A head strong Jiang Xue Ning (Bai Lu) who would do anything to become an Empress, who manipulated many people to do her bidding to stay in power and control, who died by killing herself of regret in exchange her life for someone else's life. The story of second chance and redemption of Jiang Xuening; to avoid herself get into the palace like her past life as the ambitious Empress. But she couldn't entirely escape from fate that's written to her, shifting her fates and people in the path of redemption. However some things were still end the same like invincible hand stirred to what fate have been. Ning'Er still end up joining the palace as a Princess's study companion and Xie Wei's (Zhang Ling He) student. As a new person, she still handled things with devious strategies to avoid certain fates that got her in trouble in previous life, with different approached she still manipulate people according to her wishes. The old feeling still hunted her to which decision made and wisdom came from. Relationship Xie Wei & Xue Ning were teacher and student, outside the circle they're conspirator.

Xie Wei/Xue Ding Fei (Zhang Ling He)
As the most scary person in Jiang Xue Ning's life - she most afraid and bitter toward him. Crown Prince's teacher and advisor to the Emperor, Xie Wei had every reason to be wary of. He hold most secrets as he's the sole survivor of 20 years old frightening 300 young lost souls originated, a 7 years young Viscount Xue Ding Fei was used to replace for (same age) Crown Prince's life to demanding rebel leader Prince Ping'An. Who knew he survived the massacre and became Prince Ping'An bullet to destroy Qian/Shen royal family, his hatred to his biological father Xue was no bound. His affection for Yan family where his mother was the beloved sister of Duke Yan (Yan Lin's father). This time around, he suffered from PTSD from early age trauma. His main goal was to destroy Xue which aligned with Xue Ning's mission and maneuver palace's politics to achieve goals. So much going on his calculating mind to achieve successful outcomes, he'd happily married Xue Ning and had twin children.

Yan Lin (Zhou Jun Wei)
In this new life Jiang Xuening redeemed her mistake by secretly plans to stop Yan Lin's bloody upcoming-age Crown Ceremony from happening, result of power struggle between 2 influential family Xue & Yan. With Jiang Xuening and Xie Wei's plan, the Yan family's lives were saved although they went exile for wrongful accusation. At point of time when Yan Lin lost his whole family during his coming-to age celebration from Xue and the day knowing Xue Ning rejecting his love. Her betrayal made Yan Lin obsess and furious. When he started to gain power to rebel, Yan Lin determined to make her his woman, but she killed herself to exchange life for a life. Xue Ning was forewarned Yan Lin that her feeling was friendship, none romantic, Yan Lin had to first hand knowing her true feeling to avoid obsession nor hatred as he's falling more deeper in love with her like in their previous life. He'd be a grand general and respected by whole country, Yan family all came back home.

Zhang Zhe ( Wang Xing Yue)
Jiang XueNing most precious person was Zhang Zhe. In previous life she was using him to cover up her many guilt of wrong doing, for the sake of love Zhang Zhe betrayed his conscience to make wrong judgement. He felt unworthy and guilt of the dead of his mother he wrote a letter to Justice Dept to sentence him to death. Xue Ning begged him to forgive himself and blame her instead. Few days before his death sentence, Xue Ning went to Xie Wei for his mercy and kill herself in exchange for his life. Second change, Zhang Zhe being an upright man was indeed love her, they had a chance to have their happy ending together, but his mother eventually died from the same cause and affect him the same guilt so Xue Ning decided to let go remembering how bad Zhang Zhe end up on their previous life. All in all Zhang Zhe assisted Xie Wei, Yan Lin, Xue Ning to reveal the truth of evil-doers Xue family.

Princess Le Yang/Shen Zhi Yi (Liu Xie Ning)
Jiang Xue Ning was her bestfriend, they're study mates. Jiang Xue Ning was successfully change their relationship dynamic into friendship rather as adversary in their previous life, but for sure Xue Ning knew that Princess Le Yang would be sent off to get married with enemy's prince and tragically died. In this life, Xue Ning would rush to save her from fatal outcome. Although she still had a bad marriage, faced abuse and imprisonment, she's finally free to come back home.

You Fang Yin (Melody Tang)
In previous life, she's the faithful attendant/maid to her Empress life, Fang Yin's been through too much during her reign so she felt guilty put her through. So, Jiang Xue Ning saved her from jealous bitter step sister and hateful You family. Xue Ning trusted her with business and independent. She married to a very nice man, handled businesses good, sadly died for loyalty.

Although the drama is heavy in political conflicts and intrigues, twisting fate for different outcomes might also be a little romance at the end. Great script, the intrigue wasn't boring, amazing costumes (everyone looks amazing), great coordination between flash back and new stories, good angle cameramen and directive. Zhang Ling He is great in here, shining in his acting (not convincing enough he's afraid of cat though), he'll have a long acting career. Bai Lu is so so as her usual self, as 27 yo she can't act like 19yo, we've seen her same acting in her other dramas. Zhou Jun Wei is pretty sleek as Yan Lin while Wang Xing Yue has character that's not special, I think he'd be more interesting as (previous life) Zhang Zhe when he broke many etiquette and laws - he'd lots of inner battles and emotion fight in within . Very good drama.