A Secret History of Qianlong’s Harem

In the Forbidden City during the Qianlong reign, the imperial concubines’ struggle for favor intertwines with power plays at court. The poisoning of Consort Xin sets off a chain of conspiracies: the veteran statesman Agui is dragged into a case involving the Jiangnan Salt Transport Commissioner, which leads to a rebellion plot by former followers of the Prince of Chahar. A Western Regions merchant dies under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a jade pendant belonging to a prince of the Heshuo lineage and an even greater mystery.

There is no true protagonist in the harem. Consort Xin’s ambition, Consort Rong’s patience, and Consort Wan’s scheming all make them pawns in the hands of various factions. At court, advocates of reform and traditionalists battle in secret, the Dzungar tribes watch hungrily, and rumors of a surviving descendant of the previous dynasty stir up a storm.

As secret passages, poisoned hairpins, and forged letters appear one after another, everyone maneuvers between lies and truth. Yet the person hidden at the pinnacle of power, pulling the strings behind every conspiracy, has still not shown himself. Is his ultimate aim to overthrow the Great Qing, or is he plotting something else?