A Love Written In The Stars

A guard's voice resonated from beyond the chamber doors, and the emperor's eyes gleamed with delight at the announcement of his arrival.

"Let him in,"

The door creaked open, revealing crown prince cheng.

"Father," Cheng bowed deeply in greeting. "I have troubled you so."

The emperor waved a hand dismissively, his worry lines easing as he beckoned Cheng to move closer. "Ah, I'm glad to see you are feeling much better. Tell me, what was it that kept you in the forest during the archery competition?"

"I was deeply engrossed in my quest when I realized I had ventured too deep into the forest."

The emperor's keen eyes narrowed slightly, betraying a glimmer of concern. "Cheng, you appear pale. Were you injured during your quest?"

Cheng sighed, knowing nothing escaped the emperor's sharp perception. He cradled his shoulder, nodding. "As I ventured deeper into the wilderness, a wild boar appeared out of nowhere. My horse, terrified, reared up and threw me to the ground. The fall was brutal—I couldn't move my arm. And then, as if the heavens mourned my plight, the rain began to pour."

"Desperate for shelter, I stumbled upon a hidden cave. There, I managed to build a fire. Its warmth shielded me as the storm raged against the world outside."

The emperor worked his beard quietly, his face marked by doubt. Though a persistent suspicion nagged at his mind, suggesting there was more to the prince's tale, he chose to focus on the greater relief, Cheng had returned whole and strong.

"Well it is good to have you back."

——— Mei's Chamber

Mei recounted the events—the fever and its aftermath, her eyebrows knitting tighter with each word while Yú Yuè listened intently, sitting on the bed close to her.

"Are you certain of what you saw?"

"I couldn't have imagined something like that, could I?"

"I know what I'm saying. Cheng completely changed—it was like he wasn't in control anymore."

"So it's true, then," Yú Yuè said softly.

"What is? What do you mean, Yú Yuè?"

"The curse on the crown prince," she replied.

"What are you talking about? What curse?"

"The curse that haunts the crown prince began long before his birth," Yú Yuè explained quietly. "In his desperation for an heir, Emperor Wei made a deal with Lokiàn Shén, pleading for a son to secure his dynasty."

"That's impossible! Lokiàn Shén has been sealed away for centuries. It—"

"Believe me, it's true," Yú Yuè interrupted, leaning closer to Mei and lowering her voice to a whisper.

Mei's eyes widened. She had heard tales of Lokiàn Shén, the mischievous spirit whose influence on human lives was nearly impossible to restrain, let alone contain within a single person.

"What was the price of this dark pact?" Mei asked hesitantly, though she already knew the answer.

"On the prince's 10th birthday, Lokiàn Shén's aura entered him," Yú Yuè said gravely, "twisting the crown prince's body into a vessel of violence and chaos."

Mei shuddered at the knowledge of the dark fate woven into Cheng's life even before his birth.

"There must be a way to break this curse,"

Yú Yuè shook her head sadly. She saw the worry on Mei's face and added, "Few know the full truth of the crown prince's curse. His family keeps it a closely guarded secret to protect him from prejudice and fear."

"Then how do you know about it?"

Yú Yuè lowered her voice. "I learned of it years ago from Old Lao, the palace cook. He served in the palace when Emperor Wei made his desperate plea to Lokiàn Shén for an heir."

"There are whispered tales," she continued, "of a soul affliction that twists the crown prince's mind and drives him to madness and violence. But these are only rumors. No one has ever truly witnessed the curse's full power...until you, Mei."

Mei shook her head sympathetically. "Whatever Emperor Wei bargained for that night secured the throne but doomed the royal family for generations."

The torment Cheng must have endured in silence was unimaginable—a child born with the seeds of madness woven into his very soul.

No child should bear such a curse. Yet Cheng had been more than marked for possession; he had been forced to carry this burden alone, hiding his suffering behind the façade of a princely smile.

It was a cruel fate, one that fed on isolation and secrecy.

Yú Yuè leaned forward, "I also heard... it's what claimed Empress Liú Yùn's life after the crown prince was born."

Mei's breath caught. "The curse killed her?"

"Some say it wasn't immediate, but the toll was undeniable. After his birth, she weakened day by day. Her spirit seemed to fade, as if something had drained her from within. Within a few months, she was gone."

Mei looked down, her hands gripping her knees. "Oh no."

"And Emperor Wei was devastated," Yú Yuè said sadly. "The Emperor loved her more than anything in the world. When she passed, he shut himself away in mourning for months. They say he refused to eat or sleep, calling out her name even in his dreams."

Mei swallowed hard. "So he lost her because of the bargain he made for an heir. What was the point then? How could he live with himself after that?"

Yú Yuè gave a small, bitter smile. "Perhaps he didn't, not fully. His grief shaped him into the ruler he is now—distant, calculating, and relentless. Everything he does is for the legacy she died to secure but I wonder... does he ever see the curse that claimed her when he looks at the crown prince?"

"And Cheng... he's been through so much," Mei said, "When is the memorial ceremony for the late Empress?"

"I don't think there is one,"

Mei frowned. "Why not? Surely the people would honor her memory?"

"The royals doesn't speak of her death. To the world, it was a private tragedy, a health issue that claimed her life. It's treated as something personal, not meant for public mourning."

"That doesn't make sense, she was the Empress. Her death should be a moment of reflection for the entire nation."

"That's exactly why they don't acknowledge it. The royal family uses that explanation to cover the truth. But those who were there—like Old Lao—know better. Her death wasn't just a tragedy. It was... something far darker, something they couldn't risk the people discovering."

"Doing that would be admitting the Empress's death was tied to the curse and it would expose too much. It would raise questions about the Crown Prince, about the Emperor's actions, and even the stability of the royal family itself. So, they bury the truth, just like they buried her."

"He's lost so much... and now even his mother's memory is hidden away. That's no way to honor her or help him." Mei exhaled deeply as she lay flat on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Yú Yuè watched her in silence for a moment before speaking gently. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?"

"It's just... so unfair. To Cheng, to his mother. They're both victims of choices they didn't make, paying for a bargain struck long before they had any say."

Yú Yuè sighed, her eyes filled with a deep weariness. "Cruelty often walks hand in hand with power, Mei. In this palace, even love comes with a price."

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