Capítulo 101: Li Family moves, Sir Winstin talks
At the center of this storm, two weeks after that battle, Elizabeth and her friends were still unconscious. That was not a surprise considering the severity of their injuries. To be frank, it was a miracle that they survived at all. Had it not been sheer luck and the fact that the emperor was far more focused on killing Elizabeth instead, they would have died several times over. Not to mention, he was out of practice and his battle prowess was far lower than normal. But ultimately, they were defeated and left on the verge of death. General Illion had to use every resource at his disposal to ensure their survival. It was not easy, but he succeeded.
It was a problem though. He wanted to return to the Alzar Kingdom to gain full access to the kingdom's resources. For example, if he had the support of the royal physicians, as well as Arcanists who specialized in recovery Arcania, Elizabeth and her friends would have their recovery transform by leaps and bounds. It sufficed to say that they would recover in half the time. However, General Illion suffered from the same problem as he did with Lord Korogin and Sir Winstin. It was too dangerous to move around injured people like them. Additionally, the journey across the Desterina Ocean was tough. He had zero confidence that they could survive such a long trip.
As a result, he had his hands tied. Here, in the Xingyuu Empire, his authority was nonexistent. He could not carelessly move around. He was stuck near the same battlefield, under close watch by the empire's troops. The Xingyuu soldiers glared at the Alzar soldiers with hateful eyes. Against a little less than a thousand injured troops, the Xingyuu Empire outnumbered the Alzar army to the point of pity. Should the Imperial Princesses give the word, a river of blood would flow. It would not be a battle. It would be a one-sided massacre! General Illion did not understand the two princesses at all, but he did not question it. It was humiliating, but he played his role well. Once reinforcements arrive from the mainland, that would be when he could negotiate on equal terms!
Princess Ming was downcast in her tent and she sighed continuously. The death of her father had impacted her greatly. There was also the matter of ascending to the throne to become empress. What should have been a straightforward process was littered with thorns and pitfalls. There was nothing factually inaccurate about the news the Imperial Council spread, but it was crafted in such a way that it shone a negative light on her. From this, it was clear what their attitude towards her was. Over these past few weeks, she was thinking heavily about this issue. How could she resolve it?
Princess Xiuying charged into the tent, her expression was serious, as she held a letter. Ming frowned and realized it was from their uncle, the patriarch of the Li Family, Qiang Li! It explained in detail how the Imperial Council and three of the Four Great Nobility Families were allying together against the Li Family. They were amassing their armies! Consequently, the warfront against the Alzar Kingdom was drawn back. The forces fighting in Melgar were returning! Similarly, the Alzar Kingdom were also pulling their forces back. Funnily enough, though neither civilization accepted the ceasefire, the fighting ceased. They were more concerned about settling their internal disputes than waging a fruitless war.
The letter talked about how chaotic the political scene was and central to it all were the Imperial Princesses! Of course, despite being the central point, they were not the key players. They were not powerful enough to play the game. That was left purely to the Four Great Nobility Families! Worse yet, the Li Family was on the defensive because their justification was weak. The Imperial Princesses might be the heirs to the throne, but their association with Elizabeth and the Alzar Kingdom was questionable. There were also rumors that they sold the empire out to the kingdom. In this case, the Imperial Council could play the side of justice, rejecting their right to rule. It was perfectly justifiable!
The Li Family might best the other families, but it could not subjugate the empire through brute force. More importantly, Qiang was not that type of person. He was trying to protect his nieces from the evils of Minister Linshi and the Imperial Council. It was not his intent to rebel against the empire. That was merely the delusion of Keigon Jun and Pon-Wai Jian. They projected their own ambitions onto him. Daiyuu Shui was unfortunate collateral damage.
Qiang reiterated to his nieces that he would protect them and that he was sending over a Li Family army to support them. He explained that it was too dangerous for the two to return to Yongtein until then. The Imperial Council would use any means necessary to imprison them. By that point, it would be truly too late for tears. The council could make up any excuse and the Li Family would be helpless to do anything!
Ming smiled bitterly. She had no idea how quickly everything would spiral out of control. She might be inexperienced in the realm of politics and paled when compared to Queen Bethnal, but she was no idiot. She understood everything with some thought. Although she hated to admit it, Elizabeth's actions caused irreparable damage across the political world! A civil war was basically guaranteed at this point! The dreams of restoring her mother's legacy resulted in this… How could she not be bitter?
Meanwhile, in the Alzar camp, Sir Winstin was watching over the unconscious Elizabeth. Although he suffered his own share of tortures, he was originally a man with strong vitality. It took him a few days to recover and a few more to return to his peak condition and that was with minimal support from physicians! Furthermore, Lord Korogin was the one who lost an arm, not Sir Winstin. Emperor Lianghu was on the verge of crippling him as well, was it not for Elizabeth's arrival. The emperor then lost interest in torturing the knight, redirecting his energy to trapping Elizabeth. As a result, none of Sir Winstin's injuries were permanent.
He did not budge one bit as he stood guard over the girl like a stone statue. For the past two weeks, every waking second was spent watching over her as her guardian. Even for a Royal Guard, he displayed a level of dedication that few could replicate. Many thought Sir Winstin embodied the true essence of the Royal Guard, as befitting its leader! However, his eyes were not filled with pride nor joy. How could he be happy? King Harth had been captured before his very eyes in the Battle of the Millennium. Lord Korogin had been tortured before his very eyes a few weeks prior. Both died under his watch. For a knight, that was the ultimate sin!
Sir Winstin had not dropped his guard one second and had his perception casted out whenever possible. Hence, he noticed before General Illion stepped in the tent. To many, Sir Winstin was said to be frightening and unapproachable. After all, his reputation stood at the apex of strength in the Alzar Kingdom. Of course, he was not the absolute strongest. The world was vast, and the Alzar Kingdom was small in comparison. Even the elusive legendary Sword King or the Conquestian was not someone he had confidence in beating. However, many lauded him for his undefeatable prowess and that translated to fear and reverence.
Yet, General Illion only spoke in a respectful tone, "Are your injuries fully healed, Sir Winstin?" The general had interacted with Lord Korogin often and by proxy, Sir Winstin as well. It was not to the point of casualness, but it lacked the regular stiffness found with strangers.
"Yes, I am. Thank you for asking. Have we heard back from the Alzar Kingdom yet?"
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