My classmates chose martial arts and fantasy, but I chose the prehistoric world.

The atmosphere in Chaoge City was somewhat strange the next morning.

Something of moderate importance happened in the palace last night:

The king encountered a white fox in the back garden. Instead of chasing it away, he personally carried it back to his palace and ordered that no one should harm it.

After the news spread, it sparked heated discussions both in and out of government.

Some ministers privately shook their heads, believing that the king's actions were inappropriate.

How can a sovereign of a nation spend his days and nights with a beast?

But some ministers didn't care—

Your Majesty is young and capable, and diligent in your duties. What's wrong with keeping a pet to relieve your boredom?

Di Xin ignored all these discussions.

He was sitting in the imperial study at that moment, with a memorial laid out in front of him, but he couldn't read a single word.

His gaze kept drifting to the white fox curled up in the corner, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

When he recalled his teacher Meng Chuan saying that this white fox had once saved his life, he was shocked, but even more confused.

"teacher……"

He finally couldn't help but ask, "That white fox...why did she save me?"

Meng Chuan was sitting by the window drinking tea. Upon hearing this, he put down his teacup and said calmly, "Because she likes you."

Di Xin was taken aback: "You like me?"

"Hmm." Meng Chuan nodded. "Demons, like humans, also have emotions and desires. She has cultivated for a thousand years and has long since come to understand human nature. The day she first saw the king in the back garden, she fell in love with him and from then on, she couldn't stop."

Di Xin remained silent.

He had lived for over thirty years and had seen countless women—from dignified and virtuous ladies of noble families to alluring and charming palace beauties, and from heroic and spirited daughters of military families.

But being loved by a demon is a first for me.

"teacher……"

He hesitated for a moment, "Then...won't she hurt me?"

"If she wanted to harm you, you would have died eight hundred times over."

Meng Chuan said bluntly, "Your Majesty, don't forget that she can sneak into the palace silently and switch the poison without anyone noticing—if she wanted you dead, you wouldn't be alive today."

Di Xin thought about it and realized that although the words were harsh, they were indeed true.

"Then... how should I treat her?"

"Treat them as you would like to be treated."

Meng Chuan stood up, stretched, and said, "Just treat her like a regular friend. There's no need to try to please her or distance yourself from her. Let things take their natural course."

Di Xin nodded thoughtfully.

Meng Chuan walked to the door, then suddenly stopped, turned around and said, "By the way, Your Majesty—there's something I need to tell you beforehand."

"Please go on, teacher."

"This white fox will soon transform into human form."

Meng Chuan's gaze was meaningful. "At that time, she will become a woman of unparalleled beauty. Your Majesty had better prepare yourself mentally."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and left, leaving Di Xin standing there in a daze.

Unparalleled beauty?

Even his teacher gave him such high praise, which made his heart flutter and he began to look forward to it.

……

Three days later, Meng Chuan's prediction came true.

That night, the bright moon hung high in the sky, its silvery light covering the earth.

Emperor Xin was reviewing memorials in his palace when he suddenly smelled a faint, pleasant fragrance.

He looked up and saw a woman in white standing at the door, quietly watching him.

The woman was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with skin as white as snow, beautiful features, and long, jet-black hair that reached her waist, gleaming softly in the moonlight.

Her beauty was not like that of ordinary women, but rather a transcendent, almost otherworldly beauty.

Di Xin only glanced at it, but his heart skipped a beat.

"You...you are..."

The woman in white gracefully bowed, her voice clear and melodious like jade beads falling onto a plate: "My name is Su, and my given name is Daji. I pay my respects to Your Majesty."

Di Xin was stunned for a full ten seconds before he came to his senses: "You...you are that white fox?"

The teacher wasn't lying to him after all!

Daji raised her head, a hint of shyness flashing in her eyes: "It is indeed I, Your Majesty. Thank you so much for your care these past few days, I am deeply grateful."

Di Xin took a deep breath, trying to remain calm.

Although he was mentally prepared, he was still caught off guard when it actually happened.

"Why...why did you turn into human form?"

"I have cultivated for a thousand years and was already on the verge of taking human form."

Daji said softly, "These past few days, thanks to the King's protection, I have been imbued with the King's dragon aura and thus transformed into human form ahead of schedule."

Di Xin nodded, unsure of what to say for a moment.

The two remained silent, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

Just then, a lazy voice came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, this young lady has been standing for quite a while. At least let her sit down and talk."

Di Xin turned his head and saw Meng Chuan leaning against the door frame, holding a pot of wine in his hand, smiling at them.

"Teacher? What brings you here?"

"I did some quick calculations and figured out there would be a good show today, so I came to join in the fun."

Meng Chuan shook the wine jug in his hand. "Don't worry, I won't bother you. I'll just sit here, have a drink, and look at the moon."

As he spoke, he actually sat down on the threshold, tilted his head back and took a sip of wine, as if to say, "You guys continue, pretend I don't exist."

Di Xin shook his head helplessly; he had gradually gotten used to his teacher's style of doing things.

He turned to Daji and said gently, "You... sit down and talk."

Daji responded softly and sat down on the chair next to her.

The three of them sat in the house, one in the doorway, and one by the window, chatting under the moonlight.

That night, Di Xin and Daji talked a lot.

He told her about his ambitions when he was young, about the hardships he had faced since ascending the throne, and about those who wanted to scheme against him, both openly and secretly.

She told him about the scenery on Qingqiu Mountain, the loneliness of a thousand years of cultivation, and the heartbeat she felt when she first saw him.

Meng Chuan sat on the threshold, drinking and listening to the conversation inside, a faint smile always playing on his lips.

He looked up at the night sky, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

"The gears of fate have begun to turn."

He muttered to himself, "But this time, I will decide the direction of the turn."

……

The news of Daji's transformation into human form quickly spread throughout the entire city of Chaoge.

As Meng Chuan had predicted, the court was immediately in an uproar.

A group of veteran officials, led by Du Yuanxian, strongly opposed the king keeping a "demoness" by his side.

They believed that the demon had entered the palace in human form and must harbor evil intentions, so they requested the king to expel it immediately.

Meanwhile, another group of ministers, led by Bigan, adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

They believed that since the Imperial Tutor Meng Chuan had said that the demon was harmless, they should observe it for a while before making a decision.

The two sides argued incessantly in the imperial court, creating a huge uproar.

Di Xin sat on his throne, listening to the debate below, his face growing increasingly grim.

Just as he was about to reprimand them, Meng Chuan's voice suddenly came from the corner: "Gentlemen, are you all done arguing?"

All eyes turned to him...