Climbing the Willow

During Crown Prince Liu Zhan’s incognito southern tour, a young woman he had never met before boldly wrapped her arms around his waist in full view of the public. Detecting that she carried no hidden weapons, Liu Zhan signaled his retinue to stand down while he quietly gripped the dagger concealed in his sleeve. She looked up at him from within his embrace, tears soaking his robes as she wept, “You’ve finally come for me, my lord… my A’Zhan…” Her increasingly intimate words stirred both caution and anger in Liu Zhan. Yet, when he met her tender, adoring gaze—so open and unguarded—he found himself momentarily dazed. As he tried to pry her hands away, she clung to him even more desperately...