L'histoire de Saiunkoku (2006)
Le contexte est celui d'un royaume médiéval fictif de style chinois. Shuurei Kou est une jeune princesse issue d'une branche de la famille Kou, noble mais pauvre. Elle rêve d'entrer au service civil en passant l'examen impérial, bien que ce soit interdit aux femmes. Shuurei fait donc plusieurs petits boulots pour joindre les deux bouts, bien que son père soit bibliothécaire au Palais Impérial, poste respecté mais peu rémunérateur. Sa situation change lorsque l'un des Grands Conseillers de l'Empereur lui propose une petite fortune. La jeune femme accepte cette offre alléchante : elle devient ainsi la concubine de l'Empereur, chargée officieusement de l'intéresser aux affaires de l'État. L'Empereur, monté depuis peu sur le trône, est en effet dissolu et refuse toute responsabilité ; on le dit aussi homosexuel.
Saisons & Épisode
Winter continues from the last season; Shuurei is still in capital city while the New Year celebrations goes on. Kouyuu is informed about Kurou's plan of getting him to marry Shuurei, and becomes awkwardly shy around her. Seiran goes to the demon's party and gets incredibly drunk. Meanwhile, Shuurei needs to tidy up the house when she discovers she is going to have some important guests, but her friends are no help...
The new years celebrations continue, Shuurei collects permissions from the Departments and Clans. Meanwhile, Eigetsu reveals his past to Kourin and Ensei. Kouyuu is still considering marrying Shuurei...
Ensei receives a letter from an old man (from Koringun), informing them of a strange movement of a certain cult, founded by someone that goes by the name ‘Li Senya’. As Shuurei goes home, Ryuuren once again does his hideous flute playing, and Kokujun actually thinks it’s beautiful. Reishin discusses Shuurei's marriage opportunities with Shouka.
Kurō comes to the Hong residence to discuss Shūrei’s martial future with Shōka. Upon hearing that the head of merchant’s guild in Kiyo refused to met with her, Shūrei runs to find Yūshun. As she makes her way around the imperial palace, Shūrei is confronted by a mysterious man. Back in Sa Province, Ensei receives another letter saying that a snow fox was discovered near Kōringun village, the site of the strange epidemic which triggers past memories for Eigetsu.
As the doctors go over Dōshu’s texts, they stumble upon the cause and treatment for the illness. The only way to cure it is for the patient to undergo surgery. Unfortunately, none of the doctors present knew how to perform it. Shūrei hears of one who can and remembers that he is an old family friend. Dr. Yō agrees to go to Sa Province and to also train all the doctors along the way. Using Dōshu’s texts as an incentive, Shūrei gets the Merchant’s guild to agree to send aid as well.
Shūrei’s drastic actions causes her to be summoned by the Imperial Court to justify them. Ryūki orders that the Imperial Army deal with the mountain cult, but Shūrei openly refuses. Realizing how in the process a great deal of lives could be lost, Shūrei convinces him to allow her to deal with the cult on her own despite the risk to her own life. After everything was settled, Shūrei breaks down under all the stress, but she recovers in time to bid farewell to Ryūki and promise him that she will return safely.
The story moves on to explain the meaning behind Shūrei's request to Ensei, and why she's worrying over being blamed for the disease when she's clearly not the one who caused it. Preparations for the treatment are being done by the doctors on the side of Shūrei, while Shuuran leads the people of Sekie village to Kōringun to speed up the treatment process. Shūrei and her company however receives some harsh welcome as they enter Kōringun, with people still believing the rumors spread by the Jasenkyō.
Shūrei arrives with the doctors but becomes faced with much resistance from people of Kōringun who still blames her for the disease. They are thrown in a pinch as these people, headed by Shuon, rebel against Taishu’s orders and is determined to prevent them from entering the town. Will Shūrei and the doctors be able surpass this hurdle to save the people in time?
After successfully entering the town, Dr. Yō and the rest of the doctors prepare and begin treatment on the sick people while Shūrei and Ensei make sure to prepare everything that is needed or lacking. As more patients enter the town, the doctors continue to operate nonstop, saving most of them. As Shūrei and Dr. Yō prepare to leave for Sekiei Village, Shūran and Riō joins the group to guide them, while Seiran finishes preparations to go to Sekiei Village as well. Meanwhile, Eigetsu discovers the intentions of the Jasenkyō while Ryūki comes face to face with the head of the Hyō Clan.
Shūrei and company throw a feast to celebrate the revival of the cities in Kōrin, when they are visited by Governor Kei the next day, Governor Kei handing the gift entrusted to him by Ryūki to Shūrei. As Shūrei and Seiran depart for Kiyou, they are sent off by all the people in Kōrin. After arriving home, they witness the first buds from the Sakura tree they got from Ryūki, with Spring now approaching.
Past events are shown: The journey to Kōringun, the operation on the sick villagers, successful entry to the hideout of the Jasenkyo and the capture of its members, and Eigetsu coming back from the dead. Ryūki wonders whether his decision to have Shūrei unemployed would cause her to slap him.
Seiran delivers a message to Ryūki from Shūrei, stating that their next meeting would be when the Sakura Bloom. Ryūki offers Yūshun Tei the position of Prime Minister, but Yūshun only accepts if the Emperor accepts the ten conditions he has set. Two men try to propose to Shūrei while on the way to the Kogaro to meet Kochō about a painting, and is greeted warmly by Kochō's guest.
Karin, the name of Kochō's guest, finds Shūrei to be quite cute, then leaves when she sees the painting. Shūrei and company find out that the paintings are fake and find counterfeit coins while still in the Kogaro and dashes off to find out who did it with the help of Shin Suou, one of the guys who proposed to her and is also an official. Shūrei and company find a lot of forgeries in the shops around town, while Seiran notices that someone is following them.