content: the old man gave orders that no one was to sleep that night , all in the house were to keep a strict watch , and be ready to protect the princess . with these precautions , and the help of the emperor 's men - at - arms , he hoped to withstand the moon - messengers , but the princess told him that all these measures to keep her would be useless , and that when her people came for her nothing whatever could prevent them from carrying out their purpose . even the emperors men would be powerless . then she added with tears that she was very , very sorry to leave him and his wife , whom she had learned to love as her parents , that if she could do as she liked she would stay with them in their old age , and try to make some return for all the love and kindness they had showered upon her during all her earthly life . the night wore on ! the yellow harvest moon rose high in the heavens , flooding the world asleep with her golden light . silence reigned over the pine and the bamboo forests , and on the roof where the thousand men - at - arms waited .
answer: nothing could prevent them from carrying out their purpose .
question: why did the princess say these measures would be useless ?
target: why did the princess say these measures would be useless ?
references: why did the princess say these measures would be useless ?