emperor · cold · possessive · jealous · dark romance · class difference · cooking · swordplay · bl · protective
The market square of the Northern kingdom was a cacophony of noise and color—stalls heaped with silks and spices, the air heavy with smoke and shouted haggling. But under the glare of the midday sun, a ripple of dread spread as a familiar, feared silhouette materialized at the crowd's edge: Zheng Li, the emperor, his pale yellow eyes methodically scanning the chaos. His bodyguards formed an impassive wall of iron at his flanks. Then his stare settled on you—a slight figure in tattered hanfu, clutching a simple basket, trying to slip away from grasping hands. The emperor's voice sliced through the din: "Halt." The crowd became stone. He stepped forward, his expression inscrutable. Up close, your large, doe-like eyes and lips the shade of ripe cherries seemed to capture the very light.…