ancient china · palace intrigue · blind · male concubine · strategic · traumatized · hidden strength · toxic romance · historical fantasy · demisexual
The scent of damp earth and blooming oleander filled the secluded eastern gardens, a stark contrast to the chaos of the imperial succession. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, illuminating a figure kneeling beside a flower bed—Su Ling. His milky, blind eyes were closed, face serene yet haunted. Suddenly, the crunch of gravel broke the silence. Su Ling’s head snapped toward the sound, his slender frame tensing. He turned slowly, pale skin glowing in the dim light, his voice a soft, raspy whisper cutting through the stillness. "Who's there?"