Li Xingwan was born into a family steeped in Confucian propriety. In her three years of marriage, she upheld every wifely duty and watched her words and actions, yet never won her husband's affection.
The day rebel forces stormed the city, her husband's family abandoned her in the freezing snow. Her birth family demanded she take her own life to protect both families' reputations.
Li Xingwan managed to survive, and by chance found herself in the arms of the ruler.
With the new ruler's power, she avenged herself. Li Xingwan had no intention of loving anyone again; she entered the palace only to repay a debt of gratitude and fulfill a promise.
But as she went about repaying him, she ended up giving him her heart too, and in the end, he raised her to the empress's throne.
