--- 3rd Person POV ---
--- 6th of June 1907 ---
Siagu gave a small nod, his gaze flickering to the window where the sun cast a warm glow over the city. "It's reassuring to know you're all here, though. Papa's health is still my concern, but I trust he's in good hands." He paused, a faint trace of humour in his tone as he added, "As for my siblings, I'm sure the trip gave them plenty to complain about. Kiran can't stay still for long."
Alice chuckled, the sound light and melodic. "You know your brother too well. He's been an insatiable explorer, demanding to see every corner of the ship, much to the crew's amusement—and occasional exasperation. And Anaya…" She sighed fondly, "She insisted on carrying her own little satchel, as if she were traveling on her own."
Siagu's smile widened at the image of his younger siblings. "Anaya has always been independent. She'll grow up to be as formidable as you, Mama."
His younger brother, Kiran, is an adventurous individual wanted to explore something new, seeking to satisfy his curiosity. He could still remember how he was consistently annoyed by Kiran to let him tagalong on his visit to the headquarters of Lobestar Midea Group.
And despite Yuvraj Siagu explaining to his younger brother, Maharajkumar Kiran continues to be persistent on tagging along, which made him concede in defeat. And to say that the visit was peaceful is a lie, as he could remember how Kiran persistently wanted to know things within the building, despite his young age.
Energy is something that Kiran is not lacking, and in contrast to Kiran is Anaya's calm and composed demeanour. Unlike Kiran, Yuvraj Siagu knew that his youngest sister was on a much calmer side of the two. If Kiran is the day, then Anaya will be the night.
With her composed and dignified demeanour, Yuvraj Siagu believes that her character completely resembles their mother. Which speaks to her beauty, as, despite a young age, Kiran and Anaya have consistently been pursued by members of the nobility, wanting to have a connection with their family.
But Yuvraj Siagu is already someone to be his younger sister's husband, and a minor noble in his nation would not be able to compensate for marrying whom he thought would be. For his younger brother Kiran, Yuvraj Siagu has no plans of seeking a partner for him due to how young he is. A local noble daughter will be arranged for Kiran to be married in the future.
However, when it comes to Ainesh, his 1st younger brother, Yuvraj Siagu have already found someone worthy for him to be his partner. Originally, he had no plans on intervening for his younger brother's marriage, but after their heated argument back then and the fear of damaging the reputation he had built for their family, Yuvraj Siagu decided to intervene and, of his own accord, seek a partner for his younger brother.
Alice shook her head, though her expression was one of pride. "If she does, it will be because she has you as her example. All of you—each of my children—are so unique. And yet, you carry a piece of us with you."
"Hahaha. I don't think so, mama." Siagu laughingly replied, "She once proclaimed when you and Papa were not around that she would be like you, ruling over the nation."
Maharani Alice giggles at her son's words due to amusement, "Stop with that, Siagu. Haha. She might have said that, but she is still young and gullible. She has a lot of things to learn before she can be much like you and your sister." She paused and teasingly squeezed her son's cheeks, "And speaking of your sister, have you received a call from her already? How was she?"
"She is doing fine, Mama," Siagu replied, assuring his mother about his younger sister Mahati's situation in Hanseong. "She is currently at the end of her studies in learning how the Korean Imperial Court works. She is also expecting the talk of her wedding with Yeong will be done in a few months now."
It has been almost two years since Maharajkumari Mahati, Yuvraj Siagu's younger sister returns to Hanseong to continue her studies, and it was during the war that she returned. Yuvraj Siagu wanted to postpone his younger sister's return, but with the assurance of the military, he allowed his younger sister to return to Hanseong.
And since returning to Hanseong, Yuvraj Siagu has been receiving messages from his sister. All are mixed from mundane things to things like the happenings during the war at the Imperial Court of Korea. His sister's messages have really helped him greatly during the war, especially in attacking Eastern Siberia, which is now divided into different areas of control.
Maharani Alice paused, her expression shifting to one of thoughtful contemplation. "Her wedding… It feels like just yesterday she was running around the palace, playing with her dolls and dreaming of becoming a queen in her own right." Her voice softened, tinged with emotion. "And now, she's preparing to marry into the Korean Imperial Family. It's a great alliance, but… as a mother, it's hard not to feel the weight of it all."
Siagu gave his mother a reassuring smile. "Mahati has grown into a strong and capable woman, Mama. She'll handle her responsibilities with grace. And she has Yeong by her side—he's proven to be a reliable partner. Their marriage will not only strengthen our ties with Korea but also ensure her happiness."
Alice nodded, though a wistful look remained in her eyes. "I know you're right. She's always been determined and resourceful, even as a child. And I've seen how Yeong respects and values her. But still, a mother's heart is never free from worry."
Siagu chuckled softly. "You've worried about all of us, Mama, and yet we're still standing strong. Mahati will thrive, just as I have, thanks to you and Papa's guidance."
Alice's lips curled into a gentle smile. "You give your papa and me too much credit, Siagu. It is your strength and resilience that have carried you this far."
For a moment, the weight of their positions seemed to lift as mother and son shared a quiet, heartfelt connection. Then Alice, ever pragmatic, leaned back and adopted a more formal tone. "Now, tell me, how did you manage to coax the entire conservative party into pressuring Aguinaldo out of office? He might not be popular outside the parliament building, but he is still influential within the circle of politics, even those rusty members of the House of Lords are nothing but tainted by his thoughts."
Siagu's expression shifted back to its characteristic calm resolve. "Pushing the Conservative Party to remove Aguinaldo from office doesn't need much effort from me. All I have to do is threaten the dissolution of the parliament due to betrayal of trust of the public, which alone is enough to push them to finally make their move. Aguinaldo might be popular with the ministers inside the building, but they themselves cannot discredit the demands of the people."
Yuvraj Siagu paused a bit as he gently poured a cup of tea for his mama to drink before doing so for himself, "Thank you." Maharani Alice stated as she took a sip of her tea.
"On the matters of those rusty nobles at the House of Lords… They can run rampant by this time, but they won't last long. They might be once part of the family due to their descent from our ancestors, but much like the majority of the cadet houses of the family. They are far more related to us than any other houses in the empire." Yuvraj Siagu seriously stated as he takes a glance at the window, "You know what I have learned while you all are away, mama? Out of the 350 cadet houses of the family, 300 have been involved in allegations of corruption and scandals within the government sectors.
Not to mention that the remaining 400 noble families, 300 were involved in the same dark dealings with these corrupt officials and embezzlement of government funds."
Maharani Alice set her teacup down with deliberate care, her brows furrowing slightly. "Why am I not even surprise on this matter?"
"What do you mean, Mama?" Yuvraj Siagu replied in a bit of confusion.
"Remember the Imperial Clan Council?" Maharani Alice inquired, which made Yuvraj Siagu nod in remembrance, "It was not dissolved due to their refusal to allow your sister to marry Crown Prince Yeong, " pointing to his family's poverty. Your papa made the decision to disband the Imperial Clan Council due to their involvement in embezzling family funds and government money.
And now, with the matter of the House of Lords, your papa has uncovered their involvement in corruption within the government a few years ago. He didn't make a move against them as the government was still popular and trusted back then."
Yuvraj Siagu's brow furrowed as he absorbed his mother's words. "So, Papa already knew about the corruption within the House of Lords and chose not to act immediately. I see now why he preferred to play the long game."
Maharani Alice nodded; her expression thoughtful. "Of course. Your papa understood the delicate balance of power in governance. At that time, acting against the House of Lords would have risked alienating too many powerful figures while the government still enjoyed the people's trust. It would have fractured the unity we had worked so hard to maintain."
"But times have changed," Siagu said, his tone firm yet contemplative. "The government's reputation is now in shambles, and the trust of the people lies with us, not with parliament or the nobility. Aguinaldo's fall is only the beginning. If the House of Lords and these cadet houses continue to exploit their positions, they must be dealt with."
Alice regarded her son with a mixture of pride and concern. "I do not have any object regarding dealing with these people. But you must proceed carefully. These noble houses may lack direct ties to our family, but they still wield influence. Stripping them of power could create a backlash if not handled delicately.
Even the action you have done by filing those complaint cases in the Imperial Judicial Council against those corrupt ministers has impacted not just the government but even those cadet houses of ours and those noble families. Our nation might have adopted democracy on a smaller scale, but remember that hundreds of years ago, this mighty nation was under monarchical complete rule."
Yuvraj Siagu took a deep breath, his sharp gaze fixed on the steam rising from his teacup. His mother's words carried the weight of hard-earned wisdom, reminding him of the intricate web of alliances and power dynamics he was navigating.
"I understand, Mama," he said, his voice steady. "The goal isn't to recklessly dismantle these institutions or alienate those who still hold sway. But if we allow corruption to persist unchecked, it will eventually rot the foundation of everything we've built. The trust of the people is not a privilege—it's a responsibility. And it's one I'm not willing to jeopardize."
Alice's expression softened slightly; a glimmer of pride evident in her eyes. "Spoken like a true monarch. But tell me, how do you plan to handle these houses without creating unnecessary chaos? You may have the people's trust now, but even their patience isn't limitless."
Siagu leaned back in his chair, his posture thoughtful yet composed. "The first step is transparency," he began. "By continuing to expose corruption through the Imperial Judicial Council, we ensure that the people see justice being served. This isn't just about punishing the guilty—it's about reinforcing the principle that no one is above the law, regardless of their status."
Alice nodded slowly, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her teacup. "That's a sound strategy, but it doesn't address the systemic problem. These families have entrenched themselves in positions of power for centuries. This is the reason why, despite adopting the same governmental system as the British Empire in 1883, noble houses were given power by occupying the House of Lords.
Removing individuals is one thing, but dismantling an entire system will take more than a simple judicial case. No one might indeed be above the law, but the law can be blind and ignorant when it comes to these noble families. Even we have benefited from the blindness of justice."
Which Yuvraj Siagu cannot deny, as his family has indeed enjoyed the luxury of the empire's justice system being blind. One great example of this is their family's exception in paying any form of taxes to the government. Making them able to accumulate millions of ¥(Yu) and acquire a handful of properties and businesses.
Even the palaces that his family had given to the government were nothing but given in name, but in reality, they still fully owned those buildings. Even the money they gave to the government was nothing but minuscule to the total earnings his family accumulated in the entire year.
That is why they have the funds to renovate, construct, and expand their palaces and manors in the entire empire unanimously. Not to mention that currently a total of 3 palaces are under construction in the entire empire, one of which is located in Taiwan, while the others are located in the provinces of Amur and Pusat.
Yuvraj Siagu sighed, his fingers lightly tapping the edge of his teacup. His mother's words, though gently spoken, carried the sharp truth of their family's privileged reality. He couldn't deny it—his family had long enjoyed the benefits of an unequal system, one that shielded them from the same scrutiny faced by others.
"You're right, Mama," Siagu admitted after a moment of thought. "The law isn't just blind; it's often deliberately directed. And we, too, have been complicit in that imbalance. To lead with integrity, we must acknowledge the truth of our position and the changes that must begin with us."
Alice's expression remained measured as she leaned forward slightly, her gaze steady on her son. "Acknowledging it is a step, but what do you intend to do about it? Our privileges are deeply ingrained in the very fabric of this empire. Removing them could destabilize more than just the nobility."
Siagu's eyes darkened, his resolve hardening. "The privileges of the Imperial Family are not off-limits for reform, Mama. I'm not suggesting we dismantle the monarchy—our role is central to the unity of the empire—but we must lead by example. If we call for accountability and fairness, we must show we are willing to hold ourselves to the same standard."
Alice raised an eyebrow, her fingers stilling. "And how do you propose to achieve that? The very idea of reducing the family's privileges will be met with resistance not just from the cadet houses and nobles, but even from within our circle."
"We don't need to eliminate all privileges at once," Siagu replied, his tone measured but determined. "But we can start with symbolic gestures that set the tone for a broader reform. For instance, we could voluntarily pay a portion of our income in taxes—just enough to show that we aren't above contributing to the nation's well-being. Additionally, we could officially relinquish control of the palaces we've 'donated' to the government, ensuring they are truly public property."
Alice's lips pressed into a thin line as she absorbed his words. "This is too much of a delusion, my child. Haven't you learned anything about this yet? We do not pay taxes because of the image we must maintain as the Imperial family of this nation.
We are the Imperial House of Shaja, descended and anointed by God to rule this mighty nation and its people. Now, whether this is true or not, I do not care. What I do know and practice is that, when it comes to taxes, we are untouchable and exempt from paying them. We are not like any other children of this nation, Siagu.
And don't get me started on relinquishing our rights over those palaces under the custody of the Imperial Estate Agency. Those palaces and their foundations have been part of our family's heritage even before this nation was founded.
The palaces outside the capital, and even a few within this city, were all built upon the sites of palaces constructed by the ancient Rajahs of the Rajputra Clan. Our current agreement with the government, under the provisions of the Imperial Grant, grants them administrative power over these palaces—except for a few key ones reserved for our family's exclusive use."
Yuvraj Siagu listened intently, his mother's words resonating deeply with the realities of their lineage and the weight of tradition. Yet, a flicker of determination burned in his gaze. He understood the importance of maintaining their family's image and legacy, but he also recognized the changing times and the mounting pressure for fairness and transparency.
"Mama, I understand the historical and symbolic importance of our heritage," Siagu began carefully, his voice measured but firm. "And I do not wish to diminish the legacy of our ancestors or the role we play in uniting the empire. But times have changed, and so must we. Our connection to divinity and our duty as rulers were bestowed to serve the people, not to place us above them."
Alice's expression softened slightly, though her eyes remained sharp with maternal authority. "And you believe that paying taxes or surrendering control of a few palaces will change public perception of us? You underestimate the weight of our position, Siagu. Such gestures might inspire momentary admiration, but they could also embolden critics and adversaries who seek to weaken the monarchy."
Maharani Alice paused for a moment and went to stand near the window, glancing at the man-made river that separates the outer part of the compound from the inner court, "You are not an idiot to not know this, but I think you have forgotten this with your insatiable thirst for reforms. Monarchy is an institution that is far different from any institution within the empire.
The very institution that your papa, me, and you, along with your siblings and aunts and uncles represents is far greater compared to the temple itself. The public does not support us because we have been neutral, nor have we been doing good for the past generations."
Maharani Alice turned back to face Siagu, her voice calm but laden with conviction. "The public supports us because we are enduring. We are the constant in their lives—their symbol of stability and identity. They revere us because we embody something eternal, something beyond the ebb and flow of governments, policies, and even empires. To tamper with that perception, to make concessions that suggest we are like any other institution, is to risk unravelling the very foundation of their faith in us."
She walked closer, her gaze now fixed firmly on her son. "Your reforms, noble as they may be, must never come at the expense of that faith. Remember, Siagu, our power is not derived solely from the wealth of our treasuries or the vastness of our lands, but from the belief that we are chosen—by tradition, by history, by the divine. To govern wisely, you must balance the winds of change with the immovable strength of that belief.
Your thirst for reform is admirable; it shows your heart is with your people. But never forget, the monarchy must lead by embodying what is timeless, not by chasing after what is transient. Reforms must fortify the throne, not shake it.
I understand that you worry about the future of the monarchy. Even as a child, you constantly sought to inject the idea of liberalizing the institution, ensuring that it would endure for generations. Let me assure you, however, that the monarchy will neither crumble nor wane with the tide of time.
Haven't you and Mr. Faher already been doing this? Releasing videos promoting the monarchy and emphasizing that we are essential to the empire's survival? If you truly wish to pursue reforms within the institution, you could do this by addressing the clause within the Imperial Grant. The only issue that you can touch as nothing is wrong within the monarchy.
Currently, aside from the allocated allowances from the income generated by the businesses we own each year, the public also provides us with funds for our respective allowances. This, in my opinion, is laughable and unreasonable. I fail to understand the logic behind this arrangement.
Remove the clause that subsidizes us with taxpayers' money, and instead, take a total of 50% of the annual income we receive, while the remaining 50% will be given to the government. This change would ensure that we are not living off our people's money but are instead sustaining our activities with our own resources.
This adjustment would also address your concerns regarding taxes and the ownership of the palaces. We can make concessions on governmental matters and within the framework of the Imperial Grant, if necessary. But regarding taxes and palace ownership, our family must not entertain even the slightest mention of ceding such matters. They are integral to the institution and must remain so."