After Yu Qijian dies suddenly from overwork, she transmigrates into the Empress Dowager of the Great Yu dynasty. She originally only wants to lie low and enjoy a peaceful life as a widow, but is forced into a power struggle involving the maternal relatives of the imperial family, Fang Jinxian, the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial holding the imperial seal, and the young emperor. At first, she pretends to be weak and lies low, but eventually stops yielding and takes the initiative to break the deadlock, gradually forming an alliance with Fang Jinxian and Zhao Yan after initially being at odds with them. A major salt-tax case and the Yu family's hidden secrets emerge one after another. She finally understands that neither remaining trapped in her identity as Empress Dowager nor stubbornly clinging to her former self will allow her to live a peaceful and dignified life.