Charmaine Sheh

The wealthy Qiu family has always been known for favoring sons over daughters. It is known that the Qiu family property will be inherited by the only male grandson of the third generation, Qiu Zhi Bin. Mr. Qiu was in a coma due to a stroke. A letter of authorization signed by him shocked everyone: he actually entrusted his eldest granddaughter, Qiu Hao Er, to act as chairman of the group on his behalf. However, this letter of authorization did not send Qiu Hao Er to the peak of power; instead, it pushed her into the center of the storm.

Hong Kong's Criminal Intelligence Bureau Chief Inspector, Cheuk Hoi, probes his colleague's mysterious death and the disappearance of five crucial undercover agents. These agents hold vital secrets, compelling Cheuk Hoi to uncover the truth. Among the undercover agents, Ting Siu Ka seeks her true identity by infiltrating the triads, forming a complex relationship with Sit Ka Keung. However, complications arise when Cheuk Hoi abruptly halts her mission, involving the Independent Commission Against Corruption's Mok Sin Yan. As the triad leader Tam Foon Hei is released, Lin Ho Kan's tactics intensify the police-triad showdown for justice.

Imperial Household Bureau is responsible for managing and directing all household services to the Emperor and the Imperial family in Tong Dynasty. It is comprised of four departments, namely Jewels, Attire, Food and Furnishings. Lan Sam Ho and Yiu Kam Ling are introduced into the bureau in their tender age and brought up in the disciplines of the palace. The two girls are diligent. Yuen Tsui Wan, Head of the Jewels, and Chung Suet Ha, Head of the Attire, are both very fond of Sam Ho for she is a kind-hearted young girl. Soon, they start fighting for the fellowship of Sam Ho. Sam Ho always remembers her mother's words left to her before she passed away, that she was told, 'Doing good deeds, Speaking good words, Showing goodwill'. She lives her life of being gracious and kind-hearted in the palace. On the other hand, Kam Ling believes her survival in palace is achieved through cruel and calculating tactics. She cheats and schemes her way to the top and finally becomes the concubine. Though she realizes that Sam Ho has fallen in love with the chess master Ko Hin Yeung, her jealousy still arouses by Sam Ho's attraction to the Emperor Lee Yi. Fearing that she is losing power, she ruthlessly makes up a false allegation against Sam Ho for murdering the Empress and condemns her to death. No matter how clever she is to scheme, things do not go the way she planned. By using a strong comparison of the two distinctive characters, Sam Ho and Kam Ling, the message of the drama is that "benevolence" is the only way to gain final victory.

High-flier Mak Tai Song (Dayo Wong Tze Wah) has dissociated himself from the business world by showing deep regret to the suicide of his mentor. Later, he learns that his mentor's wife She Mo Lin (Theresa Lee) is in great debt and he starts selling "business tactics" to the trader Tong Kat (Benz Hui Shiu Hung) for Lin's debt recovery. Deadbeat Song refuses to take a full time job and that makes his income change from day to day. A tough collection agent, Lam Miu Miu (Charmaine Sheh), tries every means to push him into a corner. They keep playing tricks on each other and finally become a pair of rival lovers. By chance, Song meets his uterine brother On Cho Lin (Michael Tse Tin Wah). He thereby recalls the tragic memories of the past when his mother deserted him and his father. This triggers the hatred hidden deep inside his heart and leads him to seek revenge against On's family. Song's abrupt change has left Miu feeling confused. [Dramawiki]

The history of this restaurant is closely intertwined with the stories of four women of different generations. It portrays the commonest marital problems and various kinds of stress suffered by women over the centuries. In the late Qing Dynasty – Ngai Yu Fung’s family goes into a decline and, without a choice, she is married off to Wong Yuk Lun who later ends up losing all his money. Fung sells the love token given by her first lover Yu Tsz in exchange for money, with which she sets up the Phoenix Restaurant. During the May Fourth Movement – Fung’s daughter Wong Chi Kwan elopes to Tianjin with her teacher Lee Kat Cheung. The pair finally split up, following which Kwan moves back to Beijing and the Phoenix Restaurant is already dying on its feet.

Fifteen years after Qing Emperor Ka Hing was crowned, the country appears to be in harmony. However, fights between the imperial concubines escalate. Beauty never lasts. All the imperial concubines, including the emperor's beloved Yu Fei understand this and become nervous when the triennial imperial concubine election approaches. Yu Fei's position is threatened by an imperial descendant Yuk Ying , a powerful eunuch's adopted daughter Yi Sun and an experienced imperial servant maid On Sin . They are friends and enemies in the war for the emperor's love. Yi Sun later falls for imperial physician, Bak Yeung who also stole the hearts of courtesan, Heung Fou Lady Fuk s well as his lonely wife but Bak Yeung only has eyes for Yuk Ying, the woman who loved him the least. When she is still a palace maid, On Sin falls for imperial guard, Hung Mou but the later keeps his distance from her when she becomes a Lady, the emperor's woman.