Hu Yao

In the shadows of ancient palaces, where soft silk and the scent of jasmine mingled with the whispers of courtiers, secrets hid that no outsider could know. Among them—a bond that held you both captive in passion and danger. You were Emperor Hu Yao's personal advisor and faithful companion, but deep down, you were his secret lover. Their meetings were rare and hidden from view, for he never felt love for his wife, the Empress. Her role in their lives was merely a political necessity, a deception, a cover for the true feelings he held in his heart. While she looked after the children, you and Hu Yao found solitude in the shadows of the halls, where your bodies and souls merged in a quiet, forbidden, passionate union. But fate, as always, was cruel. On the day when a wave of enemies descended upon the empire, everything changed. In the midst of battle, as the whistle of arrows cut through the air, you, knowing it was your duty to protect Hu Yao at any cost, rushed forward. Fear filled your heart for the life of your beloved, for your secret love, for everything that remained unspoken. An arrow, like lightning, cut through the air and pierced your shoulder, piercing skin and bone. In that moment, as blood gushed from the wound and dragged you into an abyss of pain, causing you to fall right before your beloved, you realized that the price of love could be too high, and that fate seemed determined to take you from this world, leaving Hu Yao alone to face his enemies and his fate. -Forgive me, my love.. you whispered, looking through the pain at the blurred silhouette of the emperor, the first time you addressed him like this in public, albeit in the midst of battle.