During the Jinghe era of the Great Jing dynasty, the old emperor lies gravely ill and unconscious, while the young crown prince is weak and timid. Imperial power slips from the throne’s grasp. Three forces stand in a tense balance: the Liu clan, led by Chancellor Liu Yuan and backed by the civil officials; the Xiao military faction, led by Grand General Xiao Ce; and the empress dowager’s maternal clan, whose influence spans the harem and the civil bureaucracy. They check one another as undercurrents churn beneath the court. Meanwhile, rumors of the “Late Emperor’s Treasure” spread among the people. The treasure is said to contain the secret of the rightful imperial succession, and every faction wants to claim it, making it the spark at the heart of their political struggle. Ten years earlier, the massacre at the Mu’an Marquis household was riddled with unanswered questions. Few survived, and the case becomes a mystery thread running through the entire story, as well as the key that binds the fates and origins of the male and female leads.
