Su Yao, a concubine-born daughter of the prime minister's household, endured ten years of bullying and oppression. On the day of the imperial selection, her elder sister had her disfigured and framed her, but this ended up giving Su Yao a chance to enter the palace. From an overlooked Lady-in-Waiting to the ruler of the imperial harem, holding the Empress's seal, she carefully advances through palace intrigues. She rises from the Cold Palace and ultimately becomes empress, the mother of the realm.
Facing one deadly threat after another from both court and harem, she uses her intelligence to turn the tide and make her enemies' strength work against them. She not only roots out political rivals, but also establishes schools for women and reforms outdated customs, opening a path for women across the realm to study and gain wisdom. When a palace coup erupts, she remains calm in the face of danger and quells the rebellion with extraordinary strategy, completing her dazzling transformation from a pawn into the player who commands the board.
This is an epic tale of a concubine-born daughter's rise to power, and a resounding anthem of women's awakening. See how Su Yao uses her astonishing talents to forge a way forward in the man-eating inner palace and become a legend for the ages.
