The male protagonist time-travels into the body of Shattock, Emperor Ling of Great Xia. Originally destined to be a puppet ruler—stripped of power by the regent Empress Dowager, thrown into a prison cell to starve, and finally executed by dismemberment—he now refuses to relive the tragedy. With newfound determination, he fiercely confronts the Empress Dowager and her allies. Equipped with the System's cheat ability, he acts decisively, steadily eroding the Empress Dowager's influence while strengthening his own power, winning the admiration of the Empress, and overcoming each crisis that arises.