In the waning years of the Yongzheng era, Hongzhou, the fifth prince, was once a carefree prince at court, gifted in both literature and political scheming. But in a single night, he fell from favor in the battle for the throne. As if fate had already decided his course, he suffered a deadly betrayal amid the dangers of court, was stripped of his title, and ultimately imprisoned. Then, in a cruel twist of fate, an accident sent him back to the age of sixteen with all the memories of his life. That was the year he first entered the palace, before he was caught in the whirlpool of power.
In this life, Hongzhou vows to rewrite his fate. He avoids the tragedies of history, deftly navigates court intrigue, and wins back his father's favor. Then he meets an extraordinary woman: Ling Xue. Born into an ordinary family, Ling Xue is chosen to enter the palace by chance, intertwining her fate with Hongzhou's. Clever and lively, yet gentle as jade, she and the more mature, steady Hongzhou fall for each other.
