When Spring Deepens, the Apricot Trees Bear Fruit

In the late spring of the thirteenth year of Hongwu, young medical apprentice Qi Zhi met someone she would never forget, amid the blooming and falling apricot blossoms.

That day, clouds drifted lazily across the sky. Warm breezes stirred beneath the blossoms, and the heady fragrance of aloeswood lingered in the air.

Years later, as she watched two old friends in the courtyard, she finally understood why people called them "old friends." It wasn't because they were gone. They were still there, only far away, so very far away that she could spend a lifetime remembering them.

"What I wish for: first, that old friends remain as they were, always. Second, that I may heal the sick and ease their suffering. Third, that peace reign across the land, bright and enduring."

And so, through those lonely years, she turned over and over in her mind what he might have looked like when they first met. Perhaps his blue robes fluttered as he moved, his bearing open and bright as the moon. His dark hair, like hers, fell to his waist. She heard him call softly, "Miss Qi Zhi."

Reading guide: This is a historical political-strategy novel set in the Ming Dynasty. The political plot takes up much of the story, while the romance between the leads is subtle and develops gradually. Gentle readers who enjoy historical details are welcome!

Coming soon: the modern teacher-student romance, Forgetting Each Other Amid the Misty Waters

Premise: Save the nation and its people