That winter solstice, the young crown prince of Baize accompanied an envoy to visit the neighboring country of Beifeng. The bitter cold and long journey took their toll, and before they had even reached Beifeng’s city walls, the crown prince had caught a chill.
His fever ran high, and he coughed incessantly. Perhaps... the crown prince’s illness was not as simple as an ordinary chill.
The physicians of Beifeng racked their brains, but nothing they tried worked.
Before long, rumors were spreading throughout Beifeng’s imperial city that the crown prince of Baize had angered demons on his journey and was gravely ill, unlikely ever to return to Baize. If that was true, it could spark a war between the two nations.
But months later, one day, the gravely ill crown prince awoke from a dream at the sound of hearty laughter. When he woke, he realized the laughter hadn’t come from his dream.
He climbed out of bed on unsteady legs and pushed open the redwood door to the courtyard.
The plum blossoms in front of the courtyard were in full bloom. On a redwood swing sat a young man dressed in red, smiling brightly.
Though he was still a boy, the crown prince of Baize was entranced at first sight.
This boy was... so beautiful... so beautiful he seemed otherworldly...
His youthful face was flushed by the cold wind, and his moist eyes timidly turned toward the crown prince. A light frost clung to his long, thick eyelashes, which trembled slightly. His delicate nose was red from the cold, and when his little mouth parted, his breath emerged as mist and drifted away. If not for his thick black hair tied up beneath a white jade crown worn by princes, the crown prince of Baize might have mistaken him for one of the palace princesses...
One glance was all it took to make him think of the boy day and night, unable to forget him...
So pretty, so pretty, so pretty! 😘😳