Synopsis
Before the marriage decree came down, the thought of being paired with Xue Shaochong had never crossed my mind. We grew up side by side in the palace—shared the same teachers, ran through the same courtyards. Childhood companions, nothing more. We never truly let each other in, never really knew what the other was thinking. We got along fine when we played together. He was drawn to archery and riding horses; I tagged along often enough that I became decent with a bow myself. I had a talent for painting; he asked me once to do a portrait for him.…
