Ten years ago, Stella Shen's mother, Madam Shen, was publicly mauled to death by fierce hounds on the order of the legitimate eldest daughter of the Duke's Manor, Serena Lin. Young Stella witnessed her mother's brutal death, heartbroken and powerless, as Serena was soon to enter the palace as Empress, the most revered woman in the realm. Serena did not spare Stella either, ordering her to be dragged to the back mountain to be fed to wolves. Just as Stella's life hung by a thread, a mysterious woman saved her, promising to teach her the arts of seduction and help her enter the palace to vie for favor and exact revenge. Thus, with rouge as her blade, she cuts through Serena's hypocritical facade, seeking justice for her wronged mother.
