The Dragon Steps into the White Lotus Hall

"Let's tie him up!" She LiangLin suggested as he idly peeled walnuts, popping them in his mouth to past the time.

"Why would we tie Zhang YaYun up?" LiYue said, trying to keep her yawn at bay.

The sun was already climbing down from its peak, halfway towards its own slumber behind the horizon. She just wanted to keel over and act dead, but none of her siblings gave her mercy.

Plan together to dismember that fox and bring QingYu and the emperor together, they said. What did it have to do with her and her beauty sleep? She had asked, but they only met her words with scowls. So here she was, listening to their talk half-awake.

"For QingYu." LiangLin arched his brow at his 2nd sister. Sometimes, he wondered if they lived in the same universe. She certainly seemed lost in her own.

"How do you think QingYu could be pinned down to the bed if the man doing the task was bound up like a log?" LiAi said, snorting as she waved her fan in her hand. "There has to be another way."

"I'm sure the emperor likes QingYu," LiChun offered, leaning over the round table. "He seemed torn the last time we dragged QingYu away."

LiangLin could feel the irritation mounting at the mention of the last time they had encountered that damned fox! "If he truly cared, why hasn't he appeared even once here looking for QingYu?"

His sisters quieted down at the mention. LiangLin had a point. If Zhang YaYun had even an ounce of feelings towards their QingYu, he would have died to catch even a glimpse of the green snake, right? There was no way he was so busy that he couldn't even spare a small moment to step into the White Lotus Hall.

The thought itself sullied their mood, and LiangLin tossed the walnuts aside. He lost his appetite. Great, now what? He didn't mean to sound so harsh, but the reality was what it was. He doubted tying the emperor up could help the situation any further. QingYu had been acting dead ever since the fox arrived and stole YaYun's attention away. LiangLin's fist tightened over the table.

He hated it, seeing the bright and gentle QingYu this way… wait, LiangLin straightened his back as he looked around. Where was the green snake? Didn't he trail down the path around the ponds a while earlier?

"Where is QingYu?" LiangLin asked when he couldn't spot the figure anywhere among the lotus ponds.

"Back of the house?" LiBai suggested, but there was slight alertness flashing in her eyes as she shot up, her siblings all awake and alert now.

"Split out and look for him," LiBai commanded, and the white snakes hurried to stand up. But before any of them could move out of the main hall, QingYu dashed in, pale and sweating bullets. His hair had become dishevelled, soft petals clinging to his robes and the drooping ponytail.

When he spotted LiangLin, he fell into LiangLin's arms, slightly trembling from all the adrenaline shooting through his veins, making his head spin.

"QingYu?" LiangLin said, panicked at the green snake's scared form. "What happened?"

"Brother LiangLin," QingYu sobbed, his fist tightening around LiangLin's robes. "It's YaYun!"

-.-.-.-.-.-

"What now?" LiChun asked as they managed to put QingYu to rest in his room.

After the green snake spilt how the fox had feasted on YaYun's life force and rendered him unconscious, dragging him inside the Plum Blossom Hall, QingYu had passed out from exhaustion.

The green snake hadn't eaten properly ever since the fox spirit had arrived at the palace, and after the run, he was depleted of all energy. LiBai was by his side, feeding him some of her life force while the rest left them in the room, making their way towards the main hall.

"LiangLin, any suggestions?" LiAi said, her brows pulled into a worried frown. Despite them sharing no blood relations with QingYu, the little green snake was already accepted to their family and seeing him so distraught just now made their hearts clench with fear.

"I-" LiangLin barely parted his lips when a commotion broke out in the front yard, alerting the siblings. Throwing unsure glances at each other, the four of them walked out to see who had broken into their momentary home.

The snakes could only gape in shock when the royal guards stood lined up before the stone step. Yu Zhong looked stoic as ever, but Wei KaiJun and Xie JingYi seemed worried as they eyed the white snakes cautiously. ChangNing seemed to battle with her conflicted feelings behind her mask of indifference.

But it wasn't the guards that stood there before them, that startled the She siblings, it was Zhang YaYun who step out from behind his guards, in full health and glory. Not even a strand of hair was out of place, his skin flushed and full of life.

LiChun tugged at LiangLin's robes from behind, and without even a word, LiangLin already knew what she wanted to say. Wasn't YaYun unconscious and kidnapped by that fox spirit, Yating, just now? QingYu had rushed back as fast as he could, so how could YaYun be here? His flushed skin and bright, piercing eyes told of good rest and health. Instead of being sucked dry of life force, YaYun looked like he had feasted on it and then some.

"What is it? Why are you here?" LiAi said as she stepped forward. Her stance was unwelcoming as she looked at YaYun down her delicate nose.

Wei KaiJun looked slightly panicked as he raised his hand discreetly. Trying his best to signal LiAi to fall back and tone down her attacking tone. He was royally ignored.

"Yu Zhong," Zhang YaYun said, waving his hand dismissively as he turned aside, not paying the snakes any attention. LiangLin felt a sudden rush to walk over and kick his indifferent, handsome face in, but he held himself back. QingYu wanted a handsome husband, not a disfigured one.

The ox shifter stepped forward and clearing his throat, said, "His highness is here to announce he will marry within a month."

The white snakes all tensed at the notion. YaYun was going to marry that fox?

"Because of the customs and the importance of this special occasion," Yu Zhong rumbled on, his every word working like a whip against the siblings' backs, making them squirm uncomfortably in place. They were just glad QingYu was unconscious for the time being. The news would crush the poor green snake.

"All guests of the palace will be moved out. We will provide you with a place to stay in the city if you so wish, but palace grounds will be strictly guarded, only officials can step in and out of the palace walls."

"Wait," LiangLin snapped, unable to understand how the emperor, this dragon, Zhang YaYun, could dismiss QingYu's existence so quickly. Wasn't he the one who begged to speak to QingYu when the fox appeared? He was the one who looked heartbroken, so why such a change of heart? Was love such a fleeting feeling? So easy to throw away like it was just a piece of rock?

"Are you really going to marry that Yating, your highness?"

Zhang YaYun had paid them no attention so far, only now that LiangLin addressed him with respect did he spare the snakes a moment of his cold, piercing gaze.

LiangLin shivered at the glare. Never had he seen those dark brown eyes so emotionless, so cruel. Even that bastard of a sorcerer never looked at him with such emptiness in his eye. LiangLin felt like he was nothing but a speck of dust dirtying YaYun's otherwise clean boots.

"It does not concern you." YaYun's tone was uncaring as he turned away and stepped out of the White Lotus Hall without a glance back. ChangNing hurried after him after giving the white snakes a hasty bow. The monkey and the rooster seemed torn as they trailed after the emperor, shooting apologetic glances back. Only Yu Zhong still stood before them, his stoic frame unwavering.

"It was decided by YaYun himself," Yu Zhong said. His tone softened a notch as his gentle eyes swept over the snakes as if searching for someone. "The wedding will take place within a month. You are all invited to attend the wedding, otherwise, you must leave."

LiangLin felt his knees shake, but he couldn't understand why. Zhang YaYun was an emperor, it was perfectly normal for him to get married, especially now that the concubine had arrived in the palace. But somehow, just now, he felt off. YaYun was too cold, too uncaring. How could it be? Where was the gentle, kind, smiling emperor that QingYu had fallen for? What happened in such a short time?

"I hope you will stay for the celebrations." Yu Zhong had a slight flush decorating his cheeks as LiBai stepped out from within the hall, looking at her siblings and the ox with surprise. "The wedding will be magnificent. The decorations will be up within a week."

With a deep bow, Yu Zhong excused himself.

"What just happened? What wedding?" LiBai asked, but none of the siblings answered her. They were all as puzzled over the sudden change in the atmosphere. Only when LiangLin finally turned around and walked back into the main hall, lost deep in his thoughts, did LiYue ask,

"What should we do now, LiangLin?"