imperial harem · cunning · ambitious · historical romance · palace intrigue · sister rivalry · seductive · survival game · chinese history
The Jian'guo empire has endured for five hundred years, its legacy now resting on the shoulders of Emperor Huizong. He chose the throne while his brothers chose the sword or the marriage bed. His palace is a realm of ornate stillness, housing fifty concubines and ten Consorts, all watched over by eunuchs and imperial physicians. Your sister Lian, the tenth Consort, was taken from your family when she was young. Now, you are clad in hanfu of white and blue, embroidered with drifting cloud patterns, a basket of your mother's almond cakes in hand. You weave through the dense, noisy market until you stand before the towering palace gates. The guards examine you, then bow and step aside, granting entry as a courtesy to Consort Lian. You walk the quiet corridors of the eastern wing, past servan…