Wei Jiang watched the couple slowly slip out of the banquet as the girls seemed to know it was all for show. Miao and Ai talked in excitement, as well as other onlookers. One young girl seem to have a sour face and yet didn't leave the banquet and ate absentmindedly.

Wei Jiang thought to himself in both Kai Yin truly did express his emotions courageously and would not yield to anything, even marriage. It was a part Wei Jiang was both envious and proud about.

He looked up and a girl was pushing through other girls and made eye contact with Wei Jiang. Beautiful long hair styled meticulously and light brown eyes. Her smile changed her elegant demeanor and she seemed to become young again as she began to go to where Wei Jiang sat.

Girls had left him alone and Wei Jiang didn't dream in years that Ju Hua would come to him!

Wei Jiang said nothing.

"You're the guard from last time! Do you remember me, Ju Hua? You're General Wei Jiang, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember me?" Her voice was soft and alluring, but had an undertone of teasing. "It's fine if you don't, but why are you here alone and not even eating?"

"I'm here for Fifth Prince Kai Yin," Wei Jiang found his voice low, as it was when he spoke to girls. "I don't come here to have fun."

"I know what's happening," Ju Hua said, "you're going to make that prince look like a womanizer and no one will suspect Shui Lian!"

Wei Jiang stared in shock. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, of course I wouldn't dare spoil anything, general! I am touched by their forbidden love—it makes one dream, like the other girls and I."  She grabbed some meat onto her plate with chopsticks and unexpectedly, handed it to Wei Jiang.

"I don't need to eat, thank you," he refused to no avail, as Ju Hua put it in front of him, holding her sleeve as she poured his alcohol into his empty cup.

"You are still in Peony Palace, where we serve men." Ju Hua smiled proudly.

"Do you swear on your life you will not do anything to crush my master's love?" Wei Jiang whispered, taking the chopsticks she handed.

"Yes. I have to admit it's quite a romantic plan. In fact, I think I know because I would do the same exact thing. Was it the prince or was it you who planned it?"

"It was me," Wei Jiang admitted. "I'm stunned you got it so quickly, I was hoping no one would found out for a long enough time."

"I do enjoy plotting, if I do dare say myself."

Ju Hua began to eat delicately with small bites hidden by her hand hovering over her mouth, and Wei Jiang watched, bewitched. 

"Forgive me for asking but does it not upset you, well, being here, Lady Ju Hua?" Wei Jiang asked.

"Upset me?" She gave a small laugh, putting her chopsticks down. "I suppose I'm upset I'm on the third floor. Girls there never talk due to infighting for the Cruel Prince's attention. He doesn't like me, I seem to be too straightforward."

"I suppose you are," Wei Jiang thought of how she went ahead to reveal his plan in triumph. "Straightforwardness, when used correctly, is a virtue."

"You are quite the flatterer," Ju Hua laughed.

"No, I'm not." Wei Jiang watched as Ju Hua's plate had vegetables and some duck meat. She ate less than half of what she put on Wei Jiang's place.

"Life here can be fun. I enjoy having lessons, today we learned about doing hair. Most of the girls have their hair done today so it's quite convenient."

"Oh, was it fun?" Wei Jiang asked.

"Yes, Lady Yu Deng did my hair but when I wanted to do her hair she refused—but didn't it turn out nicely?" Ju Hua showed off her hair. There were two gold hairpins that weren't excessive and suited her.

"It's lovely indeed," Wei Jiang spoke, more to himself than her.

"I also enjoy days we rotate novels, or playing the guzheng. Some girls play xiangqi or go, but it's too much patience." Ju Hua looked at Wei Jiang. "Why, do you think we are like pitiful birds locked up?"

"I suppose I don't know what to think, Lady Ju Hua. It's not of malice, I simply can't imagine being here." Wei Jiang dipped his head down in shame.

There was silence for a while besides the flute player.

Wei Jiang could never bring high-level lady such as Lady Ju Hua out, and he wouldn't betray Kai Yin no matter the reward, yet he couldn't stop his heart from racing and wanting to hear that beautiful voice of Ju Hua's.

He wanted love, he suppose, because Kai Yin was happily in love. But no, Wei Jiang was not picky and could love a girl as long as she had a nice heart. He had liked a few girls before but never love, they had never made him think of leaving Kai Yin.

That is, until now.

"You are unique, really different. The girls here are despondent or set in becoming a consort or concubine, but you like life with your friends." Wei Jiang finally gathered the courage to turn and look at her.

Such perfect features, light blemishes from youth, eyes on the thinner side, eyebrows with a permanently melancholic look.

She was regal, and perhaps that's what drew the Cruel Prince to upgrade her living quarters, but the Cruel Prince didn't seem to focus on her from what Wei Jiang asked of Lady Ran once.

The Cruel Prince focused on Lady Bai He and two others, and roughly ten other girls occasionally. He didn't have to worry, Wei Jiang convinced himself. Yet he knew there was a possibility, no matter how small.

"Of course, I wish to ride a horse through plains, or go to the city crowded with people. I miss aspects of my childhood, before I entered, but it was my choice," Ju Hua answered.

"Your choice?" Wei Jiang echoed.

Ju Hua nodded slowly. "The other girls may not be like that, and their family might've sold them, they might've been conquered, and so on." Ju Hua chuckled sadly. "I suppose I was too rash in my choice."

"Your choice?"

"Yes," Ju Hua thought carefully before speaking. "I wanted a secure future without marriage to tie me down."

"So you've achieved it, and you must be satisfied." It was hard for him to say those words.

"Yes, but at twenty-one I do begin to question if I made a mistake." Her face fell.

"It's not a mistake, blaming yourself is harder. I'm sure Peony Palace has a lot of flaws, but you've made friends and met people you wouldn't otherwise," Wei Jiang comforted.

Ju Hua shook her head. "No, that's not it. I—I want to feel true love."

It was all Wei Jiang needed. He looked at her, and neither broke their eye contact, and he sat up straighter.

"Do you regret it?" he whispered.

Ju Hua, quite boldly, held his cheek. She waited, and it took all of Wei Jiang's willpower to not reach for her hand on his face and kiss her. He thought of the Cruel Prince and even Kai Yin, and felt envious at their control over Peony Palace.

"I am sorry I am only a lowly servant," Wei Jiang said, and just as he reached for her hand on his cheek, she pulled away sharply.

"I can't do anything with you, you must understand," she said rashly, and turned back to the table of food. Girls around them didn't seem to pay attention and were laughing over something by themselves, the two in a quiet corner.

"No—" Wei Jiang struggled for words. "I understand, Lady Ju Hua. I'm sorry if I was too forward with my words."

"No, it's not that."

"Lady Ju Hua, I will leave. I hope you don't think ill of me, I won't say anything to anyone," he said bowing his head slightly.

"No, general, I apologize for touching you so rashly," she stumbled.

The music drowned out her voice but Wei Jiang understood from her tone that she understood it.

The two kept their distance and Ju Hua moved to sit across from Wei Jiang. They turned to the music and listened as a young girl sang a sad ballad about a goddess falling in love with a human. In the end, the two were never allowed to be together, and the goddess was killed by the other gods due to betrayal.

The story left a sour taste in Wei Jiang's mouth.