From cute to empress

Chapter 205: Loyalty and Sacrifice of Love

The air in the room seemed frozen, a pin drop audible. Everyone held their breath, staring at me nervously... Drops of sweat trickled down my forehead, and I felt my life force draining away bit by bit...

"Mengmeng!" Zhen Youcai was the first to notice something was wrong with me. He rushed over to me and grabbed my hand. "What's wrong with you?"

I suppressed the surging blood in my body and gave him a weak smile: "I'm fine, it's just..."

"Just what?" Zhen Youcai asked anxiously, his eyes falling on the ancient book in my hand, "Is there something wrong with this ancient book?"

I nodded, took a deep breath, and tried to make my voice sound calmer: "If you want to cast the magic in the ancient book, you need to pay a price..."

"What's the price?" Zhen Youcai's voice trembled slightly, and his hand held mine tightly, as if he wanted to melt me ​​into his bones and blood.

I avoided his gaze, not daring to meet his worried expression, and whispered, "I need to... sacrifice some of my vitality."

"What?!" Zhen Youcai snatched the ancient book from my hand and slammed it to the ground. "No! Absolutely not! I won't allow you to do this!"

"Youcai..." I tried to explain, but was rudely interrupted by Zhen Youcai.

"Mengmeng, listen to me!" He held my face, his deep eyes filled with pain and determination. "Your life is more important than any magic! Without you, what's the point of conquering the world?"

"But..." I bit my lip, struggling internally. I knew full well the importance of magic to our country. With it, we could resist foreign enemies and protect the people's livelihoods.

"No buts!" Zhen Youcai said firmly, leaving no room for doubt. "I will never let you risk your life for something so illusory!"

His words resonated like thunder in my ears. I stared at him blankly, feeling a mixture of emotions. I understood his concern, his love, but...

"Youcai, listen to me..." I held his hand, trying to calm him down. "I know you're worried about me, but..."

"No buts!" Zhen Youcai stood up suddenly and hugged me tightly in his arms. "Mengmeng, promise me not to touch this ancient book again, okay?"

His embrace was warm and strong, but I felt like I was sinking into an icy cellar. What should I do? On one side was the safety of my country, and on the other was the person I loved most...

"Your Majesty! Prime Minister Li requests an audience!" Outside the door, the guard's voice broke the solemn atmosphere in the room.

I took a deep breath, gently pushed Zhen Youcai aside, gathered my scattered thoughts, and said in a deep voice, "Call!" Prime Minister Li hurried into the room. Seeing Zhen Youcai and I embrace, he was startled at first, then a look of understanding came over him, and he smiled meaningfully. I suppressed my inner turmoil, calmly pushed Zhen Youcai aside, and returned to the throne.

"I wonder what important matter is that the Prime Minister wants to see me so late at night?" I tried my best to sound calm.

Prime Minister Li bowed and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, I have heard that you have obtained ancient magic that can help us resist foreign enemies. I wonder if this is true?"

I glanced at Zhen Youcai, who was staring at Prime Minister Li with a wary look on his face. I took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "It's true, but this magic..."

"In that case, Your Majesty, why don't you use magic as soon as possible to strengthen our country's strength?" Prime Minister Li interrupted me impatiently before I could finish my speech, with a hint of imperceptible anxiety and urging in his tone.

"Don't worry, Prime Minister," I explained patiently, "There's a price to pay for casting this magic. I'm still considering..."

"Your Majesty! This concerns the safety of our nation. How can you hesitate?" Prime Minister Li raised his voice, a hint of reproach in his tone. "As the old saying goes, 'sacrifice your own interests for the greater good.' Your Majesty, as the ruler of a nation, must prioritize the greater good!"

His words were full of wisdom, yet each one stung my heart like a needle. I understood this truth, but I simply couldn't risk Zhen Youcai's life.

"What the Prime Minister is teaching me is that I should put state affairs first." I avoided Prime Minister Li's intimidating gaze and looked at Zhen Youcai for help, but found that he was also looking at me with a complicated expression, his eyes full of worry, reluctance, and a hint of emotion that I couldn't understand.

"Your Majesty is wise!" Prime Minister Li nodded with satisfaction, then turned to look at Zhen Youcai and said meaningfully, "General Zhen, don't you agree?"

Zhen Youcai didn't say anything, just staring at me intently. His eyes were so deep and complex that I couldn't fathom them. Was he blaming me for not consulting him? Or was he worried about my safety?

"Prime Minister, it's late. You should leave first. I will make the decision on this matter myself." I rubbed my aching temples, a hint of fatigue in my tone.

Prime Minister Li wanted to say something else, but seeing my firm attitude, he had to give up. Before leaving, he deliberately glanced at Zhen Youcai, with an intriguing smile on his lips.

"Youcai, I..." I walked up to Zhen Youcai and wanted to explain, but he grabbed me and pulled me into his arms...

"Shh, don't say anything, I understand." His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of depression and pain that I had never heard before. "I won't force you, think about it carefully. No matter what decision you make, I will..."

Before he could finish his words, there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps outside the door, followed by the voices of Minister Wang and Princess Zhao almost at the same time...

"Your Majesty! Please reconsider!" Minister Wang's aged voice was filled with anxiety. He practically stumbled in, his official hat tilted, a testament to the urgency of the situation.

I pulled myself out of Zhen Youcai's embrace and forced myself to calm down. Minister Wang was always so steady, but for him to lose his composure like this, it must be something serious.

"Minister Wang, what happened?"

Minister Wang took a breath and pointed at Princess Zhao who had followed him in. He said, "Your Majesty, the princess...she got the news, saying...she said..."

Princess Zhao's face turned pale. She bit her lip and squeezed out a few words from between her teeth: "It is said that to cast that magic, you need... you need a sacrifice..."

My heart sank suddenly and an ominous premonition came over me.

"Sacrifice what?" My voice trembled slightly.

Princess Zhao took a deep breath, as if mustering up her courage, before she slowly said, "Sacrifice... the life of someone whose mind is connected to the magic circle..."

My head buzzed, and my vision went dark. Someone who shared my thoughts...wasn't that Zhen Youcai?

"No! This is impossible!" I almost screamed.

Prime Minister Li's cold voice came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, at this point, you must stop deceiving yourself. This is ancient magic, and it naturally has its own rules. How can you treat it as a joke?"

I was furious and turned to glare at him. "Prime Minister Li, you clearly knew the consequences of casting magic, yet you deliberately concealed it. What on earth are you thinking?!"

"Your Majesty, calm down." Zhen Youcai, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up. His voice was eerily calm. "The Prime Minister is also concerned about the well-being of our country. It's just that this matter is of great importance, so he didn't publicize it."

I looked at him in disbelief. He was actually speaking for Prime Minister Li? Was he really willing to sacrifice his life for this country?

"No! I won't allow it!" I rushed to Zhen Youcai and grabbed his hand tightly, as if grabbing a life-saving straw. "I will never allow you to do this!"

Zhen Youcai held my hand with his backhand, his eyes gentle but firm: "Mengmeng, for you, for this country, I..."

"Enough!" General Sun, who had been standing silently by the side, suddenly shouted, interrupting Zhen Youcai.

He took a step forward, knelt on one knee, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I have an idea that may allow us to have the best of both worlds."

Zhen Youcai and I looked at him at the same time, with a glimmer of hope in our eyes.

"Say!"

General Sun raised his head, his eyes determined. "I am willing to take General Zhen's place and become the sacrifice of the magic circle!" General Sun's words were like a thunderclap, exploding over the silent hall. I was stunned, Zhen Youcai was stunned, and everyone was stunned.

"General Sun, why are you doing this?" After a while, I found my voice and asked tremblingly.

General Sun raised his head and looked at me with a determined gaze. "Your Majesty, I have followed you and the General for many years. I have witnessed your affection firsthand and understand that every citizen bears responsibility for the fate of their nation. Your Majesty and the General saved my life. Now, I have no regrets in serving you and our country."

"No! I can't let you do this!" I shook my head violently. Of course I understood General Sun's loyalty to me, but how could I watch him go to his death?

"Your Majesty!" General Sun suddenly knelt and kowtowed heavily. "Please put the greater good first! The country is in imminent danger. Only your magic can save the people from this dire situation! I beg you to grant my consent!"

I closed my eyes in agony, feeling as if a huge rock weighed down my heart, making it hard to breathe. On one side was a loyal minister, and on the other was the man I loved. How should I choose?

"Mengmeng..." Zhen Youcai called me softly, his voice filled with sadness and helplessness, "Just agree to it. This is the best solution I can think of."

"No! I don't want it!" I opened my eyes suddenly, tears welling up in my eyes. "I don't want you to die, and I don't want him to die! There must be another way, there must be another..."

"Your Majesty, there is no time!" Prime Minister Li's voice was cold and resolute. "If you hesitate any longer, once the enemy troops are at the gates, it will be too late!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, please think twice!" Minister Wang also knelt down, tears streaming down his face.

Watching this scene, my heart ached. I knew I couldn't escape any longer and I had to make a choice.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. I looked around at the anxious and worried faces, and finally, my eyes fell on Zhen Youcai.

"You're talented..." I walked up to him and stroked his face with trembling hands, "I'm sorry, I..."

"Silly boy, what nonsense are you talking about?" Zhen Youcai hugged me in his arms and gently stroked my hair. "I promised you that I would always be by your side. I won't break my promise."

That night, we held each other tightly, pouring out our love and reluctance to leave each other. I knew this was our last moment of tenderness, and after tomorrow, everything would change.

The next morning, I donned the dragon robe, a symbol of imperial majesty, and the heavy phoenix crown, and walked toward the altar. With every step, my heart ached like a knife.

"Mengmeng..." Zhen Youcai caught up with me and held my hand, his eyes full of reluctance and worry.

"Wait for me." I held his hand with my backhand and said firmly, "Wait for me to come back!"

I turned resolutely and walked towards the center of the altar, where General Sun was already prepared. The Keeper of Ancient Books stood nearby, cradling an ancient tome and muttering something.

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and prepared myself for my impending fate… "Begin."