"A heroine like Yu Jin blooms with the poppy's fatal beauty — intoxicating in love yet deadly in wrath. The Crown Prince sees her as a political pawn, Prince Yi as emotional sustenance, Prince Duan as an unattainable dream... When no man deserves her full brilliance, she chooses to reign alone in the shadows, where petals need not bow to thrones."
—Douban Reader MidnightAlice

"This novel is a garden of intrigue — where every petal hides a dagger, and the throne is watered with tears."
—Bai Luomei

★A historical romance masterpiece by the renowned ancient Chinese literature author Wen Qingjiepei.

★The heroine disguises herself as a man, enters the imperial court, roams the martial world, and protects her family!

★A soul-stirring love affair in a chaotic era.
The novel is set against a complex web of relationships, primarily focusing on the entanglements between Yu Jin and three princes (the Crown Prince Li Run, Prince Yi Li Ze and Prince Yu Duan Wuwang). It weaves together the intricacies of love and the struggle for power.

★Female-led Story: Witness the growth and independence of heroine.
The heroine, Yu Jin, was sent to Qiankun Sect to practice martial arts from a young age. Despite facing numerous hardships, she gradually revealed her resilience and wisdom as she grew. She is not only a match for others in power struggles but also maintains her emotional independence.

After her mother's brutal death, Yu Jin returns from the Qiankun Sect, no longer the helpless girl but a woman sharpened like a blade.Who was the mastermind behind the chaos that erupted eight years ago?

Now, she steps into the treacherous lair of imperial politics, where her beauty serves as a veil for her quest for vengeance. Yu Jin, determined to uncover the truth, navigates the intricate web of relationships with three distinguished royal nobles: the Crown Prince, who is profound and astute; Prince Yu, who is dashing and unbound by convention; and Prince Yi, who is elegant and transcendent... Yet, she finds herself drawn to the reserved and stern Crown Prince, engaging in a tumultuous love-hate relationship with him, even willing to endure humiliation and suffering in the dungeon.

But as petals fall in the game of thrones, Yu Jin discovers the hardest lesson — some loves are meant to wither so the self may blossom.

Wang Pei

Wang Pei, pen name Wenqing Jiepei, is a novelist and screenwriter.
Published works include "Brocade Palace", "The Shattered Agarwood", "A Tomb of Fallen Flowers", and "Yu Meiren: Sword Points to the Throne". Among these, "Consort Unworthy" and "The Shattered Agarwood" have been adapted for film/TV.
Screenwriting credits include "The Rise of Phoenixes" (based on "Power of Pheonix"), "The Condor Heroes" and "I Am Not a Monster".

Excerpt:

Cheng Yi's whisper carried the weight of lost innocence,"At Qiankun, we believed our swords could cut through the world's falsehoods. Now I see — the deepest shadows grow in imperial gardens, where every flower hides thorns."

Perhaps life is thus: moments of solitude arrive, a grief so sharp it cracks our armor, laying bare the softness beneath. Still, we don masks anew, declaring ourselves invincible.