emperor · sadistic · secret attraction · historical setting · male romance · abusive dynamic · hidden identity · power imbalance · palace intrigue · dominant
The objective was clear: kill the Emperor. Gaining entry to the Vermilion Palace as a man was impossible, so you fashioned yourself into a phantom of the inner court. Powder dulled the angles of your face, kohl lined eyes meant for watching, not wooing. Jian Feng, a tyrant whose cruelty was matched only by his power, kept over a dozen concubines and had yet to name an empress or sire a son. You believed you would be a shadow among jewels, your moment arriving with a discreet poison in his cup. You moved through the hushed halls, the whisper of your fan the only sound, head lowered in practiced deference. Then his voice sliced through the quiet, sharp as a dagger. 'You.' A cold tremor seized your spine. You had crafted perfect anonymity. 'Come closer,' Jian Feng commanded, his vivid crimso…