What does a feared warrior marquis see in a pig-butcher girl who cannot read? The answer lies in a piece of tangerine peel candy. In the hit drama Pursuit of Jade (逐玉), the romance between Xie Zheng (谢征) and Fan Changyu (樊长玉) has audiences hooked. Their journey from a contract marriage to genuine love is sweet, but the root of his devotion runs deeper than simple attraction. It is found in a small, inexpensive candy she gave him, an object that represents something his world of power and war has never offered him: unconditional care.
A Transactional Beginning
The story starts as a practical arrangement. Fan Changyu needs a husband to keep her family property, so she seeks a man to marry into her home. Xie Zheng, hiding his true identity as the Marquis of Wu'an (武安), takes the name Yan Zheng (言正) and agrees to the plan. He needs a place to recover from injuries and investigate a case quietly. Their relationship is strictly business, a temporary deal with clear boundaries.
Initially, Xie Zheng views her as a convenient host. Fan Changyu sees him as a temporary tenant who helps in her butcher shop. They coexist without emotional investment. She works hard to maintain her simple life, while he observes, recovering his strength. The arrangement is purely practical, two people using each other for their own ends with no expectation of more. This foundation makes the shift in their dynamic all the more significant.
The Candy Clue
The turning point arrives in a seemingly trivial moment. A local troublemaker, Kang Pozi (康婆子), comes to bully Fan Changyu. Though still weak from his wounds, Xie Zheng flicks a piece of her tangerine peel candy at the woman, tripping her. When Fan Changyu sees her candy bag has been used up, her first reaction is not gratitude but a practical lament: "This stuff is expensive, what a waste!"
He then realizes the truth behind the candy. She, who counts every coin, bought it specifically for him because she noticed he disliked the bitterness of his medicine. This simple act of kindness, done without expecting anything in return, strikes him deeply. It is not a grand gesture but a quiet observation of his small discomfort. For a man accustomed to being a tool for others, being seen as a person with simple likes and dislikes is entirely new. This is the precise moment his heart begins to shift, though he does not fully understand it yet.
A World Without Ulterior Motives
Xie Zheng's past explains why this candy carries such weight. Orphaned at four, he endured a childhood of dependency and bullying. His rise to Marquis of Wu'an came through bloodshed and iron will. People in his life either fear his power, respect his rank, or seek his influence. No one has ever simply cared for him as a human being. Fan Changyu is the first. She does not see the Marquis; she sees Yan Zheng, the man who helps in her shop and might need a sweet after bitter medicine.
Her care is free of calculation. She offers to support him with her butchering trade, a simple declaration of loyalty. Before they separate, he asks her about the candy money, a seemingly odd question. He is not asking about payment. He is seeking a promise that she will buy candy for him again. The candy represents a lifeline to a warmth he has never known. In his world of cold strategy and survival, her gift is pure, genuine affection, the first he has ever received. This fills the deep void left by a childhood without safety or belonging, proving that even the strongest warrior needs to be loved simply for who he is.
