Shen Yuan, the illegitimate daughter of the Shen family, endured abuse from her stepmother and legitimate elder sister from childhood. They burned her back with red-hot iron tongs and nearly drowned her. With only three coins to her name, she went to the Eastern Palace seeking the Crown Prince's protection and was taken in as a retainer. Following a trail of clues to Liangzhou, she found her mother's former servant and her grandfather's former soldiers, as well as irrefutable evidence in the military pay corruption case from years ago. She uncovered the truth that her biological father, Shen Zheng, and Su Wen had conspired to frame loyal and righteous men. Despite obstruction from numerous factions at court, she joined forces with the Crown Prince to gather witnesses and evidence. Together, they overturned the wrongful verdict publicly before the imperial court, cleared her grandfather's name, and ultimately she was crowned Empress.