Inside the royal chambers of Lianhua, the air was warm with the scent of sandalwood and plum blossom. Princess Zhao Yuyan lay upon her rosewood bed, the silk canopy swaying slightly above her. Red lanterns glowed softly on the carved walls. A phoenix-shaped incense burner exhaled smoke in lazy curls beside her.
Tonight was the Lantern Festival. Outside, the city glittered with lantern lights and the streets was bustling with people. But Yuyan had chosen not to attend the festival. Earlier that evening, her father the Emperor had handed her a book. An ancient leather-bound book that had no title on the cover. Only a fading symbol of a crescent moon wrapped in thorned vines.
"This book carries more than just stories," he had said to her quietly. "It holds truths you may need one day. Read it, Yuyan. Let it speak to you."
She opened it as soon as he left, excited to find out what exactly was written inside. She was a lover for stories, intresting ones to be specific.
A long time ago, in an era when magic coursed through the earth and sky, when vampires, witches, and humans all walked the same lands.
Back then, the vampires lived apart in high mountain realms. They were pale, graceful, and reserved. They did not hunt humans. In fact, they barely fed at all, sustaining themselves on animal blood, and only in rare moments of need. Blood, to them, was sacred, never consumed for power or pleasure.
The witches lived in the valleys and forests, deeply connected to the spirit world. They often aided humans, offering healing, wisdom, and guidance. There was no war or hatred.
But then came the darkness.
Back then, the vampire court was ruled by King Xuanyin, a wise and noble leader who was the reason vampires kept to restraint and didn't hunt humans. But his younger brother, Prince Fang Leng , was not so patient.
Cold-hearted and ambitious, Fang Leng grew restless. In secret, he discovered that human blood unlike any other, could awaken dormant powers in a vampire. Not just strength, but unthinkable vitality, speed, and immortality. No vampire had known this. No one had dared try, but Fang Leng did.
He began capturing humans in secret and fed on them, draining them without mercy. With each life taken, his power grew stronger. Over the years, his body changed, and he became the strongest vampire ever known.
And that was when he struck.
The coup was sudden, catching everyone off-guard. King Xuanyin and his loyal officials were slaughtered. Fang Leng took the throne, and the vampire kingdom fell into darkness. With the truth of human blood now known, feeding became law. Armies marched, cities burned. Humans were no longer neighbors, they were now prey, food, and a source for unthinkable power.
When the witches learned of the fall, they were pained and sad. They believed the last royal bloodline was destroyed, and that there would be no end to the suffering of mankind.
But then, a vision came. The Great Seer Nianzu, the eldest of all witches, foresaw something that gave them hope once again. She saw the king's youngest son who was just a child had survived the bloodshed.
In desperation, the witches proposed a dangerous bargain with Fang Leng. In exchange for the prince, they would vow never to interfere in vampire affairs, not even to save the humans.
It was a bitter decision, but they knew the boy was precious. With him, there was a chance that the future might still be changed.
Fang Leng agreed, after all, he considered the child worthless. Without hesitation, he handed the boy over to the queen of witches, Xi wang.
Princess Yuyan's face twisted in a deep frown as she closed the book with a loud snap.
"Such a stupid and boring story," she grumbled. "I hate father's taste in stories."
Her father had given her the impression that the book was really important, but reading it now, all she saw was some unrealistic fairytale. Vampires and witches? Yeah right.
She tossed the book onto her table and it landed with a soft thud. Stretching, she yawned and settled deeper into the cushions, her eyes fixed on the flickering shadows dancing across the ceiling.
Moments later, she was asleep.
Princess Zhao Yuyan slept soundly, her chest rising and falling asleep she breathed softly. And then, she saw a dream. A dream that felt a little too realistic.
She found herself standing barefoot in a garden unlike any she had seen before, wide and endless. The sky above glowed a gentle lavender purple, and moonflowers opened slowly under the breath of the evening breeze. Petals floated like feathers across the marble path beneath her feet. A soft stream ran nearby, its waters so clear that it showed the moon's reflection.
And by that stream, she saw him.
A man sat alone on a flat stone at the water's edge, his back facing her. His long dark hair was tied in a high warrior's knot, cascading like black silk down his robes of deep jade and silver thread. In his hands, he held a flute carved from white jade. The melody he played was haunting, it wasn't sad, yet it was filled with yearning, as though the notes carried the memory of a love long lost and never spoken aloud.
Drawn by the music, Yuyan walked slowly and cautiously towards him, the hem of her dream-gown brushing the grass, her heartbeat echoing louder than her footsteps. She didn't know why, but her chest ached with every note. The closer she drew, the more familiar his presence felt. There was something about him, like a pull from somewhere deep within her soul.
As she neared, she reached out a hand, her fingertips trembled as they brushed his shoulder and suddenly, everything dissolved.
The garden vanished, the music stopped, the cool mist of the stream was replaced by warm morning sunlight.
A gentle tap on her shoulder pulled her out of sleep.
"Mistress Yuyan…" a soft worried voice called her name.
Yuyan blinked her eyes open, her vision slowly adjusting to the bright glow of the morning light sipping through the curtains and into her chambers. Her maid, Mei, stood beside her bed with a concerned expression.
"Mistress, good morning." Mei greeted. Her wide brown eyes searched Yuyan's face. "You were talking in your sleep. Is everything alright?"
Yuyan blinked again, her mind replaying all what she had just seen in the dream. What the hell was that she saw?
She managed a faint smile. "It was nothing," she murmured. "Just a strange dream."
Her tone of reply instantly made Mei able to sense that something was off with her mistress.
Mei had been by Yuyan's side since childhood, she felt more like a sister than a servant. Though she never dared speak without permission when others where present, in private, they were just like best friends. Due to how close they were, Mei knew Yuyan's moods better than anyone.
Still, she didn't push further. "Should I prepare your tea, Mistress?"
Yuyan nodded, sitting up slowly. She could still hear the melody from her dreams replay in her ears.
"Sweet plum blossom today," she said in a soft tone. "I think that would be nice."
Mei bowed gently and moved toward the adjoining tea room.
As Yuyan ran her fingers through her long pink hair, still tousled from sleep, she glanced sideways at the book still resting on her table, the same book from last night.
That man she had seen, she could still feel his presence, and it felt too damn real to only be a dream.
"Who are you?" She whispered to herself.