Loving the mix of magic, Chinese history & mythology!

There is nothing quite like the beautifully meditative tradition of the tea ceremony. Pulling from Chinese history and mythology, this story introduces us to Ning, a shénnóng-tú (apprentice) who possesses true abilities to read the tea steam and other magically unique specialties, like her late mother a shénnóng- shī. Ning must do something to save her sister Shu who is dying from the same poison that killed their mother. So, when an imperial decree is delivered to her home, Ming decides to enter the magical tea-brewing competition at the royal palace to become a full-fledged shénnóng- shī and receive a favor from Princess Li Ying-Zenh to gain favor to save Shu’s life. With memories of her mother and worries about her sister floating through her mind, Ning steals away in the middle of the night to escape her father’s wrath and disapproval. Robbed on her way to the palace, Ning then meets a kind woman and her husband on the ferry, and now we wait to see what the future brings…