A Qing Dynasty Maid's Rise to Power

The Rise of a Little Maid in the Qing Dynasty tells the story of Qiao'er, a poor girl in the late Qing Dynasty. When her younger brother falls gravely ill, her mother has no choice but to sell her into service at a marquis's residence. On arriving there, Qiao'er starts out as a low-ranking maid sweeping the gardens. Thanks to her quick wits and hard work, she unexpectedly becomes the personal maid of Wan Ning, the marquis's daughter.

As she diligently serves Wan Ning, Qiao'er carefully learns her mistress's preferences and does her best to adapt to the complicated rules, but the other maids grow jealous and ostracize her. Though they make things difficult for her, she patiently endures it all and remains true to herself, determined to improve her family's circumstances and establish a firm footing in the marquis's household.

As she becomes more familiar with life in the residence, Qiao'er gets caught up in numerous household power struggles and witnesses the family's fortunes rise and fall amid the tides of history. Along the way, she meets people from all walks of life, including kind and loyal companions as well as sinister, deceitful rivals. With exceptional intelligence, unwavering perseverance, and a bit of luck, Qiao'er steadily turns her life around. She not only changes her own fate and that of her family, but also writes a legendary story of her own amid the turbulent final years of the Qing Dynasty.