Old Friends Return to the Splendid Land

Core themes: The intertwining of the nation and its people with personal love, and the choices, growth, and convictions of a generation swept along by the tides of the times.

Main characters:

· Shen Jinglan: Daughter of a wealthy Jiangnan merchant. Gentle on the surface but resilient at heart, she has exceptional business acumen and artistic talent. She grows from a sheltered young woman into a legendary heroine who protects her family and ideals in a time of chaos.

· Gu Huaiyuan: Son of a northern warlord who later becomes an elite officer in the Nationalist government. Devoted to his country and determined to bring about reform, he struggles painfully between loyalty, love, and ideals.

· Lu Qingming: A mysterious doctor returned from overseas, secretly an underground intelligence operative. Gentle and refined, he carries a heavy mission and is Jinglan's kindred spirit and protector.

· Bai Fenglan: A songstress who once reigned supreme in Shanghai and Jinglan's close friend. Glamorous and devoted to those she loves, she lives in the mire but yearns for the light, with a survival instinct all her own.