Beneath the red walls and green tiles of the Forbidden City lay countless stories of joy and sorrow. This time, however, the wheel of fate quietly turned in a new direction. The empress, Ulanara Yixiu, who had once left the stage in bitter defeat, returned with memories of her previous life, reborn in this deep palace where power and love were intertwined with hatred.
On a spring afternoon, sunlight filtered through carved wooden windows and fell in patches across Yixiu's exquisite face. She slowly opened her eyes. The familiar furnishings around her made her feel as though a lifetime had passed. Yes, she had been reborn, returned to the starting point in the prince's residence, before anything had happened. She touched the jade bangle on her hand, smooth and warm as jade, and memories of the past came flooding back. "Xiao
