by Ye Shi An, who is immediately labeled as a rebel and is set to be executed. Luo Zi Shang lies in wait for Jiu Si to appear in the capital.

Luo Zi Shang makes his calculated move against the Emperor and confines him. Jiu Si and Yu Ru arrive to help him, but they are captured by Luo Zi Shang. Jiu Si challenges Zi Shang to a final game of chess where they recount each other's moves and then predict each other’s next moves. Zi Shang is surprised by Jiu Si’s final chess move, but Zi Shang has an unexpected countermove.

Feeling guilty for abandoning Luo Zi Shang and his mother, Jiang He decides to accompany Zi Shang, and together, they can reunite with Yi Shui as a family. Jiu Si convinces an angry Gao Lang to forgo vengeance and accept the previous Emperor’s edict to become the new Emperor. The ensuing era is one of peace and prosperity for the people of Da Xia.