The peonies of Yikun Palace bloom more brilliantly than anywhere else in the six palaces. Nian Shilan devoted half her life to loving Yin Zhen, only to be left childless by the Fragrance of Joy, condemned to die in the Cold Palace, and see her entire family wrongfully accused.
Before a bowl of the deadly Qianji poison, she finally realizes that the emperor's favor she enjoyed for more than a decade was all a political scheme to keep her family's military power in check.
This time, she won't throw herself against a wall or drink poison to meet her death. With the covert protection of her former subordinates, she escapes into the night and flees to the Gobi Desert in the northwest.
She abandons the empty title of empress, leaves behind the emperor's cold-heartedness, and gathers her father's and brothers' former followers, waiting for the truth to come to light.
The iron-blooded general who stood by her through every danger, planted peonies for her everywhere, and kept her safe all her life is the one she will spend the rest of her days with.
There will be no more Consort Hua imprisoned within palace walls, only Nian Shilan, free as the wind.
Her blazing splendor returns to the dust; she has no regrets in this life.
