Fifteen years after Qing Emperor Ka Hing was crowned, the country appears to be in harmony. However, fights between the imperial concubines escalate. Beauty never lasts. All the imperial concubines, including the emperor's beloved Yu Fei understand this and become nervous when the triennial imperial concubine election approaches. Yu Fei's position is threatened by an imperial descendant Yuk Ying , a powerful eunuch's adopted daughter Yi Sun and an experienced imperial servant maid On Sin . They are friends and enemies in the war for the emperor's love. Yi Sun later falls for imperial physician, Bak Yeung who also stole the hearts of courtesan, Heung Fou Lady Fuk s well as his lonely wife but Bak Yeung only has eyes for Yuk Ying, the woman who loved him the least. When she is still a palace maid, On Sin falls for imperial guard, Hung Mou but the later keeps his distance from her when she becomes a Lady, the emperor's woman.