Summary
From the quiet life of a provincial clerk’s daughter, Seolseok’s sharp mind and keen perception were her greatest assets—and perhaps, her greatest curse. When the formidable Madam Wi, the local Governor’s top wife, noticed her, Seolseok’s heart fluttered with a forbidden hope: the chance to become concubine to Jin Hyo, the man she secretly adored. But Hyo’s affections lay elsewhere, bound to his childhood sweetheart, Pil Nami. Just as her dreams began to crumble, Seolseok was thrust into an even more perilous fate: selected as a candidate maiden for the imperial harem. Now, amidst the gilded cages and venomous whispers of the rear palace, she must navigate a treacherous dance of power and desire. Every smile hides a dagger, every alliance is a fragile thread, and love itself becomes a weapon. Can Seolseok survive the tempest, or will she be consumed by the very ambition that brought her here? Discover her journey in Chapter 1!