After getting dressed in her royal attire, Jia Li, looked in the mirror, one more time. The Crown on her head suited her well. She was born to serve as the next Empress of the Tang Empire. Surely, not everyone wanted that to happen.
Under Tang Xiangwei's rule, the Empire was prosperous and peaceful. His faith in her daughter, Jia Li, increased more, after she succeeded in appeasing the anger of the Wushun nomadic tribes, who were trying to be independent. They were crucial for the Tang Empire because of their closeness to the steppe and a mountain chain in the North.
However, many were not happy that Tang Jia Li was chosen as the Crown Princess.
She had not forgotten the lesson which she had learned before returning to the same day: Not to have blind faith in people just because they are smiling and praising you in front of your face.
In her suspect list of conspirators, Grand Empress Dowager, her three uncles, and a few court ministers were at the top.
Grand Empress Dowager, her grandmother, did not like Jia Li because she was a woman. According to her, a woman should not rule, but follow or obey. Jia Li could not ignore how many times the Grand Empress Dowager tried to marry her off right after she turned seventeen. However, Jia Li's love for her grandmother never let her believe she would ever try to kill her father.
Jia Li's three uncles had a good reputation and power in the Empire. But that did not mean they would ever get the chance to rule. The same was the fate of their sons. Because they were not the Emperor's sons, none of them could ever get the throne.
Jia Li could not act foolish and trust them merely because they supported her in every decision. Such a big conspiracy could not occur in the hands of one person outside the royal family unless someone from inside helped the person.
The few top court ministers, who were loyal to the Grand Empress Dowager, could be part of the conspiracy going on around her.
Last, but not the least, the Chief Military General of the Tang Army. She remembered that face well. He was the one who shot two arrows at her to kill her.
"Your Royal Highness, it is the time to see the Emperor and hand him the present on which the Crown Princess has been working for a long time," Court Lady Xuan pronounced with a smile tugging on her lips.
Jia Li nodded at her and left to see her Father in the main hall. She reached there in the palanquin since Court Lady Xuan did not let Jia Li walk.
Jia Li stepped out of the palanquin when a hand extended to help her get up. She lifted her head and found an unknown man standing tall before her.
Jia Li ignored his presence and stood straight by herself. The handsome young man looked at his hand, and with a chuckle, he withdrew his hand.
"Don't you know who I am?" Jia Li's firm voice caught the attention of the young, handsome man again.
"Yes, I know. The Tang Empire's Crown Princess," the young man replied.
"That's why don't ever cross your line," Jia Li sternly told him and walked ahead.
"I am Lee Xianwu," the young man introduced himself. Jia Li did not stop and walked ahead.
"Father said she's sweet, but her temper says otherwise," Xianwu mumbled and watched the Crown Princess ascending the stairs.
The large mahogany doors to the main hall were already opened. So, Jia Li entered without waiting for the doorkeepers to open the doors. She could hear the laughter of her Father, and it filled her with joy.
"Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Jia Li has come to give a present to His Majesty," Eunuch Yang pronounced. Her three uncles and their respective sons gazed in her direction.
Jia Li stopped at the center of the hall and lifted her hands to her shoulders before joining them. She lowered her head and greeted her father.
Tang Xiangwei was delighted to see her daughter all well.
Jia Li lowered her hands and kept them near her belly. "Father, this is my present. I would like to add here I stitched it myself for my Father. I know it looks like an ordinary robe, but it has a love of a daughter for her father," Jia Li said. Eunuch Yang came forward to accept the robe from the Crown Princess and took it to the Emperor.
Tang Xiangwei rose to his feet and unfolded the robe.
"The Crown Princess made such a beautiful robe for me. The tiger made using intricate gold threads does go well with the Year of Tiger. Such a thoughtful perspective the Crown Princess possesses," Tang Xiangwei could not stop praising her daughter's present to him. He asked Eunuch Yang to include the robe in his daily wearable robe and handed it to him.
Eunuch Yang got to the side and folded the robe. He whispered something in the maidservant's ear, who took the robe to the Emperor's wardrobe.
"I saw the Crown Princess running in a wild state in the morning," Prince Wangjie, the eldest son of Jia Li's first uncle, remarked. "Forgive me for my wrong use of words, but I am unable to find the correct word," he added.
"Brother Wangjie should focus on his work rather than on me," Jia Li advised him. It was the first time the Crown Princess used such a tone. The reason was evident. In her eyes, even Wangjie was one of the conspirators.
They both were born in the same year. Moreover, Wangjie held an equal candidature until the Crown Prince's position was empty. However, when Tang Xiangwei decided to pass it to her daughter, Prince Wangjie felt low all the time, which Jia Li ignored for a long time.
However, now, she could not do that. She would be called a foolish woman if she started to ignore all such factors.
Wangjie gazed at Jia Li with a dubious expression. She looked like a different person.