A coming-of-age ceremony is arguably the first and most important day in a young woman's life.
Today was her coming-of-age ceremony. She had naturally hoped to receive the blessings of all her friends, but she hadn't seen him in three years.
As a child, the Seventh Princess had been innocent and vivacious. She never let her physical disability make her feel inferior. Diligent and studious, she loved reading above all else, and had devoured nearly every book she could find in the palace.
When she grew a little older, she watched her sisters marry and leave the palace. For a time, she thought she and Brother Xu Luo were kindred spirits in their misfortune. 'Since Father-Emperor relies so heavily on Grand General Xu Ji,' she had once thought, 'he'll surely betroth me to Xu Luo.'
But she gradually came to understand that her father, the Emperor, did not like the Xu Family's second son. He was, however, quite interested in their eldest.
