Snow had fallen on Kunning Palace for ten years, leaving it cold for ten years.
Shen Rong had been empress for ten years, endured ten years of solitude and ten years of schemes. In the end, she was nothing but a pawn the emperor used to keep the powerful clans in check, a caged bird in the Forbidden City whom no one cared about.
She knew of the emperor’s forbidden love, saw through the Gao clan’s ambition to rebel, and watched her family ties fall to pieces. At last, she came to her senses: she would no longer sit on this phoenix throne, stay in this inner palace, or accept the fate of a pawn.
Fortunately, Murong Dongling came through the snow to shield her from the storm and find her a way to freedom.
A great fire let her fake her death and escape, severing her ties to the palace walls;
In the misty rain of Jiangnan, they found freedom in each other’s arms.
Ten years an empress, one day to wake from the dream. Her long years ahead would all be a journey home.
