The Immoral One

Five for Silver

As time passes, the Emperor is forced to acknowledge his budding Crown Prince as a formidable successor. While his younger children fall prey to assassins and debauchery that pulls them from court favour time and again, his Crown Prince grows stronger and smarter. Part of him fears the influence that the General might have with the child, so he begins to visit the boy regularly.

This of course, is not to the prince's liking at all. He must dress up, be polite, and compliment a man who barely acknowledged his existence until now. Most likely in fact tried to have him killed off before he got too ahead of him in others' thoughts. He was bitter and loved to complain to his DaDa. The General did not mind at all, as he felt much the same bitterness towards the man.

One such morning his father catches glimpse of his son smiling at a fair looking maid and his mind turns to another option. What if his son was involved in a scandal? One that was greater than those of his other sons? If a child was produced, then he could take that child and start over, with his blood still to take the throne.

That night, the Emperor secretly sent one of his concubines to his son's palace. It was, unfortunately, an older woman whom he did not favour and he did not think that the prince might even refuse her. She was once a beautiful flower in his garden, but these days wore too much makeup and had grown desperately forward. When given the opportunity to have the handsome prince she would fail miserably.

"Greetings to his majesty the Crown Prince. I give thanks for the meal." Her first words upon entering the palace had the innocent boy confused. He took one look at the plump older woman in red silks with a hungry look on her face and shouted for the General.

"DaDa! Help! There is a strange woman!" He backed away from the eager concubine who was chattering nonstop about how handsome he was, and strong, and how happy she was.

"What is going on? I leave you alone for five minutes and you are in trouble?" He walked in to see the scene and was rather hard pressed not to laugh. The concubine had backed the prince into a corner, where the boy was half-climbing out the window behind him as he held onto the curtains and tried to smack the woman's hands away from him.

"Make her stop! Make her go away." The boy was half in tears at the strange woman's behaviour. The General sighed and pulled the concubine back firmly but gently.

"Please madam. You are too much for him. He is very innocent and does not know your meaning. Come and have some tea in the garden with us to explain." He tried to coax her gently. She glared at him and looked longingly at the pretty boy, but eventually was convinced to go to the garden.

"Strange woman, why do you come in my palace and accost me?" He demanded even as they were sat in the lovely outdoor garden pagoda. It had a spectacular view of the pond and rows of flowers around it.

"Ah, your pardon Crown Prince Majesty. I was sent by your Holy Emperor Father to teach you the ways between men and women. I did not realise the young master was not already engaged in such things." She bowed low and flirted up at him with smiles and blinking eyes. He did not understand at all.

"If you have something in your eye, you should see the doctor. Tell my Imperial Father that I have no desire to..." He snapped back, but the General interrupted him with a quick pat on his back where the woman would not see.

"No desire to encroach on his Majesty's harem so. The flowers that belong to his father must need always belong to his father. He would not dare to pluck one even for one night's pleasure." The General was sure to say. Then he whispered, "Bow to her."

"Apologies concubine. As he says." The Crown Prince bowed his head to her in respect. He did not understand the game the General was playing with his father, but he trusted him enough to play along as a pawn in it.

"Ah, such a respectful son. Are you sure I cannot change your mind? The Emperor did give his permission." She tried coaxing the greatly reluctant boy. He shook his head.

"Oh no, I do not dare! I cannot take what belongs to Father. This gift I am not worthy of. I will find a lesser teacher that suits, madam." He was listening to the whispered words at his back and saying them smoothly as though practised beforehand. The General was very proud of the child. He had passed this test very well and the Emperor was sure to be incensed.

The results were positive for the prince though, as the woman went away without pressing him further. His father was very complimentary when he came for the next visit to his palace, and he feigned a shy deferential insistence on the matter. He could never touch what belonged to Imperial Father, and he was not ready to have such relations with the fairer sex anyways.

The Emperor took out his anger on the concubine instead. He sent her home in shame to her family as punishment for being unable to seduce his son. Never mind that he was trying to orchestrate a scandal by it, nor that he intended to do so either way. It irked him that his plan had failed so he sent her with nothing.