[English Translation]
In a tempestuous night, amidst the clash of steel and the roar of thunder, a palace estate becomes a battleground. Blood spills as palace guards relentlessly hunt intruders, their mission shrouded in deadly secrecy. A desperate cry pierces the storm—a palace maid’s plea for her son, Zhu Hualin, the emperor’s hidden ninth child. Born under a veil of scandal, Hualin’s very existence is a threat, marked for elimination by the ruthless Empress. Witness a mother’s ultimate sacrifice as she ignites a saga of intrigue, resilience, and concealed destinies. Plunge into this captivating prologue, where mercy is a dangerous currency, and the fate of a secret prince hangs precariously in the balance. Years drift by, and the question looms: will Zhu Hualin rise as a tyrannical force, or will he embrace wisdom and justice to become a true ruler?