The desire of an emperor... Bored with his usual palace musicians, the emperor Liu Che is tempted by a new song from lowly qin-player Li Yan Nian. Yan Nian is also beautiful, and Liu Che is in the mood to take a new lover. His lovers usually come to him, but Yan Nian's shy reticence intrigues the emperor. The yearning of a man... Yan Nian has been in love with the emperor since he entered the palace. Regardless of his heart, he made a promise on his father's deathbed to use his musical skills to bring his beloved younger sister to the emperor's attention. However, Lady Li has no intention of becoming an imperial concubine. The danger of love... An attack at a victory celebration heralds an attempt on the emperor's life, and desire and yearning collide when it's revealed there may be no way to protect all the hearts threatened by a plot to overthrow the state. A Timeless Dreams title:While reaction to same-sex relationships throughout time and across cultures has not always been positive, these stories celebrate M/M love in a manner that may address, minimize, or ignore historical stigma.