Chapter 2 — The Jade Robe and Old Dreams

He told her that he adored reading and occasionally composed poetry. He mentioned that he kept a plump, round tabby cat with an insatiable appetite. He confessed that his knowledge of the world was far from vast, yet he was wholeheartedly willing to accompany her to the ends of the earth. When the time came for them to part ways, he gathered every ounce of his courage and asked,

"I am... I am neither eloquent, nor do I know the proper ways to win a lady's favor. Lady Shen, would I... might I have the privilege of inviting you out once more?"

His burning gaze was so intense that it stirred a sudden, undeniable flutter within her heart. Watching his deeply tense and anxious expression, she offered a gentle smile:

"Very well."

She turned and descended the staircase, the emerald hem of her skirt flashing briefly before vanishing around the corner of the landing. A mere moment later, Zhao Chapshu stepped onto the second floor. Lifting his gaze, all he caught was a flash of green disappearing around the stairwell. It was no different from the elusive figure that haunted his dreams. His heart hammered violently against his ribs, and just as he moved to give chase, a familiar voice called out to her:

"Your Highness?"

Catching sight of him, Lu Chu immediately straightened and bowed deeply in greeting.

"What brings Your Highness to such a place on a day like this?"

Zhao Chapshu’s footsteps halted abruptly. He glanced back toward the empty stairs, then shifted his gaze to Lu Chu, frowning as he demanded,

"What are you doing here?"

"Your servant is meeting a young lady for a formal match-making introduction."

Lu Chu answered with a bright, earnest smile.

"I am no longer a young man; it is well past time I settle down and establish a family."

"Match-making?"

Zhao Chapshu repeated the two words as if testing their reality.

"The daughter of which household?"

"The second young lady of the Marquis Anyuan estate, Shen Qingci."

Zhao Chapshu’s fingers curled into tight fists. He was suddenly reminded of the young woman in his recurring dreams, the one who struggled so persistently to skip stones across the water’s surface.

"How strange, why... why does it still not work?"

The young woman in the dream would stamp her feet in frustration, yet she would stubbornly try again and again. He longed to see her face clearly, but no matter how hard he tried, her features remained shrouded in a persistent mist.

"Your Highness?"

Noticing his absent-minded silence, Lu Chu softly prompted him. Zhao Chapshu snapped back to reality, looked at Lu Chu once more, and shook his head with a self-deprecating chuckle. It could not possibly be her. How could someone like her ever participate in a formal match-making meeting?

"Next time, bring this young lady along so I may meet her."

"I shall help you vet her character."

Lu Chu smiled warmly:

"If the opportunity arises, I will certainly introduce her to Your Highness."

9

In the days that followed, Lu Chu frequently invited her out. He always maintained the utmost propriety, never once crossing the boundaries of respect and decorum. Yet, for reasons unknown, no matter where they chose to meet, Zhao Chapshu seemed to linger in the periphery. She made sure to avoid the Crown Prince at every turn, successfully preventing any chance encounters. After more than a month of steady companionship, the two of them grew deeply attached to one another. She would teach him the nuances of cricket fighting, while he instructed her in the reading of classical texts, their time spent together flowing as naturally as the breath in their lungs. One lazy afternoon, he escorted her back to the estate. As they reached the mouth of the alley, he abruptly halted.

"Qingci."

He spoke her name, his voice thick with tension. She turned her head to look at him.

"I wish to marry you."

The tips of his ears were burning a fiery red.

"This is not some passing whim or momentary impulse. If you are willing, I shall have my father come to your estate with formal wedding proposals tomorrow. But if you are not..."

"I... I am willing to wait."

His eyes brimbed with a poignant vulnerability. A gentle smile touched her lips:

"I am willing."

He froze completely, his eyes instantly bursting with a radiant brilliance:

"Truly?"

"Truly."

He stood rooted to the spot, so overwhelmed with excitement that his hands and feet did not quite know where to go.

"I will come for the proposal tomorrow."

He turned to leave, took a few steps, and then spun back around for one last lingering look before finally walking away.

10

The following day, Elder Lu arrived at their gates accompanied by Lu Chu to officially propose marriage. Betrothal gifts were piled so high they filled the entire courtyard. Lu Chu stood dutifully behind his father, so nervous that his fingers kept tightly clutching the fabric of his robes. Catching sight of her, he offered a stolen, shy smile before hastily lowering his gaze. While her mother conversed amicably with Elder Lu, she stood quietly behind a decorative silk screen, listening to them discuss the auspicious dates for the wedding. Every now and then, Lu Chu’s steady, sincere voice drifted through:

"Respected aunt, please rest assured. I will treat Qingci with absolute care and devotion."

"I will never allow her to suffer even the slightest grievance."

Her mother turned to her and asked gently,

"How do you feel about this?"

Blushing fiercely, she lowered her head and replied,

"This daughter will defer entirely to Mother's arrangements."

The date of the wedding was officially set for the eighth of the following month. The news spread rapidly through the capital. Crown Prince Zhao Chapshu dispatched a lavish wedding gift, an heirloom-grade pair of pristine white jade pendants of incalculable value. It was rumored that he was still desperately searching for the woman of his dreams. Day after day, young women dressed in emerald skirts flocked to the palace gates hoping to catch his eye. Yet every single time, he dismissed them all, declaring none of them were her. Conversely, for reasons known only to fate, the Crown Princess within the palace walls had quietly begun wearing green garments, her temperament gradually growing lively and cheerful. She took up the swings in the royal gardens and even began playing with fighting crickets. Some whispered in hushed tones that the Crown Princess was growing increasingly similar to the woman in the Prince's dreams. Sometimes, Zhao Chapshu would stare at his wife in a daze, yet he never once uttered a word of acknowledgment. As the wedding day drew near, she sat quietly in her courtyard stitching her scarlet bridal robes. Chun'er sat beside her, deftly untangling threads, when she suddenly lowered her voice and said,

"Young Mistress, this servant heard that His Highness the Crown Prince flew into a rage again yesterday, scolding the officials for their incompetence in failing to track down that young woman after all this time."

The needle in her hand paused for a fraction of a second before smoothly continuing its downward path.

"Is that so?"

"Young Mistress, word has it that the lady His Highness is searching for loves wearing green dresses, enjoys cricket fighting, and loves swinging—her preferences match yours in every single detail. How can there be such an uncanny coincidence in this world?"

Without lifting her head, she simply replied: