My childhood friend became emperor and wants to marry me

Yao Yao and the orphaned boy Dong Chen grew up together. She took in the helpless, destitute boy, and the two of them relied on each other in the countryside. Before leaving to join the army, Dong Chen promised that he would return to marry her after achieving success.

After four years of battles, the boy rises to become emperor, and an imperial decree forcibly appoints Yao Yao as empress. But Yao Yao despises the confinement of the palace and publicly rejects the decree, opposing the marriage. Her childhood friend has now become a complete stranger. Living in the palace, there’s a heavy gap between them, yet they can’t help but care about each other.

Amid the palace intrigue, ministers eye the throne, someone secretly tries to poison her, and relatives of the court seize the opportunity to stage a coup. Pregnant Yao Yao holds the emperor’s military token and manages the court’s affairs from behind the scenes on her own; Dong Chen personally leads the army to sweep the barbarians and, upon returning, willingly sets aside his emperor pride to confess his feelings.

The two resolve their misunderstandings and work together to manage the court’s stormy affairs. They make a secret pact: once the crown prince grows up and takes over the empire, they will give up imperial power and return to their small countryside home to spend the rest of their lives together.