During the Dajing Dynasty, Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism gradually flourished, women were like prisoners, and poor families were like mustard. Yun Shu, an orphan girl, had to cut off her black silk hair, change her name to "Yun Shu", and step onto the imperial examination single-plank bridge that only men were allowed to climb in order to save her sick and weak younger brother and support her shaky family.
She was extremely talented and had an unforgettable memory. From a humble family, she fought her way out of a tight siege among thousands of troops. From the county examination, the government examination to the palace examination, she came first all the way and shocked the government and the public. In the Jinluan Palace, she won the favor of the old emperor with a piece of strategy, and from then on she entered the turbulent court.
In the court, the imperial power has declined, the prince is benevolent, King Rui is eyeing him, and the competition between aristocratic families and humble families is intensifying. "Yun Shu" relied on his extraordinary resourcefulness to deal with various forces, fight for the rights and interests of poor families, and make a living for the people. He was promoted step by step from the editor of the Hanlin Academy to becoming a key figure in stirring up the situation in the court.
But no one knew that this promising young official was actually a girl. The prince had long seen through her disguise, but was impressed by her talent and character. He hid his love in his heart and became her most secret protection. The upright senior Lin Wenyuan regarded her as a confidant, but he did not know that this appreciation would eventually face the gap between gender and ethics. The covetous King Rui regarded her as a thorn in his side and tried repeatedly to expose her identity and put her to death.
The shackles of identity, the strife in the officialdom, the game of imperial power, and the restrained emotions in his heart have firmly trapped Yun Shu. As a woman, she works step by step at the peak of male-dominated power. She must protect her family and stick to her ideals. Can she finally break the shackles of the times and become the first female chief minister in the history of the Dajing Dynasty?
