The concubine Xue Yan (Chi Rou) was originally engaged, but was sent to the palace as a pawn by her father to replace the eldest sister of the queen who died of illness and become the emperor's substitute. Deep in the palace, she not only has to protect her eldest sister's children, but also fights against Concubine Hui's vicious schemes and the family's schemes, and she also has to escape from a fate she cannot help but have. From a chess piece at the mercy of others to a strong person awakening to fight back, she joined forces with her relatives to help the grown-up Princess Yuanjiang ascend the throne, and eventually became the empress dowager. She promoted women's freedom to marry, opened girls' schools, and lived a dazzling life of her own in the whirlpool of power and intrigue.
