From cute to empress

Chapter 200 Obstacles to Progress

"Report——"

A shrill cry pierced the solemnity of the Golden Throne Hall. The soldier staggered and knelt on the ground, blood dripping through the gaps in his armor and spreading in the center of the hall.

"Your Majesty! This is terrible! General Sun's vanguard... encountered an enemy ambush at the border, suffering heavy casualties. General Sun... General Sun..."

The soldier's words were intermittent, and his face was a mixture of fear and grief, making it unbearable to look at. My heart sank suddenly, and a chill instantly spread through my body.

"What did you say?!" Prime Minister Li grabbed the soldier's collar and roared, "Say it again!"

The soldier's body trembled, and he said in a trembling voice, "The enemy... the enemy was well prepared and set an ambush at the border. General Sun's vanguard suffered heavy losses... General Sun's life or death is uncertain..."

"boom!"

Prime Minister Li slammed his fist on the table and shouted angrily, "Damn it! The enemy is so cunning! Your Majesty, I request that reinforcements be sent immediately to annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop!"

"Your Majesty, this matter is suspicious and requires further consideration!" Minister Wang quickly stepped forward to intervene. "The enemy is well prepared, which means that our internal..."

"Enough!" I stood up suddenly and shouted, interrupting Minister Wang. My eyes swept over the panicked officials below, and my heart burned with rage.

"Pass the order down, order General Zhen Youcai to lead the main force to reinforce the border immediately. Repel the enemy at all costs!"

"According to the order!"

Zhen Youcai took the order and left. His back was straight and resolute, like an insurmountable mountain, which gave me great confidence.

However, my heart still couldn't calm down, and an ominous premonition came to my mind.

The enemy was well prepared, which means they knew our actions very well. Could there be a traitor among them?

My eyes slowly swept across the faces below, some panicked, some worried, some evasive...

The atmosphere in the Golden Palace seemed frozen, a heaviness and oppression filling the air. I clutched the battle report tightly in my hand, my fingertips turning white from the strain. Every word on the report pierced my heart like a needle, clearly recording the brutality of the fighting on the front lines. Although Zhen Youcai's troops fought hard, the enemy's offensive was incredibly fierce, resulting in heavy casualties and a stalemate.

"Your Majesty, the enemy is coming with great force, clearly well prepared. We can no longer sit idly by and wait for death!" Prime Minister Li's voice rang out again, his tone filled with obvious anxiety and indignation. "I suggest that you issue an immediate order to assemble all the troops in the country and fight the enemy to the death!"

"A fight to the death? Prime Minister Li, where are you putting our country?!" I suddenly looked up and stared at him fiercely, my anger no longer suppressed. "Do you know what the price will be if we start a war? The people will be displaced and the country will be plunged into war. Is this the result you want?!"

Prime Minister Li was intimidated by my aura. He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but I interrupted him with a wave of my hand.

"I know you're loyal and want to serve your country, but war is no joke. Don't act rashly!" I took a deep breath, trying to calm my surging emotions. "What we need to do is calmly analyze the situation and find a way to defeat the enemy, rather than rashly sending troops and putting our country and our people in danger."

"Your Majesty is absolutely right, but..."

"Your Majesty!" Minister Wang suddenly stood up, a serious look on his face. "I believe that the current situation is critical. We cannot rely solely on our own strength..."

"Minister Wang, just say whatever you want to say. Now is not the time to be secretive." I rubbed my eyebrows. The anxiety and worry of the past few days made me feel tired.

Minister Wang bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I believe the current situation is critical. We cannot rely solely on our own strength. The enemy is coming with great force and is clearly well prepared. We are unlikely to be able to resist them alone. I suggest that we actively seek cooperation with neighboring countries, forming an alliance to jointly resist the enemy's aggression."

"Alliance?" I pondered for a moment. Minister Wang's proposal is not unreasonable, but how easy is it to convince other countries to join forces with us?

"Your Majesty, I believe this matter can be entrusted to Princess Zhao," Minister Wang continued. "Princess Zhao is exceptionally intelligent, adept at diplomatic maneuvering, and highly accomplished in diplomacy. I believe that with her abilities, she will be able to fulfill her mission and successfully persuade other nations to ally with us."

I looked at Princess Zhao who had been silent the entire time. She stood there with an upright posture, her expression calm and determined, as if no storm could shake her in the slightest.

"Princess, what do you think?" I asked.

Princess Zhao bowed slightly, her tone respectful and steady, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I am willing to share the country's worries and will do my utmost to facilitate this matter."

I nodded, feeling a little more at ease. Princess Zhao is a member of our imperial family. She has demonstrated exceptional wisdom and courage since childhood, and is highly regarded by the royal family. I believe she will be able to accomplish this mission with flying colors.

In the next few days, Princess Zhao traveled non-stop between various countries, using her excellent diplomatic skills to explain to each country the enemy's ambitions and the difficulties of our dynasty, hoping to gain their support and help.

Her efforts were not in vain. Thanks to her mediation, several small countries that had friendly relations with my country were moved by her sincerity and determination and expressed their willingness to form an alliance with China to jointly resist the enemy's aggression.

When this news came, there was a sudden jubilation in the Golden Palace. The ministers congratulated me one after another, and long-lost smiles appeared on their faces.

I felt a little relieved, but I knew this was just the beginning. The enemy was powerful, and this war was destined to be a long and arduous struggle. We still needed to make more efforts to finally win.

"Your Majesty, I have something to report!" At this moment, the guard who had been waiting outside the palace hurried in, his face showing a trace of anxiety and uneasiness...

"Tell me!" I tried hard to suppress the ominous premonition rising in my heart.

"Report... Your Majesty, the battle report from the front! General Sun... he..." The guard's voice became smaller and smaller, as if he did not dare to say the next words.

"What's wrong with General Sun? Tell me quickly!" Prime Minister Li couldn't help but step forward and asked sternly.

"General Sun...died in the battlefield, our army...our army suffered heavy losses..." The guard's voice trembled as he finally told the bad news.

The throne room was in uproar, with the ministers discussing the situation, their faces filled with shock and disbelief. General Sun was a brave and skilled warrior, a rare talent in the army. How could this happen?

I felt dizzy, my vision was full of stars, and I could barely stand. How could this happen? We had clearly gained some advantages, so how could it suddenly...

"Your Majesty!" Minister Wang hurried forward to support me, his face full of worry. "Your Majesty, please take care of yourself!"

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. Now was not the time to be sad. I was the king of a country and I was responsible for my country and my people!

"Pass the order down! I will lead the army in person!" I stood up straight, my eyes scanning everyone in the hall with determination. "I will live and die with the soldiers, and defend our homeland to the death!"

"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!" Minister Wang and Prime Minister Li knelt on the ground at the same time. "Your Majesty is worth a fortune. How can you take such a risk so easily? Please reconsider!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, you should stay in the palace to take command, and leave the battle in the front to us!" Other ministers also knelt down to dissuade him.

"My mind is made up. No need to say more!" I said firmly, leaving no room for doubt. "I am going there not only to boost morale, but also to see with my own eyes what kind of enemy dares to be so rampant!"

I looked at Zhen Youcai, who had been silent all the time. There was a determined light in his eyes. I knew that he would definitely support my decision.

"Pass the order, the army will set out immediately, target - Sunset Canyon!" I waved my sleeves violently, and an invisible aura of a king instantly filled the entire Golden Palace.

Sunset Canyon is where the enemy's food and fodder are stored...