My name is Shen Meizhuang. I had studied the classics since childhood and was dignified and gentle, and I longed to find true love in the palace. On the day of the selection, I was chosen and entered the Forbidden City, a place that seemed magnificent but was actually full of danger.
When I first entered the palace, Zhen Huan and I were as close as sisters, supporting one another. I eagerly hoped to win the Emperor's favor and fulfill my ambitions. At first, the Emperor treated me with considerable affection and even had me learn to help manage the affairs of the Six Palaces. But this aroused Consort Hua's jealousy, and she framed me. I was falsely accused of faking a pregnancy to compete for favor and was sent to the Cold Palace. The days I spent there were the darkest period of my life...
