Did the fact that Siriporn Thirasak was born under a lucky star play a role in all of this, or did the gods take pity on two souls who genuinely loved each other, allowing something truly incredible and wondrous to happen? Most likely, it was a combination of both, bolstered by no small amount of luck. In the past, this alone wouldn't have been enough to become a king, but it proved to be enough to earn a chance at happiness. Siriporn loved and was loved, and that in itself was a great blessing and a miracle.
But from now on, Siriporn was no longer the ruler of the once-prosperous kingdom of Arichayan, and even his name was different now. In his new life, he was named Yunsheng. The world in which he was reborn was different from the previous one. In his past life, his destiny had been predetermined long before his birth; here, however, he was born into the family of an official, and he had a choice—albeit a limited one. His new appearance and foreign body didn't frighten him at all, even though he perfectly remembered his former face. It's just that when you see the same reflection in the mirror from childhood, subtly maturing day by day, you get used to it.
He remembered his past life and understood why and for what purpose he had ended up here again. In childhood, it was perceived a little differently, more like a game, but as he grew older, his attitude toward the past shifted. A multitude of questions arose, along with doubts and a profound longing.
Yunsheng had no idea what to do next, which path to take, or how to search for Athit. After all, Athit must also have a new life, a new face. And most importantly: did he retain his memories? Where was he now, how was he living, with whom, and was he alright? Falling asleep and waking up, he asked himself these questions every single day.
But one day, a simple thought crossed his mind: if, by the grace and will of the gods, he had ended up in this exact place, at this exact time, and in this exact body, then everything was proceeding as it should. He was right where he needed to be, and he would meet Athit at their destined hour. He would simply let things take their course, trusting in fate.
After that, his heart felt significantly lighter. The main thing was that he knew he and Athit would inevitably meet. No matter how long it took, Yunsheng would find him.
Alongside his memories, he had retained certain skills and abilities—such as his proficiency with bladed weapons—so he decided to build a career in the military. During his service in the army, he even managed to make a friend: Yin Houwei. The tall, well-built, and handsome young man acted strange at first, but ultimately proved to be an excellent comrade. After their service ended, they continued their journey together. When Yunsheng rose to the rank of commander of the special security guard, he brought Houwei into his unit. Their duties included escorting high-ranking officials and patrolling routes. It was a highly responsible, risky job, but one that kept them constantly on the move. Over the past two years, he had traveled across nearly half the country. It was exactly what he needed.
***
"What are your plans?" Houwei's voice cut through the hum of the evening courtyard.
They stood by the stables, unsaddling the horses that were exhausted from the long journey. The air was thick, heavy with the pungent scent of dust, horse sweat, and wood baked by the day's sun. Twilight was already beginning to gather over the capital, painting the sky in deep tones.
"I have some things to attend to," Yunsheng replied. He unfastened the buckles of his saddlebag, pulled out a small, carefully tied bundle, and gently transferred it into his knapsack. "I'll go on ahead."
"See ya," Houwei responded briefly.
The commander headed toward the outskirts of the city, where the houses were packed more tightly together and the streets grew narrower. He found the building he needed—an old, sturdily built structure with easy access to a gently sloping roof. Yunsheng came here often; this cramped, tiled space had become the only place where he could reflect in silence and allow himself to remember the distant past.
The night had turned out surprisingly warm, and the sky was clear, scattered with the silver of stars.
He lowered himself onto the tiles still holding the day's heat, pulled the bundle from his bag, and carefully unwrapped it. It was a paper lantern, bought earlier that day at the market from an old artisan. The thin, translucent paper rustled softly in his fingers. Yunsheng smoothed it out, giving the lantern its shape, and reached into his trouser pocket for his flint and steel.
Empty.
He frowned. That was impossible. Yunsheng remembered perfectly well putting the flint in his pocket when he left the courtyard. Could it have fallen out along the way? He quickly checked his other pockets and peered into the bag. Nothing. A minor but frustrating annoyance had ruined the moment.
"Looking for this?"
Yunsheng spun around. Houwei was standing behind him. The lost item gleamed faintly in his outstretched hand.
"Thanks."
Houwei was in no hurry to leave. He shifted from foot to foot and, gesturing with his eyes to the empty space next to his commander, asked quietly, "May I?"
"If you want," Yunsheng permitted calmly.
He turned back, struck a spark, and touched the tiny tongue of flame to the wick at the base of the lantern. The man carefully held the paper sides, waiting for the hot air to fill the dome. When the lantern began to tremble slightly, begging to rise, he opened his fingers. The glowing sphere slowly and smoothly lifted off the roof and drifted upward into the bottomless night sky, carrying his unspoken words with it.
"Is today a special day?" Houwei broke the silence, his eyes following the lantern.
"The birthday of a very special person," Yunsheng replied, his gaze fixed on the receding light.
"I see," Houwei's voice wavered. The young man suddenly seemed to deflate; his shoulders slumped.
For several minutes they sat in complete silence, listening to the distant barking of dogs and the muffled noise below. The light of the lantern had turned into a tiny star, lost among thousands of others.
"And where is this person now?" Houwei spoke up again, shifting his gaze to his commander's profile.
Yunsheng let out a heavy sigh.
"Honestly, I don't know," he admitted, continuing to look into the distance. "Somewhere far away."
"Has it been long since you parted?"
"A long time," Yunsheng nodded. Memories washed over him in a heavy wave. "The night back then promised to be just as beautiful and quiet, and nothing foretold trouble."
Another pause hung in the air; Houwei interlaced his fingers, staring straight ahead.
"It's strange, but... I understand you," he said suddenly, so quietly that Yunsheng had to strain to hear. "I feel a deep longing for someone. And looking at you, I feel... peace. As if I've found what I was looking for."
These words made Yunsheng flinch. He slowly turned his head and looked intently into his comrade's eyes. In a way he hadn't looked at him before. The commander's gaze suddenly became piercing and observant.
Yunsheng didn't know exactly how he was supposed to recognize Athit in this life. No one had left him instructions before his reincarnation. What was supposed to happen at the moment of their meeting? Would the birds sing? Would lightning strike from a clear sky? Would his heart skip a beat? He was terrified of missing the sign. It was foolish, and he knew it. A man born a king, a politician, and a ruler shouldn't harbor doubts, fear his own thoughts, or lack self-confidence. Commander Yunsheng wasn't supposed to indulge in mystical fantasies. But when it came to Athit, all his principles crumbled to dust.
He had heard that a soul could be recognized by its eyes. And now, peering into Houwei's eyes, he searched them for Athit.
But he didn't find him.
He recalled him—his warmth, his gaze, his feelings—and realized that the person sitting before him was someone else. Nothing trembled inside him; his heart beat evenly and calmly. No, Houwei wasn't the one he was looking for after all. And although there was indeed something elusively familiar about the young man, some invisible thread tying their fates together, he wasn't the love of his life.
"Ahem," Yunsheng turned away and cleared his throat, roughly breaking the protracted silence.
"They say she's a beauty," Houwei also rushed to change the subject, clearly sensing the tension hanging in the air.
"Who?" Yunsheng shook his head slightly, throwing off the delusion.
"The Governor-General's fiancée," Houwei tried to inject his usual light carelessness into his voice. "Do you think it's true?"
"No idea. You should spend less time listening to gossip at inns," Yunsheng gave his friend a friendly shove on the shoulder.
"Everyone around is talking about their engagement, you'd have to be deaf not to hear it," the young man chuckled, noticeably relaxing.
"Only listen to what's necessary for the job, alright?"
Around Houwei, he sometimes felt like more than just a commander and a comrade; he felt like an older brother, experiencing an inexplicable desire to guide and protect him. It was unclear where this sense of responsibility came from. It was surely the weight of his past life showing through: he once had a whole staff of courtiers and thousands of subjects, and now, unconsciously, he was acting as a wise mentor to others.
"Save your listening skills for tomorrow's assignment," Yunsheng stood up and threw an arm around his comrade's shoulder as he rose to follow him. "We'll need fresh heads."
"Whatever you say, Commander," Houwei replied with a slight bow, his voice regaining its familiar lightness.
A couple of minutes later, they parted ways to their respective rooms at the inn. Tomorrow was going to be an important day—a new mission and another grueling journey. Yunsheng lay down on the hard bed, pillowed his head on his hands, and stared at the ceiling for a long time.
That night, the moment he closed his eyes, he dreamed of Athit again. He was smiling at him, and that smile gave Yunsheng the strength to keep living.
***
"As of today, you have a new assignment. You will need to ensure the safety of Lady Xianzhu Jihua, the youngest daughter of the esteemed Lord Xian Huan."
Early in the morning, Yunsheng, Houwei, and the rest of the guard detachment arrived at Lord Xian's estate to escort his daughter to the Governor-General's residence.
"You must deliver the young lady to the Governor-General's estate safe and sound. You answer for her with your heads!"
But every soldier understood that this was just a bluff and a display of false self-importance. If he were truly worried about his fiancée's safety, he would have hired more guards. Typically, such important figures were accompanied by no fewer than twenty-five men; they, on the other hand, numbered only fourteen: Yunsheng as the escort commander, Houwei as his deputy, eight soldiers, two coachmen, the lady's maidservant, and a luggage porter. By the looks of it, the official didn't value his bride's life all that much. But none of them had the right to judge their employer. The main thing was to complete the assignment.
When the parting speech was finished, two young women emerged from the house: the young lady, accompanied by her maid. They got into the first carriage, drawn by two stallions; the second carriage was used to transport their belongings.
"Is everything clear to everyone?"
"Yes, sir!"
Each carriage was guarded by four soldiers. Yunsheng rode at the front; Houwei brought up the rear. The day turned out to be clear, and the road empty. After seven hours of travel, they stopped for a rest. The soldiers went to water and feed the horses, while Yunsheng and his comrade remained on guard duty. The young lady, unaccustomed to long journeys, also needed to stretch her legs.
The coachman opened the carriage door. Yunsheng, standing opposite, bowed politely, and when he raised his head—he saw her. A flowing, sky-blue dress, long hair down to her waist, and a light veil over her face. She stepped onto the ground, and it was as if angels themselves exhaled in her wake. A light breeze caught the veil, revealing the girl's face. He froze, mesmerized, unable to believe his eyes.
A flawless, pure face, the same snow-white skin, a slender figure, and endless charm—a charm belonging only to him. To his beloved. But now, a young woman stood before him. Outwardly completely different, but inside Yunsheng, the exact same feeling flared up as on the day of their very first meeting.
"Athit," he breathed out, staring fixedly at the girl, completely forgetting about etiquette. Houwei, standing nearby, heard this; noticing his friend's strange reaction, he began darting his gaze back and forth between the two of them.
The girl looked around in search of her veil and noticed the commander. A tall man in military uniform stood a few paces away from her. The veil had landed right on his epaulet. She caught his gaze on her: surprised, unexpectedly soft, and filled with such tenderness that no one had ever looked at her like that in her entire life. It lasted merely seconds, but she knew she would remember that look forever. The maid had already run up to the commander to retrieve the fabric. He handed it over mechanically, never taking his eyes off the young lady. It seemed everyone present noticed this strange scene, but for Yunsheng, the surrounding world had simply ceased to exist. He would have stood like that even longer if Houwei hadn't nudged him in the ribs with his elbow.
It was definitely him. That very same look. Athit's face flashed before his eyes, in the moments when he used to look at him. Could it be that after so many years of searching and waiting, they had finally met? Yunsheng was still in a trance and profound disbelief. It would be too bold to assume that Athit remembered his past life, but a tiny glimmer of hope still ignited in his chest. Yunsheng had imagined their meeting a hundred times, playing out all sorts of scenarios, but not a single one of them aligned with reality. He had intended to say so many things, and now he couldn't utter a word. All the phrases dissolved, unspoken.
Throughout the entire rest stop, it took an immense effort for Yunsheng not to look at her. He allowed himself only fleeting glances. Being in a girl's body, Athit had become even more graceful and delicate. Looking at her, the man desperately wanted to step closer, wrap her in his arms, and never let go again. The realization that this was impossible filled him with a painful, aching sorrow. He needed to gather his thoughts and plan his next moves. The situation was complicated by current circumstances: she was someone else's fiancée.
For the remainder of the journey to the next stop, Yunsheng didn't utter a single word. Houwei kept glancing at him but didn't dare speak first, seeing his friend's serious and thoughtful demeanor.
*Athit doesn't remember me.*
This phrase echoed with pain right in his heart. Moments from their happy past together began to unconsciously surface in his mind.
*I have to restore his memories, if that's possible, or create new ones. But I'll have to act extremely carefully. After all, he's a girl now, and the future wife of the Governor-General. Damn it.*