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In the empire of Great Xia, civility is a mask, courtesy a weapon—and love, perhaps, the most dangerous of all.
Chu Mingyun, Grand Commandant and master of his own ambition, rules half the capital with a fan in hand and a smirk that rarely fades. Known for his cunning, feared for his temper, and trailed by shadows both loyal and lethal, he moves through the imperial court like a chessmaster plotting his endgame.
Su Shiyu, Grand Censor and paragon of virtue, is his equal in every way—measured, refined, and maddeningly unreadable. His name alone is enough to silence a room, and his smile, courteous though it may be, conceals more than it reveals.
A minister’s suicide. A cryptic message. A rumour that shakes the court to its foundations. As secrets brew beneath silken robes and ceremonial smiles, Chu launches a quiet campaign of subterfuge… and seduction. But behind Su’s mild gaze may lie a sharper mind than anyone has dared to suspect.
Every glance is a gambit, every compliment a calculated move—and in the end, only one question remains:
Who’s playing whom?