In the spring breezes of the Jing'an Dynasty, laughter and chatter ring out from Princess Gu Qinghe of Qinghe. She is the beloved jewel of the Duke of Su’s household. Her mother, Princess Mingjia, is the adopted daughter cherished by the Empress Dowager; her uncle the emperor dotes on her like a daughter, and the empress, who has no daughter of her own, treasures her like the apple of her eye. She takes to music, chess, calligraphy, and painting with ease, and rides and shoots as well as any young man. So lively is she that she can stir up a little “commotion” in the imperial palace. Now and then she gets scolded for being mischievous, only to be spoiled rotten by her family the moment she turns around.
The fifth prince, Mu Linyuan, is the empress’s legitimate son. Though gifted in every way, he is also known as the “little tyrant of the capital.” He and Gu Qinghe grew up together: they bicker whenever they meet and miss each other whenever they part. Their bickering-sweetheart antics could make every flower in the imperial garden bloom with laughter.
A concubine-born younger sister causes trouble? No matter: the family’s favorite simply makes her trip over her own schemes. The loving kindness of her grandmother the empress dowager, her uncle the emperor’s indulgence, and the lively supporting cast all add to the fun. In this sugar-sweet capital, Qinghe and Linyuan’s doting romance winds from the branches of their childhood plum tree to the red walls and green tiles of the palace. Every breeze carries the taste of sugar, as their story unfolds at its own pace and sweetness slowly brews.
