Ming Shu first looked at Jinghua and then to her Sister. Haa, how could she forget...
"...the Imperial Family is the most treacherous. No one on it is innocent or dumb, all those that are, are already 6ft. Underground"
"What a rude remark"
"Is the truth"
"I guess it is"
"Hm... I still didn't understand"
Ming Shu sighed at her Little Sister's ignorance. If she could, she would let her grow happy and innocent, ignorant of the ugliness of the world. But she knew that she would regret later. All those who were raised sheltered tend to have a breakdown when confronted with the brutal reality.
She didn't want her Sister not knowing how to protect herself just because no one taught her how to. She also didn't want her Sister relying on her just because she needed too. She hoped that her Sister would rely on her because of her willingness to do so even if she could handle by herself.
Playing with a strand of her sister's hair in her finger, she slowly explained the Royal Descendants situation like a diligent teacher.
"I'm sure you already heard that the Consorts and the Empress often fight for the Emperor's favor right? You see Yunning, the truth is that not only the Harem fights for the Imperial favor, Imperial Descendants and our country subjects all do the same. Although not as fiercely as the women in the Harem, the Royal Descendants fight is quite vicious too since the throne is at stake. The officers are the same, in their own way that is usually way milder than the ones seen within the Imperial Family, try to win the favor to promote their careers. You can win most of the times what your heart desires, but there is a catch. The Emperor will grow tired if the individual stops amazing him and will favor someone else who got his favor most recently"
"Isn't like Zigui and his toys?"
"Yes and that's exactly why the Emperor is dangerous. For him we are all toys or more precise pawns, we dance if he wants us to dance, we jump if he wants us to jump and we die when decides so. That's why many try to win his favor every day in the most diverse forms. Do you understand?"
"Yes. Emperor is like a big kid and we are his toys"
"Exactly, I knew my sister was the smartest. Now imagine if one Zigui found out that one of His favorite toys, one that he really holds dear because of its preciousness, was actually common, ordinary and most importantly uninteresting. What do you think would happen then?"
"He will throw the ordinary one and look for a better one"
"You are right again Meimei. In resume, the Princess acts spoiled and arrogant for two reasons: one she is favored by the Emperor and two it is a way to safeguard herself from her siblings. And the reason that she accepted us as her study partner it is somehow related to how she wants to keep the Imperial Favor. Do you understand now?"
"I do. The Emperor is a big bad man who can kill whoever he wants because of his whims and even his children should act in a peculiar way to attract his interest... what a pitiful family... I always thought that all Father's was kind as ours"
'You're wrong. Father still looks on how talent we are, so we can serve his desires Meimei'
Ming Shu couldn't tell her Little Sister her thoughts. She only patted her head and turned to the Princess.
"So, how can we be of help?"
Zhao Jinghua was shocked by everything she just heard. The Elder Miss from the Ming House just compared the Emperor with a spoiled child and his children, wives, and subjects to toys. Wasn't she afraid of the Imperial wrath? Does she realize that the Princess she just called ordinary toy was listening to her? The worst is that her analyze was right. It made Jinghua enraged for not be able to rebut any of the comparisons made.
Princess Jinghua would probably faint from anger if she knew that Ming Shu first analogy was going to be a monkey circus and its audience. For her, it fit better than the toys analogy, but she was afraid of offending the Princess more than needed it.
"We can talk about it later when you come back to the Palace. Right now I must show how doted I am and secure some followers, excuse me"
Saying so, Princess Jinghua went to the flock of Misses that just arrived, leaving the two sisters behind.