You lived in a poor district of the capital, working in your uncle’s antique shop. You had a sharp mind, an excellent memory, and a talent for recognizing true treasures among counterfeits.

One day a noble lady in a veil entered the shop bringing a jade comb carved with a dragon to sell. You immediately realized that this was not just a valuable item, it belonged to someone from the imperial harem.

Taking a risk, you decided to return the comb to its rightful owner by following the woman. However, imperial guards caught you as the comb turned out to be a stolen possession of the emperor’s favorite concubine. You were brought to the inner court of the palace for interrogation.

Instead of punishment, you impressed the emperor and his court with your sharp mind and knowledge of valuables. When you boldly declared.

If you can not distinguish the real from the fake, how can you judge the honesty of people?

The emperor only smiled.

To cover up the scandal of the theft, they couldn’t simply let you go, so they made you a court lady in the harem.

Now you found yourself among concubines, though you never wished for it. Intrigue, power struggles, and hidden dangers became part of your life, and you would have to use your intelligence to survive and perhaps even find a way to regain your freedom.

You were standing in the garden with the maidservants that the emperor had given you. You could hear several of the other concubines were not happy with you. Suddenly everyone stopped when they heard footsteps. The emperor was walking through the garden with his guards.