The Grand Princess of the Tang Dynasty

The light of dusk was hardly any weaker than that of noon. Though it did not dazzle, it spread a veil of radiance across the earth as delicate as cicada wings. The clouds on the horizon were tinged with orange-red, moving languidly like a maiden’s blushing cheeks. When this sunlight fell upon the vermilion walls of the Daming Palace, it shimmered with a brilliance that was almost blinding.

The Linde Hall was the most intricate structure within the Daming Palace, resembling three palaces stacked together like building blocks. Here, the royal family held banquets, received foreign envoys, and found their amusements. From the grand terrace on the second floor, one could gaze down at the shimmering waters of Taiye Pond and the three artificial isles rising from its surface. The view was truly breathtaking, yet the little girl dressed in splendid robes who stood on the platform wore no expression at all. She seemed utterly indifferent to the spectacle before her, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.

She looked no more than two or three years old, so small and quiet that one might easily overlook her. Yet all the attention of a nearby eunuch, five palace maids, and twenty armored guards from the Golden Crow Division was fixed upon this tiny figure.

Her features had not yet fully emerged, but her large, bright eyes already hinted at the beauty she would one day possess.

She let out a sigh. The eunuchs and maids behind her remained silent, long since accustomed to the princess’s quiet sighs.

Old Li felt utterly exasperated. Even now, she could not figure