Chapter 2 Moonlit Conversations
The following evening arrived far more slowly than Prince Li Wei Chen wished.
Throughout the day, ministers filled the Imperial Court with endless discussions about taxes, border disputes, and military affairs. Normally, Wei Chen would have listened with unwavering focus, but his thoughts repeatedly wandered back to the palace terrace.
Back to a young woman dressed in pale green robes.
Back to a smile that lingered stubbornly in his mind.
General Han Mo, standing beside him during the morning assembly, noticed immediately.
"Your Highness seems distracted today."
Wei Chen barely looked at him.
"I am listening."
Han Mo raised an eyebrow.
"You just approved a request from a minister asking for additional funds to repair chicken coops."
Several officials exchanged uneasy glances.
Wei Chen blinked.
"What?"
The minister quickly stood.
"Y-Your Highness approved the proposal moments ago."
A rare look of embarrassment crossed the Prince's face.
Han Mo struggled not to laugh.
For the remainder of the meeting, Wei Chen forced himself to concentrate.
Yet as soon as the final court session ended, he rose from his throne and departed before anyone could stop him.
The ministers watched in stunned silence.
"His Highness appears unusually eager today," one whispered.
Nobody dared ask why.
As dusk settled over the palace, hundreds of lanterns came alive one by one.
Golden lights reflected upon polished stone pathways and rippling koi ponds.
The evening breeze carried the scent of jasmine and blooming peonies.
Wei Chen arrived at the western terrace earlier than usual.
To his annoyance, he realized he was waiting.
Waiting for someone.
The realization made him frown.
He was the Crown Prince of the Tang Empire.
He commanded armies.
He negotiated treaties.
He did not wait nervously for palace ladies.
And yet there he stood.
Waiting.
Minutes passed.
Then he heard soft footsteps.
His heart reacted before his mind could.
Turning around, he found Su Yu Lan approaching through the lantern-lit corridor.
She wore a flowing robe of light jade silk embroidered with silver blossoms.
Moonlight seemed to follow her as she walked.
Yu Lan stopped beside the terrace entrance and bowed politely.
"Good evening, Your Highness."
For some reason, Wei Chen felt relieved.
He immediately regretted feeling relieved.
"You came."
Yu Lan smiled softly.
"You invited me."
The Prince cleared his throat.
"That is true."
For a brief moment, neither knew what to say.
Then Yu Lan looked toward the sky.
"The moon is beautiful tonight."
Wei Chen followed her gaze.
A full moon hung above the mountains, shining brightly over the palace grounds.
"It is."
A comfortable silence settled between them.
Unlike most conversations at court, this silence felt peaceful.
Neither felt pressured to fill it.
They began walking through the palace gardens together.
The pathway wound between blooming flowers and small stone bridges.
Colorful koi fish swam lazily beneath the water's surface.
The moonlight transformed the entire garden into a dreamlike landscape.
Yu Lan paused beside a lotus pond.
"The flowers only bloom at certain times of the year," she said.
"Yet people wait patiently for them."
Wei Chen glanced at her.
"You sound as though you're speaking about more than flowers."
Yu Lan laughed softly.
"Perhaps I am."
The sound caught him off guard.
He had heard countless noblewomen laugh before.
Most sounded rehearsed.
Forced.
Yu Lan's laughter felt genuine.
Somehow, it made the garden seem brighter.
"Do you always speak in riddles?" he asked.
"Only when I am nervous."
"You are nervous around me?"
"Shouldn't I be?"
Wei Chen considered that.
Most people feared him.
The answer should have pleased him.
Instead, he found himself disappointed.
"You don't need to be."
Yu Lan looked surprised.
That was likely the gentlest thing anyone had ever heard from the Crown Prince.
As they continued walking, the conversation flowed more naturally.
Wei Chen learned that Yu Lan enjoyed poetry, painting, and caring for flowers.
She often visited the palace gardens before sunrise.
Her favorite flower was the white orchid.
She loved listening to rainstorms.
She disliked unnecessary cruelty.
In return, Yu Lan discovered something unexpected about the Prince.
Beneath his cold exterior lived a thoughtful and intelligent man.
A man burdened by immense responsibility.
A man who rarely allowed himself moments of happiness.
"The court expects perfection from you," Yu Lan observed.
Wei Chen looked at her curiously.
"How do you know that?"
"Because I see how tired your eyes look."
The words surprised him.
No minister had ever said such a thing.
No noble had ever noticed.
For years, everyone saw only the Crown Prince.
Not the man.
Yu Lan lowered her gaze.
"Forgive me if I spoke out of turn."
"No."
His voice softened.
"You didn't."
For a moment, their eyes met.
Neither looked away.
Something invisible seemed to pass between them.
A connection deeper than friendship.
And far more dangerous.
The night grew darker.
The palace bells echoed in the distance.
Still, neither wished to leave.
Yu Lan noticed an ancient pavilion overlooking the gardens.
"Would you like to hear a story?"
The question startled Wei Chen.
"A story?"
She nodded.
"When I was a child, my grandmother told me a legend."
Wei Chen folded his arms.
"Very well."
Yu Lan smiled and began.
"Long ago, there was said to be a magical garden hidden within the mountains. The garden bloomed with jade flowers that never withered."
Wei Chen listened quietly.
"The spirits who guarded the garden believed every person was connected by an invisible thread of destiny. No matter how far apart two souls became, the thread would eventually guide them back together."
The Prince stared thoughtfully at the moonlit lotus pond.
"And do you believe such a place exists?"
Yu Lan looked upward.
"I don't know."
A gentle breeze stirred her hair.
"But I would like to believe it does."
Wei Chen found himself smiling slightly.
A rare occurrence.
Perhaps the first genuine smile he had worn in months.
Yu Lan noticed immediately.
For a brief second, she simply stared.
The Crown Prince's smile transformed his entire face.
Realizing she had been staring, she quickly looked away.
Her cheeks warmed.
Wei Chen pretended not to notice.
Hours seemed to pass like minutes.
Finally, the palace clock tower struck midnight.
Twelve deep chimes rolled across the grounds.
Yu Lan reluctantly stood.
"It is late."
Wei Chen nodded.
"Yes."
Neither moved.
Neither wished to end the evening.
Eventually, Yu Lan offered a respectful bow.
"Thank you for tonight, Your Highness."
Wei Chen looked at her for a long moment.
Then he reached into his sleeve.
Inside was a small jade flower carved by an artisan many years ago.
It had belonged to him since childhood.
He held it out.
Yu Lan's eyes widened.
"Your Highness?"
"A gift."
"I cannot accept something so valuable."
"You can."
Their fingers touched as she accepted the carving.
Once again, warmth spread through both of them.
Yu Lan carefully cradled the jade flower.
"I will treasure it."
Wei Chen felt strangely pleased by those words.
When Yu Lan finally disappeared down the lantern-lit corridor, the Prince remained standing within the pavilion.
The garden suddenly felt quieter.
Emptier.
Yet for the first time in many years, his heart felt light.
Above him, the full moon shone brightly over the palace.
Unseen by either of them, a faint green light briefly flickered from the jade flower resting in Yu Lan's hands.
The mysterious glow vanished almost instantly.
Like a secret waiting to be discovered.
And somewhere deep beneath the palace gardens, something ancient had awakened.
Something that had slept for centuries.
Something that had been waiting for the arrival of two souls bound together by destiny.