The story takes place in the Tianqi Dynasty, an empire that appears prosperous on the surface but is being corrupted from within by a mysterious organization called the Food and Desire Hall. Strange tales of “human-skin shadow plays” and “memory spices” circulate inside and outside the palace. The reigning emperor, Xiao Jin, whose reign title is Yongye, suffers from an extreme eating disorder and is prone to volatile moods, earning him the name “Tyrant.” The dynasty's central secret is hidden beneath the smoke and delicacies of the Imperial Kitchen.
