After an accident, modern-day prodigy Su Wan transmigrates to another world and wakes up plunged into one crisis after another at the Duke of Guo's estate. Her sharp-tongued stepmother makes life difficult for her at every turn, while her arrogant older sister, Su Yingxue, schemes against her constantly. On top of it all, a miserable betrothal binds her like a shackle. But with her modern knowledge and steadfast character, Su Wan cleverly frees herself from her wastrel fiancé and makes a name for herself amid the undercurrents of household intrigue. In doing so, she catches the eye of Prince Rui, Xiao Jingyan.
Xiao Jingyan has the world at heart and is a master strategist. At a family banquet, he sees at once that Su Wan is no ordinary woman. He needs to make his mark at court, while she longs to escape her predicament. The two form an alliance of convenience and embark on a partnership full of probing and maneuvering. The palace is rife with turmoil, and though they use each other, they gradually lower their guard amid one life-or-death crisis after another, and affection quietly blossoms between them.
Meanwhile, in her quest to become the Crown Princess, Su Yingxue allies herself with powerful courtiers and the Crown Prince's favored attendants, relentlessly plotting against Su Wan in hopes of severing her ties with Prince Rui. The Duke of Guo's estate is thrown into turmoil. As the struggle for imperial power reaches a fever pitch and the conflict between Xiao Jingyan and the Crown Prince intensifies, Su Wan is drawn completely into a deadly battle over who will rule the realm.
Caught in the maelstrom of political intrigue, Su Wan must fend off attacks both open and covert at the Duke of Guo's estate while advising Xiao Jingyan. When she discovers evidence that her stepmother, Madam Shen, has colluded with rebels, she steps forward without hesitation. With Su Wan's unwavering support, Xiao Jingyan ultimately ascends the throne and crushes the rebel forces. Su Wan, too, casts off the shackles of her status as a concubine-born daughter and becomes empress. Together, the lovers who have weathered countless storms rule the realm with wisdom and tenderness, bring the villains to justice, and write a legendary love story that spans time and space.
