In spring, the peach blossoms in the General's Mansion always bloomed with exceptional brilliance. When I squatted beneath the peach tree counting petals, my father would often lift me up by the back of my collar. "What kind of noble young lady rummages in the dirt like a little beggar?" The gold threads on his armor shimmered in the sunlight. Looking up at the man who could lift me above his shoulders, I felt that the most majestic thing in the world was being a father's daughter.
On the day of the imperial selection, I clutched my handkerchief and hid behind a corridor pillar, but the Empress Dowager picked me out at a single glance. "This child has stars in her eyes," she said with a smile, pinching my chin. Catching the scent of the dragon-saliva incense at her sleeve, I suddenly remembered my father's words: "Imperial sweets are all wrapped around the tips of blades." Yet back then, I simply took entering the palace to be an amusing errand—until I saw that man upon the imperial throne. His dark dragon robe was embroidered with the twelve imperial symbols, and the slight upward slant of his eyes bore a striking resemblance to the black panther in the backyard of the General's Mansion.
On the day of the Grand Empress-Investing Ceremony, my phoenix crown was so heavy it nearly broke my neck. He reached out to straighten the dangling beads, his fingertips brushing against my earlobe. "I hear you often used to steal the General's wine at home?" I looked up at him and discov…
Chapter 16