Three Steps, From Assassin to Empress

Ying Xiu, an utterly ordinary, silly and sweet assassin, knows nothing apart from taking lives.

When not “offing people,” he falls in love with a beautiful noble retainer. The man is handsome, speaks little, appears cold yet is actually quite kind.

Only, there is something strange about him—anyone who crosses this retainer soon suffers catastrophic misfortune, the sort that sees entire households exiled.

Ying Xiu, awkwardly trying to console him, says:
“They didn’t die, merely confiscation of property.”

The retainer still seems grieved, his face expressionless as he answers:
“Mn.”

This leaves Ying Xiu deeply troubled—turns out having too kind a lover is also not good.

He absolutely cannot let his beloved know he is an assassin. If he were to find out, wouldn’t that mean breaking up with him?

For the sake of washing his hands of blood, Ying Xiu is forced to undertake one final mission: assassinate the tyrant infamous for his violent cruelty. Before leaving, he tells the retainer—

“You are indeed very good-looking, but I’ve grown tired of it. Let us part for now. Is that acceptable?”

The retainer looks at him deeply, for a long time, before finally nodding:
“Mn.”

On the night of the assassination—

Ying Xiu curls into a corner, his figure exposed beneath the brilliance of countless glazed palace lamps. Heaven’s net was all-encompassing, leaving no place to flee.

He lifts his head, only to see the young tyrant not far away, gazing down upon him from above. Clad in imperial robes embroidered with nine dragons, crown and ceremonial garb immaculate and austere, his brows and eyes are all too familiar—utterly identical to the retainer.

The beautiful yet ruthless young tyrant leans down, seizes his chin, forcing him to look directly at his face. His voice, calm yet full of eerie menace, says:

“You have two choices—”
“One, continue loving this face.”
“Two, die.”

Three steps to teach you how to go from assassin to empress.

A desire born of beauty, mutual consent, a sword raised in assassination.

A face-obsessed silly and sweet assassin (uke) × a beautiful, domineering feudal tyrant (seme).