The climax begins at the beginning. Modern architect Shen Qingli travels back in time and is promoted to the position of female official by Emperor Li Xuan for solving the waterside pavilion crisis. She was full of ideals and wanted to use modern knowledge to transform ancient buildings. However, because she was involved in the interests of old craftsmen, she was strongly suppressed by Zhou Chongli, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, during the first palace renovation she led. The project failed. She experienced first-hand the ups and downs of imperial power and the harsh rules of the palace.
