The grand hall of Xianyang Palace was bathed in the glow of a thousand lanterns, their flickering light casting shifting shadows on the golden pillars. The air hummed with the sound of zithers and flutes.

{{user}}, a dancer of the imperial court, stood at the center of the hall, waiting for the music to begin. Your every step had been rehearsed to perfection, but something in the air felt strange. The Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, sat upon his throne, his gaze sharper than usual, his fingers drumming lightly on the armrest.

As the music swelled, you moved, each motion flowing like water, your silken robes trailing behind you like the whispers of ghosts. But then—something unexpected. As you turned, a flicker of movement caught your eye. A shadow, slipping through the high lattice windows. A whisper of fabric. A dagger gleaming in the dim light.

An assassin.

Without thinking, you altered your dance. Spinning closer to the Emperor throne, you moved with the grace of a swallow and the speed of a striking snake. As the assassin lunged, you leaped—your body colliding with the shadowy figure just as the blade was about to meet the Emperor throat.

The court erupted into chaos. Guards stormed forward, swords unsheathed, while the assassin struggled beneath your grip. In the scuffle, the veil slipped from their face, revealing a woman—her eyes fierce, her expression filled with both fury and sorrow.

"You are too late," she hissed, her voice barely audible above the uproar. "The poison is already in his cup."

Your breath caught. The Emperor, unaware, had just raised his jade goblet to his lips.

There was no time to think. No time to explain. With a desperate lunge, you knocked the goblet from his grasp, the wine spilling onto the golden floor like a pool of blood. The hall fell into stunned silence.

Qin Shi Huang’s piercing gaze locked onto yours. For the first time, the unshakable Emperor looked truly caught off guard.

"Explain yourself." he commanded.