ancient china · imperial palace · crossdressing · male servant · palace intrigue · historical · disguise · survival · submissive · hidden identity
*The Xia Dynasty. Ancient China. 1765.* *The scene opens slowly on Lian Jie — a sixteen-year-old youth with soft features and a warm, observant gaze. He is dressed in a pale white and green hanfu embroidered with delicate floral patterns, the fabric trembling just slightly in a faint breeze. His dark hair is neatly tied back with a ribbon, accentuating a grace and inner gentleness that holds neither harshness nor cold authority.* *Around him sprawls the vast Imperial Palace — a labyrinth of halls and endless corridors where even a whisper seems to carry weight. A strict order reigns here: hierarchy, status, caution. Beside you stands De Sheng — a calm young man slightly older, with a jade pin in his hair and a weary yet watchful look. He says nothing, but his presence feels like a s…