What was shattered along with it was the void before his eyes.

He felt as if he had suddenly been pulled back to long, long ago.

That year he was only seven years old, accompanying his parents to visit Prince Zhengnan’s manor for the first time.

He could no longer remember what Princess Zhengnan looked like then, only that she had been beautiful and noble.

Princess Pingnan gently patted his hand and told him to go play with the young princess.

He encountered the young princess practicing archery at Prince Zhengnan’s manor’s martial arts training ground.

The young princess, about his age, was deeply focused, though unfortunately the arrows she shot drifted and swayed before falling to the ground, far from the target.

He couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

The young princess didn’t even glance his way, but drew another arrow from the quiver to continue practicing.

He saw that before nocking the arrow on the bowstring, she would lightly tap the string with her little finger.

For as long as she practiced, he watched.

Every single time, he could see that inconspicuous yet somewhat playful little gesture.

Finally, an arrow flew out and struck dead center in the target. Only then did she hand the bow and arrow to a little maid in red beside her and stride over to him.

“Are you the Pingnan Prince’s heir?”

He stared with widened eyes in surprise: “You know me?”

The young princess smiled slightly: “I don’t, but my mother consort said that distinguished guests from the Pingnan Prince’s manor would be visiting today. Based on your clothing and age, who else would you be if not the Pingnan Prince’s heir?”

He still remembered her confident tone, her bright eyes, and the beads of sweat on her smooth forehead that she hadn’t wiped away.

Looking at her like this, he who had grown up pampered and privileged felt a trace of awkwardness for the first time.

This feeling left him at a loss and embarrassed.

So he asked stiffly: “Since you guessed I was a guest visiting your home, why didn’t you come greet me just now?”

As if this would somehow give him the upper hand.

She wasn’t angered, but pursed her lips in a smile, speaking with a natural matter-of-factness: “Because I was practicing archery just now, and it wasn’t time to finish yet—I couldn’t give up halfway.”

It wasn’t the imperious, domineering kind of matter-of-factness, but a firm and forthright kind.

He suddenly lost all competitive spirit and asked hesitantly: “What’s your name?”

“I’m called Luo’er. You can call me Qingyang.”

He knew that Qingyang was the title bestowed upon Prince Zhengnan’s manor’s young princess.

So he said: “Then I’ll call you Luo’er. I’m called Wei Qiang.”

She nodded and called his name: “Wei Qiang, want to practice archery together?”

Wei Qiang, want to practice archery together?

It was as if in an instant, that little girl had grown into a maiden of peerless beauty, had become his fiancée.

But on that night twelve years ago, the young woman who had just performed the marriage rites with him had galloped wildly on horseback, struck by an arrow through her heart by someone his father king had arranged.

He watched her fall from the horse, her bright red wedding dress spreading out, dying in pain yet quietly.

Even in death, she remained so proud, without the slightest trace of dishevelment.

In the long years that followed, he had countless times wanted to return to long, long ago.

When that little girl with beads of sweat on her forehead had openly invited him.

Wei Qiang, want to practice archery together?

A tear slid down the corner of his eye.

In his blurred vision, that plain-clothed figure gradually overlapped with the person in his memory.

“Luo’er.” Wei Qiang called out softly.

“Young master, your hand can’t shake—how can you shoot well if your hand shakes…” The little maid’s chattering voice rang out.

Wei Qiang’s eyes regained clarity. Where was Luo’er in his sight? There was only Miss Luo.

He wanted to walk over, but his feet seemed to have grown roots, making him unable to move.

In the end, he returned to the golden tent with a pale face.

“Your Highness has returned from your walk.” Chao Hua was slightly startled and quickly stepped forward to greet him.

She had thought that after hearing those words from her, this man would go to Miss Luo’s place to ask for a bowl of sour soup noodles.

It seemed she had overestimated herself.

Chao Hua mockingly curled the corners of her lips and walked to Wei Qiang’s side, only to discover his face was deathly pale, wearing an expression of complete devastation.

“Your Highness?”

Wei Qiang clearly had no mind to speak and walked right past Chao Hua.

Leaving Chao Hua shocked in her heart, she paused for a moment before quickly following.

“Your Highness, have some tea.”

Wei Qiang glanced at the slender jade hands holding the teacup.

On her fair wrist was an exquisite gold bracelet.

The other bracelet… was on Miss Luo’s wrist.

And this pair of bracelets had belonged to Luo’er. If Luo’er were wearing them, what would that look like?

Luo’er, Miss Luo…

Wei Qiang raised his hand and rubbed his brow.

He must be going mad, to actually see Luo’er’s shadow in Miss Luo.

Miss Luo was arrogant and domineering, even keeping male companions, while Luo’er had been proud and noble, maintaining an aloof demeanor even toward him, her childhood sweetheart and fiancé.

Sometimes, he even suspected that Luo’er had never truly given him her heart. Her willingness to marry him was merely because their family backgrounds matched, at their parents’ word.

Such thoughts that occasionally flashed through his mind could nearly drive a person mad.

He was the young prince of Pingnan Prince’s manor—if he wanted the stars from the sky, people would scramble to pluck them for him.

Yet he could never fathom her heart.

He thought that if he stood higher, if his status were more noble, he could completely and utterly possess Luo’er.

Perhaps then Luo’er would look at him the way other women looked at their beloved—with admiration and reverence.

“Your Highness, what’s wrong with you?” The slender hand holding the teacup trembled.

Wei Qiang moved his wooden eyes but didn’t take the teacup. Instead, he grasped the wrist wearing the gold-inlaid seven-treasure bracelet.

Chao Hua’s eyes contracted, and the teacup in her hand swayed.

Why was this man acting so strangely?

After thinking for a moment, she wrapped one arm around him.

Since asking brought no answer, she would simply wait quietly for him to speak on his own.

The woman’s warm embrace gradually soothed the raging storm in the man’s heart.

After who knows how long, he asked in a low voice: “Yu Niang, do you think it’s possible for two people in this world to share the same small habit?”

Chao Hua’s thick lashes trembled. She didn’t understand what he meant.

But this person was clearly waiting for her answer.

“Perhaps…” Chao Hua’s tone was uncertain. “After all, there are so many people in the world. It’s not strange for people to be similar.”

“Is that so?” The man in her arms softly uttered these two words, his joy or sorrow impossible to discern.

Chao Hua grew increasingly puzzled and probed: “Did Your Highness encounter someone?”

Wei Qiang fell silent again.

Chao Hua accompanied him in silence.

After a long while, Wei Qiang gently pushed Chao Hua away, pulled her to sit beside him, and asked a question that seemed very strange to Chao Hua.

“Yu Niang, what do you think of Miss Luo?”

Chao Hua smiled: “This humble one has had little contact with Miss Luo, so it’s hard to say—”

“Just say what you feel.” Wei Qiang seemed somewhat impatient and cut her off coldly.

His whole person was tense.

Wanting to hear something, yet afraid to hear it.

Even he himself couldn’t clearly say for a moment what it was.

Chao Hua was slightly taken aback, then smiled: “This humble one feels Miss Luo lives quite freely, not as… not as unseemly as the rumors suggest…”

Wei Qiang frowned.

This wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

“Yu Niang, do you think Miss Luo resembles Luo’er?”