Fortress City of Mazan
Zhao Jiugong grits his teeth, clearly in internal turmoil. Ultimately, he sighs and sags down in front of you, exhausted.
He places a hand on your shoulder briefly, before returning it. "Li Hua, my daughter, don't speak such things. You know I have always raised you to be a strong woman, as capable of protecting the family as any man... but as your father, I worry... what you have observed may not be bad signs for Fa... I cannot say more, I have sworn a Soul-Oath to the emperor"
the words are shocking. A Soul-Oath is the ultimate bond of honor in Fa culture. Though, it is out of practice in the rest of Kri Tan (except, weirdly, among some groups of Chuyoun - the last people you would expect to have any honor at all).
Indeed, if your father made such a promise to a man as important to the Emperor, it would be reprehensible to ask him for any information about your conjectures, or to listen if he tried to offer them. The mere thought of pushing in such a way is shameful, and the idea of your father breaking a promise like that is enraging. Fortunately, no lines have been crossed.
Lying about the existence of a Soul-Oath is equivalent to breaking one, so there is no deceit here
OOC: A bit more context, a Soul-Oath is slightly Tanist in nature, but basically it is secular and the concept is just that "I promise this so strongly that I am willing to sacrifice my very soul if I betray my word". Tanists may believe that breaking a Soul-Oath means a person literally becomes soulless (and thus no longer a being worthy of respect, being more similar to dirt. Literally) or that their soul will be made into a hideous monster after death, and eternally punished by the Gods.... for a swordsman and swordswoman like your father and you, a Soul-Oath is more simple : A supreme promise on your honor. Something that should never be broken if you have any honor as a sword user at all. An oath breaker of this strain is basically shunned by their peers, regardless of their talent, loyalty or actions. It is all but impossible to reclaim your honor if it is lost this way. For this reason, it is also extremely dishonorable to request a Soul Oath, though not as much as breaking or lying about one.
Jiugong sighs, "I won't deny that I have avoided you. It is because I did not want to have this conversation, because I know you will take it the wrong way... but I must say it."
Your father looks to you, weakness evident in his eyes, and even his posture. Disgraceful for a general, but it has always been clear he treasured you perhaps too much... You are his only close family, and vice versa. "Zhao Li Hua, your father shamefully requests that you leave the State of Fa. At least for a while. I do not know how the coming war will go, or if it will be avoided in the last minute... But even if you have been trained as a swordswoman, and your skills are up to par - you lack experience, and I don't want a war with Lin to be the place where you have to acquire it."
He sighs again - he is doing that a lot lately - "I know you are strong. I do not doubt your strength. You are even trained in military tactics and strategy, thanks to Old Lao... that treacherous bastard... setting me up like this... Ahem! Anyways, what I am saying is some things can only be learned through experience. You are but twenty two in your years, and you have only seen true combat a couple times. This is partially my fault for being overprotective, and partially a problem all of Kri Tan is facing... conflict is rare in Greater Ouxia, except with the Anbai of Pangi Chuyou, who are not foes you can send rookies against... their tricks are too vicious or dastardly"
Continuing, he says "If you had just five more years of experience, I would be willing to brave the risk of sending you off to fight beyond where I can reach... after all, for most of this war I will unfortunately be pulled away from the front lines..."
Your father sits up straighter, some weight off his chest and decorum returning, though clearly he is still troubled deeply, "The sins of my past do not make it convincing, I am aware. The way I ... handled ... the death of your mother was unforgivable, and though we have moved past it I know that me trying to separate us in this way will feel terribly reminiscent of my great folly... I make no excuses, this is weakness. I am being weak when I ask you to run, but I do it anyway, because it is too fearful a prospect that I may lose you so soon."
Finishing, Zhao Jiugong the Divine General, and a tormented father, spills the last from his heart, "I do not know if this war will definitively occur... But it seems likely... And though Fa may not be as completely doomed as it may appear, your presence is insufficient to pull the tide either way. It may make me selfish, or a worse general, but I am not willing to trade your life for however many lives you could save. Your potential is greater than most, but fundamentally you are my daughter and in my eyes that makes you more precious to me, even if it burns my soul whenever I see a man under my command die... your death before my own would kill me where I stand."
"I have ways for you to safely leave, and return as soon as it is safe again -- should you accept this shameful offer. This is all because I love you, and am too weak to expose you to war before I think you are ready"
With his words finished, Jiugong sits slightly back and awaits your response.
OOC: Hopefully this wasn't too confusing. This is the most prominent path for your character to meet up with the other PCs. But don't feel pressured to take it if you imagine Li Hua would definitely act differently