The Stolen Bride

Wang Weiting
Cai Haitao, Tang Yuhong, Wu Jingyi, Zhu Yilong
2009
Mainland China
Completed
Mandarin Chinese
Detailed introduction
This film (drama)Also known as抢来的新娘,is aMainland ChinaProducerwomen sex,At2009Released in year
。The dialogue language isMandarin Chinese,Current Douban rating7.9(For reference only)。
The Ying family is from a military background, and General Ying Zhentian is a well-known figure in the local area, known for killing without batting an eye and described by outsiders as a "demon." Shu Nan is the bride stolen by Zhentian and is the seventh concubine. In the Ying family, she sees a strict mother-in-law, a charming second concubine named Binglü, a mad sixth concubine named Xiangzhen, and armed guards; everything follows a strict routine. Many stories unfold here. Zhentian insists on killing all the prisoners of war, and although Shu Nan pleads for mercy in vain, she meets the new deputy officer, Xiao, who was married by the acting general that day. Zhentian negotiates with General Peng with the stakes of a shooting game, conditional on the release of the prisoners. He lets Shu Nan participate, and naturally, she loses, resulting in the prisoners being released. In that fleeting moment upon returning home, Shu Nan realizes that Zhentian had intentionally let her play and then naturally released those prisoners, causing her heart to soften a bit. The mad Xiangzhen is Shu Nan's only friend, but when Xiangzhen falls ill, the mother-in-law forbids her from going to the hospital, fearing it would damage the Ying family's reputation. Shu Nan pleads desperately but to no avail. In desperation, she barges into a meeting room to ask Zhentian to save Xiangzhen; Zhentian slaps her, and accidentally, the mother-in-law knocks her down. In a coma, Xiangzhen dies, and Shu Nan feels despair, refusing to eat or take medicine. It is Zhentian, with his unkind hands, who pulls her back. Meanwhile, Officer Xiao also displays affections towards her. Shu Nan is a clever wife who does not want to be bound, filled with curiosity about the Ying family, still struggling to comprehend many things. Why have so many concubines suddenly disappeared? Why is there a courtyard in the Ying family that forbids anyone from entering? Why did the general marry them but not touch them? Too many questions lead her into rooms considered off-limits, where she discovers an elegantly decorated house, women's accessories and clothes, Zhentian's clothing, and a photo of a woman hanging on the wall. Her name is Gu Manrong, Zhentian's first wife.
From the mother-in-law, she learns the backstory. Back then, Zhentian and Manrong were a loving couple, but Zhentian's father, concerned that his son would delay his career due to his romantic feelings, had a quarrel that resulted in the father killing Manrong. From then on, Zhentian's personality drastically changed, pouring all his anger and hatred into the battlefield, becoming a feared murderous king. In an effort to comfort her son, the mother insisted on matchmaking him with other women, but Zhentian was never moved. At this moment, having learned the cause of events, Shu Nan reignites her affection for Zhentian. General Peng launches a new war, and Zhentian's subordinates express discontent with his decision to release the prisoners, leading to a dispute. At this point, Officer Xiao reveals his true colors; he is Peng’s adopted son and an undercover agent. He gives Shu Nan a packet of poison, instructing her to kill Zhentian and flee with him. Shu Nan is left unsure of what to do, and Zhentian observes everything. Zhentian orders the capture of Officer Xiao and pretends to drink tea to test Shu Nan's sincerity. This angers Shu Nan, who resolutely drinks the tea she has brewed to prove her innocence. General Peng sends someone to rescue Officer Xiao, who cannot let go of Shu Nan and attempts to take her away. When Shu Nan refuses to go, she is unwillingly taken to the garden, surrounded by Zhentian and his men. To protect himself, Xiao aims his gun at Shu Nan's head, and in an effort to save her, Zhentian stabs himself with a dagger. Xiao and the others hurriedly leave. Shocked, Shu Nan is moved by Zhentian's sincere feelings, and their nighttime visit allows them to see each other's true hearts.
With his injuries still not fully healed, Zhentian takes Shu Nan outside the city, where by several graves stands a person—it is Xiangzhen. Xiangzhen tells Shu Nan that she is neither mad nor dead; it's all part of Zhentian's plan to save her—he cannot stop his mother from matchmaking for him and doesn’t want to harm these girls. Thus, he devised this strategy for them to start new lives. Shu Nan is once again stunned; she never expected the seemingly ruthless general could be so tender-hearted and considerate of others. She imagines the beginning of two happy lives together. However, the war breaks out again, and Zhentian's subordinates are incited. Binglü sacrifices herself to protect the general, a woman who loves and admires him gives her life to exemplify her love. Though she does not gain the general's favor while alive, she dies with a smile in her beloved's arms. The general, while out in battle, encounters an ambush and is left unaccounted for. Undeterred by danger, Shu Nan goes in search of him, her calls stirring the unconscious general awake. Nearby, Officer Xiao raises his gun, but the gunshot rings out, and it is he who falls, taking his life to complete Shu Nan and Zhentian's love.