A Gu sorceress versus a young general, a scheming prime minister, and a mysterious shadow guard. The Gu sorceress Shen Zhaozhao's clan was wiped out by the late emperor, who feared their power. She escaped death thanks to General Ji's intervention, then lived in the Mu Kingdom under an assumed name. Ji Lingchuan had seen her when he was very young. Knowing that her existence could cost his father his head, he always kept watch on her from the shadows. After enduring a life of hardship and wandering, Shen Zhaozhao found two people she could call family. Then Meng Haoting disappeared one ordinary day, and Wen Fu passed away from a serious illness. Wen Fu willingly handed over her position as Minister of Works to Shen Zhaozhao, hoping she could use it to live a less difficult life. But she had underestimated how deeply Wen Fu cared for her. Ji Lingchuan also had to step in to stop Shen Zhaozhao from taking action. He hoped she would stop being consumed by hatred. He was the one who helped Wen Fu see herself anew and come to her senses. Neither the deaths of her clan nor Wen Fu's death were the fault of any one person. The fault lay with the world itself. Since Heaven and Earth are not benevolent and treat all things like straw dogs, she will set the Way of Heaven right. Why should women be content to stay behind closed doors? Flowers are most beautiful blooming across the mountains, while those stuck in a vase are sure to wither. She will let women serve in the court and give the common people an education, so they are no longer puppets at the mercy of others. The world calls Gu magic evil, yet it elevates true monsters to high office. They suck people's blood and drain their very marrow. Whether it's Wei Chao, who holds power over the whole court, or He Ci, who lurks in the darkness, the tribulations Heaven intends for her are the very chance that will let her ascend. One day, she and Xie Lingyi, her old friend who is both rival and ally, will reach the same destination by different paths and bring the truth to light for all under Heaven.
