翘楚
résumé
The general's daughter, Chu Zhao, refuses to accept her fate as nothing more than a pawn to be sacrificed in Xiao Xun's rise to power. Taking matters into her own hands, she fights her way out with the help of Xie Yanlai, protecting the emperor's grandson as he makes his way to the emperor's presence. Through a tense standoff in the imperial court, she helps the young prince secure the throne, cutting off Xiao Xun's path to power. But with a new emperor comes new crises. The realm is torn by internal strife and foreign threats. Working alongside Xie Yanlai, Chu Zhao navigates the treacherous currents of the court, leads troops into battle, and ultimately rewrites her own destiny, sparing the people of the State of Chu from the ravages of war.