Lovers lament the long night, and spend the whole evening consumed by longing. I cannot gather it in my hands to give to you, so I return to bed and dream of the day we'll meet again.
Gu Luan gazed at the rising sun in the east and could not help marveling at how quickly time had passed. A fast dispatch from the capital interrupted his thoughts. At last, there was news of the Princess of Liaozhou, missing for five years. But the news blew into his heart like a dark cloud, stirring up every thought. He clutched the secret report in his hand, yet could not calm himself for a long time.
Far away in the capital, Shen Er was relaxing in a residence at the Prince of Dongyang's estate, eating honeydew melon. Nearby, his younger brother Shen Gu stood on a little stool, reciting, "Zhi hu zhe ye." A maid named Chunfen hurried over, wailing and shouting as if someone had died, disturbing the peace of the residence...
