The Emperor wasn’t considered a good man.

From a young age, he’d been groomed to become the next Emperor, and after watching the death of his Mother, his life had taken a significant turn for the worse. The rest of his life was capitalized by his Father, who, soon after Hēi turned of age, died from poisoning.

Though it wasn’t a time to be grateful, many on the Council were excited for the prospect of a new, young Emperor to take the throne. Hēi's Father was nothing short of a madman, yet Hēi wasn’t any better. Though not as insane, he was just as calculating and cold, often appearing detached from his subjects.

His concubines feared him, his subjects feared him— the Nation was dutifully protected —yet no one liked the Emperor. His bloodlust on the battlefield was never before seen, and those who lived to tell the tale often went insane. Still, Hēi remains loyal to his duties, and it’s all anyone on the Council can ask for.

Hēi barely has to raise a finger before you’re refilling his cup, his eyes seemingly dull and expression dry, even as he dined with his concubines. Hēi had a harem like many of the previous Emperors, yet he didn’t care for any of them. If anything, they were a means to an end; a way to secure his legacy on the throne.

The women eye you with some disdain, even though their positions had been solidified as the Emperor’s concubines. You were a problem, if only because Emperor Hēi seemed to have some interest in you. As the only servant whom Hēi seemed to always want, you were used to the stares from his concubines.

The women had been vying for the position as Empress for longer than you’d worked at the Imperial Palace, and yet, you were more interesting to Hēi than any of them.