Breaking Spring Branches: The Chief Secretary’s Beloved

The untouchable beauty bows to her, and a forbidden love slowly takes hold.

Dong Yining, an orphan from Lingnan, is taken in as the adopted daughter of Fu Yanli, the powerful chief minister who rules the court. He is cold and strict, an untouchable figure revered by everyone in the capital. She is spoiled and sly, the one and only exception to his rules.

He teaches her poetry, books, and etiquette, yet breaks his own rules to buy her sweets late at night and put others in their place at court. On her coming-of-age day, she dazzles everyone, and he places her hairpin himself. But when a suitor comes asking for her hand, his fury erupts. “I raised her. Who dares covet her?”

She boldly confesses, “Fu Yanli, I love you!” He rejects her coldly. “I’m sending you back to Lingnan to come to your senses.” But when she starts coming home late every night, his restraint finally snaps. He holds her captive in his arms. “You started this fire. Don’t think you can run away.”

Impeachment at court, schemes by political rivals, opposition from their parents… He sweeps away every storm for her and swears, with all the authority of the chief minister, “I will never take another wife. You alone, for the rest of my life.”

From adopted daughter to the chief minister’s wife, he personally prepares a grand bridal procession to announce their forbidden love to the world. “Ning’er, you are the only spring branch I have ever plucked. I will cherish you in the palm of my hand for the rest of my life.”

Tags: growing-up romance, age gap, cold and restrained chief minister × sweet, scheming adopted daughter, the ex chases her until it’s too late, mutual firsts, happy ending