The Imperial Green Jade Cup

Seventeen years ago, Ye Hongwen, an official in charge of the Shangyun Bureau, sought to revive an ancient method by brewing a sauce-aroma liquor he called Langjiu. But when he presented it before the emperor, an ominous prophecy appeared on the surface of the wine. He died in disgrace, and his orphaned son Ye Qing, along with the secret recipe, vanished without a trace. Seventeen years later, Ye Qing enters the Shangyun Bureau under the name Gu Qing, determined to carry on his father’s work. He narrowly escapes a frame-up during the imperial brewing contest, and when his life hangs by a thread, Cui Jingtan, an Imperial City Office enforcer despised by all, sees through his disguise. Reunited, the two decide to risk everything and investigate the old case. One is restrained and patient, sworn to clear his father’s name and bring the lost sauce-aroma Langjiu back to light. The other is dark and ruthless, willing to descend into the abyss if that is what it takes to kill his enemy. But as the bloodstained past rises to the surface of the wine, the truth catches in their throats, and old grudges remain unresolved... That unfinished brew of their fathers will ultimately be surpassed by his own hand. (Both male leads have their own romantic partners. Set against a broadly Northern Song-inspired backdrop, with a fictional history for Langjiu. No need to worry about historical accuracy.)