Kouyuu Li holds the rank of Vice-Secretary of the Civil Affairs department, serving beneath Reishin Kou. Kouyuu was an orphan living in the streets before he was adopted by Reishin thirteen years ago; he survived by selling tickets to a street lottery of his own design in which the prizes included branches of plum blossoms and bags of salt. Kouyuu became the youngest person ever to pass the official examinations at the age of 16, taking the top ranked &quot;Jougen&quot; spot. As the series begins, Kouyuu has been assigned directly to the Emperor, a position that infuriates him because the wandering Emperor never carries out his duties and can rarely even be found. After Ryuuki agrees to be tutored by Kouyuu, however, and begins taking an active role in government, Ryuuki offers Kouyuu an iris flower as sign of trust. Kouyuu openly accepts the flower as a token of his loyalty and his belief that Ryuuki is a worthy Emperor. Kouyuu often works closely with the Emperor and revises the work that Ryuuki does, such as written proposals.    Despite his reputation as a genius, Kouyuu is notorious for having no sense of direction. He gets lost in the palace within 30 steps and it sometimes takes him two hours to get to a destination that only takes 15 minutes for another person. (Though, he does seem to find his way when there&#039;s trouble.) He has a close relationship with Shuuei Ran, though he loudly denies being the latter&#039;s friend. He&#039;s easily annoyed and gets nervous speaking in public. He frequently states that women are nothing but trouble and refused all offers of marriage after he passed the official exam, despite receiving many proposals from families eager to tie themselves to an up-and-coming star. He frequently tutors Shuurei, however, and appears to regard her as a friend.    (Source: Wikipedia)

Saiunkoku is a world of eight provinces or houses, each named after a different colour. The new Emperor, Shi Ryuuki, has gained a reputation for being uninterested in courtly matters and for flaunting his love for men. Shuurei, although born of the important Kou family, has difficulty making ends meet. She easily accepts an invitation to be the Emperor's concubine in order to turn him into a good ruler. The mysterious Seiran, a young man who was adopted by her father, goes with her as Ryuuki's bodyguard. Entering the imperial palace revives Shuurei's dream of being a court official, and, together with the many companions she meets along the way, continues moving bravely forward while trying to fend off the Emperor's advances. 
(Source: Anime News Network)

Andrew Toth is a voice actor based in Vancouver, Canada.

Shuurei needs to deal with more obstacles in the new series. More danger comes her way but at the same time meeting friends who will help her with her work as an official. 
(Source: Anime News Network)

Shurei Hong, destitute but of noble birth, has always dreamed of working as a civil servant in the imperial court of Saiunkoku, but women are barred from holding office. The emperor Ryuki, however, refuses to take command, leaving everything to his advisors. Shurei is asked to become a consort to the emperor to persuade the ne’er-do-well ruler to govern.
 
Shurei enters the palace as Ryuki’s consort, but he has yet to seek her out. It is rumored that men, not women, share the emperor’s bedchamber. Shurei must think of a way to stop the emperor from shirking his responsibilities, but she has to find him first!
 
(Source: VIZ Media)

The story, which takes place in the fictional medieval empire of Saiunkoku, follows the adventures of Shuurei Kou, a descendant of a noble family that has fallen on hard times. 
Her father works as a librarian in the Imperial palace, a post which offers prestige and respect, but little compensation. Shuurei teaches in the temple school and works odd jobs to make ends meet, but her dream is to pass the imperial examinations and take a post in government, a path forbidden to women. 
Shuurei's plans come to an abrupt halt when the Emperor's Grand Advisor makes a startling offer, which is joining the imperial household for six months as the young Emperor's consort, and teach the Emperor to be a responsible ruler. If she succeeds, the financial reward will be great. 
The story details Shuurei's growing relationships with the Emperor and other members of the court, the intrigues that surround imperial politics, and her commitment to better herself and her country. 
Note: This entry consists of 18 regular volumes, 4 volumes consisting of side stories, and a single volume consisting of short stories.