A stand-in marriage takes Shen Qingci from the depths of the Marquis's household into the high walls of the imperial palace. She only hopes to make a secure place for herself with her superb medical skills, but keeps getting swept up in one crisis after another. To protect herself, she reveals her abilities: curing the emperor's dangerous cough, quelling a plague scare in the palace, and saving the crown prince from poisoning. The cold, ascetic emperor, Xiao Jingyuan, is gradually drawn to this seemingly delicate yet steadfast woman. He goes from protecting her in secret to openly standing up for her. “With me here, no one will dare lay a finger on you.” He clears the obstacles in the harem, helps her avenge her mother's murder, and promises her a lifetime of favor and glory. Through their many battles fought side by side, Shen Qingci gives him her heart in return. From testing each other to standing together through life and death, from palace physician-consort to empress of a flourishing age, this is a story of redemption and growth, and a moving tale of an emperor and empress united in heart as they protect their land together.
