In the nineteenth year of the Zhaohua reign, the Emperor went on a southern tour.... more>>

At that time, Chan Zhen, a fifteen-year-old beauty from the south, was presented to the court.

Rumor had it that the Emperor was capricious and unpredictable. When they first met, Chan Zhen was nervous, so nervous that she made a mistake playing the pipa, causing the Emperor to look down at her.

She knelt down in a panic, trembling, thinking she had angered the Emperor. Unexpectedly, the Emperor rose and walked towards her, pinching her chin and forcing her to look up.

“‘The Ballad of White Hair’?” he asked. “Chan Zhen, by playing this piece for me, do you wish to grow old with me?”

Chan Zhen timidly raised her eyes, meeting the Emperor's complex gaze—a mixture of joy and sorrow, love and hate, as if they had been entangled for a long time.

She was then brought back to the palace, rising from a humble merchant's daughter to become the most favored concubine.

Initially, Chan Zhen thought the Emperor was merely captivated by her beauty. Only after she ascended to the position of Empress and stood beside him did she realize that he had planned it all along, using unparalleled favor to create a gilded cage for her.

Male Lead's Perspective:

Chen Dingyao ascended the throne at a young age, wielding absolute power. He never thought he would desire something unattainable.

In his past life, he fell in love with a concubine from the Second Prince Jin's residence, ignoring the criticism and bringing her into the palace. Despite his exclusive favor, she remained unhappy and died young.

In this life, he seized the opportunity and met her first.

He would use all the power in the world to build an inescapable golden cage for her. <<less

Jiang Yingwan, a pampered young lady, suffered a devastating loss when her parents died. Destitute and hopeless, an imperial edict declared her the long-lost daughter of the Emperor, elevating her to the rank of princess and bringing her back to the palace with great fanfare.... more>>

The sudden transition from ordinary citizen to royal noble filled Jiang Yingwan with apprehension. Her father, the Emperor, was stern and showed little interest in her, while her imperial mother, motivated by her own desire for favor, made numerous demands on her.

Jiang Yingwan was cautious and meticulous, seeking not power but a peaceful life.

Fate, however, played a cruel joke on her. Less than three months after becoming a princess, her estranged sister, who had eloped years earlier, suddenly appeared, claiming to be the true princess. Jiang Yingwan had no time to defend herself before she was given a silken noose to end her life.

Upon awakening, Jiang Yingwan found herself reborn, back at the moment she first entered the palace.

Determined to avoid repeating the past, Jiang Yingwan did everything she could to win over the Emperor, the man she had once feared.

While the Emperor reviewed memorials in the Xuanzheng Hall, she would stay by his side, serving tea and grinding ink, behaving impeccably.

When the Emperor suffered a headache, she would massage his temples and hum lullabies from her hometown to help him rest.

When the Emperor was angered by a rebellious official, Jiang Yingwan, though terrified, would approach him, her voice trembling as she softly said:

"Your Majesty, please calm down. I made some sweets; would Your Majesty like to try some?"

Her complete devotion and filial piety finally caught the Emperor's attention, making her his most beloved princess.

The day arrived when her identity was exposed in her past life. Jiang Yingwan anxiously awaited her fate.

Her nominal mother believed she had tainted the imperial bloodline and wanted her dead, while her true sister, the real princess, watched coldly, eager to reclaim her rightful place.

Everyone was against her, but the usually cold and indifferent Emperor shielded her, his face stern, his gaze sharp as he swept across the crowd:

"I'll see who dares to touch my Wanwan!"

Jiang Yingwan and her sister exchanged identities. She was made the Lady Lingyi and continued to receive the Emperor's favor.

The Emperor cherished and protected her, and she was willing to devote her life to repaying his kindness.

Until the day the Crown Prince requested her hand in marriage. The usually calm and composed Emperor lost control, bursting into her room late at night, seizing her chin, his eyes dark and intense.

"You will be my Imperial Consort. You shall marry no one but me."

…

Historical records describe Emperor Yan Zhao, Li Yuanke, as a diligent and capable ruler who ushered in a prosperous era. Yet, he made a mistake in his personal life, showering his Imperial Consort Jiang with excessive love, elevating her to Empress and favoring her above all others in the harem.

As for Consort Jiang's identity, people remained tight-lipped. <<less