The Temptation of the Golden Branches: Kong Wu's Rise to Power

During the Jiaqing era of the Qing dynasty, poor young Kong Wu sets out to make something of himself, escorting tribute goods to the capital with his sworn brother, Chen Shuang. Along the way, they rescue a palace selection candidate pursued by members of the Society of the Heavenly Principle, and Kong Wu is unexpectedly drawn into palace intrigue. Using his wits and courage, he rises from a laborer in the Imperial Construction Bureau to an imperial bodyguard. Carefully navigating the schemes of the inner palace and the struggles at court, he endures betrayal and sacrifice before climbing from humble beginnings to the peak of power, in a tale of an iron-willed rise through the ranks woven with bloodshed and political intrigue.