Thankfully, Ming had anticipated this and came prepared. She said, "Let's begin with the claim that the Imperial Council would eliminate the Li Family. We know that the Imperial Council is controlled by the three Great Nobility Families, namely the Jian, Jun, and Shui Families. I believe we can all agree that they are hostile towards the Li Family. They were the ones who initially attacked the Li Family and restarted the Second Great Kingdom War. The Li Family also requested support from the Imperial Council when the Alzar Kingdom first invaded the Samfeng Province, yet they were met with silence."
"But we're allied with them currently," Lord Meng refuted.
"Except it was done without the knowledge or permission of the patriarch at the time, Imperian Qiang. Not to mention, the Imperial Council also led their forces into Liguang to ambush us and the Alzar Kingdom, resulting in the total annihilation of both armies. Over ten thousand people died in that battle alone. We would have died too, were it not for some unknown factors involved." She sighed helplessly. "The Imperial Council is merely using the Li Family.
"Now, about allying with the Alzar Kingdom… Although we've been at war with the kingdom for over five centuries as you've said, my father, Emperor Lianghu, and King Harth ended the First Great Kingdom War eighteen years ago. From cultural exchange to economic reforms, the Xingyuu Empire and the Li Family experienced an explosive age of growth and prosperity, hence the term the Golden Age. The future is unknown, but the past is proof… is what you said, correct? I agree that we should learn from the past, but we should never be constrained by it. Otherwise, there would be no development, no change, and no future. I believe that you, as a scholar, should understand this the most."
"With all due respect, Your Highness, it is specifically because we can learn from the past that we can conclude that any peace with the Alzar Kingdom will be short-lived. The crux of the problem lies here. By working against the Imperial Council with the Alzar Kingdom, the outcome will be that our empire's military power will dramatically decline. Our deterrent capability would cease to exist, and we would lose the ability to rival the kingdom. We would become helpless. By that point, the kingdom could do whatever they want with us be it slaughter or slavery. Furthermore, the agreement Your Highness made was with Princess Elizabeth, the former heir apparent of the kingdom. It was not recognized in an official capacity by either the Royal Assembly, the Royal Family, or Queen Samanthie… A loose agreement like this should never be used to decide an entire empire's affairs. It's informal, non-binding, and sets a dangerous precedent. I stand by my decision to absolve my Tien Family of this affair."
"I agree that our military prowess would decline. That is the inevitable nature of war. However, the Yunyun Stronghold has shown that the Alzar Kingdom can act cordially with the Xingyuu Empire's citizens. They can live as they've lived before. I will admit that there has been friction, that not everyone is satisfied, and that there were many deaths in the beginning, but it is peaceful now. Change is possible. While Princess Elizabeth's defeat in the inheritance race was regretful, she remains the Royal Army General of the Alzar Kingdom, the crown's representative in this war. She holds significant weight that cannot be ignored, and I believe our current cooperation could seed the potential for future agreements."
"Your Highness is omitting the most important part," Lady Hao said. "An agreement with the former heir apparent means little if the current monarch says otherwise. Princess Elizabeth's word might have weight, but Queen Samanthie's word is law. It isn't enough. Like what Lord Meng said, this sets a dangerous precedent. I recommend forgetting this agreement and returning to the Li Family."
"What future would we have if we returned now?" Xiuying replied wryly. "We've lost our home in Yongtein and the Li Family wants to kill us now. You want us to hide like rats? Or should we rally together and overthrow the elder council? We don't have a path forward anymore." Her words silenced an awkward Lady Hao.
"…It's as my sister said. Both we, and the Li Family, don't have a path forward anymore. With the emergence of Martial Energy, the Featherwind Sect, and the Sword King, the situation has grown beyond our control. I have reason to suspect the elder council has betrayed us for this very reason. They sacrificed us to ally with the Imperial Council. However, this hints at the true nature of their cooperation. It's not a true cooperation between equals, but a subservience based on current circumstances. The grand elder of the Li Family, Lord Foshan's, sudden retirement is suspicious too. Prime Minister Pon-Wai and the Imperial Council won't let go once they've sunk into the elder council. They'll ensure the Li Family can't resist anymore. The most natural way is… to use the Li Family as the vanguard and sacrifice in the battles to come. They'll want to whittle the Li Family and the Alzar Kingdom's strength while they reap all the benefits. I'm not saying that the same can't or won't happen with the Alzar Kingdom. I cannot predict Queen Samanthie or the Royal Assembly's decisions. That said, I do believe our negotiations with Princess Elizabeth create the opportunity to end this war once and for all. Please trust in us!" The princess then bowed her head pleadingly, startling everyone. They could sense the sincerity in her voice. Still… it was not enough.
"I'm sorry, but my decision stands," Lord Meng concluded.
"The Wu Family is of the same mind," Lady Hao added.
"The same goes for the rest of us," the other seven people tackled on.
The last person to comment was Lord Lu as all eyes shifted to him. He looked down and exhaled exhaustedly. "By helping the Alzar Kingdom against the Imperial Council, the people will see it as an act of treason of the highest order. Your Highnesses' reputation and legacy will be tarnished forever, remembered as traitors who sold the empire out to the kingdom. Your Highnesses' lives will never be the same again… Even then, despite all that, will Your Highnesses persist? How far can that resolve go? What motivates Your Highnesses forward?" he asked with a sharp gaze. Depending on their answers, he could change his mind. It was their final chance!
"I…" Ming struggled to express her feelings. It was the first question to thoroughly stop her in her tracks! Her inability to reply immediately caused Lord Lu to frown. He was a little disappointed. The man was about to voice his refusal when Xiuying stepped in again.
She took a deep breath and stared straight at Lord Lu. "My mother used to say this… Peace is like a seed. We may plant it, water it, and nurture it yet it might never sprout in our lifetimes. However, that seed gives hope, hope that for the generations that follow, they may one day see that same seed sprouting into a towering tree that everyone can enjoy… My mother and father challenged the world and accomplished something no one thought was possible. They ended the First Great Kingdom War! Although they're both gone now… it was their hope to raise us in an era free of conflict and suffering… They wanted to create a world full of smiles and laughs… Everyone has suffered in this war whether it's you, or me, or even a stranger. Every person has a story to tell. I've seen it a thousand times before… Even my own father was… manipulated and killed for this. And for what? A stupid war that has no end? A war which we don't even know why we're fighting? Why shouldn't I try to stop it? Wouldn't anyone?" she shouted emotionally.
Ming patted her sister's back and added, "I may not put it as eloquently as my sister, but I do believe this: this never-ending cycle of conflict should end. Waiting for someone else to end the war is wishful thinking. If we want a future, then we should reach out and grab it ourselves. We should control our own destiny. I know that our agreement with Princess Elizabeth sounds wishful itself, and that the repercussions could be enormous, but it gives us an opportunity to change this world. We can end this war! The era of peace that our parents fought so hard for… We will rebuild it ourselves. That is our goal. If people hate us for it, curse us for it, or mock us for it, then so be it…" She smiled widely. "As long as everyone is happy, then it was worth it in the end. We will have no regrets!"