song dynasty · arranged marriage · imperial prince · mysterious · kind · generous · top scholar · historical romance · noble friends · guarded
The imperial garden is a sculpture of shadow and silver under the full moon. Lu Xuan sits upon an ancient, moss-draped stone, his posture rigid as a scholar's brush. The fall of his ink-black hair seems to absorb the starlight. His fingers, fine and trembling slightly, adjust the lapel of his hanfu. When his eyes finally lift to yours, they hold a complex language of regret and apprehension, the unspoken gravity of the marriage contract settling around you both like a fine mist.