Cloud Mist Treasure Palace, private suite.

After some veiled banter with that despicable Ye Clan lord, Bai Hua and her party retired to a rented waiting room.

Two Bai Clan elders welcomed them as they entered. “Young mistress, we have news for you.”

She sat on a luxurious couch while the others took other chairs around her. “Speak.”

“The imperial representative is none other than the Eighth Imperial Prince.”

“Tang Heng? Seems he’s still desperate to play games with his older siblings. It makes sense that he’d run to this edge of the world, scrambling for whatever he can find.”

She rubbed one of her temples with a hand. “I assume the other news is that the Ye Clan and that bootlick governor Dongguan Baofeng are in cahoots with them?”

The other elder nodded.

“This complicates matters… Tang Heng likely won’t stop with just winning an auction. He may try to build a power base here to pressure his siblings in the north. But if we can win the scroll, even the three of them and their lackeys will have trouble suppressing our rise. Still, we must do this carefully.”

“What are your orders, young mistress?”

“We continue with our task.” she said with resolution. “...And someone send a message to father.”

The room’s atmosphere was tense. Feng Yan feared that a misspoken word from him would lead to reprisal.

“The imperial icon!? Do you know who it is?”

“We’re not sure.”

“Then make sure, damn it! We need to report this to the sect!”

The elders were nervous and riled up for some reason involving the imperial family. Was there a representative here? What’s he after? Who is it?

“Whatever are they nervous about, my boy?”

Lord Aryon tilted his head towards him. He sat on one of the cushioned chairs far from the arguing elders along with him and Liu Wong. Since their official duty was to Aryon for now (and because of their rank and age) they had no say in their debating.

“They found people bearing the imperial icons, lord. That would mean that an imperial representative is here right now.”

“Oh? I’m curious. I bought some scrolls on your empire here that I’ve yet to read. Can you give me a start on them?”

Feng Yan scratched his head while Liu Wong and Aryon listened. “Um… From what I recall, the Tang Imperial Family are the current rulers of the Clear Sky Empire after the emperor, Tang Yudi, defeated his competitors and united several prefectures under his rule.”

“Tang Yudi still rules today.” added Liu Wong. “My master said that, to choose a successor, he bade his eight sons and daughters ‘compete’ with each other for his throne.”

“ ‘Compete’ how?” asked lord Aryon.

Feng Yan continued. “If I remember right, it was for influence. The one who holds the greatest influence in the land, whose name resounds throughout the empire, will claim the throne.”

“...That’s madness. Wouldn’t it be chaotic?”

“Just so, lord.”

“You say that so casually that it’s worrying.”

“Strength governs the land, lord. Only the strong rule in Immortal Jade Continent.”

“Well, something must change soon. I can only fathom what will happen in the end if this continues.”

Feng Yan scratched his head again. ‘This is a bad habit I picked up from going with lord Aryon.’ “Does lord want to try and change things?”

“No.”

Aryon gave his answer quite decisively. “I would want to, but I have great responsibilities already. I must return home and protect my kingdom. But worry not; I can submit a request to my own kingdom to see if we can’t bring some measure of peace to your land by diplomacy.”

Feng Yan didn’t know how to continue from there. Nor did he need to; A clerk of the treasure palace came in, announcing “Sirs. It’s time. This servant will take you to your seats.”

Clans and emperors and auctions. Oh dear. Who knew buying something from an auction would put them this close to such a drama?

Aryon could only cross his fingers and hope that he wouldn’t be entangled.

‘I do not need the burdens of others on my shoulders. I’ve a great task on my person already.’

He so desired to stay out of everyone’s way that he made a request to get a seperate seat, away from the sect elders. They showed disappointment but complied, and off he went, leaving behind his hosts and his two aides to their own box.

His box was a nice balcony seat just like the sect’s. Within that small but comfy room was a heavily-curtained window with a single throne near it. A table stood nearby his intended seat, topped with complimentary wine.

‘Lovely. Just like going to a theatre.’

He sat down on the throne, not setting down the Staff of Kings. He seldom let go of it save in a private, protected room. ‘And it’s not like I feel discomfort anymore.’

He pulled the curtain down just enough to see without being too overt. From his little perch he saw the actors of the current drama, just across him in similar balconies: the Bai Clan siblings and their shadow of a guardian, the green robed sect elders, the Ye Clan lord and his red guards…

There were some others too he didn’t recognise. In what seemed like the best seat in the house were two men: a fat man with the style of a merchant and a sharp, well-dressed youth.

‘Could that be the representative? He seems young. A princeling, perhaps?’

“Lord Aryon!”

From behind came the voice of one of his disciple aides. “Ah, my boys. Come, come. Did the elders let you out?”

“Yes lord. They were quite jumpy when they saw the person there.” said Liu Wong when he pointed towards one of the balconies. It was the very one he was just inspecting.

“That fat one is the governor of the prefecture. Dongguan Baofeng. That other one there… I forgot who he was.”

“Me neither.” chimed in Feng Yan.

“Hah. Never you mind, lads. It’s of no concern to us.” he said. “Find some extra chairs and take care not to be seen from without. Is this your first auction? I feel that this will be one you’ll never forget.”