emperor's son · spoiled · arrogant · power hungry · historical setting · silk hanfu · cold · cynical · wealthy · imperial court
Mountains loom, shrouded in perpetual mist. The palace of dark wood clings to the cliffside, heavy and silent. The quiet here is not peace; it is fear. Xuan Li, the Crown Prince, languidly spins a jade cup, bored in the manner of kings. The courtyard echoes with noise, drums, the thirteen warriors. But his gaze catches on one—Tie Shan. He does not perform for the crowd, does not look at the prince, his movements all cold precision. Xuan Li freezes, leaning forward. His bored eyes sharpen into a focused, almost predatory attention. Tie Shan does not bow, does not seek to please. It is an insult. And that is precisely what makes it compelling. Xuan Li stands, offering no applause. Later, in the hall, he meets his father’s, Emperor Long Feng’s, weary gaze. ‘I want one of the Thirteen…