Lover of the Last Empress

Set in imperial China, the story follows a young, innocent girl who is chosen to become one of the emperor's concubines. At first, she struggles with the loss of her innocence and faces the manipulations and rivalries among the other concubines. Over time, she grows more pragmatic and less hesitant in navigating the palace's power dynamics. Eventually, she becomes pregnant by the emperor and is elevated to the position of empress. However, the experience changes her, and after the emperor's death, she rules the empire with a harsh and oppressive hand, showing how her initial innocence was lost to the demands and corruption of power.