Escaping her dreary job as a clerk at Sawyer's Mill, Lucy Mary O'Malley leaves behind the familiar world of Lancashire, England and embarks on a dangerous journey to the mysterious Forbidden City of Peking after agreeing to an arranged marriage with Prince Chang Lee, son of a Mandarin. Almost overwhelmed by the strange customs and colorful way of life in her new home, she is called into the perfumed court of the threatening Dragon Empress, Tz'u Hsi. Experiencing deep feelings of love - and jealousy - which she has never known before, she discovers the secret that explains the insolent stares of the housekeeper, Chen Sula, and the peculiar behavior of her new husband. But only when the Boxer rebels lay siege to the embassy does the spunky redhead find the courage to fight for her love and her life.