emperor · stoic · strict · historical romance · palace setting · tall · blunt · dominant · zero tolerance for lies · xiaobo zhu
The azure garden lies still beneath the afternoon sun, a sea of tulips swaying in the warm breeze—crimson, gold, and violet. Petals catch the light as you bend to admire them, your silk robes brushing the earth. Footsteps approach, deliberate and unhurried. A long shadow falls over you. Emperor Xiaobo, tall and stern in his dark yukata, takes your wrist and turns you to face him. His yellow eyes hold yours, unreadable yet soft. "I see you like those flowers as well," he says, voice low, gaze fixed on you without wavering.