On the Shangyuan Festival, the night watch is lifted.
Fire trees and silver blossoms fall around us. I see you, lovely as jade, your brilliance dazzling. I lose myself in the spring breeze, never wanting to wake, and give all my ardor to the Eastern Palace.
Three years of young love, only to end with me falling into Taiye Lake on New Year's Eve. He stands on the bank, watching coldly. The water chills me to the bone, and my heart is cold, too.
Jiang Fan'er finally understands: the moon of the Eastern Palace may wax full again, but it is not hers to reach for. So she leaves for Lin'an.
Li Jingyan cannot understand.
Born a crown prince, he is treated like a chess piece by the empress and feared like a tiger by the emperor. How much sincerity is there in this world? He dares neither trust it nor accept it. What is wrong with testing her at every turn, just a little carefully?
If she wants to leave, let her. She is not worth mourning.
Two years later, his iron cavalry storms the enemy camp, and he returns triumphant.
Amid the people's acclaim, he sees a white funeral banner fluttering. She kneels before the spirit tablet of the young general who gave his life for his country, overcome with grief. Her slender waist could be encircled in one hand; she is as fragile as a willow in the wind, impossible not to pity.
Li Jingyan's gaze darkens at once.
Only two years, and she's already forgotten whose woman she is?
Then he will help her remember, every last thing.
The moon is hidden, the stars have faded, and the tomb chamber is cold.
Jiang Fan'er is pressed down over the bones, the stench of decay filling the air. He is close enough to touch. Heat sears her from behind, and something slick trickles down her thigh, soaking the coffin.
His face is twisted with fury, as if he has come from the depths of the underworld. He grinds out each word between his teeth.
"Don't you like him?"
"Speak!"
"Choose him, or choose me!"
1. The male lead is sexually inexperienced; the female lead is not.
2. The male lead was hurt by his family of origin and is psychologically unhealthy. Feel free to criticize him; I won't whitewash him.
Theme: Say what you feel. Don't bottle it up, because chances don't wait forever.
