The Dajing Dynasty lasted for more than three hundred years. It was prosperous on the surface, but internally there were undercurrents of party strife. The struggle between aristocratic families and poor families, the royal family and their relatives permeates the fabric of the court, and the political and political forces are often connected with the secrets of the palace. Suzaku Street in Chang'an, Kyoto, is bustling with traffic. There are wealthy salt merchants hidden in the mist and rain in the south of the Yangtze River. The wind in the Mobei grasslands is carrying the shadow of border troubles. Marriage is the bond of power, talent is the stepping stone to class, and true love is often the most dangerous luxury.
Shen Zhiwei: the legitimate daughter of the Shen family, the Minister of Civil Affairs, sixteen years old. Since childhood, he has read poetry and books with his maternal grandfather (former doctor of the Imperial College), and is especially good at playing chess, with a mind as meticulous as a chess game. Because her father was framed and demoted, and her family fell into ruin, she was forced to take the "female official policy" exam on her brother's behalf. She entered the Shang Palace Bureau under the pseudonym "Shen Yan" to try to find out the clues to her father's unjust case. He is soft on the outside and strong on the inside, good at forbearance and has keen observation ability.
- Xiao Che: The seventh prince of the current dynasty, twenty years old. The mother and concubine died young and lived in the palace. She seemed not to care about political affairs and was obsessed with calligraphy and painting, but in fact she secretly cultivated power and knew the situation in the court well. By chance, she met Shen Zhiwei, whose pseudonym is "Shen Yan". She was attracted by his unique insights and calm temperament, and was gradually involved in the whirlpool of her destiny. The surface is as gentle as jade, but in reality the city is extremely deep.
