~BOOK I~ The 61st year into the Kingdom of Chu, the emperor takes the throne... The Qing Dynasty is within its prime until the turbulence kicked in. The emperor was in a difficult spot with all the political turbulence and issues sprouting around him. To seek peace, the emperor issued an edict to hold a harem choosing event. It was passed, and reluctantly, a young lady followed suit. 20-year-old Mulan Meigui, a scholar in poetry and art, took her to leave to the imperial harem. She had only one goal in mind. It was to protect her family and her beloved, Xu Rongyuan. That was her only objective... until... The emperor struck her fancy, as he did to almost every concubine there. She felt as though the ladder could be easily claimed, and with each foot up comes a higher rank- power, respect, the insertion of fear. But there was another man she met. Skin like porcelain, hair as vibrant as blood, and eyes of ice, another scholar stuck her... or she struck him? But what will happen in the future? How will her destiny land? In who's hands will it rest?

The smell of cookies filled the house. Stood in the center of the kitchen tending to the oven, was a woman who wore a kitchen apron ragged from constant use, she was beautiful with light skin and enchanting silver eyes. Humming a quiet song, as she set aside another pan of cookies. She smiled softly as she heard the sudden scampering of little feet against the wooden floor.