In the Great Jing dynasty, imperial power was interwoven with the influence of the emperor’s maternal relatives and aristocratic clans. The inner palace and the court were closely linked, while undercurrents stirred among the various factions.
The heroine, Lin Daie, is the daughter of Lin Wenyuan, a former censor. Her family was wiped out after her father impeached the powerful minister Hu Fangshuo. Chosen to enter the palace on the grounds that she bears a striking resemblance to the late empress, she becomes a low-ranking palace attendant. Though she appears meek and longsuffering, she is clever and resilient, skilled at reading people and plotting her moves. Her goal is revenge and clearing her family’s name.
The hero, Hu Fangshuo, is the Duke Who Guards the Nation. He commands the army and wields overwhelming influence at court, making him a powerful minister whom the emperor both relies on and fears. Deep and inscrutable, he seems ruthless and cold, but bears the burden of family secrets and maintaining the balance at court. His feelings for Lin Daie shift from using and testing her to falling for her, leaving him torn between political intrigue and love.
