A silent settled over the Emperor's private library. The lanterns burned low, casting long shadows over the kingdom scrolls and shelves dusted with age. Emperor Zixuan sat quietly, fingers steepled beneath his chin, absorbing every word his son had just told him—the visions, the journey, the hidden room, the sealed coffin.
Finally, after a long pause, he spoke.
"And the young prince?" His voice was low, careful, as though speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile truth of it all.
Leng Yue stared into his eyes before answering.
"Still sleeping," he said softly. His gaze fell again "But Xi Wang said… he'll wake. Slowly."
The Emperor nodded faintly. But behind his calm expression, a storm of thought brewed. The weight of the prophecy, the bloodlines long buried, the balance now shifting—everything was beginning to unfold, just as foretold.
"Now that the man whose fate is tied to my daughter has finally awakened… I feel lost."
Emperor Zixuan spoke quietly, not sure if he was speaking to his son or just thinking out loud. His gaze lingered on the flickering lamp beside him,
"Should I turn a blind eye?" he murmured. "Or should I just tell my daughter the truth — that her destiny is bound to a vampire prince?"
Leng Yue sat beside him, thoughtful. "Don't worry, Father. Let's take this slowly. First, we should find out how she feels about witches… and vampires. From there, we'll know what to do next."
The Emperor looked at his son, then slowly nodded. "That's a wise suggestion, my son. May your wisdom never fail you." He reached out and gently tapped his shoulder with affection.
With that quiet agreement, the two men rose from the Imperial Library and returned to their chambers to rest for the night.
The next morning, after breakfast... The family of four sat together in the throne room. The sunlight spilled through the high windows, making the throne room bright and lively. But something felt off.
Emperor Zixuan sat unusually quiet, The Empress noticed immediately. "What troubles you, my highest?" she asked softly, placing her hand over his.
"Nothing serious," he replied with a faint smile. "Just the same old story with the Scorpion King."
"Has he done something recently?" she asked, concerned.
"Not exactly," Zixuan said, his voice dropping. "But I know him. When he's quiet… that's when he's most dangerous. If he's not causing chaos, then he's planning it."
They spoke for a while longer about the Scorpion King's patterns, until Leng Yue, sensing the heavy air, decided to change the subject.
"Sister," he said suddenly, turning to Yuyan, "what do you think about vampires and witches?"
Yuyan blinked, caught off guard. "What?" she asked, brows raised. "You mean… like the ones in my storybook?"
She tilted her head and placed a finger on her cheek, trying to understand where the question was coming from. "Vampires are just fairy tales."
Leng Yue pressed on, his tone casual but intentional. "And what if… the man in your dreams turned out to be a vampire?"
The words struck like thunder.
Yuyan froze. "What?!" she gasped.
Her lips trembled. "How can you compare him to a vampire?" she cried, her voice rising. "He's gentle… kind… he saved me. That man doesn't belong in some dark, cursed touching story.
Her eyes filled with tears. "The story I read is just a fantasy. It has nothing to do with this world!"
She stood up abruptly, her chair screeching behind her. "Stay away from my dreams!" she shouted, then turned and dashed out of the throne room.
The echo of her footsteps faded down the hallway, leaving the rest of the family stunned — silent, confused, and unsure of what to do next.
After storming out of the throne room, Yuyan headed straight to her chamber.
"I don't want to be disturbed!" she yelled, slamming the door shut behind her.
She threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in her hands. Her thoughts were a mess. Why would Brother even suggest something so ridiculous? A vampire?
Instead of helping her figure out who the man from her dreams truly was—the one who had stirred her heart night after night—Leng Yue was now talking about vampires and witches. It felt like no one was taking her feelings seriously.
Tears welled in her eyes again. She didn't understand why this dream mattered so much, or why it hurt so deeply when they tried to dismiss it as if is not important.
The atmosphere in the Palace of Lianhua was heavy with silence, but things were quite the opposite at the Palace of Xiyue. Laughter and whispers floated through the air as palace maidens went about their duties, their hands busy but their mouths busier.
Just a few days ago, the prince had been caught kissing Mimi in the middle of the night. The news had spread like wildfire, giving everyone something juicy to talk about. The maid that witnessed it couldn't wait to tell the others, and the gossip added excitement to their usually monotonous chores.
Two young maidens were chatting excitedly near the lotus garden, completely unaware that someone was behind them.
"What did you just say?" Yue Rong's sharp voice cut through the air like a whip.
The girls froze. They turned around quickly, their hands waving in panic as they tried to deny everything.
"If you two don't tell me what's going on right now, I'll have you thrown out of the palace!" she barked.
Terrified, the girls spilled the truth, recounting the rumors about Prince Tian Yu and Mimi. Yue Rong's face twisted in fury. Without another word, she stormed off.
Fuming, she burst into the Healing Hall and yanked Mimi by the wrist in front of everyone.
"What happened between you and the prince?" she demanded, her voice echoing off the stone walls.
"Nothing, really," Mimi replied quietly, clearly caught off guard.
"Liar!" Yue Rong shouted, still gripping her wrist tightly.
Just then, Prince Tian Yu stepped out from the inner chamber, holding a bowl of water in his hands. Yue Rong's eyes widened in shock—he was helping Mimi attend to the patients.
"What are you doing?" she asked, stunned.
"Helping my woman," he replied calmly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Isn't that what you came to find out?"
Then, right in front of Yue Rong, he pulled Mimi into a gentle hug and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
Yue Rong could barely believe it. Her fists clenched at her sides, her eyes burning with rage as she turned and stormed out of the Healing Hall, swearing to herself: she would break them apart—no matter what it took.