The following night...

  The night had matured, but Gu Zong had not set foot inside the quarters since the moment Han Wuang Shi had entered them. With every passing second, the darkness grew deeper. Moon and stars shimmered in the heavens, while the corridors of the building lay desolate.

  Gu Zong sat on the stone steps just outside the room, lost in the labyrinth of his own thoughts. A cold breeze drifted by, causing his hair to sway gently; his silent beauty at that moment possessed the solemnity of a quiet prayer.

  The quarters had been prepared in an isolated corner part of Fukun Xueyuan, yet possessed of a detached, lonely aura. It felt less like a residence and more like a gilded prison. No other buildings stood nearby.

  The courtyards were empty save for a small lotus pond in the center, where swans occasionally visited. Tonight, however, there was only a desolate peace and blooming pink lotuses swaying with the gusts of wind. Despite the open air, Gu Zong felt as though he were suffocating. His weary eyes remained fixed on the flowers, as if their very beauty had turned to poison in his sight.

  Inside the chamber, the atmosphere was no better. A terrifying silence reigned the kind that precedes a devastating storm. Han Wuang Shi sat alone in the vast room, draped in pure white robes. He looked like a swan that had stolen the moonlight to wear upon its back. He was possessed of a tranquil elegance; his simple attire made the regalia of kings seem dull by comparison. Behind him stood a massive room divider. Sitting solitary, Wuang Shi looked like a statue devoid of emotion.

  The silence surrounding him was so heavy that the stillness itself felt like a roar.

  Eventually, Han Wuang Shi rose. He picked up a paper envelope from his table and walked toward the door with measured steps. Outside, Gu Zong remained seated in his silent vigil. The sudden sound of the door opening caused Gu Zong’s head to tilt slightly, but he did not look back. Wuang Shi, too, did not look at Gu Zong. Keeping his gaze lowered, he walked away into the night.

  As Wuang Shi walked toward the boundary of the isolated sector, he encountered Jun Wan, who was arriving with supplies in her hands. Upon seeing the Prince, Jun Wan bowed deeply in respect. In return, Han Wuang Shi stopped and offered a polite bow of his own.

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  They looked at each other briefly before lowering their eyes. Jun Wan spoke in a composed tone:

  "Prince. For everything that happened yesterday... I apologize to you on behalf of Gu Zong. Please, forgive us."

  The hardness in Wuang Shi’s expression fractured, replaced by a flicker of somber respect. He replied:

  "Lady. Please, do not do this. There is no need for you to seek forgiveness."

  He fell silent. Jun Wan prepared to leave, but she stopped once more and said:

  "Gu Zong grew up without a father or a mother. Everything he has learned, he has learned from his circumstances. I believe you will understand... because you, too, know the void left by a father's absence."

  Hearing this, Wuang Shi’s face softened significantly. He looked at Jun Wan, but she had already walked away. The silence left in her wake was palpable.

  Gu Zong sensed that Han Wuang Shi had departed. After sitting for a few more moments, he rose with a stoic air and entered the room. The sight inside was beyond his expectations.

  A room divider had been placed exactly in the center, splitting the quarters into two equal halves. On one side was Wuang Shi’s table, organized with his books and belongings. The other side Gu Zong's side featured a vacant table. Gu Zong walked to his side and sat on his bed. Suddenly, his stomach growled; he was famished. He made a face and muttered:

  "Of course. This was the only thing missing."

  A short while later, Jun Wan arrived at the door. She knocked on the open frame, and Gu Zong stood up with a smile the moment he saw her. Jun Wan entered, her eyes falling on the divider, but she offered no reaction. She had brought food and the belongings Gu Zong had left in his old room.

  "Zao, here," she said affectionately.

  "Your bamboo soup. Eat it while it's hot."

  Gu Zong’s face lit up like a child’s, and he began to eat the soup with famished intensity. However, once he finished, Jun Wan spoke with a new gravity in her voice:

  "Zao. Listen to me carefully. Prince Han Wuang Shi is not at fault for what happened, nor are the other Han brothers. What occurred was the decree of Fate, Zao. We must move forward. How long will you carry this burden?"

  Gu Zong’s gaze dropped. Without looking at his sister, he spoke in a low, cold voice:

  "No, Senior Sister. That was not Fate. That was a calculated murder. And I cannot forget it as long as I live. If Fate had ordained it, their deaths would not have been like that. No, Senior Sister... they were murdered. I cannot forgive Han Juan Hao for that. Nor can I forgive his blood. Even if Han Juan Hao is Wuang Shi’s stepfather, he is still his father. Forgive me, Senior Sister... but now, it is either the Han Clan, or me."

  With that sudden declaration, Gu Zong stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Jun Wan sitting there, watching him in silence.