Let Her Rule the Realm

I, He Lan Yan, was born into an ordinary family. On a day of glorious spring, while admiring the blossoms in a peach orchard, the threads of fate quietly entwined me with the emperor. His gaze fell upon me, and from then on, I leapt from an ordinary woman to the empress who ruled the realm, The Outcast, second to one and above ten thousand.

But fate played cruel tricks. After entering the inner palace, I found myself falling for one of the emperor's consorts. This forbidden love grew wildly in my heart like spring weeds. When the emperor learned of it, he flew into a rage and wrote an edict to depose me. That edict was like a cold flash of light, severing the honor and glory I had once possessed.

The day the imperial decree was read aloud should have been the moment I hit rock bottom, but then came the shocking news that the emperor had died. In yet another absurd twist of fate, a new emperor ascended the throne, and I became the empress dowager. My status changed once again, and I stood at a new starting point in the struggle for power within the palace.

"Green are the mountains, clear are the waters. In the lofty peaks and flowing streams, I search for a kindred spirit. Each note sounds like weeping, like lamentation, like a mournful cry. Alas, how rare it is to find a true confidant in life; a kindred spirit such as this is hardest to find through the ages..." Here in the deep palace, I have gained supreme power, yet lost the freedom to love. What is it that I truly want?

Theme: I saw Jing He, and it cost me a lifetime