You Were Never the One I Loved

Palace intrigue, My Fair Princess, consorts, historical romance, love. A carefully planned ambush leaves Fourth Prince Yuwei on the brink of death. Zhao Qingci, a traveling physician, saves him, but a twist of fate sends her free-spirited sworn younger sister, Lin Zhiyi, into the palace with a token, where she is appointed as the prospective princess consort.

From then on, an innocent young woman is trapped in a gilded cage. She struggles under the palace's strict rules and is tormented by uncertainty over the identities of her real and supposed benefactors. The Fourth Prince loves the talented woman he has imagined, while the Fifth Prince sees through to her true soul. When the misty rains of Jiangnan lift the veil on the past and a distinctive medicinal scent stirs blurry memories, every lie comes crashing down at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. The emperor is enraged, love shatters, and the cold palace becomes a living hell.

Yet the truth is far more cruel than the conspiracy. When the flames consume the lies, the Fourth Prince finally sees through the blaze: the one he has always loved is the vibrant soul who laughs, makes a fuss, and would risk her life for him. But how can a broken heart be mended? With a mountain of misunderstandings between them, how can they find their way back to each other?

This is a deep love story that begins with mistaken identities and ends with true love. Once the storm has passed, can they overcome the walls between them and fulfill their vow beneath the pear tree: “You were always the one I loved”?