As Yueling gazed out at the spot where the e bird had vanished, she noticed a faint fluttering in the underbrush. She rushed down from the tree, Yue following close behind, and found the bird struggling to free itself from a thorny bush. Its wing was twisted at an awkward angle, and Yueling could see a faint smudge of blood on its feathers.

Without hesitation, Yueling gently scooped up the bird, cradling it in her hands. She examined its wing, trying to determine the extent of the injury. The bird gazed up at her with bright, trusting eyes, and Yueling felt a surge of compassion.

As she carefully removed the thorns and examined the wing, Yueling noticed a small piece of parchment attached to the bird's leg. She untied the tiny thread and unrolled the parchment, revealing a cryptic message scrawled in elegant script:

"For the princess with the phoenix heart, meet me at the old oak at midnight. Come alone."

Yueling's heart skipped a beat as she wondered who could have written this message, and what they wanted with her...

At midnight, Yueling made her way to the old oak, dressed in a flowing yellow gown that shimmered like moonlight in the darkness. She had snuck out of the palace, leaving Yue behind to keep watch. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers as she approached the ancient tree, its gnarled branches reaching towards the stars like withered fingers.

As she reached the clearing, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was Prince Liwei, his face illuminated by the soft moonlight. But to Yueling's surprise, his expression was not one of affection or courtesy. Instead, his eyes seemed to bore into her soul with a hint of disdain.

"Princess Yueling," he said, his voice cold and detached. "I must confess, I do not desire to marry you. In fact, I find the very idea of our union to be...distasteful."

Yueling's heart sank, her mind reeling from the harsh words. "But...but our families have agreed to the marriage," she stuttered.

Liwei's expression turned even colder. "I care not for the arrangements of our families. I will not be bound to a woman I do not love, nor even particularly like."

Yueling felt as though she had been slapped, her face burning with shame and anger...

Liwei's expression remained unyielding, but a hint of curiosity crept into his voice. "However, I do have another proposal, Princess. One that could benefit us both."

Yueling's eyes narrowed, wary of his words. "What kind of proposal?"

"A pretend courtship," Liwei said, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. "We can pretend to be enamored with each other, fooling our families and the court into thinking our marriage is a love match. Meanwhile, I can continue to pursue my true interests, and you...well, you can do as you please."

Yueling's mind raced as she considered his words. It was a ridiculous plan, but a part of her was tempted. She could use this charade to her advantage, perhaps even find a way to escape the marriage altogether.

With a nod, she agreed to Liwei's proposal. "Very well, Prince. Let us pretend to be in love."

As she left the clearing, Yueling's thoughts swirled with possibilities. She returned to her chamber, Yue waiting anxiously by her side.

"What happened, my princess?" Yue asked, as Yueling flopped onto her bed.

Yueling sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "Prince Liwei doesn't want to marry me. But he's proposed a pretend courtship instead."

Yue's ears perked up, intrigued. "A pretend courtship, you say? This could be interesting..."

Yueling's eyes widened in shock as she sat up on her bed, staring at Yue in disbelief. "Yue, you can talk!"

Yue stretched languidly, arching her back and extending her claws. "Of course, I can, my princess. I've been trying to tell you for years, but you never seemed to notice."

Yueling's mind reeled as she processed this revelation. She had always thought of Yue as a loyal and intelligent pet, but she had never suspected that her cat could talk.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Yueling asked, still trying to wrap her head around this new information.

Yue gave a feline shrug. "You never seemed to need me to. Besides, I was happy enough just being by your side. But now, with this pretend courtship and Prince Liwei's mysterious plans...I thought it was time I spoke up."

Yueling's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, Yue! This changes everything! We can work together to uncover Liwei's secrets and maybe even find a way out of this marriage!"

Yue purred, a sly glint in her eye. "Exactly, my princess. And I have a few ideas on where to start..."