Moonlit Reunion [子夜归]

Chapter 22

When Princess Li Yuanzhen was six, she lost her way in the woods behind the palace on Mount Mang.

The deep mountain night was filled with unsettling sounds—rustling in the grass hinting at hidden creatures ready to leap out, the faint howls of wild animals. The wind whistled through the trees, sounding almost like the mournful cries of people. The darkness was thick, and the shapes of branches and bushes loomed like sinister monsters, their shadows swaying ominously in the breeze.

With her hand covering her mouth, little Li Yuanzhen stumbled forward, her frightened eyes darting around the darkness. She was too scared to cry aloud, softly calling out for her mother and father, but all around her were the shadows that filled her with dread; not a familiar face was in sight.

The uneven mountain path tripped her; she fell, landing hard on the ground, her knees stinging with pain. Unable to hold back any longer, she began to sob quietly.

It was then she saw him.

A handsome man in white appeared, almost glowing against the darkness, standing hesitantly behind a tree, watching her without approaching.

Yuanzhen, terrified and exhausted from wandering alone, couldn't hold back any longer. Seeing someone, anyone, she scrambled to her feet and rushed over, clutching onto the man in white, bursting into tears.

"I want to go home! I want my mother and father!"

The man stood awkwardly as she clung to him, unsure of what to do. Finally, as her cries softened and she slumped, worn out, he gently picked her up.

Carrying her, he walked through the forest. Soon, Yuanzhen noticed a tree unlike any other—a tea tree covered with delicate white blossoms, as pure as the man's clothes. A beam of moonlight fell upon it, illuminating the tree. She gazed at it in wonder, momentarily forgetting her tears.

He set her down on a low branch, but she clung tightly to his neck, nestling her head into his chest, trembling like a frightened little puppy. The man, seeing her reluctance to let go, seated himself on the branch and held her on his lap.

He remained silent, radiating a warm presence that made Yuanzhen feel safe. As her fear gradually faded, she tried to speak to him, only to realize he couldn't talk. He would open his mouth, but no sound came out; he simply patted her head gently and smiled at her.

That night, wild beasts, drawn by the scent of humans, prowled nearby. Yuanzhen could see the green glint of their eyes in the dark, their shapes larger and more intimidating than ordinary animals. Terrified they might attack, she clutched the man in white even tighter. But the man merely waved his sleeve, and a sudden gust of wind sent the creatures scurrying away.

Throughout that night, the man held her close, gently brushing his hand over her forehead whenever she grew anxious.

Eventually, she fell asleep. When she awoke, palace servants and soldiers had already arrived, deeply relieved she was unharmed. But Yuanzhen searched for the man in white—he was nowhere to be found. Only the tea tree, in full bloom, remained, scattering its delicate petals over her.

"I want to take this tree back to the palace!" the young princess declared, a small white blossom still nestled in her hair.

Even at that young age, she understood much and hoped that by moving the tea tree, she might see her savior again someday. As she grew older, she began to wonder if he was a spirit, an immortal, or perhaps a mountain ghost. Whatever he was, she longed to meet him once more.

For years, Li Yuanzhen tended to that white tea tree, watching it bloom fully every year. On nights when the flowers were in full bloom, she would pace beneath it. Sometimes, out of the corner of her eye, she would glimpse a faint figure in white standing under the tree, close by, but when she looked again, it was only her imagination. There was never anyone there.