When an Imperial Decree demands that every noble household send their eligible daughters to the palace for the Xuancai (Imperial Selection), the Nangong Marquisate faces a dilemma. To protect their favored daughter from the risks of the inner court, they send Ning Xiang-the ignored, illegitimate daughter born of a lowly maid-alongside her legitimate sister, Nangong Bi. Bi is arrogant, haughty, and convinced she is destined to be the next Empress. Ning Xiang, however, enters the palace with only one goal: to survive long enough to eventually earn her freedom and find her mother. The young Emperor Li Zhao is a man of sharp intellect and deep isolation. Haunted by the fact that he has no heirs, he is surrounded by women who view his lap only as a stepping stone for their families. At the center of the web is Empress Xiao, a woman whose elegance masks a ruthless, calculating mind. She maintains her power by ensuring no consort stays in favor long enough to threaten her position. Beside her are the "Four Consorts," each more insidious than the last, turning the harem into a battlefield where a single wrong word can lead to execution. From the cold chambers of a Cairen to the silk-lined halls of the Huang Guifei (Imperial Noble Consort), Ning Xiang transforms. She sheds her innocence, learning that in the Daming Palace, one must either be the predator or the prey. As she stands one step away from the Empress's throne, she must decide if the power she has gained is worth the soul she has traded for it-and whether she can finally protect the empire from the schemes that threaten to burn it down. "In this garden of peonies, only the one with the sharpest thorns survives the winter."

Once upon a time, a girl was sent away. No trial. No second chance. Just a story everyone believed because it was easier that way. Five years later, she comes back. This is the part where, in a Disney movie, she'd forgive everyone, hug her family, and learn the power of love. Instead, Gianna De Santis learns how to break bones, keep secrets, and survive rooms that were never meant to be safe. The family expects a villain. The kingdom expects obedience. And some Princes are not always charming . There are no fairy godmothers here. Only men with power, women with knives, and lies that refuse to stay buried. And while everyone's busy wondering if Gianna is still dangerous- They forget to ask the real question: What happens when the girl they tried to erase comes back sharper... and finally decides to stop being nice? Because this isn't a Disney movie. And the girl who survived the tower doesn't believe in happily ever after- She believes in consequences.

Zhao Lian's entire family is brutally purged under the orders of Emperor Yanxu. She watches as a masked commander leads the troops to kill every member of her clan including her father. Rising from the ashes, she is the sole survivor and is bound to her family's legacy to uncover the truth behind the massacre. At the same time, a young and talented Commander Qin gets promoted to General Zhenyuan after carrying the Emperor's order successfully during the purge. Raised with high expectations from childhood, he was destined to become the nation's best General yet he feels torn between success and his morals. Both Zhao Lian and Qin Xun meet along their paths to uncover the truth behind the purge. They go from foes, to comrades, and to partners. #1 in costumedrama! #1 in fatedhearts! #4 in scheme! #9 in blossom! #24 in phoenix! Thank you guys so so much!!!