"Refusing a toast, only to be forced to drink a forfeit. I've overestimated the Shui Family," Minister Keigon said in passing.
"I agree. It would have been ideal if Minister Daiyuu could put his grievances aside and wholeheartedly work for the Imperial Council. This current state of affairs is somewhat undesirable," Prime Minister Pon-Wai remarked disappointedly.
"If we had the full support of the Shui Family, then our war efforts would have progressed much smoother. They're only providing the bare minimum of support since we have Minister Daiyuu here."
"No matter." The Prime Minister's smile widened. "After this operation, we won't have to worry about the Li Family anymore. As for the Shui Family, I trust Minister Daiyuu will make the correct decision soon enough. The only problem is…"
"The Alzar Kingdom," Minister Keigon said flatly.
The Prime Minister nodded. "Once we use our trump cards, it won't be long before they devise countermeasures. Queen Bethnal, Lord Illion, as well as the rest of the Royal Assembly cannot be underestimated. While we have the advantage, we need to make the most out of it."
"Everything depends on the outcome of this operation."
At the same time, Minister Daiyuu sat with his arms crossed and his brow furrowed inside his room. His expensive blue robes which were woven with golden silk did little to hide his aging physique. He was an old man, and the oldest out of the current patriarchs of the Four Great Nobility Families. With his plain face riddled with wrinkles and his combed black hair riddled with white, he was close to his sixties. Not to mention, unlike the Prime Minister or Minister Keigon, whose presence could instantly dominate the rooms they were in, his presence was insignificant. An unassuming appearance and average demeanor, this was how people would describe him, the patriarch of the Shui Family. He encapsulated the tradition of the Shui Family a bit too perfectly.
There were three teacups placed on the table, the first belonged to Prime Minister Pon-Wai and the second to Minister Keigon. They were just here to discuss cooperation with the Shui Family, but it ended uneventfully as usual. Minister Daiyuu was the perfect embodiment of water. They would push him in one direction, and he would nod his head dumbly to agree, but when push came to shove, he would feign ignorance and do nothing. This was not the first time that the Prime Minister and Minister Keigon did this, yet every time ended in failure because Minister Daiyuu would never commit to anything. Of course, they would be frustrated dealing with such an uncooperative person.
"Is it true, father?"
Lady Chan Shui, also known as the Minister of Internal Relations on the Imperial Council, asked. A young woman in her early thirties, her beauty was dainty and refreshing. Unlike the Imperial Princesses who could astound heaven and earth alike with their breath-taking beauty, Lady Chan was more of a humble and down-to-earth sort of woman. Anyone would smile around her because her presence was that uplifting. However, her cute features were dressed in a face of worry. She overheard the conversation between her father and the patriarchs. The Imperial Council was planning a big move against the Li Family, a move that would undoubtedly shuffle the balance of powers!
This pained her heart, and she felt her powerlessness. It was quite ironic that she, the Minister of Internal Relations, would be powerless to stop the worlds from colliding. The Four Great Nobility Families would fight one way or another! And worse yet was that she was the reason why the Shui Family was in this mess. As the betrothed of Imperian Qiang, the patriarch of the Li Family, everyone saw it as a political marriage to tie the two families together, to strengthen the Shui Family and consolidate the Li Family's position as the strongest nobility family.
However, the reality was quite different because Lady Chan and Imperian Qiang were childhood sweethearts! When they were young, they played together a lot and as they grew older, those feelings of friendship eventually turned into love. There were no schemes nor plots involved. Originally, the Shui Family staunchly rejected the idea to marry off their young lady to the Li Family. There were a variety of reasons for this, and it expended a lot of time and effort on her part to change their minds. So, how did it come to this?
"Are they really planning on…"
"Prime Minister Pon-Wai and Minister Keigon are many things, but they aren't liars," Lord Daiyuu said calmly. "What they said is most likely true."
Since they were temporarily 'detained' here, they had very limited access to the outside world. Without their usual informants, it was hard to determine truth from falsehood, so they had to go by whatever was given to them. Of course, it was not a true detainment with the living conditions of a prisoner. From the luxurious and spacious room, it was clear that this was the best room the Imperial Court could offer. It suited the patriarch of the Shui Family, one of the Four Great Nobility Families. That said, they could not step one foot outside. Many Imperial Sentinels, regular guards, in addition to soldiers from the Jian and Jun Families were present to ensure this. Putting it lightly, they were long-term guests, but putting it bluntly, they were hostages.
"We should capitulate to the Imperial Council," Lord Daiyuu sighed. Although he appeared weak and cowardly, that did not mean he was a fool. Perhaps it was because he was smart that he knew when to advance or retreat. "If their predictions hold true, then it's only a matter of time before the Li Family falls prey to the Imperial Council's scheme. The longer we keep our neutral attitude, the more of an eyesore we'll become. It'd be best to declare our allegiance now while we have a chance."
Lady Chan bit her lip and stood in silence, looking particularly pitiful. There was nothing she could do.
***
At the Li Family's residence in Chongdu, Lord Foshan Li was in his personal study admiring a prized calligraphy piece. The powerful downward strokes, the sharp angles, the form-fitting letters, and the artistic whimsy flowed from the pages like a waterfall, painting a vivid wonderful scene. It was like the world sprung to life in his mind! His face was filled with utter satisfaction. Calligraphy was one of the few hobbies that he fancied, evident by the shelves which spanned the wall, packed with scrolls. There was a large, exquisite piece hanging behind him with the massive word, 'Li', representing the Li Family. A thick scent of ink wafted through the air, giving the room a scholarly feeling. The scroll that Lord Foshan held was worth a mind-boggling sum, enough to bankrupt even large nobility families, much less to say about the other priceless pieces here. The total wealth in this room might exceed a small province! As a previous patriarch, he could still wield a significant portion of the family's finances, as long as it did not negatively impact the family's day-to-day operations. This was where he spent that money.
The candle flame on his table dimmed with a sudden breeze. Lord Foshan instinctively frowned and massaged his forehead. Perhaps it was because he had a poor night's sleep that he felt a bit unwell now. The semblance of a migraine began to surface in his head. He sighed and reflected. The negotiations with the Alzar Kingdom were scheduled to begin tomorrow, which might be why he was so tense. This gamble… would it pay off? Lord Foshan folded up the scroll and tucked it away before asking for his personal butler. Normally, his butler would be waiting outside for his command, but no reply came. Upset with his growing headache, Lord Foshan shouted for his Protector or the guards with more urgency. However, only a chilling silence answered him. This made him reflexively reach for his sword when…
"Fengji, I told you before that you're not allowed to enter without my permission," Lord Foshan glanced at his brother with obvious displeasure.
"Don't be like that, brother," Lord Fengji laughed and spread his fan flamboyantly. "I wanted to make sure you're okay, that's all."
Giving him a sharp look, he replied, "Thank you for the concern, but it's unnecessary."
"Is that so? I'm glad." Folding his fan, the man smiled. "Brother, you should get some rest. It's a very important day tomorrow. The Li Family has a long road ahead of it, so we'll need to be in our best condition for whatever problems pop up."
"Is that the only thing that you came here to say, Fengji? I didn't know you had so much free time."
"You jest. I was only worried about you…"
Feeling his headache intensify, Lord Foshan hemmed. "Enough. Where is my butler? He should be outside. Call him here." His fever was rising at a meteoric rate, causing his breath to shorten and his body to cramp. He was not in the mood to talk.
"You mean him?" Lord Fengji smiled.
He snapped his fingers to allow someone else into the room. Dressed from head-to-toe in a tight black cloak which hid their body and face completely, they were the epitome of a shadow. It was like they were wreathed in darkness itself! They held a short sword in one hand, a popular weapon since it could be covertly concealed in clothing and drawn without alerting their enemies. In other words, it was an assassination weapon! There was no need to ponder on their identity since Lord Foshan's attention was drawn to the thing in their hand. More specifically, it was his butler being dragged by the hair, a messy trail of blood grew behind him. It was unclear if he was dead or alive.
"…What is the meaning of this, Fengji?" Lord Foshan asked in a heavy tone. He did not panic nor curse. He only regarded his brother with cold, detached eyes.