THE VEILED GENERAL

The Lantern Festival

Three days after the palace was sealed, the emperor did something nobody expected.

He announced a festival.

Shuishui thought it was absurd.

The western courtyard still smelled faintly of smoke.

The military archive remained under guard.

General Han was still being watched by soldiers.

Yet the palace was suddenly covered in red lanterns.

Silk banners hung between the buildings.

Musicians were rehearsing in the eastern gardens.

Servants carried trays of sweets through the corridors.

And somehow, the emperor had decided that tonight the entire inner court would attend the Lantern Festival.

Shuishui stood before her mirror while Zhen'er fastened the final hairpin.

She stared at her reflection.

"Why?"

Zhen'er blinked.

"Why what?"

"Why are we having a festival?"

"Because His Majesty ordered one."

"I know that."

"Then why ask me?"

Shuishui sighed.

"Forget it."

She wore a deep ivory hanfu tonight, layered beneath a muted blue outer robe embroidered with tiny silver clouds. The sleeves were wide and soft, and a thin crimson sash circled her waist.

Her hair was swept into an elegant half-up style, secured with a pale jade comb.

She looked at herself.

For once, she didn't look like someone who belonged at the bottom of the inner court.

She immediately disliked that thought.

"Too much?"

Zhen'er smiled.

"You're beautiful."

Shuishui narrowed her eyes.

"Don't say things like that."

"Why?"

"Because then I'll become arrogant."

"You?"

"Yes."

"You've spent four years apologizing to furniture after bumping into it."

Shuishui laughed.

"That's because the furniture has done nothing wrong."

The palace gardens had been transformed.

Hundreds of lanterns floated above the walkways.

Red.

Gold.

White.

Blue.

Some were shaped like flowers.

Others like birds.

Children of palace servants ran between the stalls while musicians played beneath the trees.

For one evening, the palace almost looked like a normal place.

Shuishui walked slowly through the crowd.

She hadn't attended a festival like this in years.

She stopped beside a stall selling painted masks.

One caught her attention.

A fox.

White with black markings around its eyes.

She reached for it.

Another hand reached for the same mask.

Shuishui looked up.

Yin.

He was dressed in dark blue tonight, his long hair tied with a silver ribbon.

He looked unusually relaxed.

"You."

"Me."

"You took it."

"So did you."

"I touched it first."

"You hesitated."

"I was thinking."

"I was deciding."

"About what?"

"Whether you'd want it."

She stared at him.

Then he handed it over.

"I suppose you win."

She accepted it.

"Thank you."

He smiled.

"You're welcome."

She turned the mask over.

"Why are you here?"

"Because there's a festival."

"You hate crowds."

"I do."

"Then why?"

He looked at her.

"Perhaps I knew you'd be here."

Her fingers paused.

Yin immediately looked toward the lanterns.

"I mean—"

"I know what you meant."

"Good."

Neither spoke.

Then Shuishui put on the mask.

Yin laughed.

"What?"

"It suits you."

"You can't even see my face."

"Exactly."

She rolled her eyes.

Across the garden, Xiwu watched them.

She wore an elaborate crimson-and-gold dress, her hair decorated with an enormous golden phoenix.

Chuntao stood beside her.

"You've been staring for five minutes."

"I haven't."

"You have."

Xiwu folded her fan.

"He barely looks at anyone."

Chuntao glanced toward Yin.

Then toward Shuishui.

"Perhaps he likes her."

Xiwu's expression tightened.

"That's impossible."

"Why?"

"Because she's..."

She stopped.

Chuntao waited.

Xiwu looked away.

"She's nothing."

Chuntao's voice became quieter.

"Be careful."

Xiwu looked at her.

"About what?"

"Nothing."

But Chuntao's expression had changed.

She looked uneasy.

The festival continued.

Shuishui wandered toward a game stall.

A man sat behind it, smiling beneath a straw hat.

"Lady, would you like to try?"

"What is it?"

"Throw three rings. If you land one around the jade bottle, you win."

Shuishui looked at the bottle.

"What's the prize?"

The man pointed toward a small wooden box.

"Choose anything inside."

She looked at Yin.

"Try it."

"You?"

"I'll watch."

"Why?"

"Because I'm curious."

She picked up a ring.

Her first throw landed short.

Yin laughed.

She glared at him.

"Don't."

"I didn't say anything."

"You laughed."

"I was breathing."

"Very loudly."

Her second throw bounced against the bottle.

Her third—

Perfect.

The ring landed neatly around the neck.

The stall owner stared.

Shuishui blinked.

Yin smiled.

"You're very lucky."

"I know."

She chose a small carved wooden rabbit.

The stall owner handed it to her.

She examined it.

"It's cute."

Yin looked at it.

"It looks like you."

Shuishui stared.

"What?"

He immediately realized his mistake.

"I meant—"

"You compared me to a rabbit?"

"No."

"You did."

"It was a compliment."

"How?"

"I don't know."

She burst out laughing.

Yin laughed too.

For a few moments, the war, palace, politics and mysteries disappeared.

There were only lanterns.

Music.

Laughter.

And two people standing beneath a tree.

Then someone called Yin's name.

"Your Highness!"

A young man approached.

He wore a white robe with silver embroidery.

His hair was tied high, and his smile was so bright that Shuishui immediately suspected trouble.

Yin's expression changed.

"Not you."

The man grinned.

"Still charming as ever."

"Still annoying as ever."

They clasped forearms.

Shuishui raised an eyebrow.

Yin sighed.

"Lady Kang, this is Marquis Wei Jun."

Wei Jun bowed dramatically.

"An honor."

Shuishui returned the gesture.

"Likewise."

Wei Jun straightened.

He looked at Yin.

"You didn't tell me you had friends."

"I don't."

Shuishui stared at him.

Yin pointed at Wei Jun.

"This man has been trying to become my friend since childhood."

"And succeeding."

"Unfortunately."

Wei Jun laughed.

"You're still terrible."

"You survived."

"Barely."

Shuishui smiled.

The two men had an easy familiarity.

No formalities.

No political distance.

They insulted one another without hesitation.

She found it strangely refreshing.

Wei Jun turned toward her.

"So you're Lady Kang."

"Yes."

"I've heard about you."

Shuishui's smile faded slightly.

"Good things?"

Wei Jun considered.

"Mostly."

Yin immediately interrupted.

"Don't listen to him."

"Why?"

"Because he enjoys gossip."

"I enjoy accurate information."

Yin looked at him.

"Those are not the same thing."

Later that evening, the three wandered through the festival together.

Wei Jun proved impossible to dislike.

He cheated at games.

Lost anyway.

Complained about the food.

Then ate more.

At one point, he challenged Yin to a drinking game.

Yin refused.

"I don't drink."

Wei Jun looked shocked.

"Since when?"

"Always."

"You're no fun."

"I've heard."

Shuishui laughed.

Then a group of musicians began playing.

A young woman stepped into the center of the garden.

She wore a flowing lavender dress, her long sleeves trailing behind her as she danced.

The crowd fell silent.

Even Shuishui watched.

The dancer moved gracefully beneath the lanterns.

When the music ended, everyone applauded.

Wei Jun clapped loudly.

"Beautiful."

Yin nodded.

Shuishui glanced at him.

"You agree?"

"Of course."

She smiled.

"At least you aren't blind."

Wei Jun leaned toward her.

"He's actually very difficult to impress."

Yin gave him a warning look.

Wei Jun grinned.

"Especially with women."

Shuishui looked at Yin.

"Is that true?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Yin shrugged.

"I've never been interested."

She didn't know why that answer affected her.

It shouldn't.

Yet something warm spread through her chest.

She looked away.

"How boring."

Yin smiled.

"Perhaps."

Near midnight, fireworks suddenly exploded above the palace.

The entire garden erupted into cheers.

Shuishui looked up.

Gold light spread across the sky.

Then blue.

Then silver.

Her eyes widened.

She had forgotten how beautiful fireworks could be.

Yin stood beside her.

Neither spoke.

A final burst illuminated the entire palace.

Shuishui smiled.

A real smile.

Not polite.

Not restrained.

Just happy.

Yin looked at her instead of the sky.

He didn't say anything.

He simply watched.

Wei Jun noticed.

His expression softened.

Then he quietly walked away.

Giving them space.

When the festival finally ended, Shuishui returned to her residence.

The palace had become quiet again.

She removed her hairpins and placed them carefully on the table.

Then she noticed something.

The little wooden rabbit.

She smiled.

She had forgotten she was still carrying it.

She placed it beside her lamp.

A tiny reminder of a surprisingly pleasant night.

For once, she wasn't thinking about war.

Or General Han.

Or military records.

Or the emperor.

She simply sat beside the window.

And smiled.

Elsewhere, far from the festival lights, Yin stood alone on the palace wall.

Wei Jun joined him.

"You like her."

Yin didn't look at him.

"She's my friend."

"That's not what I said."

Yin remained silent.

Wei Jun leaned against the wall.

"You haven't smiled like that in years."

Yin's expression changed.

"Don't."

Wei Jun immediately understood.

He lowered his voice.

"I'm sorry."

The silence between them lasted several moments.

Yin looked toward the dark palace gardens.

"I thought I had forgotten."

"You haven't."

"No."

His fingers tightened around the railing.

"I don't think I ever will."

Wei Jun said nothing.

He didn't need to.

Some grief didn't require advice.

Only someone willing to stand beside it.

That same night, in another part of the palace, Xiwu sat alone before her mirror.

Her festival jewelry had been removed.

Her beautiful dress lay folded across a chair.

She looked exhausted.

Chuntao entered quietly.

"You should sleep."

Xiwu didn't answer.

Chuntao walked closer.

"Xiwu."

"Why does he look at her like that?"

Chuntao stopped.

Xiwu's eyes remained fixed on her reflection.

"Like what?"

"Like she's the only person in the garden."

Chuntao had no answer.

Xiwu slowly touched the golden phoenix ornament on her dressing table.

For years, she had believed that being favored meant being secure.

Tonight, for the first time, she wasn't so certain.

Chuntao placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to compete with everyone."

Xiwu looked at her.

"Easy for you to say."

"No."

Chuntao smiled sadly.

"It isn't."

Xiwu frowned.

But Chuntao had already turned away.