By the time everyone returned to King Yīng’s personal rooms, there was a meal being arranged in the private banquet hall. He had received word from Constable Liú that the meeting between Mîn Jíng and Jié Qiáng had gone better than anyone had anticipated. King Yīng was so overjoyed, he ordered a feast laid out for their arrival.

 Féng Wěi and Yǒng Wěi entered the room first to find their father pacing eagerly before his table. When he stopped to look at them with an inquisitive gaze, Féng Wěi smiled and nodded once in a gesture that everything was all right.

 King Yīng watched the doorway as his sons continued to their seats. A moment later, Mîn Jíng and Jié Qiáng entered and stopped before him. His jaw dropped slightly when they walked in holding hands.

 His daughter looked the happiest she had been since before that fateful night. He saw that the prince bore the same joyous expression, and he looked from them to his sons for an explanation.

 “Let’s eat first,” Yǒng Wěi replied to the unspoken plea. “Tracking down Sister always makes me hungry!”

 Mîn Jíng laughed at his teasing before bowing respectfully to her father. “Father, please forgive me for worrying you. It wasn’t my intention. I brought food to the prisoners and fell asleep. Constable Liú took care of me.”

 King Yīng took his daughter’s hands still folded from her bow and held them close.

 “Enough, enough,” he replied with a smile. “I know this morning was a shock. I should have better prepared you. It seems everything has worked out,” he noted looking from her to her betrothed. “How did this happen so quickly?”

 Jié Qiáng bowed before answering. “Your majesty, it would seem the world is not so big the heavens cannot find two mortals with a fated destiny.”

 When the king was about to respond, Mîn Jíng interrupted. “We’ll explain during the meal, Father. If we don’t eat soon, Yǒng is going to eat the table.”

 His daughter’s good-natured teasing had been missed for so long, he did as she suggested.

 Jié Qiáng allowed Mîn Jíng to guide him to a table on the right of King Yīng’s, which was situated a step above the other tables placed in a horseshoe fashion. Across from their table was her older brother, and to his right was the younger brother.

 As they began to sit, Mîn Jíng pulled Jié Qiáng to the table beside the one he believed would be theirs. She directed him to sit on the floor cushion nearest her before she took her seat at the first table. Hoping they would sit together, he looked at her with disappointment.

 Mîn Jíng waved over Sī to sit beside her closest to the king so that Mîn Jíng could sit beside Jié Qiáng.

 He was then more confused that she had made a seat for her servant, and he looked toward his guard seated on the other side of him in wonder. He noticed her brothers watching his confusion with humor and began to wonder if this was some sort of joke.

 “I know you wanted to sit together,” Mîn Jíng told him, drawing his attention back in her direction, “but it would be inappropriate for Sī and Yū to sit together. They just met and there aren’t enough tables set for them to each have their own.”

 Those gathered in the room from the palace seemed eager for his reaction, putting him on guard and unsure of the situation he had been invited into.   

 Deciding he would take on whatever this bait was after, he replied, “Why are you making room for the servants? Is it a custom here?”

 Mîn Jíng looked at him and in a serious tone, responded, “They have to eat. Don’t you allow Yū to eat?”

 Jié Qiáng looked at her for a moment still wondering what was happening, and then looked around at his new family. They were all watching closely while they started to eat, grins on their faces as if this was their mealtime entertainment.

 He took a cautious breath and replied, “Of course, he eats, but he’s my attendant while he’s on duty. He stands behind me as servants usually do.”

 Mîn Jíng understood that the rules her father had allowed her to implement regarding small family gatherings were unique to their palace. She smiled patiently before continuing.

 “When does he eat?” she asked.

 Jié Qiáng was about to answer, but Féng Wěi quickly intervened. “If you let this continue, she’s going to lecture you on the fairness of servant treatment and shame your noble blood.”

 Yǒng Wěi laughed over a bite of pheasant and quickly held his hand over his mouth.

 “Lecture?” Mîn Jíng repeated. “You think my philosophy on palace affairs is a lecture?”

 “Yes!” her brothers and even her father blurted unanimously.

 She huffed when they laughed.

 Jié Qiáng couldn’t help but smile. He leaned over toward Yáng Ning and said quietly, “Having her at the palace is going to be interesting.”

 Yáng Ning laughed and began to eat from the bowls of fresh vegetables and meat in front of him.

 King Yīng took a sip of wine from his small gold cup while he kept a close eye on his daughter and Jié Qiáng. They certainly did seem to get along as well as the messenger claimed, and he wanted to know how it happened so suddenly.

 “What happened at the prison?” he asked, his gaze meeting first Mîn Jíng, moving onto Jié Qiáng, and finally, his sons.

 Mîn Jíng looked at her father and brothers as she pondered how much of the festival story she should disclose. She looked at Jié Qiáng as he swallowed a bite of food in hopes he would answer first so she could think about her words.

 He only smiled at her and took another bite of meat and rice. This was her family and he wasn’t going to risk saying anything that could embarrass her or cause her father to be angry with her again.

 Mîn Jíng took a deep breath and pushed aside the food on her table. She pet Xiù Xiù nestled in her lap as she contemplated where to begin her story.

 “Father, I haven’t been completely honest with you and my brothers. I know you’ve all believed I had become delusional over the characters in my fairy tale. You thought it was because I was lonely, even because I missed Mother and it was her favorite story.

 The truth is the butterfly did become a real person, and I found out today that the person was Prince Jié Qiáng.”

 King Yīng quickly looked toward the prince and then to his sons. They continued eating as they listened for their sister to fill in the missing details of the summary they heard. 

 Mîn Jíng watched the confusion in her father’s expression and continued. “I brought the butterfly mask I made to the lantern festival that year. I wanted someone to buy it so I could search for them and learn their story. You know I loved playing games with the villagers during every festival. That year, I decided to use Mother’s favorite fairy tale as inspiration.

 Jié Qiáng was visiting the village that day. He bought my mask after I had given it to the vendor to sell. Not long after, he rescued me from a group of drunk men.”

 At her mention of the rescue, the brothers stopped eating and stared at her across the space between them. She looked at Jié Qiáng and wondered when he was going to say something from his perspective.

 Jié Qiáng stayed relaxed on his cushion beside a humored Yáng Ning. He decided to continue eating until it was time to tell his version. He was certain they would ask why he was in their kingdom at that time. He was prepared to answer honestly.

 When her betrothed refused to speak, Mîn Jíng continued. “I wasn’t paying attention and disturbed some men leaving the tavern. They were vulgar and dangerous, but before they could harm me, Jié Qiáng, his guard Yáng Ning, and his brother stopped them.

 They stayed with me for the rest of the night to keep me safe. They were visitors and had never been to our festival, so I showed them around and bought them food. We set off lanterns and I showed them the garden the villagers made for me. That’s when I told Jié Qiáng the fairy tale behind the masks. Yǒng and Féng arrived shortly after to take me home.

 Jié Qiáng wore the butterfly mask all night and I wore my crane mask. The others wore masks, as well.”

 She finished her story and began to eat, as if her explanation would be the end of it. She took a sip of tea and continued eating as she watched them all from lowered eyes.

 Jié Qiáng finished another bite of food and took a sip of wine. He waited to be invited to add his version of events while watching her father and brothers eyeing him suspiciously. He glanced over at Yáng Ning, who was still eating with a grin over his friend’s predicament.

 Yáng Ning noticed his prince staring at him and he began to laugh with a mouthful of food.

 He wiped his mouth and swallowed before he spoke. “I recall telling a certain young prince not to follow a certain young girl, but his brother and I were ignored and had to run after them both the entire night.”

 He laughed again at the looks he received from both Jié Qiáng and Mîn Jíng – one hostile, the other horrified.

 He looked toward the princess’ brothers and continued, “You think your sister was the unruly one. Try being this one’s guard for the last eight years.”

 Jié Qiáng turned more in the direction of his guard and dared him with a glare to continue.

 “This is why servants should stand silently at attention a reasonable distance away,” he chastised, but there was humor in his tone.

 Yáng Ning poured a cup of wine and raised it for a toast, “To unruly princes and their unruly servants.”

 Mîn Jíng laughed as her brothers joined him in the toast. She was relieved everyone was getting along so well ... until her father spoke.

 “Why were you in our kingdom?” King Yīng asked of Jié Qiáng.

 He was careful to keep his tone level, showing no indication of suspicion. Even if it was to spy, it was in the past. They were looking at a peace alliance moving forward. However, he was the protector of his kingdom. Anything that could jeopardize his citizens’ safety should be thoroughly investigated.

 Jié Qiáng looked down at his food and smiled at the question that finally arose. He had no intention of lying, even if his words could affect their tenuous political relationship. He wiped his mouth with a silk napkin and glanced at Mîn Jíng before meeting the king’s gaze.

 “In truth, your majesty, I was here for two separate reasons,” he answered. “I was in the middle of rebelling against an arranged marriage. I decided to travel for a few weeks to experience the world and contemplate my forced responsibility to become a husband and father. The prospect wasn’t easy for me to accept,” he grinned as he reminisced.

 “I was twenty-one, spoiled, and free-spirited while others my age were sacrificing and dying in the war. I’m ashamed to admit I dishonored my father and my responsibilities to our kingdom quite often. Sabotaging a necessary marriage alliance wasn’t surprising to those around me.”

 He looked over at Yáng Ning, who raised his cup in a silent toast of agreement.

 Turning again toward King Yīng, he continued, “I had an idea that if I could learn a few secrets about this kingdom, Father would be grateful enough to allow me to cancel the wedding. My oldest brother was with me on the journey, as well as Yáng Ning. They both tried to advise against my plotting, but I felt it was a plan worthy of an attempt.

 I never trusted the father of the girl. I believed he was scheming to gain favor with my father and the court, using his daughter as a way to retain some kind of influence. Damaging the marriage alliance wasn’t entirely selfish, but avoiding having a wife was certainly self-serving.”

 He shifted his gaze to Mîn Jíng and smiled warmly.

 “Until I met your daughter,” he added.

 He poured a cup of tea rather than wine, deciding he should remain clear-headed during a marital discussion with his father-in-law. After taking a sip, he spoke of Mîn Jíng.

 His eyes stayed on hers as he continued. “I don’t know if it was love I felt the moment I saw her, but I couldn’t take my eyes away. I had flirted and played around with girls many times, never taking any of them seriously. Something was different that night. Something about this little crane changed the reckless, vain boy from that moment on.”

 He looked toward her brothers and to her father to speak on a more serious note. “After stopping the men from trying to hurt her, we decided to escort her around the festival. While we walked, she told me about the villagers who had lost loved ones in the war. She knew so much of their stories, I began to think about our own citizens for the first time in my life.

 My father and I had often clashed on our opinions about the war. I didn’t agree with continuing a conflict no one alive today started. He always countered with a debate on honor and filial piety. My favorite tactic to end the debate was to speak on the sacrifices and suffering by the citizens forced to accommodate this bloody loyalty.

 In truth, I never considered the effects of the war on the people,” he admitted. “I, of course, cared about the kingdom, but thinking in terms of sovereignty eliminates the personal connection to the subjects.

 Even though my eldest brother was a commander, I hadn’t bothered to consider his contributions or that of any of our soldiers passed acknowledging they worked hard at obeying orders.

 Mîn opened my eyes that night. She knew the stories of the commoners by seeing the people, not the crown. The lives she shared with me were heartbreaking as I saw these people for the first time. Though not to the degree Mîn had shown, my father had often urged me to be among the people and learn their hardships. I finally understood why.

 After I returned from my trip and insisted the wedding be cancelled, my father lost his temper and sent me to serve under my brother. After fighting against first this kingdom and then the Wáng Píng, I understood the situation of the soldiers he and my brother tried often to explain.

 Taking what I learned from Mîn and what I saw from our soldiers’ perspective, I finally realized the words I carelessly, thoughtlessly ignored. She inspired me. I’ve dedicated myself to being like her, and it’s made me a better person and earn the right to be respected by my people.”

 When he was finished speaking, he took Mîn Jíng’s hand in his and kissed the back softly, ignoring any reaction her father might have.

 King Yīng watched the adoration the young prince had shown his daughter the whole time he spoke. He smiled as he thought of his previous guilt over betraying his promise to his late wife. He could finally meet her in the after life without shame.