Ying Fusheng, the Sixth Prince of the Great Yuan Dynasty, endures a life of torment in the Cold Palace after being framed for treason by the new Emperor and Consort Dowager Ning. Betrayed by his loyal eunuch Song An, who dies trying to save him, Ying Fusheng drinks poisoned wine and dies with his eyes fixed on the palace walls, filled with resentment. He awakens to find himself back in his childhood body in the Weiyang Palace, fifteen years prior to his death. The year is the sixteenth of Taiyuan, and he is merely ten years old. He quickly realizes he has been reborn and must navigate the treacherous palace politics that destroyed him in his previous life.
In this new timeline, Ying Fusheng discovers that his physical frailty and chronic illness are the result of years of secret poisoning administered by Consort Ning, his adoptive mother. She raised him to be weak and unambitious so he would not threaten her biological son, who is secretly the true Crown Prince, swapped at birth with Ying Fusheng’s real identity. His biological mother is Empress Xu, the legitimate wife of the Emperor, but she remains unaware of the swap. Ying Fusheng’s only ally is Song An, the young eunuch who served him faithfully in his past life. Together, they begin to plot their survival and revenge.
The central conflict centers on the upcoming Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, a pivotal event in Ying Fusheng’s memory. In his past life, this banquet was where his fake brother stole the spotlight, cementing his status as the favored heir while Ying Fusheng remained a neglected, sickly prince. Determined to change his fate, Ying Fusheng feigns a lingering fever to avoid suspicion while secretly preparing. He sends Song An to the Moon-Viewing Pavilion, the banquet venue, to scatter Silver Vine powder, a substance that drives felines into a frenzy. His plan is to disrupt the event and expose the conspiracy surrounding his mother.
On the day of the banquet, the beasts in the Imperial Zoo break loose and charge toward the pavilion, causing panic. Consort Ning, who is overseeing the preparations, is implicated and brought before the Empress Dowager for questioning. The atmosphere is tense, with the incident viewed as an ominous sign. Ying Fusheng, despite his illness, leaves his quarters and appears before the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and the Crown Prince. He calmly analyzes the situation, suggesting that the beast attack was not an ill omen but a result of the Silver Vine in the incense, which attracted and agitated the animals. He reframes the incident as an auspicious sign of nature celebrating the Empress Dowager’s birthday, effectively saving Consort Ning from severe punishment while simultaneously drawing attention to himself.
His quick thinking and logical defense impress the Empress Dowager, who notes his resemblance to the Emperor in his youth. However, the exertion of the event takes its toll on Ying Fusheng’s weakened body. As he receives praise and is offered a seat, he collapses from exhaustion and fever. The incident marks a significant shift in the palace dynamics, as Ying Fusheng begins to emerge from the shadows, challenging the control Consort Ning has maintained over him for years. The story sets the stage for a long-term struggle for power, identity, and survival within the imperial court.
