AaliyahHamilton324
- Reads 5,798
- Votes 136
- Parts 39
In the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty, where the imperial harem is both a gilded cage and a battlefield, Lady Shen, once the Empress of Great Tang, meets a pitiful end. Cast aside by the Emperor's indifference and undone by the cruel schemes of rivals, she is falsely accused of treachery, stripped of her phoenix robes, and abandoned in the desolate Cold Palace, where she withers away in obscurity. Betrayed by her so-called sisters of the harem and discarded by the very man she once loved, she dies with hatred and regret in her heart.
But Heaven grants her a second chance. Lady Shen awakens on the day of her first entry into the palace-no longer Empress, but a lowly Cairen (才人, Fifth Rank), at the very bottom of the imperial hierarchy. Armed with the bitter lessons of her past life, she vows never again to be the helpless pawn of others. This time, she will carve her own path-securing the Emperor's heart, winning the Dowager Empress's approval, and dismantling her enemies piece by piece.
From a humble Cairen, she rises with cunning and grace, advancing step by step through the perilous ranks:
Her enemies, once smug in their power, fall into ruin under her subtle vengeance: the favored Consort who slandered her, the scheming Empress who engineered her downfall, and even the treacherous eunuchs and ministers who conspired against her. Yet amidst her careful web of revenge, she finds herself slowly earning the Emperor's true affection-not through blind devotion, but through mutual respect, wit, and the passion that once eluded them.
Balancing love and survival, revenge and compassion, she transforms from an abandoned flower into the most powerful woman of the dynasty. As Empress Dowager, seated behind the curtain of state, she holds sway over court and harem alike-her enemies buried in history, her name etched in glory.
This is a tale of rebirth and retribution, where every smile hides a blade and every step within the golden halls could mean triumph or death.