A story revolving around the mischievous Concubine Meng who starts out at odds with the King but falls in love with him in the process.
Bu Meng is the daughter of a prominent public official during the Sui Dynasty. After entering the palace, she is exposed to the lies and intrigues surrounding the imperial family. Unwilling to have her fate decided by others, she pretends to be perpetually ill. Her time at the palace allows her to meet Concubine Yan who is clever and resourceful, Concubine Qu who's a crybaby, a glutton and a romantic and Concubine Xiao, a skilled martial artist who hails from a clan of generals. The four become fast friends and sisters in the inner palace.
Because of constant disagreements with Bu Meng's father, the King decides to let off some steam by picking a bone with Bu Meng one day but unexpectedly becomes attracted to her unique personality. He starts to purposely create opportunities for them to meet that are brushed away by Bu Meng who tries to avoid him as much as possible. Not until a chance encounter outside the palace does she begin to see the King's many good and lovable sides.
隋唐时期康城御史大夫的女儿步萌，进宫后为了躲避宫廷是非，也不愿意自己的姻缘命运被他人安排左右，一辈子依附皇权过日子，一直都以装病躲避侍寝。在后宫中相继认识了聪明伶俐的言轻言妃、爱哭爱吃爱皇上的曲碗碗曲嫔，以及武功高强出自将门的骁贵人。几个人性情相投，成为至交好友。皇上因步御史多次批评谏言，决定找步御史的女儿步萌出气，随着与步萌越来越多的接触反被她与众不同的个性所吸引，开始有意无意的制造接触机会。但是步萌避之唯恐不及，直到一次偶尔的微服出宫两人成为了朋友，步萌也逐渐发现了皇上身上的很多优点，也深深的爱上了皇上，决定为了爱情放弃自己的执念。
步萌(金晨飾)進宮後為了活得長久，一直在全方位掐滅自己受寵的可能性，積極“避寵”。可是與她同住在芳華宮的言妃(夏一瑤飾) 卻想激勵她去爭寵，因為言妃曾被雷劈而未死，成為大家眼中的妖妃，失去了爭寵的可能性，她想讓步萌得寵，好振興芳華宮，也實現自己的人生價值...
