The General's Manor
"There are rumors," her mother continued, "that she died in her sleep… but not peacefully. Her maid claimed she had screamed before dawn. That her body was cold… too cold."
"You mean…" Ruolan's voice trembled.
"Some say it was illness. But others? They whisper he took her life with his very presence. That the Fourth Prince harbors something… unnatural. He was banished not only for protection but because his aura frightened even the Emperor."
Ruolan stared, mouth slightly agape.
"And now," Concubine Lin said softly, "he's betrothed to your rival."
Ruolan's heartbeat thudded like war drums. For a moment, her jealousy turned into something else entirely.
Fear.
That evening, she wandered out into the garden alone, trying to calm her spinning thoughts.
The moon was full, high and bright, and she walked along the marble path toward the pavilion. A shadow moved ahead—tall, graceful, silent as the night.
A guard? A servant?
She turned the corner—and froze.
He stood with his back to her, in dark royal robes, the golden embroidery barely catching the light. The air felt… wrong.
Heavy.
He turned slowly.
Eyes like smoldering coals. Sharp jaw. Pale, untouched skin. Cold like winter's breath.
The Fourth Prince.
Wei Li.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, voice as smooth as ice, as sharp as a blade.
Ruolan stumbled backward. "I-I didn't know—"
He took a step closer, his gaze narrowing.
"So curious, Miss Gu. You followed me?"
"No—!"
He stopped just short of her, staring down with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Then run along before you forget your way back."
His words were casual.
But the way he said it…
Ruolan turned and ran.
She didn't stop until she was back in her chambers, slamming the door behind her and collapsing to the floor, gasping for breath.
"He's not human…"
She shook her head, trembling.
"She'll die. Hua Rui will die if she marries him. No one can survive beside a monster like that."
Meanwhile, in the shadows of the same garden, Wei Li, wandering around the General's mansion, stood still beneath the moonlight, listening to her retreating footsteps.
He had seen the fear in her eyes.
And it didn't bother him. He smirked and disappeared into the night.
The summons arrived at dawn.
An imperial messenger bowed low at the General's residence gate, scroll in hand and gold seal gleaming.
Hua Rui, just returning from her early morning herb walk, was still wiping dew from her fingers when her mother intercepted the call with a frown.
"It's from the palace," her mother murmured, eyes scanning the contents. Her expression hardened. "You've been summoned by the Fourth Prince."
The scroll shook slightly in her hands.
"I thought you said he doesn't attend court," Hua Rui asked, brow furrowed. "Why would he summon me?"
Her mother turned, voice soft but firm.
"Because you are his betrothed now. And you must meet him properly."
There was a silence between them, heavy with unspoken memories. Her mother finally looked her in the eye.
"Do not be fooled by anyone's face. You must always remain calm. Speak carefully. And never look too long into their eyes."
"Why?" Hua Rui asked, trying to hide her unease.
"Because, my daughter…" her mother whispered, brushing a loose strand from Hua Rui's face, "no one is to be trusted and there are things behind those people that you must not be involved with."
Dressed in pale blue silks embroidered with plum blossoms, Hua Rui walked quietly through the palace corridors. She carried herself with the grace of one who had learned how to shrink into silence, yet every step felt heavier.
The guards led her toward a quiet wing rarely visited—one the servants whispered about in hushed voices. The cold palace.
There, beneath a plum tree that had outlived several dynasties, stood the Fourth Prince.
He wasn't dressed like a royal.
No gold trim. No dragon motifs. Just a dark, fitted robe that made him seem more shadow than man. His hair tied half-up, a few strands brushing his cheek as the wind passed.
He didn't turn at first. Just stood with his hands folded behind his back.
"You came."
Hua Rui's voice came out soft. "As summoned, Your Highness."
Slowly, he turned.
The moment their eyes met, she felt something like a ripple through her chest. A pull. A strange familiarity she couldn't place. But she didn't let it show.
Wei Li studied her face with unsettling calm. She looked different now—stronger, quieter, not the girl who used to throw apples at greedy market vendors. But still… it was her.
"Do you remember me?" he asked softly.
"I don't believe we've met, Your Highness," she said, politely bowing.
That made his gaze darken for a brief moment. He took a step closer.
"I see." His tone held no emotion. "Perhaps that's for the best."