Chapter 1

I was the one who gave Lin Jingfeng his name.

I am Xie Ling, the most beloved princess at court.

When my grandfather returned from battle, he brought home the head of a young Turkic prince—and a boy orphaned by war.

I was fourteen that year. The wellborn boys in the capital who were our age were not even as tall as I was, but he stood straight and handsome as a young white poplar.

“From now on, he belongs to our family,” Grandfather said. “Ah Ling, choose a name for him.”

I studied the young boy before me. Names like Ronghe or Rongsheng did not seem to suit him at all.

“Does his name have to begin with Rong, like the other boys in that generation?” I asked.

“Not necessarily.”

The wind was fierce that day. It swept over everything in its path before charging headlong into the Marquis of Zhongyong’s residence.

It carried falling blossoms onto his shoulders, speckling the lapels of his black robe with the white of pear flowers.

He brushed them away without a word. On some inexplicable impulse, I reached to catch them and closed my fingers around his instead.

He snatched his hand back as if burned. I gazed straight into his eyes, deep and misted as a cold pool.

He was so beautiful—like a drift of solitary snow stirred from a wintry mountain by the howling wind.

Grandfather coughed. I smiled at the boy. “How about Lin Jingfeng?”

I told Mother I wanted Ah Ling to choose Lin Jingfeng as his study companion.

Ah Ling was my younger twin brother, the Fifth Prince.

Mother smiled. “Lin Jingfeng might not agree.”

I was puzzled. “So many people want to study alongside a prince. Why would he refuse?”

She stroked my head and smiled again. “Some people have very stiff spines, Ah Ling. You wouldn’t understand.”

I did not understand, so I went to find Lin Jingfeng with my heart in my hands.

He was practicing with his sword, his strokes fierce enough to tear through anything in his way.

I chattered away excitedly, painting the position of a prince’s study companion in the most glorious colors.

“So you see,” I concluded, “if you go to lessons with Ah Ling, Father might even give you an official post!”

At last Lin Jingfeng raised his eyes to me. His sword flashed, driving straight at me.

For one instant, I felt he truly meant to kill me.

To my shame, I fell to the ground, cold sweat breaking across my forehead.

The sword tip stopped an inch from my face. Lin Jingfeng slowly sheathed it and held out a hand to pull me up.

He released me the moment I found my feet. “I don’t want to go.”

“A prince’s study companion can meet all sorts of powerful people. Why wouldn’t you want that?”

He did not answer. Lowering his head, he untied the tassel from his sword and tossed it to me. “Don’t give me things like this again. I have no use for them.”

He strode away. As I stared after him, my fingers, pricked raw by the embroidery needle, began to throb all over again.

Ah Ling had been beside me and had seen everything. After a long silence, he said, “Sister, he isn’t worth it.”

I hung my head without answering. He crouched in front of me and wiped away my tears with one finger. “Crybaby.”

I scrubbed my face and glared at him. “Medicine jar!”

Ah Ling had been sickly since childhood and could not do without his medicine. He hated anyone mentioning it. Rolling his eyes, he snatched the sword tassel from me and took me to the study.

Lin Jingfeng had a habit of reporting to Grandfather there after his martial training. Sure enough, when we opened the door, he was talking to Grandfather beside the sand table.

Grandfather smiled at us. “What brings you two here?”

Smiling at Lin Jingfeng, Ah Ling tossed the tassel onto the sand table, though he addressed our grandfather. “We’ve come to tell you a joke. A certain pampered young lady who had never worked with her hands suddenly took up embroidery. She pricked all ten fingers and barely managed to make something presentable. Then she hurried off to give it to someone, only for him to decide it was useless. Isn’t that funny?”

I tugged his sleeve, trying to stop him.

Grandfather’s gaze lingered on the three of us. He only smiled.

Ah Ling’s smile remained brilliant, but there was no amusement in his eyes as he turned on his next target. “Lin Jingfeng, don’t you think it’s funny?”

Lin Jingfeng picked up the tassel and examined it closely. “Did you make this yourself?”

“A palace maid made it,” I said stubbornly.

“And the palace maid pricked all ten fingers?”

I gave up all pretense and snapped, “Yes. Rivers of blood!”

He watched me for a while, then smiled and put the tassel away. “Then tell the palace maid not to do it again. I’m not worth hurting her fingers over.”

I blushed, at a loss for words.

Ah Ling gave a cold laugh and was about to speak, but Grandfather coughed. He shot Lin Jingfeng a murderous look and held his tongue.

Grandfather smiled. “Ah Feng.”

“Yes, my lord,” Lin Jingfeng answered respectfully.

“Why don’t you want to be Ah Ling’s study companion?”

“I’m slow-witted and without talent. I’m unequal to the responsibility.”

Grandfather’s smile faded. “That isn’t the truth.”

The setting sun shone through the lattice window, lighting the boy’s handsome face.

He was the same age as I was, yet his eyes were deep as a cold pool veiled in mist, impossible to see through.

As if he had made up his mind at last, he said each word distinctly. “I want to follow you into battle, my lord, and avenge my family.”

The lord he meant was my grandfather, the Marquis of Zhongyong.

“Many people want to go to war with me,” Grandfather said unhurriedly. “Why should I choose you?”

“Once my family is avenged, my life will belong to you.”

Grandfather smiled kindly. “Ah Feng, at my age, I have little use for your life. I will help you take revenge, but in return you must look after Ah Ling. If she wishes to marry you, you must give up wealth and glory to become her prince consort. Will you agree?”

Lin Jingfeng clenched his fingers and looked at me.

I was certain that, in that instant, his eyes held nothing but refusal.

Yet he said, “I will.”