A Life as a Maid

Everyone knows that the palace maid Yun Shu is plain-looking and lowborn. She is lucky enough to serve at the emperor's side, but everyone expects him to cast her aside like worn-out straw after just a few days. Yet in only three short months, the emperor promotes her to the exalted rank of Noble Consort. She becomes the most favored woman in the six palaces, the sole occupant of the imperial bedchamber. Any concubine who dares offend Yun Shu is either granted a length of white silk to hang herself or thrown into the Cold Palace. Even the empress, displeased by the emperor's devotion to Yun Shu, offers him a few words of advice. The emperor then refuses to set foot in Kunning Palace for three whole months. The ministers petition the throne, denouncing Yun Shu as a wicked consort who will bring ruin to the state. They even threaten to kill themselves in court. Ye Ling replaces the wooden pillars with stone ones, then looks coldly down at the ministers threatening to die. “Which other of my esteemed ministers would like to impeach my beloved consort?” Yun Shu painstakingly enters the palace to avenge her family's slaughter, never imagining that she would accidentally provoke the amorous, conceited emperor. The young and handsome emperor gently draws her into his arms. “I'll avenge you, my beloved consort!”