After a passionate night together, Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye part the next morning as enemies. A new emperor has ascended the throne, and the court is in flux. Power and position are in reach for anyone who dares to grasp them--and Shen Zechuan will stop at nothing to pursue his ambitions. But while Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye counter each other's moves on the board, grander schemes are afoot in the capital of Qudu.