The night sky shimmered with a thousand scattered stars, their silver light falling upon the still waters of Lianhua Lake.
Lotus blossoms swayed gently, their pale petals glowing like jade beneath the moon's reflection. Between them drifted a small basket so finely woven it seemed crafted with the patience of a master.
Inside lay a child wrapped in silk the color of morning mist. She did not stir nor whimper, yet her presence bent the air around her. A faint curve rested on her lips not of mirth nor sadness but something deeper, as if the lake itself cradled her in reverence. Even the lotus blossoms leaned toward her, their petals brushing the water as though greeting one who did not belong to the ordinary world.
A soft ripple passed through the lake, though the wind had not stirred. For a heartbeat, the moon's reflection trembled, and a faint pulse of light shimmered beneath the surface then vanished.
---
Not far away, a slender boat glided soundlessly across the water. Its sides were carved with phoenix and cloud motifs, lacquered black with golden trim that caught the moonlight. Within it sat a couple, their laughter soft and fleeting beneath the cool night breeze.
The man, tall and broad-shouldered, held the oar with a soldier's steadiness. His name was Gu Shen, Commander of the Imperial Guard. His features were sharp yet composed a straight nose, well-defined brows, and eyes as deep and steady as a still lake. His hair was tied into a warrior's topknot, bound with a jade crown. Dressed in a black robe lined with silver falcon embroidery, he carried the air of authority but when he turned toward his wife, his expression softened.
His wife, Yue qin, was the daughter of an noble family called Shen .Her beauty lingered like moonlight on water not the fleeting charm of paint and powder, but the calm grace of one born to elegance. Her hair cascaded like silk, adorned with jade blossoms; her robe of pale violet shimmered faintly with embroidered clouds and plum petals.
Their voices mingled lightly over the gentle splash of oars.
"You row too slowly," Yue qin teased, brushing her sleeve against his arm.
Gu Shen's lips curved faintly. "A commander's hand is better suited to sword and bow than to oars. Would you rather I leave you stranded in the middle of the lake?"
She laughed, shaking her head. "If you did, I would simply wait. You always return to me."
Her laughter rippled through the night then faltered. A shimmer caught her eye among the lotus blossoms.
"Gu Shen… look."
He turned, his sharp eyes narrowing as the moonlight revealed the basket. Within lay a child, silent and serene, tiny fingers curled over silk, lips faintly curved as though holding a secret.
For a long moment, neither spoke. The lake was still eerily still.
"Someone must have left her here," Yue qin whispered. "But why… on the lake?"
Gu Shen's expression darkened. "There are rumors of abandoned infants near the capital these past weeks. Famine in the lower villages, perhaps"
Before he could finish, a faint glow shimmered around the child. The lotus petals bent inward, shielding her as if in devotion.
Yue qin's breath caught. "She rests upon the lotus as though the blossoms themselves cradle her."
Gu Shen guided the boat closer, his movements controlled, though the air felt strange charged. When he reached for the basket, warmth pulsed through the wood, faint but alive. Then it faded, as if nothing had happened.
Yue qin lifted the baby gently into her arms. "From this night on, she shall dwell under our roof as our daughter." Her eyes softened, filled with quiet wonder. "Her name shall be Lianhua as l found her in a Lake filled with Lotus."
Gu Shen hesitated. "Yue qin… are you certain? To take in a child found beneath an omen?"
"Omens can deceive," she replied softly. "But this child feels like a blessing, not a curse."
At last, he nodded. "Then so it shall be."
A soft breeze stirred the lake, and a low hum seemed to echo across the water as if the night itself acknowledged their choice.
---
By the time their boat reached the eastern bank, servants awaited with lanterns. They bowed low as the couple stepped ashore, guiding them through the grand gates of the Gu Residence.
The mansion rose like a fortress of crimson and gold. Tiled roofs curved like crane wings; bronze lions guarded the gate; redwood walls gleamed beneath the lanterns. The courtyard opened into tranquil gardens of pine and bamboo, the scent of evening dew heavy in the air.
"Welcome back, Commander! Welcome back, Madam!" Voices of servants and guards echoed in harmony, respectful yet warm.
Before Yue qin could reply, a small figure came running from the corridor.
A boy of two, dressed in a robe of indigo silk, hurried toward them on unsteady yet eager feet. His hair was tied into a tiny topknot, his round cheeks flushed like peaches. Around his waist jingled a jade pendant as he ran.
"Mum! Dad!" he cried, arms outstretched, voice sweet and breathless.
But when his gaze fell upon the bundle in Yue qin's arms, he stopped. His head tilted slightly, eyes widening with innocent wonder.
"Mum… baby?" he asked softly.
Yue qin knelt, lowering the infant so he could see. Her voice was tender, laced with warmth.
"Yes, little one," she whispered. "This is your sister. From today onward, you must protect her always."
The boy blinked, his dark eyes glimmering. He reached out, brushing the baby's cheek with his tiny hand. The infant's lips curved faintly almost like a smile.
The boy gasped and giggled, clapping his hands in delight.
"Baby smile!" he cried.
Gu Shen stood behind them, silent, watching. His gaze softened at the sight of his family, then deepened with an emotion he could not name. For just an instant, he thought he saw the baby's eyes flicker beneath her lashes a faint trace of silver light, gone before he could be sure.
Yue Qin rose slowly, her fingers brushing the baby's brow. "Gu Shen… did you see? Her skin is so pale, yet warm. Almost as if the moonlight lingers upon her."
"She was left in the lake," he said quietly. "No ordinary child would have survived even a moment. Perhaps the Heavens have willed this."
She turned toward him, her gaze steady. "Then Heaven has entrusted her to us."
He nodded, though unease flickered in his chest. "Then may we be worthy of such trust."
---
That night, Yue Qin could not sleep. She sat beside the small cradle placed near their bed, the baby lying within, peaceful as dew upon a lotus leaf.
Her husband lay half-awake, listening to the faint sound of her robes moving as she leaned forward. The child stirred once, opening her eyes clear as water, ringed faintly with a hue of silver.
"Gu Shen," Yue Qin whispered, "she doesn't cry. Not even once. It's as if she already understands silence."
Gu Shen rose, coming to her side. "Perhaps she knows she is safe."
"She feels… different," Yue Qin murmured, tracing the infant's hand with her fingertip. "But when she looks at me, I feel warmth. Not fear."
Gu Shen's gaze softened. "Then that is enough."
She looked up at him. "Do you think Heaven will be angered by our choice?"
He was silent for a moment, then said, "If Heaven has placed her in our path, then perhaps it is not anger we are meant to meet but fate."
---
Morning came softly over the Gu Residence. Golden sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, spilling upon the courtyard where dew clung to bamboo leaves like tiny jewels.
The young boy, Tianyi, toddled beside his wet nurse, holding a beautiful peach blossom. "When baby wake up, I show her my sword," he declared solemnly.
In the bedchamber, Yue Qin watched as the infant stirred. Her little hands reached upward, fingers curling toward the sunlight. A faint laugh escaped Yue Qin's lips. She lifted her gently, holding her close.
"Little Lianhua," she whispered, "you are calm as the morning lake… and just as deep."
Outside, Gu Shen stood by the window, adjusting his armor before leaving for court. He turned, his expression softening at the sight before him his wife cradling the child, sunlight glinting off her hair like strands of gold.
For a brief moment, the weight of his duty felt lighter.
He stepped closer, his voice low. "She looks at peace."
"She is," Yue Qin said softly. "And yet, sometimes I feel the air around her hums, faintly, like a temple bell before dawn."
Gu Shen brushed a stray lock of hair from Yue Qin's forehead. "Then let us pray it is a sound of blessing."
Gu Shen stood behind them, silent, watching. His gaze softened at the sight of his family then deepened with an emotion he could not name.
For just an instant, he thought he saw the baby's eyes flicker beneath her lashes a faint trace of warmth as if it was a light, gone before he could be sure.
The wind whispered through the bamboo groves, carrying the scent of lotus and rain.
The Gu household, once peaceful in its nightly routine, now held a secret cradled in silk and moonlight
A secret that would one day change the fate of an empire.