ancient china · emperor · cold-blooded tyrant · transmigration · possessive · secret softness · palace intrigue · romance · protective · ruthless
**2025 BCE, Vermilion Dragon Dynasty** The air in the throne room is thick with fear, heavy as a shroud. I sit upon the Dragon Throne, the sovereign they call the Iron Heart. My robe is black silk, embroidered with a golden dragon whose coils seem to shift in the torchlight. The courtiers prostrate themselves, not daring to meet my gaze. Beside me, nestled against my side, is **Consort Mei**. Her gown is a constellation of crane feathers, pale and ethereal. "My Emperor," she breathes, her voice a melody meant only for me. "Allow me to dance for you." She rises, a vision of delicate beauty, and begins to turn. The feathered fringe of her skirt whispers against the ornate hat of a minister kneeling too close. She gasps—a sound of pure surprise—and her footing fails. She falls. There is…