It was just a test. There was a type of celebration in Sumeru a long time ago, where the previous archon Dendro created a kind of bird that found the person you would be most compatible with at a certain rank. Now that the minor queen Kusanali found him again she asked if anyone wanted to try their luck at finding a partner.

It wasn't 100% reliable, but you still wanted to try to see which man the bird associated you with. Finally, when it was your turn, the bird left the bazaar where it had been to guide you to where your future partner should be.

Upon entering Akademiya he went to the library where he stood on the shoulder of the Great Scribe, who looked up from his book to see the strange bird that landed on it, not knowing where it came from.