Three months later, a war breaks out. The diplomats fail to negotiation for a peaceful treaty. They are all massacre in their rooms. The news return and the emperor starts his first war at the age of sixteen. The elder princess is informed. She went to court and sit beside her brother. Most of the talks and command comes from the eldest princess while the emperor issue the edict.
Three days later, the generals who are stationed the furthest have received the edict and understand what is needed to be done. The Marquis Bai, have he orders issue out immediately after the empire's edict.
The ministers are staying in the court hall for days. Arguments are non stop. The eldest princess stare at the old men with her fan in hand. She fan away the stench that is lingering in the hall. Her brother, the emperor is taking a nap on the dragon throne. She stands up to stretch her body. The men in the room suddenly notice her and keep quiet immediately. Her eyes look at them as she stretch and move about at the dragon steps. She even used the dragon stone pillar at the step to hold it and stretch out her legs like a dancer. Those old men whisper at the sight of what she is doing.
"What is this? You all can bubbler non-stop with all of your saliva flying everywhere in this hall. While i cannot stretch my self after sitting for so long? What is all these non sense talk when NOTHING can be done?!"
Everyone remain quiet. All men have their heads lower down and afraid to look at her. The emperor wakes up with the sound of his sister talking. He rub his eyes and look at the hall.
"Where are the generals?"
"Your majesty, some of them are in the military study room with Hou Ye. The rest are on the way here."
"Then i should go there … minister of war and your subordinates… follow me."
"I will obey, your majesty."
"The rest, instead of talking nonstop here and do nothing. Go back to your office or homes."
"We will obey your majesty."
"Eldest princess, come with me too."
"Yes, your majesty."
The three walk with the head eunuch walking in front. The eldest princess is dragging her feet as she walks. She is tired and she miss her couch where she can lay down and enjoy her life. She should have an easy life. She fan herself slowly and grumble in her heart.
The military study room have open all doors, inside, Young healthy men are staring at the modules they have built over the years of that land they had. They study the lands and discuss the way to attack and defence. The men bow before the royal siblings as they walk in. Bai Yi Siao look at his wife who is fanning herself. She look annoyed. Her eyes are almost close due to the shape of it. Her lips are down turn. She hear him talk and explain what they are planning to do to the emperor. The young emperor only can nod his head. There is a speak in his eyes and excitement. She look over the shoulders of the men who is surround the area they are planning to do. She walk the opposite side to see.
"There is a problem …"
They all look at her.
"If you look at my angle, if the enemy climb up all the way from here to there, they have a chance to push the huge rocks down and crash our men. It will reduce the men we have. So it is not a very good place to attack even though we are defend by the terrain that we had. I would suggest here, at their land. As we push, we can claim those area as ours."
The men stare at her and the minister of war nod his head. He bow.
"The eldest princess is giving a piece of advice that we can consider. Hou Ye, what do you think?"
Yi Shao walk to where his wife stands. He look at the module. His men follow and she is push away. She walks to the window and look outside while fanning herself. She hear them talking and conclude what is needed to be done. What else is need to do if the plan fails. At that moment, the sun is setting. A meal is make for everyone. The hall of dinning is set for everyone including the royal family members.
Everyone is eating while talking about what is needed for the war. The eldest princess continue to look annoy. While the dowager have the word worry all over her face. The grand dowager is praying in the ancestor hall since morning. Thus only her private eunuch is attending to her. Yi Shao is eating, listening and watching his wife. The eldest princess never fail to preserve the royal dignity. Even she is annoyed, she did not complain. She still will voice out her opinion which prove it is useful most of the time. After the meal, she finally can go back to her palace. Yi Siao walk behind her quietly. After awhile she suddenly turn around. She look at him while she is fanning herself. Under the gently moonlight, two person are looking at each other. The sound of the frogs in the pond are louder than their heart beats.
"Go back home. Tomorrow you are … leaving."
"I want to spend a little more time… with you."
"…."
Her hands stop moving. She feels strange but yet she is pushing away the thoughts that are creeping into her mind.
"Just go …"
"When i return… will you still wait for me?"
He ask her softy with gentleness. She starts to fan herself again.
"What nonsense are you … yes yes … i am your wife. Do you think i will run away? Im an exotic bird that is kept in this palace."
"Good… when everything is over … let's start all over again."
She stare at the man whom she had married. A force marriage but yet this man wants to try to make the marriage work. She look at the pond with still water on it. She nod her head slowly.
"Hmm… just return safety. Don't get injured."
She walk nearer to him and remove the jade pendent that she had been wearing since a child.
"Lower down."
He goes down on his knees with obedience. He look up to her as she fasten the jade pendant around his neck.
"This have been with me since …"
"Childhood. I know."
"So …"
"I will keep it safe till i see you again."
She look at the face now that is staring up to her. All her life, she never have a man kneel before her. It's a strange sight. Yi siao stands up and she back away. They bow to each other and proceed with their path.
The next afternoon, the army gather inside the palace and outside the capital. Flags of different surnames are flying high up. The biggest flag of all belongs to the family of Bai. The royal family gather at the open court after praying to their ancestors. The minister of astronomy look at the sky for an auspicious time for the army to set off. The eldest princess look at Yi Siao who is on his horse. While his lover, Han Ping is not too far away from him. She is dress up like a warrior unlike how she look when they first met. After along wait, the minster of astronomy declare it's the time to set off. Bai Yi Shao bow to the royal family and turn his horse away. Outside the palace, the citizens are yell and asking for victory.
"I should go with them…"
"Nonsense! You are the emperor! Not yet married. You cannot go anywhere to endanger the bloodline!"
"Royal mother… I am a bird that wants to fly outside and see the world."
"Then next life choose another path. Since you are born as a son to this royal family. Do your duty as an emperor. Come let's go in."
The eldest princess watch her brother walk away with their mother. She understand what he is feeling. Every child that is born in the palace can only wish they can escape and go outside to see the world and what they are missing in life.
For the next few days, the eldest princess and the emperor play chess with anxiety. Every two hours there are reports coming in from the battle ground. In the end, the emperor blow his top.
"Stop! Stop coming in every hour! I don't want to waste my manpower and the lives of those horses! How tiring! Send reports when something big happens on the battle ground!"
With that the ministry of war accepted the decision of the emperor. It is all peaceful when the emperor keep asking what is going on the battleground. The eldest princess remind him of what he said yesterday. He remain quiet and wait hopefully for good news.
Finally on the nineteenth day, a message rides into the palace. Retired generals and the minister of war including the emperor and the eldest princess stands anxiety at the hall. waiting for the messenger to reach the palace. The emperor hurry his head eunuch to offer some food and drink while the letter is handed and pass over. The head eunuch read out loud the letter.
"Written by Marquis Bai on Zhong Li grounds. We have reach the final battle grounds on favour winds. Our flags are flying high as we slaughter the enemy and push them back. Every mile, we reclaim a bit of those lands. However the injured soldiers are too many. We have call for a truce recover for both side. The medicine supplies are barely enough for us however the moral is still high. Your majesty i beg you to deliver more supplies for our men. So that they have the strength to fight on. Awaiting for your favourable answer. Your faithful royal servant, Bai Yi Siao."
"Ministers, do we have enough supplies for them?"
"Your majesty, there is however, they will be in need for more soldiers. So that the ones who have fallen can be replace."
"How many do we have now?"
"We have another five thousand on reserve. That is not including the soldiers who are guarding the capital and the imperial palace."
"Send those reserve in…"
"We also need another group to deliver the supplies. It will take days to collect everything. The soldiers can depart first."
"Please arrange it minister Gao. What about the supplies after we gather them…"
"Your majesty, base on our experience, we need a group to escort the supplies. I suggest that i will go."
"Lord Hong! You cannot go! You are old and sick… I only ask your present to give us advise."
"I still would like to contribute!"
"Lord Hong, you have already send your son and grandson to the battle ground. There is no need to follow them there! I am sure they don't want to see you there!"
"Yes, Lord Hong. Let the younger ones do the work. We can only wait with our brittle old bones."
"But your majesty this is only to escort the supplies, not going into the battleground!"
"Lord Hong, i already promise your grandson Hong Sheng that we will take care of you in the capital. You want me to break my promise? Then how would Hong Sheng treat me in future as his emperor? An emperor who can't keep his promise?"
Lord Hong remain quiet with his head down. The eldest prince while fanning herself say quietly but loud and clear.
"Don't worry. This round of supplies, i can escort. I have my own men. We can bring everything in no time."
They all look at her while she pretend she did not see and adjust her skirt on the princess seat.
"Eldest sister … "
"Nothing to worry about. Just escorting. Besides that i am a skilful swordsman and an archer as well. I am just lazy sometimes. This is nothing. I will go fast and return fast."
The men in the room look at each other and bow deeply. If they can't go only the eldest princess can make this trip. She was eleven when she attended the last war when the late emperor was alive. She have seen the bloody sight. She was thought to defence and attack like a man. Thus she is the best choice to just simply escort the supplies to camp. She is unlike the rest of the princess who have no guts and no strength to hold a full length metal sword. Thus they are all made to marry at young age to form alliances for the royal family while the late emperor keep delaying the eldest princess. She is the only one who can help him with the ongoing issues of the nation. The only princess who have her own private army that is not visible to threaten any nobles or destroy the nation.
As she walks away after the emperor dismiss the meeting. The head eunuch call her back as the emperor have something to ask. She return to see her young brother staring outside the window.
"Your majesty."
"Eldest sister.Come. Drink some tea."
"What is it, Yan'er?"
"Eldest sister … i know that what i am asking is strange but … why did Royal father allow you to keep your … army?"
"Royal father … ask me long ago if i can give up. Which one i will give up. My fiefs or an army. I think about it and i said i will give up my fiefs. He asked me why. I said i don't need an income because the palace already supply me with everything i need. While the army is needed just incase the imperial army fails and my men can come to save my royal father and me. He look at me and smile. He said he will grant me that. He took away most my fiefs and allow the five hundred men to train as soldiers under my name."
"Where are those soldiers? Why did i not see them nor hear about this?"
"They work in the palace as ordinary men and women. Servants and maids. Most of them are within where i live. Some of them who live outside the palace working in shops, they are my eyes. Anything strange going on, they report to me. Thus i did not want to leave my palace. So when i was told to get marry and move in to the Bai mansion, I have to think hard. I cannot leave them alone. I needed to return there and stay where i was."
"You should have told Marquis Bai…"
"Yi Shao have his own path to walk and i have my plans. I promise royal father to protect this nation and protect you before he pass away. I have to keep this promise. After the escort of supplies are done, when i am back here. If you think that the army i have under my care is dangerous. I will surrender them to you."
The young emperor look at his eldest sister with tear in his eyes. All his life, his eldest sister had been doing things to protect him. Making sure that he is secure on the dragon throne. Making sure that no one can threaten him including the children of their half sisters. He stand up and bow to her.
"Thank you my eldest sister."
"Well we are blood siblings! There is nothing to thank me for. We are the only siblings born of the same mother and father! So, i will help you till the end. Making sure everything is safe for our family."