Langhua: The Codependence of a Prince and His General

Memento

Later in life, Xuanyuan Lang would look back and divide his life into his time before and after meeting Hua Yuheng. Those two meetings, ever so brief, had sparked a light in his life. It was as though he had been living in a dark room for ten years before that and had gotten so used to it that he never even imagined a world beyond the shadows.

Now that he had gotten a taste of the light, he was dangerously drawn to it.

"Xiao Xian'zi, Xiao Xian'zi! Psst, over here!"

The tubby eunuch jumped slightly and then sighed. "Your Highness the Seventh Prince. Please, you'll be the death of me someday."

Xiao Xian'zi was a eunuch with the Imperial Kitchen, which explained the extra weight and his ability to bring those precious letters into and out of the palace. He was round and fair in the way only a relatively high-ranking eunuch in a cushy job could be, and the complete lack of any defining traits in his face made it impossible for Xuanyuan Lang to guess how old he was. If anything, he could just about gather that Xiao Xian'zi was closer to his age than his mother's.

"Do you have it?"

"This is the third day in a row you've been asking. And did you wait here all day for me? Why, the sun's already down! Pardon me for saying this, Your Highness, but you must be more discrete from now on." Even as he complained, Xiao Xian'zi looked around warily and then pulled a letter out of his sleeve. "Honestly, aren't you a little more eager than usual?"

"No, you're overthinking it." Xuanyuan Lang snatched the envelope from the eunuch and immediately tucked it into the folds of his robes. "Thanks, Xiao Xian'zi. I'll give you the reply tomorrow."

"Are you sure that's wise? We might arouse suspicions if we are seen together too often."

"Tomorrow," Xuanyuan Lang said firmly, reminding Xiao Xian'zi that this young boy right on the cusp of puberty was still, despite how he may sometimes behave, an imperial prince. "At our usual spot."

"...Yes, Your Highness."

Xiao Xian'zi bowed deeply and then scurried away. Once he was gone, Xuanyuan Lang finally stopped resisting the irrepressible smile pulling up the corners of his lips.

One letter, at the end of every month, for the past thirty months. They had been the light sustaining Xuanyuan Lang through his tepid days in the palace.

He had been looking forward to this one almost as soon as he received the previous one. Because Ah Heng had promised, and he never broke his promises.

His excitement and anticipation got the better of him. Xuanyuan Lang looked around him and ducked into a less visible corner, right under an open lamp for better lighting. There, he tore open the envelope with trembling hands. It was heavier than usual, and he soon knew why.

He tipped the envelope, and a pure-black ornament fell out of it.

It was a coin of black jade, almost his thumb's length in diameter, flawlessly smooth and impeccably round. High-quality goods, for sure, but it did not particularly stand out in the treasure trove that was the imperial palace.

Xuanyuan Lang's eyes turned instead to the tassel attached to the jade.

It too was pitch black and about the length of his palm, but the strands were slightly coarser than the silk or cotton ones he was used to. Xuanyuan Lang ran his fingers through it, a possibility already forming in his mind.

Quickly, he tied the ornament to his waist. Once it was secure, he pulled out the letter from its envelope and shook it out, his eyes scanning across Hua Yuheng's free-spirited writing.