The Han Dynasty, which has ruled China for many generations, has become corrupt and oppressive - while the people starve and fall to illness, the Imperial nobles uncaringly live in luxury. One fateful day, Cao Cao, the sixteen-year-old son of a nobleman and leader of a troop of bandits, learns just what it is to suffer when the woman he loves is sold as a concubine to the devious Imperial Attendant, Zhang Rang. Their innocent romance destroyed, Cao Cao turns his efforts to becoming ruler of the world and thus restoring the true justice of Heaven to all people. But the journey to claiming ultimate power is long and fraught with great peril, and at every corner his unscrupulous enemies plot his downfall...
In an ancient and mythological land called Saiunkoku, the people have begun to recover from a period of war and famine; thus, when an official from the imperial court offers the impoverished and beautiful Shuurei more money than she could ever dream of in return for a favor, she jumps at the chance. What she doesn’t count on, however, is being asked to become a concubine to the recluse Emperor and help him transform into a better leader. What’s more, the Emperor shows little intelligence, seems to have no interest in ruling, and is rumored to prefer men. One thing’s for certain: Shuurei has her work cut out for her!