Summary
At fourteen, Su Ziyi enters the imperial palace expecting only one thing: never to go hungry again. Instead of claiming a young bride, the sharp-tongued emperor gives her food, a dog, and far too much homework. His nearly deserted inner palace becomes her first safe home, complete with a formidable cook and a mischievous young nobleman who keeps turning up uninvited. Yet beneath the jokes lie old griefs, and the girl once taught to keep quiet must learn to speak for herself. Between stolen sweets, unexpected responsibilities, and an increasingly troublesome heart, Ziyi begins to discover what a life of her own might mean.