No choice.

Basic information:
• Nian PanAn.
• 17 years old.
• From Suhyen.
• Only child.
• Son of Imperial Navy third Admiral Nian Kun.
• Mother died during the recent war.
• Privately instructed.
• In a very troubled relationship with the father.

~ It's pretty early in the morning.
~ Members of the court are leaving the Red Hall after the daily reunion.

> Someone reaches the northern gates of the Spring Palace.
"Stop right there, citizen", utters a guard. "Identify yourself and tell what brought you so close to the Imperial Palace."
The boy joins his hands and bows graciously to the guards of the gate. "Shiix Xu. I am Nian PanAn, son of... Admiral Nian."
"And what leads the son of Admiral Yang so far from home?" asks the other guard, apparently knowing his father, hut maybe just from his fame.
"I seek audience from the Emperor... it's... urgent..." he says in a low tone, looking down.
"You can't set a foot in the Palace if you weren't granted a meeting by Jeonha. Return on your steps, contact the Imperial Office and wait for a date."
He shakes his head. They can't understand his situation, nobody can. There is no way he can return home... "Please, I beg of you, allow me to have a meeting with Jeonha today, I can wait any time for him to have a moment for me..."
The guard rolls his eyes. "Are you deaf? I explained you, now leave." The tone turning fed up and threatening.
The boy kneels down, intending to insist regardless he will probably be hit. "Can you bring my plea to Jeonha? I shall wait here for his response..."
And one of the guards indeed punches him on the face. "This is your last chance to leave."
"I can't... I can't leave..." he says while wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"What's going on?" suddenly asks a new voice, totally unknown to PanAn. The boy raises his gaze onto the new man; clearly someone of high rank, considering the way he is dressed.
"This fool refuses to leave, Your Grace. Keeps insisting he has to meet the Emperor right now", promptly reports a guard, although he doesn't seem to like the man much.
He lowers his gaze under the glare of the man. "Please..." he murmurs in a desperate tone.
"His Grace could intercede for him and persuade Jeonha to meet the boy without an appointment", says the high ranked eunuch.
The man remains silent for some time, likely pondering his decision. "Raise", he orders and PanAn stands up from the muddy ground, bowing to him. "Let's go."
The boy's eyes widen at the command and doesn't think twice to follow the man and the eunuch through the gates. "Gamsahamnida... I'm in your debt!"
"Good to know."
Not the answer he expected, but he is not in position to object.

The two lead him to a building that he assumes to be where the throne is. He has never set a foot in any Palace and doesn't know how it works or where the Emperor spends his time, meets people etc.
Reached a thin corridor and approached a door, with a little crowd of servants, the eunuch turns to them. "Wait here. I shall warn Jeonha and bring his response." The eunuch walks away, leaving PanAn and the man alone.
Awkwardness and heavy silence. He is curious about him and why he decided to help, but dares not making questions.
"So... who are you? What do you want?" finally asks the man.
Before he could answer though, the same eunuch who left them appears from.the door in the corridor. "Concubine Yi, Jeonha wants to confer with you."
Concubine Yi? - he repeats in his mind while following the man with his gaze, as he walks through the door and disappears from his sight.

Left alone with the servants of the door, he just waits nervously. He feels just as worried as any person meeting the Emperor, but he is also shaken for what he has to ask and the reason that made it so urgent. It's not a good period for him.
The wait is not too long, just a couple of minutes later, a voice from inside utters: "Let the visitor in!".
The servants promptly open the door and motion PanAn to walk in. He just grants himself a moment to take a breath and gets inside. Now that he thinks about it, he doesn't look the best. Hair is messy, his robe got dirty of mud as he knelt and there is that wound on his mouth...
He kneels as quickly as possible, trying to hide the mess. "Shiix Xu, Jeonha, gamsahamnida for granting me audience..." Nobody has instructed him on what he exactly has to do to be respectful towards the Emperor, so he doesn't prostrate himself.
He hardly sends a glance to the man sat on the throne, finding him just as scary as he would expect. Except the weird thing that Concubine Yi is sitting on his lap.
"So... Who are you and what brings you here with such urgency?" asks LianBi.
"I'm Nian PanAn, s-"
"Son of Admiral Nian?"
"Ye, Jeonha... as for the reason... I have come with a plea." And there he finally prostrates himself. "To admit me to the Imperial Harem..." he says in such a low tone. He shuts his eyes.
The Emperor sighs. "The selections are closed. You will be able to candidate yourself when they will be open again."
"Please Jeonha... make me an exception, I bed of you..."
"Aniyo. I am certain you will find a way to fill the waiting time, meanwhile. If there is nothing else..."
"Please... don't discard me Jeonha, I swear I will serve you well..."
LianBi hits the short table with his hand. "I gave my answer. You are dismissed."
The eunuch grabs him and basically drags him.out or the throne room, then the Palace, leaving him in the same spot as where they met.

Left without options, PanAn is forced to move to Taifuan. ~