Overseer9000
Beijing, 1900. The Great Qing Dynasty is a dragon gasping its last breath. Outside the Forbidden City, the Boxers are rising, the Western Powers are invading, and the scent of incense is being replaced by the smell of gunpowder.
According to the Sancong-the Three Obediences-Empress belongs to the men in her life. To her father, her husband, and eventually, her son. She is a golden bird in a cage of ancient ritual. But Lanfen has a secret that could burn the throne to ashes. Hidden beneath her ceremonial robes is a book that speaks of a kingdom where there is no master or slave, no man or woman.
In a world that demands her silence, she is learning to speak. In a dynasty that demands her submission, she is choosing to lead.