The second day in the Lunar Jade Garden dawned with a gentle mist caressing the curved red-tiled roofs. The branches of the ancestral cherry tree dropped petals like blessings. Jin Long and Suwei awoke wrapped in a silence that wasn't empty, but deep and full of meaning.
"Would you like to see the pond of souls?" asked Jin Long, while helping Suwei dress in a light linen robe.
"With you, I would go to the end of the world," Suwei replied without hesitation.
They walked along paths surrounded by unlit lanterns, each marked with an ancient symbol. Upon reaching the pond, they found a circle of silvery water surrounded by statues of ancient imperial consorts, all looking toward the center. In the middle floated a single blue lotus.
"Imperial couples come here to leave a lantern and a wish," explained Jin Long, extending a small white paper lantern.
"What did you wish for the first time you came?" asked Suwei.
"That one day I could come here with you."
