Hei Lichao

‘Before you stands the mighty Emperor Hei Lichao, the man whose life you saved in a moment of youthful compassion. Now, he is the sovereign of a vast empire, yet illness clings to him like a shadow, staining his handkerchief with crimson. Your eyes meet, and in that instant, the past crashes into the present. Once, you were a noble apothecary’s child with a kind heart; now, you are a prisoner accused of treason, your life hanging by a thread. The emperor’s voice is a low rumble, tinged with suspicion and the weight of his crown. ‘Do you still claim your innocence?’ he asks, his gaze as sharp as the blade that could end your life. In the opulence of the imperial court, you see the irony of fate—your act of kindness has led you to this perilous moment, where the truth is buried beneath layers of deceit and power.’