From cute to empress

Chapter 203 The Conspiracy Behind the Glory

The cheers from the throne room resonated endlessly, rising like waves, threatening to tear the roof off. I gazed at the ecstatic faces of the ministers below, yet I couldn't fully relax. The arrival of peace was certainly worth celebrating, but could this hard-won peace truly endure?

"Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?" Zhen Youcai stood beside me and asked in a low voice. He keenly noticed that something was wrong with me.

I shook my head, suppressing my doubts. Turning to the courtiers, I said, "Today, our dynasty has resolved past grievances with the enemy and forged an alliance. This is truly a blessing for all people! However, we must never forget the principle of 'being prepared for danger in times of peace.' General Zhen!"

"I'm here!" Zhen Youcai immediately stepped forward and responded with a fist salute.

"I order you to immediately reorganize your troops and intensify their training to ensure that our border defenses are impregnable!"

"I obey your command!" Zhen Youcai took the order and left. His back was as straight as a pine tree, which made me feel at ease as always.

After the signing of the peace agreement, our dynasty welcomed a long-awaited peace. The people emerged from the shadow of war and began to rebuild their homes. Merchants traveled back and forth, and the markets were bustling with people, a scene of prosperity.

I put down the memorial in my hand and rubbed my swollen brow. These days, the contents of the memorials have changed from war reports to reports of political achievements submitted by officials from all over the country. The content is mostly positive and encouraging, which is reassuring.

"Your Majesty, Minister Wang requests to see you." Eunuch Li's voice rang out outside the hall.

"Xuan."

Shangshu Wang was the mainstay of the peace faction. He went against the majority opinion and advocated peace talks with the enemy country. Now it seems that he was indeed very far-sighted.

"Your Majesty, I, an old minister, pay my respects to you. Long live the Emperor!" Minister Wang walked into the hall steadily and saluted respectfully.

"Lord Wang, please stand." I gestured for him to stand and asked, "I wonder what you would like to report today?"

Minister Wang pulled a memorial from his sleeve and presented it with both hands, "Your Majesty, this old minister..."

Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps outside the hall. Then, a guard rushed in, knelt on the ground, and shouted loudly: "Report--"

"Report - an envoy from the enemy country wants to see you! He said he has something important to report!" The guard's voice was intermittent due to his panting after running, but he couldn't hide the panic in his words.

"What?!" I was startled, a sense of foreboding washing over me. It's only been a few months since the peace agreement was signed, so why are the enemy envoys in such a hurry? Minister Wang's memorial slipped from his hands. His face paled as he muttered to himself, "How could this be..."

"The envoy is here to see you!" I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm.

The enemy envoy was quickly brought forward. His face was a bit flustered, but he couldn't hide the cunning in his eyes. After bowing, he spoke hurriedly, "Your Majesty, our king has suddenly fallen ill, and the imperial physicians are helpless. I heard that your country's legendary doctor, Bian Que, has been reborn and has brought him back to health, so I've specially sent this foreign minister to seek treatment!"

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow, sneering inwardly. I'd already heard what kind of person the enemy king was. This rhetoric was just an excuse. It seemed this so-called peace was nothing more than a false facade. "Messenger, do you know that our Imperial Hospital is full of experts? Why would we go so far to seek a folk healer?"

Beads of sweat oozed from the messenger's forehead. He stammered, "This...this..."

I waved my hand, interrupting his defense, and turned to look at Minister Wang. "Lord Wang, please tell me how we should handle this matter."

Minister Wang stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter is of grave importance. We cannot agree lightly, but we must not refuse either. It would be better to send an envoy to the enemy country to investigate the situation before making a final decision."

I nodded. Minister Wang was always mature and measured, and his proposal was exactly what I wanted. However, just as I was about to speak, Prime Minister Li, who had been silent until then, suddenly stood up and said passionately, "Your Majesty, this must not happen! The enemy's actions clearly have ulterior motives, and they are trying to test our strength! If we do nothing, won't the world laugh at our weakness? I believe we should send troops immediately and catch them off guard!"

As soon as Prime Minister Li finished speaking, the court erupted in an uproar, with the pro-war and pro-peace factions arguing endlessly, each holding their own opinion. I rubbed my aching temple, groaning inwardly.

"Enough!" I shouted angrily, suppressing the quarrel in the court. I looked around and my eyes finally fell on Zhen Youcai. "General Zhen, what do you think?"

Zhen Youcai stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the troops to the border and strengthen the security, just in case!"

"Okay!" I nodded, "Let's do as General Zhen says!"

I knew full well that this sudden diplomatic incident was merely the calm before the storm. As I gazed at the bright sunshine outside the palace, a cloud of gloom settled over me.

"Your Majesty, look..." Eunuch Li walked quietly to my side, holding a memorial in his hand, and whispered, "This was just sent by Princess Zhao..."

I took the memorial and unfolded it. It was a secret letter from Princess Zhao, sent from the border. It said… Eunuch Li's words pulled me out of my reverie. Princess Zhao? Why would she suddenly send a secret letter? Puzzled, I quickly unfolded the memorial. The handwriting was elegant, yet the tone of anxiety was unmistakable. Princess Zhao announced that she had noticed unusual activity on the enemy's borders recently. They appeared to be assembling troops and secretly contacting certain tribes, their intentions unclear.

"Hmph, I knew it!" I slammed the memorial down on the table, seething with rage. This enemy nation was clearly untrustworthy. They signed a peace agreement on the surface, but secretly plotted something! "Do they really think our dynasty is a soft persimmon that they can manipulate at will?"

"Your Majesty, please calm down!" Minister Wang knelt hurriedly. "This matter has not yet been fully investigated. Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

"Investigate? How else do we investigate?!" I pointed at Minister Wang's nose and shouted angrily, "Do we have to wait until they come to our doorstep before we believe it?!"

"Your Majesty, Lord Wang is also concerned about the country!" Zhen Youcai, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up. He stepped forward and said in a calm tone, "Now we should calmly analyze the enemy's intentions. If we rashly send troops, we will only fall into their trap."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. Zhen Youcai was right. It was a time like this, and I couldn't lose my composure. I suppressed my anger, turned to Zhen Youcai, and asked, "In your opinion, how should we respond?"

"Your Majesty, I believe that the most urgent task is to strengthen border defenses and send envoys to the enemy country to gather intelligence," Zhen Youcai replied calmly. "Also..." He paused, a glint in his eyes, "We can also dismantle their alliance from within."

My eyes lit up; Zhen Youcai's proposal was exactly what I wanted. I nodded and said, "Alright! I'll do as you say! General Zhen, I'll leave the border defense to you! Be sure to keep a close eye on the enemy's movements and report any developments immediately!"

"I obey your order!" Zhen Youcai clasped his fists and accepted the order.

Even after resolving the border crisis, I didn't relax. I knew it was only the calm before the storm. I knew better than anyone that a strong nation requires not only a strong military but also strong cultural soft power. Therefore, I devoted even more energy to the development of education and culture. I personally oversaw the establishment of academies across the country, encouraged private education, and regularly held cultural events like poetry festivals and painting competitions, greatly improving the cultural literacy of our citizens.

Several years passed, and our dynasty rapidly developed in a peaceful environment. Our people lived and worked in peace, and our national strength grew stronger, becoming the hegemon of the surrounding countries. Under pressure, the king of the enemy country also abided by the peace agreement, and trade between the two countries became increasingly frequent.

However, just when I thought the dawn of peace was approaching, something happened that broke this hard-earned peace... I slowly put down the secret letter in my hand. The two words "coalition forces" on the letter paper were particularly glaring.

There was singing and dancing, and the music was melodious. Inside and outside the palace, there were lanterns and decorations, creating a joyous scene.

Today marks the tenth anniversary of my accession to the throne, and also the moment when our dynasty is at its peak. Neighboring nations have sent envoys to offer their congratulations, and some have even dispatched their princes to learn about our advanced culture and institutions. Enemies that once held a covetous gaze have now shed their fangs and submitted to our rule.

Watching the audience cheering "Long live!", an unprecedented sense of accomplishment welled up in me. I turned to look at Zhen Youcai, also dressed in his finest attire. His handsome face wore a pleased smile, and his deep eyes reflected my confident and dazzling figure.

"Mengmeng, you did it." He gently held my hand, with a hint of imperceptible excitement in his low voice.

Yes, I did it. From a naive time traveler to the now universally admired empress, this journey has not been easy. Countless life-or-death decisions, countless meticulous planning, have all contributed to today's glory and splendor.

"All of this is the result of our joint efforts." I held his hand, interlocking our fingers, conveying our mutual affection. Without him, there would be no Niu Mengmeng today, and there would be no prosperity for our dynasty today.

"Long live the Emperor, and a thousand years for the Empress!" From the audience, the thunderous cheers rang out again, deafening.

I stood up and, along with Zhen Youcai, accepted the most sincere blessings from our subjects. At that moment, I felt as if I were standing at the pinnacle of the world, overlooking this beautiful landscape, my heart filled with lofty ambitions.

The grand celebration lasted for several days. Envoys from various countries praised our dynasty's prosperity and expressed their desire to learn from our advanced experience and vigorously develop their own economies and cultures upon their return. Naturally, I was happy to facilitate this. After all, only when neighboring countries are strong can we achieve stability and avoid war.

After seeing off the last group of envoys, I felt exhausted and wanted to return to my chambers to rest. As I passed through the Imperial Gardens, a faint scent of books caught my eye. I strolled in and saw an antique-style attic nestled among the flowers and trees. A plaque inscribed the words "Book Collection Pavilion" in gold.

A thought struck me, and I signaled the maids to wait outside. I pushed the door open and walked in alone. Inside the library, rows of bookshelves towered into the sky, filled with a variety of ancient and rare books, exuding a sense of history. I picked up a book at random, flipped open, and gradually immersed myself in it, forgetting time and my worries... Suddenly, a book with a simple cover caught my eye. I reached out, but my fingertips touched a thin layer of dust, obviously unopened in a long time. I gently brushed away the dust and opened the first page. What caught my eye was a strange pattern, like a map, but unlike any map I knew...