A Distant Red Lantern

A lantern's crimson glow stretches into the distance, binding fate and splendor.

The newly enthroned emperor of Xiao is decisive, attentive to the people's needs, and destined to be remembered for generations. He purges corrupt officials and promotes the capable.

His empress comes from a noble family, yet few know that the Pei siblings were born in a slum. After escaping their parents' control, her brother's extraordinary talent made him a rising star in the capital.

Love and hatred intertwine, schemes twist and turn, and Xiao reforms and grows stronger.

The emperor and empress become paragons remembered by generations to come.

“My love for the great is greater than my love for the nation; my love for the small is devoted to one person.”