In an ancient dynastic era, there was a young woman named Rong'er, whose fate predestined her to spend her life in the court. Rong Er was born in an inconspicuous banner family and has been burdened with her family's expectations since she was a child. However, her fate was changed by a court intrigue.
Rong'er received strict court training from an early age, which was a necessary requirement for court life. She learned a series of rules such as not stopping all the time, needing to do needlework, lying on her side at night and so on. In order to adapt to these rules, Rong'er had to endure a lot of suffering and corporal punishment. However, her tenacity and hard work eventually led her to be assigned to the palace of Empress Dowager Cixi.
By Empress Dowager Cixi's side, Rong'er's life has improved somewhat. She was chosen as Empress Dowager Cixi's "tobacco" palace maid, and her main duty was to take care of the charcoal in the tobacco bag while Empress Dowager Cixi smoked. Although this task may seem simple, Rong Er understands that the consequences of making a mistake will be unimaginable. She was careful every time, and whether Mars burned her hand or not, she endured it in silence.
Empress Dowager Cixi's diligence and loyalty to Rong'er were obvious to all, so she was rewarded and promoted even more. This extra income means a lot to Rong'er's family, which is pushed into poverty. The father and brother relied on their ancestral inheritance, but did nothing but enjoyment, and squandered the family's wealth. Rong'er's entry into the palace became the main breadwinner of the family, and Empress Dowager Cixi's reward made her life a little easier.
However, the twist of fate is always unpredictable. In the court, Rong'er's beauty attracted the attention of an old eunuch Liu Eunuch, who was about to retire. Eunuch Liu decided to pursue Rong'er and asked to marry her as a "pair of food". Although this request seems unruly, the support of Liu Eunuch's godfather, Li Lianying, gave him a chance. Li Lianying was Empress Dowager Cixi's favorite eunuch, and his requests were often granted.
In order to marry Rong'er, Liu Eunuch not only interceded with Empress Dowager Cixi, but also sent a large amount of silver money to Rong'er's family in exchange for their consent. For Rong'er's father and brother, this money was undoubtedly a huge amount, and they readily agreed to this affair. Since then, Rong'er has no way back.
However, Eunuch Liu's heart began to twist. He began to torture Rong'er because he felt that he was being laughed at because of her. He was extremely strict with Rong'er, forbidding her to associate with any men, and even forbidding her to leave his room. Rong'er could not resist because she knew that Empress Dowager Cixi's order was indisobedient. Her family had long since abandoned her, and she had nothing to rely on.
In the end, Eunuch Liu died, but Rong'er could never return to Empress Dowager Cixi and could no longer marry. She disappeared into the corner of the court and became an unknown person.
The story tells us that in court, fate is often cruel and merciless. Rong'er is a strong woman, but she is eventually haunted by the intrigues of the court and cannot get rid of it. It also makes us think about the impact of power and class on individual destinies, and how people struggle to survive and cope with adversity in an unfair environment.