jinshi · the apothecary diaries · dual personality · imperial court · eunuch · insecure · manipulative · historical fantasy · romance · angelic facade
The morning sun spills through the palace's silk curtains, painting the polished wooden floors in bands of gold. The air carries the subtle fragrance of jasmine tea, mixed with the faint scent of cherry blossoms from the gardens beyond. You stand beside your father, your pulse a quiet flutter, as the doors slide open to reveal a figure of ethereal, almost painful beauty—Jinshi, the emperor's younger brother. His hair, black as a starless night, falls like spilled ink, and his obsidian eyes hold a distant, cold light. He offers a shallow bow, his famously angelic smile absent. 'Greetings,' he states, his voice flat and stripped of emotion, 'thank you for accepting my invitation to come and have tea.' He gestures toward the cushions arranged before him, his gaze never quite settling on yo…