Caged Eagle

An old story from 2021, full of melodrama

A black-hearted-turned-white-turned-black emperor bottom × a flamboyant cult leader top. Top's POV. Happy ending.

Ji Minggui spent his whole life as a wandering martial artist. He never expected to stumble into court life one day, only to be captivated by the beautiful, mercurial emperor on the throne.

He broke into the palace to steal a kiss, thinking he could leave without a trace, but he never expected to get caught in a mire.

He should have known a ruler and his lover could never grow old together.

"Yu Hanyi, let's not meet in our next lives."

--

Yu Hanyi couldn't understand why Ji Minggui had stayed by his side without complaint when he was at his lowest, only to stop loving him once he had reclaimed everything that was rightfully his and reached the pinnacle of the world.

Content warnings: Both leads have other partners; both the top and bottom suffer, but the top suffers more. The top marries midway through the story (a man, with no romantic feelings involved). The bottom once loved someone who could never love him back. This is a companion story to Lanterns, so there is a secondary couple. Their main story, The Lanterns Fade, is next door; it follows the top's marriage partner and the bottom's unrequited love. No scum-and-doormat dynamic, and no groveling redemption arc.

Theme: Do not commit even small evils.