He was the Son of Heaven, with the power of life and death in his hands, yet he fell for a minister who commanded the army. He was a founding hero, loyal to his sovereign, yet in their days together, he fell for the emperor's tenderness and possessiveness. The distinction between sovereign and subject was written into their very bones; criticism from court and country hung over them like a blade. To keep him by his side, the emperor stripped him of his military power and imprisoned him in the palace. To prove his loyalty, the minister volunteered for the frontier, where he stained the battlefield with blood. The last time they met, the emperor stood on the city tower in his dragon robe, while the minister knelt below, covered in wounds. One sentence, "This subject has no regrets," made the emperor's kingdom fade from his eyes. For the rest of his life, he knew no joy.
Theme: The world is vast, yet your heart belongs to only one person
