China Later Tang Dynasty 10th Century. On the eve of the Chong Yang Festival golden flowers fill the Imperial Palace. The Emperor returns unexpectedly with his second son Prince Jai. His pretext is to celebrate the holiday with his family but given the chilled relations between the Emperor and the ailing Empress this seems disingenuous. For many years the Empress and Crown Prince Wan her stepson have had an illicit liaison. Feeling trapped Prince Wan dreams of escaping the palace with his secret love Chan the Imperial Doctor`s daughter. Meanwhile Prince Jai the faithful son grows worried over the Empress`s health and her obsession with golden chrysanthemums. Could she be headed down an ominous path?