The Empress Dowager (Lisa Lu), the whimsical monarch of China, wields power for half a century, until 1894, when the time comes for the 60-year-old tyrant to step down. Ceremoniously, she hands over power to Emperor Kuang Hsu (Ti Lung), but she continues to control the fate of the country behind the scenes. Her chief eunuch, Li Lien-ying (Miao Tien), a cunning and treacherous sycophant, sends his subordinate, eunuch Kou Lien-tsai, (David Chiang) to wait upon the Emperor in the Yu Ching Palace. But actually his job is to spy upon the 20-year-old Emperor.Though inexperienced, the Emperor plans to introduce reforms to improve the efficiency of his government. But the Empress Dowager stands in the way. She also prevents the dispatch of Chinese troops to Korea to resist the Japanese invaders, on the grounds that China is not yet prepared for war against Japan.Realizing that the Emperor is rather lukewarm towards his spouse, Empress Chin Feng (Ivy Ling Po), it is then proposed by the Empress Dowager that he should take Li Chieh-erh (Tanny Tien Ni), the younger sister of Li Lien-ying, as a concubine. But he rejects the proposal, and takes instead two sisters Concubine Chin (Chen Ping), and Concubine Chen (Hsiao Yao), who are recommended by his tutor, Weng Tung-ho (Chang Ying). As the emperor takes more interest in Concubine Chen than the others, she is placed in an unenviable position.Emperor Kuang Hsu and his senior minister, Weng Tung-ho, propose to use force to expel the Japanese from Korea, whereas the Empress Dowager and Li hung-chang, (Ku Feng) who is the minister of foreign and military affairs, advocate a policy of appeasement. Later on, the Emperor is so excited by news of a Chinese victory in Korea, that he asks the Empress Dowager’s approval to declare war on Japan. At first, the Empress Dowager disapproves of the idea, because she does not want to aggravate the situation. Meanwhile, news spreads to the effect that Japan has declare war on China. Hence, the Empress Dowager, cannot but bow to the wish of the Emperor.No sooner has open warfare started, than the Japanese begin to demonstrate their military superiority by thrashing the Ching army in Korea, and the vaunted Ching North Ocean Fleet in the Yellow Sea. As China reels under the Japanese blows, the Emperor becomes infuriated, and cashiers some of his own high-ranking ministers, including those who are henchmen of the Empress Dowager. She retaliates by hunter-charging the Emperor with being a hawk. The Emperor wants to leave the palace with Concubine Chen, when it dawns upon him that he is after all a puppet. The Empress Dowager sends Li Hung-chang to seek peace with the advancing Japanese. Meanwhile, discord is down between the Empress Dowager and Concubine Chen, when Li Lien-ying and Li Chieh-erh spread a rumor about an affair between the concubine and an actor, Cheng (Tien Ching).The conflict between the Empress Dowager and Kuang Hsu grows after the capitulation of China to the Japanese. Eunuch Kou Lien-tsai is conscience-sticken, as he is impressed by the sincerity, as well as the patriotism of the Emperor and the reformers. Therefore the eunuch petitions the Empres Dowager for her support to the enlightened policy of the Emperor whose aim is to make China strong. But instead of heeding it, she orders Kou to be put to death. The tragic incident is a shock to many, especially Emperor Kuang Hsu, who finds solace in the arms of his beloved Concubine Chen.
