Continuing, Lady Vellena said, "If you don't mind me asking, Princess Ming, has the Xingyuu Empire decided on its next heir yet?"
Ming hesitated. "No, we didn't have the time to decide that."
"So, if there is no emperor, then who has the next highest authority?"
"…That would be the prime minister and the Imperial Council."
Lady Vellena seemed to sigh, like educating a lost child. "Princess Ming, I heard you were a smart and exceptional child; however, this is far too naïve. An agreement on this scale requires the oversight and permission from both civilization's monarchs and governments. It would need months, if not years, of delicate composing and revision to reach an acceptable form. Only then would it be agreed, signed, witnessed, and enacted by multiple parties. This is what we call law. Do you understand?"
"Of course, I understand but-"
"We can talk again when you're the empress. Please, if you may," she gestured to the side. "We have other, more urgent matters to attend to."
"How can you say that?" Xiuying shouted, much to the horror of her sister. "We've sacrificed so much to be here! We've lost our parents, our family, our friends, our reputation, and our dignity… After everything we've done, after everything we've sacrificed… we-"
"So, what?" the Mistress of Relations interrupted.
"Huh?" Xiuying was taken aback.
"Your grievances don't mean anything to me, Her Majesty, or the Alzar Kingdom. To put it frankly, we don't care one bit about what your experiences."
"You-"
"Stop it, Xiuying!" Ming yelled.
"But…"
"Just… stop. You're making an embarrassment out of us."
Xiuying glanced at everyone, sneering and chuckling to themselves. Even Queen Samanthie looked amused. It was clear that no one took them seriously. Their laughter pricked Xiuying's ears and head like a thousand needles. An icy hand reached up and yanked her by the throat, plunging her into blackness. She felt suffocated, like she could hardly breathe anymore. The blackness continued to close in on her, eroding away at her vision. Did she and her sister make a mistake? Did they really damn the empire? Her strength faded. Because if so, then what were their sacrifices for? Why did their father, mother, and Tai lose their lives for? Was it… all for nothing? The girl felt faint. The realization was enough to break her heart.
"I think we're done here," Lady Vellena declared.
Imperian Qiang prepared to speak out, except someone else was faster.
"Your Majesty, may I speak?" Elizabeth asked.
"You may."
"Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I believe there is significant merit to hearing the Imperial Princesses out. It would be a mistake to sour relations now."
"Your Highness, with all due respect, your emotions are clouding your judgement," Lady Vellena replied. "The Imperial Council has fallen, the Four Great Nobility Families have scattered, and we've taken the capital city. It might take a year or more, but the Xingyuu Empire will eventually fall into our hands. In that case, why should the Alzar Kingdom entertain any pleas for peace? Need I remind Your Highness that the Xingyuu Empire was responsible for starting this war? They're reaping the consequences of their own actions."
"Lady Vellena, with all due respect, you're supposed to be the Mistress of Relations, not the Master of Strategy," Elizabeth returned with a smile. "Taking the battle for Yongtein as an example, many things went beyond our expectations. Perception Realm armies, Martial Energy, the Featherwind Sect, the Sword King, and even Protector Avin… Every factor defies common sense. Even the Master of Strategy, Lord Illion, couldn't have predicted this outcome. Therefore, for you to believe that the Xingyuu Empire could fall in a year is… truly naïve. The Mistress of Relations is meant to mediate between two parties, not advise on war. Please refrain from stating these baseless conclusions. It may cause confusion."
Silence reigned. No one dared to move or say a word, as it became extremely awkward. On one side was a princess and the former heir apparent. On the other was the Mistress of Relations and a Grand Lady. Both stood near the apex of the kingdom. Nobody could afford standing out and risk offending them. As for Ming, she was pleasantly surprised to find Elizabeth defending them. Although they agreed to end the war together, she believed Elizabeth would ultimately side with the kingdom. Blood was thicker than water after all. Likewise, Xiuying felt comforted by Elizabeth's voice. The darkness shrouding her vision disappeared. She even wanted to laugh at Lady Vellena's expression. Her mood was much better. Meanwhile, Lady Vellena's cheeks were red hot. This was the first time anyone dared to publicly humiliate her like this. She was indignant! However, she held her tongue. She knew this was not the time nor the place to bicker.
Elizabeth turned her attention over. "Your Majesty, please reconsider this. The Imperial Princesses and Imperian Qiang have proven themselves in the battles of Liguang, the Quiton Gates, and Yongtein. They were essential in quelling the chaos and establishing order. What is an empire without its people? Trying to govern this land with force will only lead to more problems. I believe it is in the kingdom's best interests to attempt a peaceful resolution, while we can."
"What is your opinion, brother?" Queen Samanthie deferred.
People glanced at the man sat beside the queen, Prince Dannark. He had accompanied her here, yet he had chosen not to make himself known until now. That was his way of respecting his sister, who had become queen. The uncomfortable truth was that his reputation far exceeded his sister's. In fact, he was probably the second most famous person in the Royal Family. Everyone knew his name! The second eldest son of Queen Bethnal, the former first-in-line for the throne, and the Second-In-Command of the Quinvoren Army, he handled the entire northern warfront and oversaw merging the Zino Kingdom's army into the Alzar Kingdom's. His unique strategies, combined with his quick thinking, charisma, and leadership, quickly transformed the chaotic northern provinces into a peaceful, ironclad defense against the empire. A man overflowing with talent and experience, he was the person most suited to become king! Yet, he stepped away from the crown. No one knew why.
He was a handsome middle-aged man with combed short black hair, a few wrinkles, and a pair of rich, dark eyes. His uniform was a simple gold-adorned set of robes with military medals and a long red golden cape. It showed off his royal heritage and military position at the same time. A beautiful crown sat on his head. His expression was deep and filled with mystery, as though he had experienced the vicissitudes of life. The moment he appeared, the world seemed to answer. His presence dominated the room and demanded absolute respect. Nobody could question him! As they awaited his response, he looked at Elizabeth. Despite the large distance between them, Elizabeth felt as though he stood right in front of her. His deep eyes seemed to peer into her innermost thoughts. It was unsettling, except she was unafraid. After facing the Sword King and Protector Avin, who could use their perceptions to truly sense her thoughts, this farce was nothing. Elizabeth remained strong.
Prince Dannark smiled, which unnerved her. He then faced the queen and said something shocking. "I agree with Elizabeth. Our original timeline for capturing the Samfeng Province was five years. We were expecting a long, drawn out battle with the Imperial Council and the Li Family. It should have taken a miracle to break through the Quiton Gates or the Tailong River. However, we achieved it in less than a year, thanks to the Featherwind Sect, Sword King, Imperian Qiang, and the Imperial Princesses. This put an unexpectedly heavy strain on our military, economy, and government. We also welcomed a new queen in that time, so it could be dangerous if we expand the frontlines any further. My recommendation would be to secure a temporary ceasefire with the Four Great Nobility Families and use that time to rebuild our forces and reassess our strategies."
"You have a point… But this plan doesn't necessarily require the Imperial Princesses, does it?"
"Your Majesty, we may be young, but we have extensive experience dealing with the Four Great Nobility Families," Ming pleaded her case. "Furthermore, our uncle, Imperian Qiang, is the former patriarch to the Li Family. His fiancée, Minister Chan, is the daughter of the Shui Family's patriarch. My Protector, Lord Chang, is the son of the Jian Family's patriarch. We are confident that we can bring the Four Great Nobility Families to negotiate."
Queen Samanthie stared at the Imperial Princesses, but Elizabeth could have sworn that the queen was looking at her instead. She felt unnerved again. Why her? She did nothing!
"Very well, we'll adopt this plan then."