"Maomao, a young woman trained in the art of herbal medicine, is forced to work as a lowly servant in the inner palace. Though she yearns for life outside its perfumed halls, she isn't long for a life of drudgery! Using her wits to break a 'curse' afflicting the imperial heirs, Maomao attracts the attentions of the handsome eunuch Jinshi and is promoted to attendant food taster. But Jinshi has other plans for the erstwhile apothecary, and soon Maomao...

"When the ever luminous Jinshi asks for Maomao's help in disguising himself to take care of business outside the palace walls, Maomao must dig deep to mar her employer's heavenly charms! And to make the ploy believable, Maomao herself is roped in to a spot of theater as Jinshi's companion. But Jinshi's "business" takes him right to the gates of the pleasure district! Has all Maomao's hard work been for a mere assignation, or is there another mystery...

"A festive atmosphere descends upon the Inner Court with the arrival of a long-awaited merchant caravan and its myriad wares. Though the excitement is contagious and even Maomao looks forward to making purchases of her own, she soon cottons on to something potentially sinister about the innocuous goods for sale. Before Maomao can tease out any evidence, however, her attention turns to mushrooms when Jinshi asks her to root out any poisonous varieties...

"Sly tactician Lakan's attempts at provocation lead to his own downfall when Maomao challenges him to elephant chess, only to outplay him in a game of wits! In a stupor from drinking "poison" as punishment for his loss, Lakan dreams of a long-lost past, his affair with a beautiful courtesan, and meeting her daughter for the very first time. Upon waking, he finds himself at Verdigris, where he is pressed to buy the freedom of a girl of his choosing...

"Forced to the leave the Inner Palace, Maomao finds herself in the employ of none other than Jinshi, the seemingly ever-present thorn in her side! Immune to his charms, Maomao sets about learning the ways of life in the Outer Palace, where government officials and military officers go about the daily business of running the country. Far from being fearful of her new surroundings, however, Maomao has her insatiable curiosity piqued by the soldier-occupied...

"“IT WAS THE SOUND OF THE GODS SCOFFING AT ME.” Thanks to Ruveliss's decisive actions, the foreign princesses' schemes are thwarted, but this was merely a prelude to the oncoming turmoil. With the emperor's health waning, political machinations at the court intensify...and at the center of it all stands Aristia. To make matters worse, Carsein suffers a grave injury while protecting her from mysterious assassins, and the shadow inside Allendis's...

The moment Aristia was dreading is finally here--Jieun has arrived! As politics pit the two against each other yet again, she soon realizes that this Jieun is very different from the one she remembers . In order to protect herself and those dear to her, Tia hardens her resolve to walk the path of heir to House Monique ...until long-kept secrets are brought to light , calling her legitimacy as crown princess candidate into question! While the noble...

"Sovieshu's lover, his mistress, and the future mother of his child--Rashta's got it all--on the surface, that is. What she really wants is to be able to keep herself and the baby safe on her own, regardless of whether she has the favor of the emperor. The largest obstacle standing in her way? Navier, or so she believes. And when her sole confidant, Duke Ergi, advises her that the best defense is a good offense, Rashta comes to realize exactly what...

"Navier Ellie Trovi was the lifelong companion of Sovieshu, the emperor of the Eastern Empire, with whom she spent her youth discussing the empire they would build together. She was intelligent, compassionate, and courageous. She was the perfect empress of the Eastern Empire, until the day Sovieshu fell for another woman, demanding a divorce. However, it was Navier who shocked Sovieshu, his beloved mistress, and a speechless court as she coldly declared:...

"Navier and Heinrey have successfully escaped to the Western Kingdom! But with a new chapter in their lives also come new challenges. Due to their loyalty to the former queen Krista, not all of Heinrey's people are taking kindly to Navier's arrival. On top of that, Navier accidentally stumbles upon Heinrey transforming to his bird form--completely naked! While indignation should be filling her heart from the deception, Navier is more flustered than...