From cute to empress

Chapter 202: Dissent from the Powerful Officials

"Report--" The guard knelt on one knee, his voice trembling, "Urgent report from the border, the enemy, the enemy country..." He suddenly stopped, as if he was afraid of something, his teeth chattering, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time.

"Hurry up and tell me!" I slammed the table and stood up, the ominous premonition in my heart becoming stronger and stronger.

"The enemy's envoy requests an audience. Tell us, tell us..." The guard took a deep breath, as if he had finally made up his mind. "Tell us that the two countries have reached a consensus. The enemy country is willing to make peace with our country forever!"

The sudden news was like a thunderclap that sent my head whirring. I froze in my tracks, not knowing how to react.

"Your Majesty?" Zhen Youcai called me softly, and I came back to my senses.

"Announce quickly!" I almost couldn't wait to say these two words, and a spark of hope ignited in my heart.

The enemy envoy was quickly brought forward. He was dressed in finery, but his face was etched with fatigue. The negotiations must have exhausted him both physically and mentally. He saluted and said respectfully, "This foreign minister greets Her Majesty. Long live Her Majesty."

"No need for formalities." I suppressed my excitement and tried to appear calm. "Your Excellency has come a long way, thank you for your hard work. I wonder if your king..."

"Your Majesty." The envoy raised his head, his eyes shining with sincerity, "Our king has agreed to your country's conditions and is willing to cede..." He listed a series of place names, all of which were territories that had been disputed for many years at the border between the two countries.

I took a deep breath. These conditions were better than I expected. It seemed that the enemy country really wanted to end this war.

"Besides that," the envoy paused and continued, "our king has also promised that from now on, we will never invade even a single inch of your land again. Our two countries will maintain friendship for generations to come and maintain lasting peace!"

My heart finally settled down, I breathed a sigh of relief, and a relieved smile appeared on my face.

"Good!" I said loudly. "Your king is so wise and righteous, and I am very pleased. I believe that from now on, our two countries will usher in peace and prosperity!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" The envoy saluted again, "My king has another request..."

I looked at the envoy, vaguely guessing something, but I remained silent, awaiting his next words. The envoy raised his head slightly, observing my expression, and tentatively said, "As a sign of sincerity, our king hopes..." He paused, as if mustering courage, before continuing, "We hope your country will provide us with some economic assistance to help our people rebuild their homes."

I pondered for a moment. The enemy nation has been at war for years, and its people have already suffered terribly. Now, they've been forced to cede territory and pay indemnities. Without some financial assistance, I'm afraid they'll struggle to recover. It's only logical and reasonable that I should agree to their request.

Thinking of this, I looked at Zhen Youcai, who had been silent all the time. He seemed to see what I was thinking and nodded slightly in agreement.

"I approve," I said firmly. "I will order the Ministry of Revenue to allocate funds to support your country's post-disaster reconstruction. I hope that our two countries can coexist peacefully and develop together from now on."

The envoy was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly knelt down to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace and kindness. Our people will surely remember this!"

News of the peace agreement spread quickly throughout the palace and the country. As I strolled through the imperial gardens, listening to the distant cheers of the people, my heart was filled with joy and pride.

"It's finally over..." I let out a long sigh and turned to look at Zhen Youcai beside me. The fatigue in his eyes had dissipated a lot, replaced by a hint of joy.

"Yes," he said softly, holding my hand gently, "peace has finally come."

I nodded. Yes, peace has finally come. This has been our common expectation for many years!

However, just as we were immersed in joy, a discordant voice suddenly sounded...

"Your Majesty! I have something to say!" Prime Minister Li came angrily from a distance. His face was ashen and his eyes were full of rage, as if he wanted to eat me alive...

"Your Majesty! I have something to say!" Prime Minister Li came angrily from a distance. His face was ashen, his eyes full of rage, as if he wanted to eat me alive. Zhen Youcai and I exchanged glances, each seeing a hint of doubt in the other's eyes.

"What's wrong with Prime Minister Li?" I asked knowingly, with a hint of displeasure in my tone.

"Your Majesty! How could you so easily agree to the enemy's request?!" Prime Minister Li pointed at my nose, his spit spraying into my face. "They burned, killed, looted, and committed all sorts of atrocities. Now that they've been defeated, they should pay the price! Yet you're still offering them financial aid. Isn't that like letting a tiger return to the mountains?!"

"Prime Minister Li!" Zhen Youcai shouted sternly, "Watch your words! His Majesty has his own considerations. How can you be so presumptuous here?!"

"How dare you? I'm a loyal minister, and every word I say is from the heart. How could I be so?!" Prime Minister Li, unfazed, retorted with a glare and a puff of his beard. "Does the general also believe that we should be merciful to our enemies?"

"Prime Minister Li, you are wrong." Shangshu Wang, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke. "Your Majesty, this action is not out of mercy, but out of consideration for the people of the world. The enemy country has been at war for years, and the people have already suffered terribly. Now they are ceding territory and paying indemnities. Without some financial assistance, I'm afraid they will struggle to recover. If that happens, they will inevitably provoke war again to survive, and it will be the people of both countries who will suffer!"

"Minister Wang is right!" I gave him an approving look and continued, "I have made up my mind. There is no need to discuss this matter further. If Prime Minister Li has nothing else to say, please return."

"Your Majesty! You..." Prime Minister Li wanted to say something else, but a look from me stopped him. He sighed helplessly and walked away, his back looking desolate and lonely.

As I watched Prime Minister Li leave, my heart grew heavy. I knew that Prime Minister Li was a pro-war faction, always advocating the utter extermination of the enemy nation. Now that I had signed a peace agreement with the enemy nation, he was naturally dissatisfied.

"Your Majesty, don't worry about this." Zhen Youcai held my hand and said softly, "You are right. Peace is hard-won, and we should all cherish it."

I nodded, but a faint unease welled up in my heart. Prime Minister Li was a powerful figure, quite influential within the court. Would he really just let this go?

"Your Majesty, Princess Zhao and General Sun request an audience." Just then, a young eunuch hurried in...

"Call them in." I rubbed my swollen and painful eyebrows and signaled the eunuch to call them in.

Princess Zhao, dressed in a lavender palace gown, approached with graceful, lotus-like steps. Behind her stood the resolute and imposing General Sun, clad in armor and a sword at his waist. His aura of solemnity and murderous intent formed a sharp contrast with Princess Zhao's gentle beauty.

"Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be blessed with good health." The two men bowed respectfully, and I quickly signaled them to stand up.

"Your Majesty, I heard you've reached a peace agreement with the enemy, and I've come to offer my congratulations." Princess Zhao smiled slightly, a hint of joy in her eyes. "I've been married to an enemy country for many years, and I know the cruelty of war. Now that our two countries have been able to resolve their conflict, it's truly a blessing for the people."

"Your Excellency, you are too kind." I sighed with emotion. "The arrival of peace is inseparable from your mediation, and even more so from the bloody battles fought by countless soldiers. Only then has the current situation been achieved."

General Sun also clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, I also believe that peace is the best option. Years of war have torn apart countless families and left countless civilians homeless. Now, we can finally lay down our swords and rest and recuperate."

I nodded with relief. It seemed that those who supported peace were still in the majority. Although Prime Minister Li held a high position of power, he was only one man after all. He could not stop the tide of history.

"Pass the order down. Tomorrow morning at the court, I will publicly announce that we have reached a peace agreement with the enemy country!" I stood up, my tone firm and powerful.

The next morning, at the Golden Palace, civil and military officials gathered in a solemn and dignified atmosphere. I sat upright on the Dragon Throne, my gaze sweeping across the faces below, some expectant, some puzzled. I slowly spoke, "My dear ministers, I have a momentous announcement today. After many days of negotiations, our dynasty has reached a peace agreement with the enemy!"

As soon as the words fell, the entire Golden Palace erupted in discussion. Some cheered, some looked worried, and some remained silent, each with their own thoughts.

"Silence!" I commanded, and the hall fell silent. I picked up the letter of credence I had prepared long ago and read it aloud. The agreement was simple, consisting primarily of territorial cession, indemnity, and non-aggression clauses, but it carried the hopes and expectations of countless people.

As the last words fell, the entire Golden Throne Hall erupted once again, this time with pure joy and excitement. "Long live the Emperor! Long live peace!" A thunderous cheer resounded through the sky, echoing for a long time...

As I watched this scene unfold, a sense of unease suddenly welled up in my heart. Was this truly the arrival of peace, or the beginning of another conspiracy?