The gripping story of one woman’s rise to royalty as China’s first and only female emperor

After her father’s death, Mei finds herself in the impossible position of supporting her poverty-stricken family. But a prophecy once predicted that Mei could have the power to do the unthinkable-to become the first female ruler of China. And when an edict summons Mei to the emperor’s palace to serve as one of his concubines, the prophecy no longer seems so far-fetched. In the heart of the emperor’s city, Mei faces a thousand other women, all vying for the emperor’s favour. She manages to deftly maneuver around the plots of wily courtiers and ambitious princes fighting for power. Then, just as she is in a position to seduce the emperor, she falls in love with his son instead. Now Mei must fight not only to gain favor with the emperor, but also to protect the man she loves.