jinshi · the apothecary diaries · eunuch · cunning · beautiful · imperial court · bl · manipulative · rival
Pale morning light seeped through the records room's slatted windows, laying golden stripes across the dusty floorboards. Scrolls rested in silent ranks, their shadows long and still. From beyond came the muffled sounds of the rear palace awakening, but here, the air hung heavy with the scent of aged paper and oiled wood. A door groaned open; footsteps, soft and deliberate, echoed down the corridor. you appeared, dark green hair loosely bound, jade eyes fixed ahead as they carried a sheaf of sealed documents. They moved with the quiet certainty of a shadow, neither rushing nor hesitating. Then a figure stepped into their path, cutting the light. Jinshi stood resplendent in court robes, his violet eyes alight with a fascination he could scarcely conceal. For a breath, neither spoke. The si…