A Fragrant Blossom

[Traditional historical romance + household and palace intrigue + political schemes + national and family vendettas + love that cannot be returned]

The Kingdom of Pingliang invaded the land of Jiumu for thirteen years, trampling thousands of miles of its rivers and mountains beneath its horses’ hooves. The nation lost its territory, and Jiumu’s brave sons rose up to resist to the death. Nine out of every ten households were left empty.

The ancestral temples were destroyed and the family shrines smashed. The nation was no longer a nation, nor a home a home. The royal family was treated like cattle and horses, while ordinary people were reduced to dirt beneath the feet of their conquerors.

The mighty nation of Jiumu, once a sacred land revered by the surrounding kingdoms and a heavenly realm longed for by countless people across the seas, had become a place where the greedy could kill, burn, loot, and trample as they pleased.

Princess Jiang Changning lost three younger brothers and four uncles in battle. After spending twelve years as a hostage in Pingliang, she was finally able to return to Jiumu.

Some thought she was tainted, that she was a disgrace. They asked why she hadn’t died in Pingliang instead of coming back. Her return reminded everyone in Jiumu of the shame of having lost their land for thirteen years...