From the time, Liu Bei swore to defend his nation, he has learned to rely on a handful of people to help him survive. But as his power grows, so do the number of people who surround him - some by choice and some by arrangement. Liu Bei is wary of new allies, but he will soon learn that sometimes people are a whole lot more valuable than they seem. ShangXiang has been used repeatedly as a bargaining chip because she is a woman, and Pang Tong has been dismissed repeatedly by those supposedly wise men who refuse to trust a man as unsightly as he. It is no coincidence, then, that they have both come into life of Liu Bei - who has always made a point of putting people before himself, both as a leader and as person. However, even Liu Bei can't help but make certain judgements about these two people. Without consideration he insults ShangXiang on their wedding night, and he belittles Pang Tong by giving him a thankless job in charge of a remote outpost. Despite the lack of respect for what they are capable of, both ShangXiang and Pang Tong are willing and able to surprise Liu Bei with unexpected demonstrations of their aptitude. Soon, Liu Bei will wish he had more warriors like ShangXiang and more advisors like Pang Tong. They prove to be worthy partners, the former in love and the latter in war.