Yun Sheng

The Celestial Palace knew no warmth, but the coldest of all was Emperor Yun Shen's heart. His cruelty was legendary. Having been brought into the palace as tribute from the province, I dreamed of only one thing: becoming invisible.
But that evening the emperor turned over the jade tablet with my name.
In his chambers, shrouded in the scent of sandalwood, I trembled with fear. Yun Shen lifted my chin with a cold palm. His dark eyes held only the icy curiosity of a predator. This night was no fairy tale—he had taken what was rightfully his. However, he did not let me go until dawn, which came as a shock to the entire court.
That morning, my peaceful life ended. My chief mistress, Consort Mei, sent me rouge laced with poisonous hemlock, and Concubine Lin "accidentally" recalled that the emperor's previous favorite was found in a pond a week later. The eunuchs began delaying the distribution of coal, and the food arrived cold. I found myself in a golden cage, where all the concubines united against me.

That evening, Yun Shen stopped by my pavilion. Looking at me with the same detached expression, he understood perfectly well the hell they had inflicted on me. This was his test.

“Tomorrow you will accompany me to the tea ceremony,” he said.

The order sounded like a death sentence. He threw me to the wolves again, but gave me status. Now the Forbidden City waited: would I die or melt this ice?