Spring on the Ashes

Shen Yan was once the legitimate daughter of a military family, brilliantly gifted and dazzling. But after her family fell and her trusted allies scattered, she came to see how unpredictable life could be. Now she lives in seclusion among ordinary folk, her heart as still as an ancient well, unmoved by grudges or affection, gain or loss, honor or disgrace. She simply tends to her small herbal clinic, believing her life will remain quiet and uneventful.

Then a young man named Xie Ci'an crashes into her life. He is the brightest rising star in the capital, resplendent in red, riding hard and burning with youthful ardor. He is a master of political scheming, yet for some reason he is especially devoted to her, this “withered tree.” When she is ambushed, he has already laid a meticulous trap. When she keeps everyone at arm’s length, he waits just three feet away, gradually reaching her with his clumsy but genuine warmth.

Xie Ci'an never urges her to emerge from the shadows. He simply offers her a lamp or an umbrella when she needs one, and stays by her side as they take in all the sights and sounds of ordinary life. When ripples stir in her frozen heart, Shen Yan finally understands that spring really can come after the ashes. That young man is her whole spring.