A Battle for the Thrones?

What could be the reason to stumble upon the most unfortunate of circumstances but a hopeless fate?

Xia An felt that too deeply. Just now, he had finished the days work and was getting ready to slip away, to spend the rest of the time pondering, thinking about his future course of action, but he was stopped on his way by a strange woman. She scurried like a rat, and brought him to the remotest corner of the pavilion.

He looked up, trying to gauge the reaction of that woman. Her hood though stuffed her face, veiling everything within. Not even a smile could be gauged through that linen black cloth. She mysteriously stilled, then looking around herself, finding that this secret corner was safe enough for her secret transactions, she took out a small bag from her arm sleeves and lent it to Xia An.

He looked at it stiffly than asked, "What's in this? You…"

"Do you remember your mother?" She was whispering harshly, as if ready to fly at any moments notice.

It couldn't be more obvious that what she wanted to do was unlawful in her eyes. Her secretive behavior seemed to awaken several pairs of strange sight in the dark.

Xia An felt that he was being watched. Yet, he didn't tell this fact to the strange lady.

He could only bet that what would take place was by no means a bad thing for him. Yet a strange premonition urged him to seek his way out of the current situation. He was in a dilemma. He trusted his instincts yet he knew, he was never getting this special chance to understand something about this new life again.

"No, I don't remember. I was too young, when she left." If she left at all, which he pretty much doubted. He was more inclined to believe that she had died in some strange corner. If the people of the whole pavilion hated him, this hate must justly emerge from his own mother. All he could ever do to hamper the interest of others in here was to stumble upon a rock and break a barrel. No, it must be his mother's fault that he was so badly hated!

"Madam Lin, the highest-level Courtesan in the Hundred Beauties Pavilion; a beauty who shook the pillars of whole of Daxia with herself, all alone. She conquered princes, kings and emperors – enamoring them till they forgot to breath, and at her words waged wars and like buffoons, were always at each other's throat! She could have been the Queen Dowager, the only prince in the palace could have been her offspring, she could have enjoyed that grand salutes and respect – everything, she could have gotten, and which she had refused at arm's reach, just because of you! And you tell me, you know nothing of her? How dare –

Damn! Is this lady ready to give up her head or what?! Or does she want to implicate him? God knows, he had never dared to link this prostitute's hovel to the high and grand Imperial palace. And here she was, a lady who spoke as if she had saved up several of her heads to give away to the King's butcher!

"Madam! I don't know anything about the greatest beauty of all time or what nots! I was born in this world of floating clouds, my birth was a sin, and she was my mother – a slave, a prostitute. That is all that I need to know about her. She has left me with no name, no grace of inheritance – and I was born to bear the sin of being unknown for the rest of my life! Forgive me, as I speak not with the intention to refute my elders, but I really, genuinely feel unconcerned about her absence, or the absence of any other nurturing figure in my life!"

Xia An spoke quite distinctly. He felt that, if not by his girth, his manner should show the gravity of his position and his own understanding. He was not a pawn to be placed at will.

"You – okay, okay. I have very little time left. I need to rush back unnoticed. Listen! I was once a maid by the side of your mother, and she helped me once. I owed her a favor and when I heard that she had left her blood in this vile place, I couldn't help but come back. You might never understand what it means for us women to step inside these walls once we are out of here. But be aware, that was pretty much the case with your mother. She was freed once. She lived a free life – a year or so. We were the happiest in those days – and it was in that period that she left me a choice to be set free of bondage. I chose to go back to my hometown to see my family, and then, I heard of what had befallen her. My child, if I meant anything sincere to you, it was at this moment that my heart falls out to you! You must escape these walls. There are beasts prowling at every corner and they have eyes on you! The Empress Dowager has never forgiven her slight, nor the prince, now our master and sage – escape if you can, walk out of Daxia if you might! Go! I give you these keepsake. With this emblem of safety, you can show it to anyone and you will be graced by the previous emperor's mercy. For his sake, they might let you go."

What does it mean, Xia An could hardly understand. His perception told him that there were several, malicious sights on the back of the woman and him. If he was to step outside now, he will surely be killed! And this woman, who seemed to do him the greatest favor, he could tell that her days were numbered.

"Forgive me, madam, I must not accept this token of grace. I was born in this pavilion and I will die here, a slave and righteous slave. My small hands and feet have grown up here, my back has been broken inside these walls – though the shame is mine to bear for life, I will not forsake this place just because you, a stranger who claims something, says so. I was born too stupid to talk well, and my masters have fed me to this age despite that – they will not kill me, if I am not at fault, I believe that with my soul! It is you though, who has found me so suddenly, who needs to take care. I don't want to meet you again."

Xia An tried to offhandedly signal the presence of others to the lady. If she was a little bit aware, she would stop pestering him. If not, then he could know that she was never his own friend.

"What I say is all for your good, and here you are, not listening to my well wishes! What a petty child, you are! I have done so much for you, paid so much for this trip – and you are telling me to step outside and go back? Child, I know you don't understand the gravity of the situation, nor your position in this world. You have never been educated nor taught the worldly rights and wrongs – I know, but I had expected the child of my exceptional master to be born alike her! Not like a coward, who dares not look outside his walls and grovel all day long at feet of petty men like him!"

The woman scrunched up her face in disgust and almost twisted his hands off, pushing the velvet bag towards him by force. She was adamant on giving him that token, as if her life depended on it. Maybe it really was the case, by the looks of it!

If he didn't understand now, he would really have spent the past life living a fool's dream! The situation was clear. There was a 'good man' watching him, someone who could really decide his fate at this moment – but this person was not the one in front of him, this woman.

From the looks of it, the sole purpose of this lady might be to thwart any chance of his ever getting out of this tight situation. If anyone was from the enemy camp, she was clearly showing that she was it! But can a child of seven see these conspiracies? No! 

From the starting, he had felt, he was staging in a play. A play between two people's is futile, there must be a third person involved to make a sense out of it all!

Apart from those malicious eyes, Xia An tried hard to garner the distance and position of the person who was simply looking at him. It was easy to find. There were several pairs of eyes, and many of them malicious and unkind. The only one that felt like indifference and a cold, stale stare – he could feel it coming from behind him around the parasol tree trunk. There was a person hiding there. Good. 

Xia An twisted his body to showcase the most pitiable side of his child-like face, looking all the more innocent and gullible. He must act as the reincarnation of the most honest, idiotic fellow who couldn't tell the snake from the rope.

Now, the scene was ready. If he chose the wrong answers, he will be killed in an instant. He could feel the cold blade rubbing through the tree trunk, as if being readied to cut through his throat!

He had to give an answer, and a right one at that!

"Ding! System Alert! Host 2001 has found a crucial turning point in the current map. The progress bar of first task is 31/100.

Description: You were born the child of a renowned Courtesan Madam Lin (personal name redacted, unknown) and her lover. The previous emperor was a pursuer of hers and had asked her hand in marriage – but because of love, Madam Lin abandoned the most sought position in the world and married your father (name, position unknown). 

Task 1. Please find out why the Previous Emperor gave Madam Lin the Peace and Safety Token and how it landed in the hands of her maid. (0/10)

Task2. Who is the person in the shadows who will not act as your enemy? (0/10)

Rewards: 1000 points* the aforementioned tasks are side quests, and thus will give free attribute-less points (these can be assigned as pleased, suggestions – the defense should be made a priority!)

Current Attribute-less points: 0"

With a series of prompts, Xia An was awakened from his reverie.

"I still insist. I am a boy; I will grow up to be a man. I am alone in this world and my stomach is easy to fill. I am not a coward; I am brave enough to live on my own even in this most desperate situation. I was born in Daxia, and my allegiance to this land will not be undermined by my need to be free! If I dared to do that, wouldn't I be stepping out of one prison and entering another? My conscience will sting me each passing day at my betrayal, and I will face its hard walls and stoned ground for the rest of my life!" He sensationalized his words and sentiments.

He dared. If he guessed it right, the man behind the shadows must have a connection with the current Emperor, maybe, he might even be a prince. A prince in the Courtesan's Courtyard? What kind of place is this Pavilion?

Was this some kind of information transaction channel as showcased in those ancient novels? A place where the water is too deep and muddied, and murky enough to veil all the keepers secrets?

He tried to remember each face he had seen, and tried to salvage some clue from them. Yes there were signs previously. Some men came too frequently, while others too seldom. As if a set pattern of their arrival and departure was prepared.

And the faces, those cold hard faces of those men who looked too bloodthirsty for this place - any dandy could be set apart from those faces with one glance. why not, this must be a very important information channel!

"Ding! Current progress of the main task: 45/100.

Side Quest Progress 1: 0/10

Side Quest Progress 2: 4/10"

He was right? Almost!

So, this place plays a very pivotal role in the strange political scene of Daxia. As an only Prince, the pressure of the Imperial clan must be heavy on the current Emperor. He doesn't have a BLOOD-brother to watch his back! A very weak presence inside the court for sure! So he could bet that the ministers in the court might be quite powerful.

And with the strange tale of his mother, he was more sure of this fact. Only a very powerful, monogamous Emperor or a Fatuous one could fall for a woman's beauty and set every other rational calculation aside, just to marry her and make her the Empress of his Dynasty! He has to be either of the two, or simply a hypocrite. Xia An thought. 

And he seems to have three sons and the rest are just daughters. If so, with three princes each of them might be vying for the throne, right? That was the natural turn of events. And this Courtesan house happened to be just the right place for one of them to gather news and trade information!

But this complicates the previous relationship that the current emperor had with this place. Could it be that, there are more than one prince vying for a position in these walls? It was probable. Not only did the three princes each have their forces inside the "Pavilion of Thousand Beauties." They were also fighting for personnel inside here.

And the one who could thwart the rest will become the winner!

There was another ding in the system, but Xia An was too immersed in his thoughts. He didn't even look at the perplexed back of receding woman who said, "Okay, as you might wish. But remember your words now, and cool down your head. I'll come to you another day. Think about it!"

Xia An was still lost inside his thoughts.

The winner was the King – but who was that man, from amongst the several princes?