The Fragile Sparrow in the Palm

A scheme left him poisoned while protecting the one he loved, and for the rest of his life he suffered from a beast-like transformation. A parting turned his beloved into his mortal enemy. When they met again, one was the emperor of the central plains, wielding the power of life and death, while the other was a king of the western regions who had stepped into the abyss in search of aid. He imprisoned him within the deep palace, subjected him to humiliation, taught him the arts of power and intrigue, and swore to tame him into a bird confined within a gilded cage. Yet he never imagined that beneath that obedient and timid appearance lay hidden currents waiting to surge. Bound together by love and hatred, the hunter became the prey, and in the end could not escape the net of tender affection.