Chapter 1 — Paper Kite, Mirror Dream

The Empress had devised an elegant game for the imperial banquet: she instructed the princes to shoot down a kite bearing the name of a young noble lady, and whichever lady's kite was hit would be chosen as the prince's future consort. Intending to secure my own fate, I hurried over to the Third Prince to give him a strict warning.

"That large, eye-catching red butterfly kite belongs to me. Make sure you do not mistake it for someone else's later."

He chuckled, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Do you wish to marry me all that much?"

"Fine, I shall consider it. If I happen to fail to shoot down someone else's kite, I will shoot yours."

My cheeks flushed crimson and I let out a soft huff. "There are plenty of men who wish to marry me. I am only afraid that when the time comes, you will not be fast enough to win and will end up weeping in disappointment."

The Third Prince, Pei Qing, and I were childhood sweethearts who had spent our years bickering and playing pranks on one another. Those words were merely familiar banter, yet I knew with absolute certainty that he would take them to heart and remember them. However, when the competition commenced, Pei Qing's gaze remained relentlessly fixed upon my elder sister's kite, not even sparing a glance toward mine. My kite was far too conspicuous for him to have possibly missed it. I watched helplessly as arrow after arrow whistled past my creation, grazing dangerously close. Panic gripped my heart, terrified that someone else might shoot it down before long. Left with no other choice, I rapidly released the spool, letting the kite soar higher and higher into the firmament where no arrow could reach. Little did I anticipate that at that very moment, the string in my hand would suddenly snap with a sharp twang. The kite fluttered erratically in mid-air, tumbling downward in a slow, erratic descent, only to land precisely upon the lap of the Crown Prince, Pei Xuan, a man whose heart was entirely devoted to Buddhist scriptures and ascetic solitude.

The brightly colored butterfly kite drifted down and settled squarely upon the lap of His Royal Highness, whose demeanor was as cold and pristine as winter snow. In a single heartbeat, the entire festive courtyard fell into an absolute, breathless silence. Immediately afterward, everyone present desperately desired to laugh yet dared not make a sound, holding back their mirth until their faces turned bright red. Pei Xuan had been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, possessed of a lucid mind and an unshakeable composure. Yet he harbored no affection for the mundane world, turning his entire soul toward the teachings of the Buddha. He had already resolved that in half a year's time, he would relinquish his position as the heir apparent, journey to the Grand Prime Minister Temple, shave his head, and take monastic vows to chant scriptures day and night. The Emperor and Empress had exhausted every possible persuasion to no avail, leaving them perpetually weighed down by sorrow. Today's kite-flying gathering had been meticulously arranged by the Empress specifically for him, in the fervent hope that the vibrant vitality and joyous laughter of the youths might stir within him a lingering attachment to the mortal realm. Nevertheless, Pei Xuan had remained seated in quiet isolation throughout the event, refusing to partake in the festivities.

Startled by the unexpected turn of events, I hurried forward to offer my apologies and plead for forgiveness. "I beseech Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince to pardon me. This humble subject was careless and allowed the kite string to break, thereby disturbing Your Highness."

Pei Xuan was clad in a robe of ivory-white brocade, exuding a tranquil, serene aura with eyes as placid as an unruffled lake. He picked up the kite and handed it back to me, speaking with absolute detachment. "It is of no consequence. Lady Shen may be at ease."

I offered a respectful bow and turned to leave, only to be halted by the voice of the Empress. I had originally assumed the matter would conclude in failure as all previous attempts had, but to my profound astonishment, the Empress's eyes suddenly lit up with a brilliant smile. "Xuan'er, you have always maintained that all matters in this world should follow the flow of destiny."

"There are countless people gathered here today, yet Lady Shen's kite happened to fall directly upon you. Is this not a manifestation of fate?"

"According to the rules established for today, if you receive Lady Shen's kite, it signifies that you have chosen her to be your Crown Princess."

My eyes widened in utter disbelief. I never could have imagined that things would evolve into such a predicament. At that precise moment, Pei Qing was drawing his bowstring, preparing to shoot down my elder sister's kite. Hearing the Empress's declaration, he froze instantly, halting his motion as he turned his head with a tense expression to look over.

Only to hear Pei Xuan reply with calm indifference, "Imperial Mother, this son did not participate in the archery competition, so this occurrence cannot possibly count."

"Furthermore, this son has dedicated his heart entirely to the Buddha and possesses no desire to ruin the life of another maiden."

The Empress paused, her gaze sweeping over my figure as if she wished to say something before withholding the words. Pei Qing completely lost his appetite for archery, striding over to my side and pulling me away by the wrist. "Shen Auning, I merely turned my attention away for a brief moment, and you managed to nearly court disaster."

Anger flared within my chest, and I immediately demanded, "Pei Qing, why did you refuse to shoot my kite just now, yet chose to shoot my elder sister's instead?"

He froze momentarily before resuming his usual mocking grin. "Are you being reasonable at all? Did I ever make such a promise to you?"

"With so many kites filling the sky, how was I supposed to distinguish which belonged to whom?"

"Shen Auning, are you truly that desperate to be wed, that you must insist on marrying me?"

Pei Qing's tongue had never known how to concede in an argument. I continually comforted myself by thinking that our friction stemmed purely from our extreme familiarity, having grown accustomed to interacting in such a manner. We were much like the bickering lovers found within popular storybooks, outwardly expressing mutual disdain while secretly holding the deepest regard for one another. Besides, when I was eight years old, he had disregarded his own safety to plunge into the freezing pond to pull me ashore. Yet the scene I had just witnessed—where he eagerly sought to bring down my sister's kite—continued to linger persistently in my mind, causing all my prepared words of interrogation to gradually melt away.

At that exact moment, Senior Servant Su from the Empress's retinue hurried over, summoning me to an audience with the Empress.

The Empress granted me a seat, her voice gentle and soothing. "Lady Shen, your late father previously served as the Grand Preceptor to the Crown Prince. Are you and the Crown Prince acquainted?"

Suppressing my nervousness, I answered with utmost caution, "Reporting to Her Majesty the Empress, this humble subject met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince on a few occasions during our youth."

In his childhood, Pei Xuan had possessed rosy lips and white teeth, carrying himself with the refined grace of a jade orchid. Yet an innate aura of cold aloofness always surrounded him, compelling others to gaze upon him from afar without ever daring to draw near. Lacking the courage to seek him out, I had spent my time playing exclusively with Pei Qing. As we grew into adulthood, aside from mandatory public appearances, Pei Xuan grew increasingly reclusive. I had only caught distant glimpses of him a handful of times, making today the very first occasion I could clearly observe his grown countenance.

A glimmer of amusement danced within the Empress's eyes as she spoke warmly, "A young maiden nurtured under the tutelage of Grand Preceptor Shen is naturally well-versed in propriety and virtue."

"Today, your kite fell upon the Crown Prince. Are you willing to follow the will of heaven and unite in this auspicious bond?"

Pei Xuan spoke up softly, his tone unmistakably disapproving, "Imperial Mother, this son has already stated..."

The Empress promptly cut him off, "Xuan'er, do not interrupt Lady Shen."

Rendered entirely helpless, he lowered his gaze and fell silent.