Vanessa Hua's historical novel, Forbidden City: A Novel, revolves around the life of sixteen-year-old Mei Xiang. The story begins during the Cultural Revolution in China in 1965 when a party official, Mr. Sun, arrives in Mei's village seeking volunteers for Mao's cultural dancing troupe. Mei seizes the opportunity and gains the chance to escape her impoverished village life. Her dream is to become a heroine of the revolution and serve the people of the Republic of China.
Mei reaches the Forbidden City, the residence of the Chairman, and meets Teacher Fan. Discovering that her role involves dancing with political elites, Mei, along with other girls, entertains the Chairman and his party on the first night. Mei attracts his attention, resulting in him spending the night with her. As Mei's reputation grows, envy arises among the other girls. While she becomes a rival to the troupe's best girl, Midnight Chang, she also finds a friend in Busy Shan. The Chairman tasks Mei with a duty, requiring her to play the role of a schoolgirl and captivate the president. His objective is to eliminate his rival, who aims to overthrow him. As Mei readies herself for the mission, she starts living with the Chairman, and her perspective on the Chairman gradually changes. She observes things that clash with her preconceptions of the Republic's leader, causing tension between her and the Chairman.
As Mei spends more time in Beijing, her feelings for Mr. Sun develops. Mei cleverly secures the president's trust by portraying Dong Feng, a skilled schoolgirl aspiring to participate and serve as a representative of the youth in the Cultural Revolution in China. The plot takes a twist when the Chairman proclaims the president as his successor, a decision Mei finds unacceptable. During Mei's speech as Dong Feng in front of the Chairman, she candidly expresses her thoughts, accusing him of misleading the people who believe and worship him. Mei Xiang fails to anticipate the consequences of her actions, and with Mr. Sun's help, she escapes. While on the run, Mei, now pregnant, evades the Chairman's guards but tragically loses her baby.
She encounters a series of misfortunes, but she successfully locates her comrades and Mr. Sun's whereabouts. Assisting Mei leads to the arrest of Mr. Sun, and Midnight Chang, Mei's rival, meets her end as a soldier. These experiences prompt Mei to relocate to San Francisco with the help of a Christian missionary, where she engages in spreading religious awareness. Embracing her new life, she becomes a waitress in a San Francisco restaurant, dedicating herself to her work. One day, news of the Chairman's death reaches her, and her entire life flashes before her. She once aspired to be a revolutionary heroine in Red China, a dream overshadowed by Midnight Chang at the cost of her life. Mei didn't achieve her dream, but she survived.
