Saiunkoku Monogatari

Shurei Hong, born to a noble family but living in poverty, dreams of becoming a civil servant in Saiunkoku’s imperial court. Women are barred from government office, while Emperor Ryuki leaves the work of ruling to his advisors and refuses to take charge. To persuade the emperor to govern, Shurei is asked to enter the palace as his consort. But Ryuki has yet to seek her out, and rumors say men—not women—share his bedchamber. Shurei must find the elusive emperor and devise a way to make him take responsibility.