The Lion Dance Troupe's Lady Minister

Lin Zhaozhao, a noblewoman of the Great Chu dynasty, loses her home when her father is implicated in an imperial examination fraud case. She flees south with her mother and makes a living with a traveling opera troupe. After her mother dies, she becomes the troupe leader. Drawing on the keen observation, adaptability, and organizational skills she learned in the troupe, she saves a disgraced Minister of Rites and is recommended for a junior post in the Ministry. Starting by sorting documents and resolving local disputes over opera taxes, she gradually uncovers the truth behind her father’s old case. Using showbiz savvy, from organizing the troupe to rehearsing policy rollouts, she overcomes crises in officialdom and eventually rises to become Minister of Rites, making opera culture part of Great Chu’s national policy. Along the way, she and the reserved Minister of Justice Gu Huaijin go from testing one another to understanding and supporting each other. Combining their respective skills, solving cases in government and managing public relations through the opera troupe, they join forces to turn the tide and achieve success in both their careers and their love lives. Highlights: a powerful blend of ancient court politics and opera culture, using showbiz tactics such as publicity, teamwork, and emotional resonance to solve political problems, the satisfying rise of an underdog with no golden finger, and a romance built on mutual redemption.