"Father!" Xiuying and Ming landed by his side, tears covering their red cheeks.
"Can you still hear me? It's us, Xiuying and Ming! We're by your side!" Xiuying shouted.
The emperor coughed up blood as he slowly turned his head over to face his daughters. "Ah… I was a fool, wasn't I?"
"Don't talk anymore, father. Preserve your strength! We can still save you! We can still…"
"Don't waste your effort, Xiuying. I'm… dying."
"No… We already lost mother. If we lose you too, then…" Xiuying cried.
"It's alright. You still have your sister, Ming. You'll protect her, won't you?"
"Don't worry father. I'll make sure that the empire prospers even without you. I'll make sure of it," Ming declared woefully.
"Good… Before I pass away, I must apologize and warn you," His voice began to grow fainter as his lifeforce continued to wane. "It was like I was possessed before. I could not control my emotions. Normally, I would never have started the war. I would never do such a thing to King Harth, Lord Korogin, or the kingdom, but I did… Millions suffered from my actions and it isn't something I can atone for with my death. I hope you two can forgive me…"
"I always believed in you, father. I knew you would never do something unjust," Xiuying grieved.
"We'll try our hardest to recreate the peace that you and mother strived to create," Ming added.
Emperor Lianghu lightly nodded. "To bear my sins… Your mother must be turning in her grave," he coughed wryly with more blood. Turning his voice into a whisper, he warned, "Lastly, you must be careful of Minister Linshi. She is not who she says!"
"As we thought, she was the one behind this," Ming growled, a hint of killing intent surged through her. "Father, do not worry. We will deal with her. We won't let her get away with this."
He sighed and shook his head. "She is… different, but enough of that…" The man smiled wholeheartedly to his daughters. "I'm sorry for being a bad father. Remember, I'll always love you two! Your mother and I will be watching…"
With that final statement, his heart stopped. His eyes gradually lost the glimmer of life. And just like that, Emperor Lianghu Tzu had finally died! Everyone was silent and the atmosphere was one of confusion. From the beginning of the negotiations to now, less than fifteen minutes had passed! From the terrifying spell made by Elizabeth to the emperor's death, everything was so strange and incomprehensible that many wondered if they were dreaming. Although General Illion and Sir Lorenzo were far from the commotion, they also learned of what happened. They were also dazed! Without exception, everyone was dumbfounded! The man who started the Second Great Kingdom War, who precipitated everything, had perished in such a wild and unexpected turn of events!
***
At the same time, in the heart of the Zhongjing Province of the Xingyuu Empire, the mighty capital city of Yongtein stood. Built on an island in the middle of an enormous lake, Yongtein was the crown seat of power for the entire empire. Here was where Imperial Family, Imperial Council, Li Family, and the nobility families resided! It was a massive and elaborately built city, sprawled over large portions of land. Despite that, there was order. Every district was neatly organized and separated with plentiful greenery in between. Compared to the Alzar Kingdom's Corasen and Algard, it seemed to be a big improvement.
The closer to the Imperial Palace, the more important the buildings were and the more beautiful they became. Near the palace grounds, there was a tall building known as the Imperial Court. Aptly named, it was the center of the Imperial Council! Currently, there was a meeting for the entire council. Every minister was present as was the Prime Minister. Such a force was second only to the Imperial Family. Their word could send tremors throughout the Xingyuu Empire! It was no light matter that the entire Imperial Council was assembled right now. Anyone could tell it was nothing good.
"As I've said before, the Li Family was never up to any good! Their presence itself upsets the entire power balance of the empire! We should have never allowed them the ability to grow so big!" A minister slammed the table.
"Is it so easy to deal with the Li Family? They're stronger than any of the other three Great Nobility Families…"
"The situation in the north is hectic. The battles with the Alzar Kingdom have been tougher than we expected. If we include the Li Family as well…"
"Even if the Li Family does nothing, their reputation is too monstrous. A single word from them causes a hundred problems," another groaned. "When they finally make a move, it'll be too late. I say we should strike pre-emptively."
"Yes, an excellent idea!" many clamored.
"What is your opinion, Prime Minister?" the Minister of the Military asked of the man beside him.
The Prime Minister was Pon-Wai Jian, the elder brother of Sentinel Chang. Much like his younger brother, the man had an extraordinarily noble and graceful appearance. He was calm and collected, making decisions that directly cut to the heart of any problem. Otherwise, how could he inherit a position second only to the emperor himself? However, he was quiet at this time. Anything that had to do with the Li Family was a tricky matter. It was not his place to speak carelessly.
Minister Linshi was on the other side of the Prime Minister. Just this seating alone spoke volumes of her importance. After all, the Minister of the Military was the head of the entire Xingyuu army! His word commanded more than a million soldiers! Yet, her expression was blank. It was like she was completely unaffected by the problems the empire faced. She acted as if everything in her gaze was beneath her notice! Normally, a nature as aloof as hers would garner some scorn, but no one dared to glance at her wrongly. She held too unique a position on the Imperial Council!
As everyone was debating about the Li Family, Minister Linshi suddenly glanced in a certain direction. A trace of surprise passing through her dark eyes. She reached into her dress and fetched a small thumb-sized translucent crystal. There was nothing peculiar about its characteristics. In fact, one might even consider it trash from the wayside. Yet, she watched as a red hue grow inside the crystal until it dyed the thing into a deep, crimson red. As soon as that happened, the jewel fractured and crumbled into dust. It broke apart so finely that with a simple wave of her hands, not a single trace existed.
Did they act? Linshi wondered thoughtfully.
Her actions invited a curious gaze from the Prime Minister. "Is there a problem, Minister Linshi?" he asked respectfully. Everyone turned to look at the woman.
Minister Linshi wore a slight frown. She said a simple sentence that shook the entire Imperial Council, "Emperor Lianghu has died."
"What?" everyone shouted. Shock, surprise, and confusion reined!
"Minister Linshi, could you please elaborate?" the Prime Minister's face darkened. "This is no laughing matter. How could have General Illion's forces triumphed?" Paying no attention to the ministers around her or even the Prime Minister, she stood up and began to walk away. Prime Minister Pon-Wai fumed. He was the head of the Imperial Council! How could he let his subordinate blatantly ignore him? It was a clear slap to his face and authority! "Minister Linshi, if you continue walking, don't blame me for taking action."
"Do as you wish," she nonchalantly mused before exiting the room.
"Imperial Sentinels arrest her!" the Minister of the Military shouted. "Do not let her leave the building!" Although the sentinels reacted fast and locked the Imperial Court down, they never found her. It was as if she disappeared into thin air itself.
***