The sole daughter of a military merit family, Shangguan Mingzheng, is decreed to marry into the Eastern Palace. At the concubine ceremony, the crown prince publicly announces appointing another person instead, allowing her only to be a concubine. She publicly lifts her veil and carries the marriage certificate into the palace to state her case; three days later the engagement is dissolved and she regains her freedom. Returning to her manor, she enters the winter defense game from her father and brothers' old registers, going from checking old registers to standing on her own. The crown prince shields powerful officials and suppresses urgent reports of soldiers' frostbite, ultimately being deposed and imprisoned. The new emperor respects her talent and honors her integrity, asking her willingness through a proposal rather than a imperial marriage decree. She draws the boundary that the central palace cannot cross, personally takes the phoenix seal, and steps onto the imperial stairs herself—the empress position is chosen by herself.