In the middle years of the Great Jing dynasty, imperial authority has waned, and powerful clans have carved up the realm. Xiao Fengheng, the illegitimate Prince of Jing'an, has a reputation for virtue but walks on thin ice under the relentless pressure of Crown Prince Xiao Fengyao. When he is ambushed and gravely wounded, hovering between life and death, Nangong Xiyue, a physician who has been living among ordinary folk, pulls him back from the brink with her extraordinary acupuncture skills. Their chance encounter draws two people with no connection to each other into a turbulent whirlpool of power.
Drawing on the medical knowledge passed down through her family, Nangong Xiyue navigates the gaps in court politics. She wields silver needles as blades and prescriptions as strategy, saving lives amid the schemes of the inner palace and carving a path through the bloodshed for Xiao Fengheng. In this seemingly delicate woman, Xiao Fengheng sees a wisdom and courage that transcend convention. His hidden guards shield her, and her compassion protects him. Amid the deceit and upheaval of a chaotic age, they find comfort in each other and slowly fall in love.
At court, the five great families scheme against one another. The Tang family of the Ministry of War watches like a tiger ready to pounce; the Guan family of the Ministry of Justice enforces the law without mercy; the Yun family of the Ministry of Works hides sharp plans beneath the surface; the Ye family of the Court of Judicial Review solves cases with uncanny skill; and the Qian family of the Ministry of Rites controls the realm of letters. Smoke rises again along the border, while power over local armies shifts in the shadows. Nangong Xiyue's cousin Tian Moyin commands a mighty army far away; her childhood friend Shen Muyan is entangled in a complicated betrothal; and the romance between her brother Nangong Yue and a female general of the Guan family has set everyone on edge.
When medicine becomes a weapon in political schemes, and deep love is crushed by the weight of power, can they protect each other in this bloodless war? Nangong Xiyue reads people's hearts through the art of healing, while Xiao Fengheng uses political strategy to protect true love. See how these kindred spirits in a chaotic age write a legendary tale of peace and prosperity in Jing'an amid the succession of emperors.
