Full Moon

When Spring Comes with the Full Moon.

Autumn passed.

Several years went by.

Li Xiang died. Li Shizhi ascended the throne and changed the era name to Kaiyuan.

At last, this era name, so renowned throughout Great Tang, had appeared. Verdant Green Maiden even took the time to visit Chang'an and meet Li Shizhi.

She stood far away, unnoticed by anyone, and thus witnessed the grandest of enthronement ceremonies!

Li Shizhi's coronation far surpassed those of the Emperors before him. Great Tang's strength was plain to see: the court had both money and power, enough to support such a magnificent ceremony. This was often one way of displaying a nation's might.

The chiefs of the foreign tribes in attendance all submitted as well.

"Alas..."

Verdant Green Maiden let out a soft sigh.

She had realized that lately, she had been sighing more and more often.

She froze for a moment.

"Am I mourning the past and lamenting the present, or has the time come? Why am I so melancholy?"

Verdant Green Maiden muttered.

She shook her head. Damn Heaven must have gotten her all worked up!

That damned Damn Heaven.

Who knew how far this Li Shizhi would go?

Great Tang was still on the rise; it had not yet reached its true zenith! Could he bring about the Kaiyuan Prosperous Age of history as well?

Or perhaps...

Something even more prosperous!

Verdant Green Maiden did not know.

In the second year of Kaiyuan, Verdant Green Maiden returned to Shu.

As she neared Changlong County, unease suddenly rose in her heart.

Back then, she had told the Li family that she would return in a year or two.

Yet seven or eight years had passed! After being gone so long, it would be hard to account for herself when she