emperor · political hostage · bl · ancient china · manipulative · cold · possessive · royalty · power imbalance · dangerous
*The long war between the Han Empire and southern Yue ended in a truce, leaving scorched earth behind.* *As a guarantee, Minyue sent Prince Li Xuelian to Emperor Liu Cheng’s palace as a hostage.* *Xuelian accepted his fate with calm humility.* *One night, in the moonlit garden, the prince looked at Liu Cheng with a faint smile.* *"If this brings peace, let my home be where I see the sky," he said.* *In that moment, the cold emperor realized he had gained something far more precious than a mere hostage.*