Failure
Failure
"Yes!"
"No…"
The weak voice startled them. By this time, Wei Liuying finally arrived, and they noticed that Princess Ji Xiaoli was looking at them as best as she could. Even though her consciousness was fading, she tried to keep herself awake as she looked at the three people before her.
It would be a lie if she said that she was not angry at them. They were the ones who sent her to this place, making her live miserably for the past few months. Yet at the same time, she also knew that they were only doing their work and hoped for the best of the kingdom. Unfortunately, the situation at Xiong Tribe was too messy and the crown prince's position was not that firm.
There were many times Princess Ji Xiaoli thought about the plan failing, and she met with them again. At that time, she thought that she would be scolding them and lashed out because of their incompetence.
But now that she was faced in this situation, she couldn't bring the words to her throat.
Their expression, their action, and their appearance.
All of them showed how much they were worried about her. Even though the plan was not going according to the plan, they still vowed to protect her because she's the princess.
'How stupid of me.'
She always tried to create trouble for them. Abandoning her duties, trying to escape, refusing their coaxing, before finally giving up. Princess Ji Xiaoli didn't know how many times she had troubled them in the past, yet they never looked at her with the same type of gaze.
They were worried for her wellbeing, which was something that she felt very clearly today.
If only she could turn back time, she wanted to scold her younger self for being so selfish. Even though living at the north has been very good for her, she always whined for not having to live in Han Shi Kingdom again. Never even once she ever thought that to be able to become the future empress of Xiong Tribe was an honor.
"You… did well… thank you…."
Princess Ji Xiaoli smiled faintly and looked at Shi Mo. He was the one who always tried to cheer her up whenever it was possible when she came to visit. At first, she felt annoyed by his presence, but his joking and cheerful attitude finally ease her heart. Thanks to him, she felt much better even when she had to stay in this place.
Slowly, light left her eyes.
She had so much regret for her own stupidity and ignorance. If only she worked harder to become the princess that everyone loved, they might be able to prevent this from happening. Yet, she only stayed inside and amuse herself with everything that she had.
All this time, she was wasting her time, unaware of the impeding war.
Heh, ignorance was not an excuse. For someone at her position to be ignorant of her surrounding, it just showed that she had failed as the princess.
And the failure of someone at her position will lead to a big change in the world.
With a smile on her face, Princess Ji Xiaoli breathed her last in Shi Mo's embrace.
"Princess!" Shi Mo called out, his voice quivered. He could see Princess Ji Xiaoli's head fell limpidly to the side as her eyes closed. However, her smile was still there.
"Why? Why, Princess?"
Wei Liuying was silent as she looked at the dead princess.
She failed.
She had failed.
Even though they had promised the princess that they would protect her when they brought her to this place, they ultimately failed in the end. When they were needed the most, they couldn't help the princess.
Looking at her own hand, Wei Liuying wished that she had been faster. If only she was not late, she would be able to save Princess Ji Xiaoli's life and this tragic fate will not befall her.
"Liu Ying."
Raising her head, Wei Liuying met with Yang Xian's gaze. He was looking at her with his dark eyes as he raised his hand and held her chin lightly. "Look at her expression."
Her expression?
Wei Liuying lowered her head and focused on Princess Ji Xiaoli's expression. Rather than grieving, all that she could see was relief and calm. It was as if Princess Ji Xiaoli already knew that this would be her fate and she had accepted it.
As for why…
The gaze she gave to Shi Mo just now had told them a lot of things.
Wei Liuying gritted her teeth and bowed down. "I'm sorry, I can't do my work properly, Princess. If only I was faster, this might not happen."
"She's not angry at you."
"Still, I…"
"The fault doesn't lie on you," Yang Xian repeated once more. He shook his head faintly. "I managed to find out that they're preparing for war, but I can't leave my place because I'm within their territory. If only I have informed you about the matter beforehand, this might not happen at all."
But that was all only if.
They couldn't turn back time and returned back to the past. Wei Liuying clasped her fingers tightly, silently swearing inside her mind that she would not let this kind of incident ever repeat itself.
She didn't want to lose anyone whom she held dear. Slowly, she spoke out, "Blaming ourselves will not solve anything."
"What do you plan to do?" Yang Xian asked, keeping his composure. His tone betrayed none of his real emotion as he looked at them with placid expression. It was as if he didn't feel anything from this situation at all.
But the faint gesture of his hand showed his feelings. He was only keeping calm on the surface while in truth, he had been blaming himself countless times.
The two strategists were the one in charge when it came to create strategy.
When they ultimately failed like this, they would feel that whatever they had done was not enough.