When the First Princess reached the side chamber, she saw that the Regent had already arrived. Clad in his python robes, he cut an impressive figure. [1]
“Greetings to my royal uncle,” she said, entering with a courteous smile and curtsy.
The Regent smiled back. “Luanyu, back from the Umbra Cave? It went well, I trust?”
The First Princess nodded. “Smoothly. After all, Principal Pang watches over us.”
“Principal Pang is a gold needle in the haystack of the Xia Kingdom,” the Regent said. “We are all much safer with him guarding the Umbra Cave.”
They exchanged a few more pleasantries before the Regent got to the heart of the matter. “Is His Majesty well? Is Li Luo of some help?” The First Princess’ smile did not falter. She was not surprised that he would have found out about Li Luo. After all, his reach was great, as was his information networks. Apparently, she had not managed to keep this from him either. And since she had invited Li Luo over for a second time, it was easy enough to deduce that there had to be benefiting from him somehow.
The First Princess decided that there was no harm in speaking more frankly.
“Mhm. His condition frustrated every healer we knew before this, so I saw no harm in letting Li Luo give it a try. It does seem to be just a tiny bit effective, so I see no harm in letting him try it out a bit longer. There’s no other way anyway.”
The Regent’s surprise was evident. “If even the Dukes with healing expertise can’t do anything about it, how is it that a mere Resonant Master can?”
The First Princess shrugged truthfully. “I do not know. Perhaps something to do with his dual resonances?”
“Indeed, dual resonances are rare for a Resonant Master. But all of the Dukes have dual resonances too,” the Regent replied.
Still, he did not pursue the matter beyond that comment. “Well, the world is a strange place. Perhaps the boy has some unique powers. Still, his cultivation level is weak. Best watch over him closely so he doesn’t hit a bottleneck. It concerns His Majesty greatly.”
“As Royal Uncle says.” The First Princess dipped her head.
A few more pleasantries were exchanged before the Regent dived in again. “Luanyu, you’ll be out of school in another half a year, yes? It’s about time for marriage as well. There are many potential suitors in the Xia Kingdom. Have you taken an interest in any? Just say the word, and your royal uncle here will take care of it for you.”
This one threw the First Princess off, but she recovered quickly. “I have never considered that problem before,” she said almost shyly. “No one has won my heart yet.”
“Well, keep a lookout on the daily. I know you are proud by nature, and a talented person. But these are important life matters that cannot be dismissed easily.”
The First Princess nodded with a small smile of acknowledgment. “I thank Royal Uncle for the concern in my life matters. If I can see His Majesty take the throne successfully, that would be fulfillment enough for me. Which reminds me…
“It will be time for His Majesty to take the throne in half a year’s time,” she said with a sweet smile. “You have worked very hard all these years. But the agreement that you had with my father will finally be complete.
“I hope Royal Uncle is prepared for your own life matters, and does the coronation ceremony justice.”
The Regent sighed. “The Little Emperor is no longer little. Time sure flies.
“Don’t worry, Luanyu,” he said with a smile. “I’ll make the coronation ceremony a grand affair. It should satisfy you.”
“My thanks to Royal Uncle!”
The Regent waved off the thanks, then he left shortly after.
The First Princess continued to hold her smile until he was out of sight, before she let it fade from her face.
“Trying to get me married off so quickly?” she muttered to herself. She knew the rule—once married, she would be off to her husband’s, and would not linger at the royal palace.
The emperor was still young. If she left, then the Xia Kingdom would fall back into her uncle’s hands. Her father’s empire would no longer be in their direct line.
Who would be the true power in that situation?
For all these years, the Regent had bathed in his power. Governors paid homage to him and obeyed him. If this kept up, they would eventually support his ascension to proper kingship, even though he himself had no such ambition.
Even though? As if.
The First Princess sighed to herself. If not for all her workings behind the scenes, the situation today might be much worse.
That was part of the reason why she admired Jiang Qing’e so much. Both were in very similar situations.
Hopefully, her uncle would cooperate and hand over the reins smoothly at the coronation ceremony in half a year’s time.
It was that, or potentially civil war.
She clenched her fists tightly, both in dread and to steel herself.
…
After the Regent walked out, he boarded a luxurious carriage that was waiting for him by the road. It was emblazoned with his python mark too.
He sat in the dim carriage and let it take him onwards.
“That lass Luanyu is urging me to give up power?” He laughed snidely to himself.
In the gloom of the carriage, something stirred. A voice came to him, a bare whisper in the air. “Was that not your promise with the old king?”
“I am just afraid that the emperor’s youth will weaken the royal court with inexperience. It is the royal family holding the power in the Xia Kingdom now on paper, but in reputation, the Astral Sage College is a cut above us. And it’s lucky that Pang Qianyuan has been in the Umbra Cave all this time. Otherwise, who would be the true ruler here in the Xia Kingdom? One word from Pang Qianyuan, and a new era could be ushered in. The Xia Kingdom was built by us, the Gong family. We are the rightful rulers. The Astral Sage College is just a thorn in our side. Our ancestors should never have allowed them to settle here!”
He raved on, the fury in his voice building up.
“I once suggested to the Astral Sage College that they would do well to give me a vice principal position there. They were arrogant enough to refuse.”
Gradually the fury faded away back to calm.
“It is often said that there are two rulers in the Xia Kingdom: the royal court and the Astral Sage College.”
“Preposterous. When has a nation ever had two rulers?” His eyelids drooped slightly. “For all these years, I have used this power to grow our roots. The Little Emperor is too young. He would waste all my years of effort. I am just doing what’s best for them as well.”
“Hehe, tough love? If I didn’t know what you’d actually done, I might actually have been touched by that speech.”
“Besides, you might be the Regent here at the Xia Kingdom, but rightful rule belongs to the Little Emperor. Many will still back him here at Xia. And the old king might well have left something powerful behind…
“Back when your Gong family settled here at the Xia Kingdom, they set up a defensive ward around the entire kingdom, but they passed the right to wield it to the Little Emperor. You cannot afford to be unruly, because you cannot best that defensive ward’s power,” the raspy, almost mocking voice said.
“If you want to take it down, you will need a King’s power. Only a King’s power…
“That’s a little out of reach for you. But I have a suggestion that you might want to consider.”
The Regent said nothing, but there was a shocked look in his eyes. He closed them. The carriage fell back into silence.
1. TN: Royals wear dragon robes, but honored officials can wear python or flying fish robes because of the visual similarity.