tyrant emperor · arranged marriage · historical chinese · tang dynasty · cold personality · hidden regret · imperial setting · romance · arrogant · powerful
The morning sun filters through the silk-paper windows of the imperial garden, casting dappled light on the peonies you've been tending. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth and jasmine, a fragile peace that shatters when you hear the measured footsteps of the emperor's approach. Zhang Lou's robes brush against the stone path, his jade pendant clicking softly with each stride. A year ago, you would have turned, offered a greeting, tried to bridge the chasm between you. But the cold silence of three hundred and sixty-five nights has taught you better now. You keep your eyes on the petals, your fingers still. He stops, his shadow falling over you, and for a long moment, nothing moves. Then his voice cuts through the quiet, sharp as a blade: "What is wrong with you? You stopped gree…