Chapter 260 - Imploring Notions (2/2)

But this issue was not Prince Rui's problem right now, his father was compliant and agreed to mete out an appropriate punishment to satisfy the Long Emperor. He even said he will add on more congratulatory wedding gifts to further appease the Long Emperor's anger.

The part Prince Rui was having an issue with was regarding their return.

Their father approved and even ordered for Prince Rui's immediate return, but then he told him to leave Princess Nalan behind. To make it worse he also instructed Prince Rui to find a way for the Long Emperor to accept Princess Nalan into his palace.

Prince Rui sent a message back trying to reason with his father, but then the messenger bird returned with an even stronger order to obey.

Prince Rui was torn, the reason he had was his father's favorite was that he never argued with him and gave him the respect that his brothers did not.

It seems that his father was set on having the Long Emperor as a son-in-law. Prince Rui could understand what his father was trying to accomplish with this. It was no secret that his power over the Zou lords was slipping with Prince Houyi and his uncle getting stronger.

Aside from the fact that the Long empire was the strongest country around, the current Long Emperor had a golden reputation in war which had spread far and wide. Even the enemies held him in high esteem and were wary of his presence on the battlefield.

What's more, as soon as the Zou king had accepted this notion of a peace treaty between them, the Long Emperor released the Zou prisoners of war, who were all kept in good health back to their country to show his good faith. Making it clear that unlike his father who ruled with an iron fist, he had compassion for the enemy as people. Therefore, he was a valid ally.

Prince Rui could see that his father believed that if he could make such a tie with the Long Emperor then that would help him in regaining control over the Zou lords. He simply wanted to attach himself to a stronger tree and he saw Princess Nalan as his rope to cling onto that tree.

This was the reason why his father quickly latched on to the Long Emperor's proposal for peace.

But Prince Rui was having trouble going along with this plan knowing that his sister did not stand an actual chance with the Long Emperor.

”Nalan, we're going home in two days...” Prince Rui finally decided, after getting over his internal struggle. He could not allow Princess Nalan to become a sacrificial lamb here. He will deal with his father's wrath when they return.

”Two days?” Princess Nalan turned to Prince Rui in surprise, ”Father said I can stay as long as I want.”

”He what?” Prince Rui asked with a frown, ”Have you been the one telling him nonsense?” Now it all made sense now why their father was being so insistent on this, ”Nalan, did you - Do you want to marry the Long Emperor?” Prince Rui asked blinking at her in disbelief.

”No, of course not.” Princess Nalan swiftly responded, ”I like Lei Xing and I don't want to drag her man with her. I naturally want my own man.” She said raising her head up proudly.

”Then why do you want to stay here? You know what father's plans are!” Prince Rui said with exasperation.

Princess Nalan knit her brows, hesitated, and then went, ”Father's plans are none of my business. It's just -...just that Lei Xing is our friend and I want to stay for the wedding, it will be wrong for us to just leave and not attend...”

Prince Rui's worries calmed down and he went, ”Nalan, you can't rea-”

”I'll return after the wedding with the envoys...It's just a few weeks and I'm not a child anymore so I can obviously look after myself. I'll be fine. You can leave in peace...” Princess Nalan said rolling her eyes.

Prince Rui frowned and did not respond. Princess Nalan glanced at her brother and then sighed and said, ”I know you're worried about me, but you truly don't have to be. You shouldn't disobey father and cause issues between the two of you. You know your situation is not stable at the moment. If you upset father...” She paused and knit her brows and then said, ”If it really worries you...you can leave Molin behind. I'll be perfectly fine.” She finished with a reassuring imploring smile.

Prince Rui looked at her and then looked away with a frown, obviously not convinced. He had always been protective of her and she understood that it was because he always worried about her. She truly appreciated this but she was no longer a child and this sort of overprotectiveness can be more of a hindrance than help now and it had been suffocating her since they arrived.

Her father had written to simply ask her if she was unhappy in Long country. She had responded that she was not unhappy but she had mentioned not being able to fully explore because of Prince Rui's overprotectiveness.

And as much as she loved her brother, Prince Rui was in the way and her father understood that. So it seemed calling Prince Rui back was her father's response to her complaint. After all, in her father's mind, Long country was to ber her home in the future and her brother naturally cannot stay with her. If he was in the way of ”their” progress then he needed to be removed.

Although Princess Nalan did not care for her father's plans, she was not quite ready to leave yet. There were some things here that she needed some more time on in order for her to be able to come to a comfortable conclusion.