No one had noticed that within the imperial hunting lodge of Hailuo Enclosure in Daiyu City, there stood a begonia tree.

The autumn hunt typically took place in late autumn when withered grass stretched endlessly. Only then would Hailuo Enclosure come alive with neighing steeds and bustling crowds, welcoming various imperial clan members and noble dignitaries.

So when spring arrived, that begonia tree would bloom quietly in the empty courtyard, its rain-like petals falling upon untrodden blue-gray bricks, year after year.

Much later, Emperor Dexin ruled with benevolence, unwilling to harm living creatures. He decreed the closure of Hailuo Enclosure, which had been half-abandoned since the Deyou era. The few old imperial guards left to watch the gates found themselves with even less to do.

No more important figures would come here, so these old guards grew casual in their duties. Each night they would brew a pot of wine and sit beneath the faded multicolored eaves, chatting idly.

While the current emperor could not be discussed frivolously, they could talk about the legendary emperor and empress of the Deyou era, about the brotherly bond between Emperor Deyou and the Prince Regent.

Yet as they talked, they would recall their youth during the Deyou era, when they were spirited young men in fine clothes, and their sweethearts were just turning sixteen. Such memories would add a touch of melancholy, leading them to drink a few more cups of old wine.

Before they knew it, another winter had passed and spring had come. This day, several white-pink petals drifted into their warming wine pot.

The old brothers couldn’t help but raise their heads, seeing the begonia tree in the courtyard gleaming like a dream in the night.

The blooms were like smoke and mist, layered like clouds, no less beautiful than those in the imperial garden. But how could such wild outskirts compare to the golden branches and jade leaves within palace walls?

Someone sighed, and the others fell silent for a moment.

This brief silence would soon be covered by voices of casual conversation as if it had never occurred. But in this quietness, someone suddenly noticed a white figure had appeared in the courtyard.

That person’s purpose and arrival time were unknown. By the time they noticed him, he was already standing beneath the flowering tree, tall and dignified in white robes with flowing sleeves.

After the initial moment of shock, one old guard raised his spear and shouted: “Who goes there? This is forbidden imperial ground, trespassing is not allowed!”

The figure continued gazing up at the tree full of blossoms, but before the old guards could all jump to their feet, he spoke softly: “I merely came to look around. There’s no need for formal reception.”

His voice was too serene, his noble bearing too profound. The old guards had seen many royal relatives at Hailuo Enclosure in their early years. Finally, one suddenly remembered who this was, leaning on his spear as he dropped to his knees, his voice trembling: “This humble servant greets His Highness the Prince Regent.”

Hailuo Enclosure had been abandoned for several years. Why would the Prince Regent, who held sway over court and country, appear alone here in the deep of night? These old guards felt truly uncertain.

Yet the bearing and countenance of the man before them was unmistakably the Prince Regent they had once known.

The guards hurriedly knelt, but the man beneath the flower tree continued watching the rain of petals in the wind. After a long while, he sighed softly: “She once said that it was here she first met my royal brother.”

The Prince Regent’s royal brother could only be one person – Emperor Deyou from many years ago.

As for who “she” was, the old guards naturally dared not speculate, and could only kneel quietly in place, heads bowed toward the blue-gray brick before them.

The Prince Regent said only this one sentence, then stood silently beneath the tree full of blossoms, as if listening to the sound of falling petals, or perhaps his thoughts had drifted to some unknown place.

After who knows how long, one guard whose whole body had grown stiff from kneeling and who had heard no sound for a while, cautiously raised his eyes to look. Yet he saw no one beneath the flower tree – the Prince Regent who had stood there had departed at some unknown time.

They rose one after another, looking at each other in bewilderment. Before them was only the empty, desolate palace hall, and their charcoal stove still brewing wine, making soft crackling sounds.

If they hadn’t all seen it themselves, they would have thought that figure from moments ago was just an inexplicable dream.

After another long while, one old guard suddenly sighed for some reason and said: “Come to think of it, it’s been over twenty years since the Deyou era.”

For a time, all fell silent. Time flies swiftly – no matter how much they missed their youthful days, those times of iron horses and glory had long passed.

The Deyou era, and even the earlier Delun era, were many years ago now. So long ago that things were no longer as they once were, so long that soon there would be none left who remembered.

That year, among the still-vibrant carved beams and painted rafters, there was a small child being beaten and held down by a group of nobly dressed young lords, and a youth who came walking slowly from the end of the corridor.

The child’s face was covered in dirt, yet remained stubborn with tightly clenched teeth, small fists balled up tight, and large black eyes wide open without a trace of tears, pure and clear like that moment’s cloudless blue sky.

The youths scattered and knelt amid cries of “His Highness the Crown Prince arrives!” He calmly told them to withdraw.

As the surroundings cleared, she remained lying on the ground but saw a hand extend before her – pale, elegant, with distinct knuckles.

She silently grasped that hand, and so he half-crouched to pull her up, then drew her into his embrace.

She was too young then, and he saw nothing improper in it, rather treating her like a young sister, wearing a gentle smile as he used the light blue silk handkerchief in his hand to carefully wipe the dirt from her face, sighing softly: “How can a girl let her face get like this?”

She wore a servant boy’s clothes, making her gender indistinguishable, yet somehow he recognized she was a girl. She hadn’t noticed this, but instead grew angry, snatching the handkerchief from him: “Who says I’m a girl!”

He didn’t argue with her, but instead took her hand and stood up, smiling as he said: “You’re also too young, and the brother who brought you hasn’t properly looked after you. I think you’d better come with me.”

Her face had shown disdain at first, and she wasn’t at all afraid of any “Crown Prince,” wanting to tell him to go away too – she could handle the situation herself. But his slightly cool fingers held her small hand loosely, giving her an inexplicable sense of security.

So she tilted her head to think for a moment, then nodded, accepting his arrangement.

He still good-naturedly held her hand, keeping her at his side, sat her on his knee, fed her pastries, and gave her sweet rose water to drink.

When she complained of boredom in the hall, he even took her to the grasslands of the hunting ground outside, spread a blanket under the trees, and sat with her to rest.

Lying on his knee, she chattered on about many things about herself, speaking of the grandmother in her village, her loving yet somewhat strict father, and the brother who always played with her.

She thought he didn’t know who her father was, but he had already learned from her narration which family’s daughter she was. However, he didn’t mention it, only smiling as he listened to her prattle.

Her childish voice, carrying traces of an accent foreign to the capital, clear and crisp, reminded him of birds chirping outside the window – not bothersome, just endearing.

A five-year-old child is still too young after all, and she finally grew tired of talking and fell asleep right there on his knee.

By then dusk was falling, and the hunting party was slowly gathering. He looked down at her innocent sleeping face and smiled as he gently lifted her.

Attendants gathered around, wanting to take the child from His Highness the Crown Prince, but he declined with a slight smile. He sent someone to inform her father and brother, then brought her back to his chambers.

Even in deep sleep she still tightly gripped his robes, unwilling to let go for even a moment. Her forced strength and stubbornness from the day seemed to have all transformed into this current unease.

He sighed softly and lay down to sleep fully clothed, still holding her.

She woke once in the middle of the night and looked up at him, her large black grape-like eyes exceptionally bright in the candlelight. Looking at him, she said: “You’re so nice when I grow up can I marry you?”

He had been awakened by her movement and didn’t expect her to suddenly say such a thing. He was stunned for a moment before breaking into an amused smile.

Seeing he didn’t answer, she hurriedly added: “I’ll treat you well, I’ll protect you and not let anyone bully you anymore. I’ll give you a big golden house too. Brother says this is called… golden room… golden room…”

He smiled slightly and completed her sentence: “Golden house to hide a precious one?”

She had a sudden revelation and nodded repeatedly: “That’s right, I want to hide you away, so you’ll be mine alone!”

He wouldn’t take such childish talk seriously, only smiling as he said: “I’m sorry, but I can’t be yours alone.”

She immediately grew angry and demanded: “Why? Am I not good enough for you?”

He smiled and shook his head, patting her round cheek: “Because I still have many things to do… Perhaps after I finish these things, I can be together with you.”

He was after all somewhat older and precociously mature, with deep thoughts. She didn’t notice that he had only agreed to “be together with you” and hadn’t said he could be hers alone. She immediately felt relieved and happily patted her chest: “Alright then, I’ll wait for you to finish those things.”

Then she added: “I’ll wait for you to come find me, and then I’ll protect you!”

But he shook his head again with a smile: “Girls are meant to be protected, I don’t need protection.”

She made an “oh” sound: “Are you not a girl then?”

He burst out laughing, shaking his head: “Of course not.”

She was dumbfounded. This “of course not” far exceeded what her little head could process at that moment, and she didn’t know how to continue.

Seeing her dazed expression, he laughed again: “But you are a girl, so I can protect you.”

She made a half-understanding “oh” sound, feeling that talking with him was simply exhausting. He kept shaking and nodding his head, confusing her about what was right and what was wrong.

She was already drowsy, and now grew even more confused as sleepiness returned. She counted on her fingers again and again, but couldn’t figure out exactly what he had promised her, or if he had promised anything at all.

Before she could work it out, her little head began nodding, falling toward his chest.

He raised his hand to catch her, his palm gently patting her back a few times, and so she snuggled into his comfortable embrace and fell asleep again.

The next morning, while she was still drowsy, her father’s servants came to take her back. As the household servants carried her away, he smiled slightly at her and said something softly.

She yawned and made a few “oh” sounds, vaguely remembering these words, but forgot why such words were spoken.

That year, she was too young and ultimately misremembered many details.

She didn’t remember falling asleep in his embrace that night, didn’t remember earnestly saying she would marry him, protect him, and give him a golden house.

She only remembered his final words: “Little girl, it’s agreed then – I’ll protect you for this lifetime.”

Yet she forgot the faint playfulness and soft light in his eyes as he spoke those words.

As if he had spoken carelessly, yet in the long years that followed, he spent the rest of his life fulfilling that promise.