Palast candidate He Shi enters the palace and is titled Changzai. During her very first night of service, she unexpectedly gains the ability to hear the Emperor's inner thoughts, discovering that this outwardly stern and imposing ruler is actually a time-traveler exhausted by harem socializing and affairs of state—an "office worker" whose inner monologue is filled with down-to-earth complaints. Keeping her secret, she goes along with the Emperor's slack-off lifestyle. Relying on her clarity and intelligence, she advances step by step from a Changzai, successively overthrowing the jealous noble consort, neutralizing the plot to depose the queen, taking in and raising the eldest imperial prince, helping manage the inner court and rectifying internal affairs, and leading disaster relief to win the people's support. Ultimately overcoming the ministers' objections to become empress, she and the Emperor grow from tacit partners into soulmates, jointly guarding the realm.