Xiuying grew grumpy. "We wouldn't do anything!"
"I only wish that were true," he eyed the princess suspiciously. "Before I was muddleheaded, and I allowed you to return the heir apparent to the Alzar Kingdom. However, because of that, you were captured by General Illion." He caused Xiuying's face to stiffen with those words.
Ming rubbed her temples again. "I understand your concerns, uncle. Please do not worry. We won't do anything against your wishes."
"If you say so, Ming, then I'll trust you. Once I'm done with my business here, then we'll head back to Chongdu," Qiang sighed. "I'm under a lot of pressure too from the elders, branch families and subordinate families, so I hope you'll understand. This is the most support I can give you. It took plenty of time and concessions to appeal to everyone, so I can't afford to do anything unnecessary."
Seeing Xiuying's pouty face made him feel apologetic. A vivid memory from the past flashed before his eyes. It was more than twenty years ago at this point… Back when his older sister, the late Empress Mei Li, was alive and still an unwed maiden and he was a childish brat, barely eight or nine years old. As the descendants of the Li Family, their lives were smooth-sailing. Anything they wished for could be at their fingertips. They just had to say the word and it could be theirs! But the reality was different from what people would imagine. Rather than a lavish lifestyle of riches, beauties, and anything the heart could imagine, Mei and Qiang were forced into a life of ascetism. The Li Family elders believed that hardship and struggle would mold character. It would turn a rock into diamond!
While their beliefs certainly proved true, with Mei Li growing to become the next empress of the Xingyuu Empire and Qiang Li eventually succeeding as the next patriarch, young Qiang did not believe that nonsense. He was an immature kid who cared nothing about their lofty ideals. He just wanted to have fun and enjoy life! Because of that, he often snuck out and goofed off when he should be studying. He played with the servants' children and stole toys from the warehouse. His rebellious attitude was frequently punished with strict beatings and long isolations, and during that time, Qiang remembered how he cried and cried till his lungs hurt. Why did other children get to have fun while he suffered alone? Why was life this unfair? He would have grown up to hate the Li Family, and ran away, if it weren't for his older sister.
He chuckled at the thought. His older sister was incredibly studious and serious, always acting formally and distant with everyone. However, Qiang knew better than anyone else how sneaky she was. By acting nice and obedient, people focused less on her, and more on the troublemaker Qiang. This allowed her to sneak by from time to time and do as she pleased. Who would have thought that the future Empress Mei Li, the beloved empress of the empire, had a cunning and mischievous side to her? But despite her cheeky behavior, she always doted on him. Whenever he was locked in his room, she would steal some candy and share it with him. She was always there, to make sure he was never completely alone… There was one time they were discovered, and Aunt Hong-Lan gave them an earful, making them kneel six hours straight. Back then, these were painful memories, but looking at it now, he smiled.
Looking at Xiuying and Ming now, Qiang only saw his late sister in them. Xiuying inherited her mischievousness and tomboyish personality, while Ming inherited her aloof and steadfast personality. He wanted to help them. Whether it be honoring his late sister's wishes or protecting his nieces, he honestly wanted to. But the times changed, and he was no longer the young and brash boy without a care in the world. He had responsibilities now as the patriarch of the Li Family, the strongest nobility family in the world! What he wanted was no longer relevant. The family interests outweighed his personal interests! Just like the meeting in Chongdu with Aunt Hong-Lan and the other subordinate families, he walked a very thin line. The 'Imperial Princesses' was a valuable political tool that the Li Family refused to budge on. And if he dared step out of line, he could be forced to step down as patriarch. By then, who would protect them?
"I hate this situation as much as you two, but this is for the best," Qiang exhaled. "The elders and I are already planning countermeasures against the Alzar Kingdom's invasion. We're aware of the Imperial Council's plot, so there is no need for concern. We will handle everything, so you two don't have to worry about a thing."
Ming nodded gently. She fully understood what her uncle was thinking. Sentiment aside, the Alzar Kingdom was too big of a risk! The last time they met with the kingdom, they were captured by General Illion, only spared a public execution because of Elizabeth's intervention. Although Elizabeth was serving as the Royal Army General now, Ming understood better than anyone else that a person's individual interests would never outweigh that of the kingdom. Whether she was the heir apparent or not, it made no difference. It was the cold-hearted calculation that power made! It was beyond likely, no… Ming was almost certain that the next time they meet, the Alzar Kingdom would not spare them a second chance. They would become political hostages!
"…I'll take my leave here then," Qiang murmured. Despite reconnecting, he felt their relationship remained awkward and distant. He regretted it. That was why he vowed to keep them safe no matter what!
Once he left, the tension in the room dropped. Xiuying gave a big sigh and waved her arms around aggressively. If there was a bed in the room, she might have jumped onto it in frustration. She needed to vent! Tai laughed aloud at the Imperial Princess without the slightest show of dignity or grace. Chang pretended to see nothing, while Ming's eyebrows twitched in embarrassment. While they knew Chang and Tai since they were young, that was no reason to abandon all propriety. They were the Imperial Princesses of the Xingyuu Empire! Ming snapped at her sister, forcing the girl to return to normalcy. She really had to shake her head at such a sister.
"You're supposed to be an Imperial Princess, sister. You should always behave like one," Ming chastised.
"But! What are we going to do? We came all the way here!"
Ming shook her head. "And what exactly did you expect to do? Negotiate with the heir apparent and the Alzar Kingdom? You can't be so thoughtless. The risks are too great, and our odds are too low. The repercussions, should we fail, would be too great to imagine. We would be dooming our people! Can you guarantee that everything will work out?"
And she was not scaring her either because the Imperial Princesses were the card that the Imperial Council and Li Family were desperately fighting for. If the Alzar Kingdom gained a hold of them, then the political situation would descend into chaos! This was not a decision they could make lightheartedly!
"Then what are we supposed to do? At this rate…" Xiuying cried.
In this regard, she was a splitting-image of Elizabeth. Both yearned for peace, reconciliation, and an end of this ridiculous century-long war. She was born shortly before the First Great Kingdom War ended in the crest of the new era of peace. That was why her childhood was filled with joy and laughter, free of the worry that came with war. For the young Xiuying, the war was like the facts in a history book, read and ultimately forgotten. She still remembered how she played with her mother and sister for hours on end, running around the imperial gardens while waiting for her father to finish work. Eating dinner together, watching the moon until late, and being tucked into bed by her parents… It was a life that everyone envisioned as the perfect family. This was her childhood.
But good things eventually come to an end. Their mother died! Empress Mei Li suddenly passed away without cause, dying in her sleep. The entire empire was shaken! The empress, the second highest seat of authority, ruling over millions of subjects and standing side-by-side to Emperor Lianghu, died! And it was not like she was a minor figure either. She was a beloved figure that everyone looked up to and admired. Having spearheaded the peace talks with the Alzar Kingdom, Empress Mei Li was one of the instrumental figures responsible for ending the First Great Kingdom War. Everyone held her in the absolute highest regards! The empire mourned for months, while Xiuying and her sister were devastated… Their father was perhaps the worst. He sealed himself in his room and refused to meet anyone. If not for the occasional eaten food, they would have thought he killed himself out of grief!