The banquet hall stretches wide and high, hung with hundreds of vermilion lanterns that cast warm light across ink-wash silhouettes of courtiers in formal robes. The ceiling vanishes into shadow. A sea of silk and brocade, all turned toward

A corner of the hall, away from the center. Fourth Prince stands alone near a pillar, plain dark robes, watching the room.

The entrance. A young woman steps through the doorway. First appearance of Pei Zhaoyue in her lantern-banquet robes.

Court reaction. Heads turn. Murmurs. Zhaoyue walks into the hall.

Zhaoyue surveys the room. She is reading it.

Split view. Zhaoyue watching. Fourth Prince watching. Their eyes meet.

Fourth Prince begins to move. The approach begins.

The approach continues. Two figures moving through the crowd toward each other.

They are face to face now. First words exchanged.

The conversation continues. Circling, reading each other.

More circling. Both reading each other.

The conversation deepens. Reading each other's silences.

The Fourth Prince considers this. His expression shifts — the first real wariness.

The Fourth Prince's face. The mask cracks for the first time.

He offers the horse. A gift. A test.

He confirms it. The test is clear.

She leads the horse away. The Fourth Prince watches.

Zhaoyue at the threshold. The banquet behind her.

The corridor. Zhaoyue walking with the horse. Private moment.

The banquet hall behind. The Fourth Prince still standing where she left him.

The night sky. Lanterns rising. The banquet ending.

Final panel. The chapter ends with her leading the horse away, the Fourth Prince watching her back.