The Sun-Eating Crimson Scales tells the story of Seventh Princess Li Yuntang, who is forced to govern in the emperor’s stead. She drops her sweet and foolish facade and uses an iron hand to navigate political infighting, border wars, and shocking conspiracies. She awakens “Jingzhe,” the late emperor’s secret guards, and joins forces with her consort, Xie Wuwang, a master actor whose origins are shrouded in mystery. Together they fight the crown prince and the Changsun clan, who are plotting to seize the throne. But she discovers that she is caught in an even greater web of intrigue: her father’s death is full of unanswered questions, the enemy kingdom’s crown prince Xiao Jingyan is watching like a hawk, and even those closest to her, whom she trusts most, each harbor their own secrets. At last, amid a shattered realm and the purest of emotions, she offers herself as a sacrifice and uncovers the blood feud behind the “Shadow” token. She sets out on an imperial path where she will command great power yet remain profoundly alone, with the ending reaching a breathtaking intensity between romance and ruin.
