Guo Liangxian is the male protagonist. He is a general in the army who has spent the last five years at the frontier, earning recognition and the patronage of Prince Xian. Upon his return to the capital, he brings with him Lin Yan'er, a commoner woman he deeply loves, who is already pregnant with his child. He is determined to make her his concubine and pressures his legal wife Yuan Xueyue and his mother Old Madam Nian to accept her. He feels some guilt toward his wife but prioritizes Lin Yan'er's comfort and status. He is ambitious and expects promotion to upper general, which causes him distress when the imperial decree does not arrive. He is somewhat naive about domestic matters and often yields to Lin Yan'er's emotions. He respects his mother but ultimately puts his own desires first, leading to tension in the household.
