The Second World in Ancient Times

Although the hunting incident had gradually subsided, those thrilling scenes lingered in my mind. I knew that if I wanted to maintain long-term peace and stability in the palace, I couldn't simply be content with suppressing this rebellion; I must reflect on and prevent it from the root. So, I sought an opportunity to meet with the king alone to discuss palace security and intelligence matters.

When I entered the imperial study, the king was sitting at his desk reviewing memorials, his brow slightly furrowed, as if troubled by the matters in the memorials. Seeing me come in, he put down his pen and a gentle smile appeared on his face.

"My dear concubine, what do you want to tell me today?" asked the king.

I bowed slightly, then stood up and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, although the hunting rebellion has been quelled, I remain deeply concerned. The fact that the Queen and the Prince were able to secretly plot such a heinous act within the palace, and nearly succeeded, demonstrates the profound flaws in our security and intelligence systems."

The king nodded slightly, a hint of worry in his eyes. "My beloved concubine, you are absolutely right. I have been thinking about this matter, but I haven't come up with a proper plan yet. Do you have any ideas?"

I took a deep breath and said slowly, "Your Majesty, I have heard of some unique security management concepts that may provide some reference for Your Majesty. In modern society, security cannot rely solely on guards. More importantly, it is necessary to establish a comprehensive, multi-layered defense system."

"Oh? All-round and multi-layered? My beloved, please tell me in detail." The king's eyes revealed a hint of curiosity and anticipation.

"Your Majesty, first of all, strict control should be exercised over the entry and exit of personnel. Whether it is the guards, maids, eunuchs in the palace, or external visitors and ministers, there must be a detailed registration and inspection system. Everyone's identity background, purpose of entry and exit, length of stay and other information must be recorded and reviewed regularly to prevent anyone from impersonating others or secretly colluding with foreign enemies." I explained seriously.

"This is a good idea, but won't it be too complicated and affect the normal operation of the palace?" The king asked with some concern.

"Your Majesty, there may be some inconvenience at first, but as long as the system is perfect and implemented effectively, everyone will get used to it over time. Moreover, compared with the safety of the palace, this inconvenience is really insignificant." I responded patiently.

"Well, my beloved, please continue." The king gestured for me to continue.

"Furthermore, different security levels should be assigned to various areas within the palace. Key areas such as Your Majesty's bedroom, the imperial study, and the treasury should be equipped with multiple lines of defense. Not only should there be guards on duty and patrols, but there should also be hidden traps and mechanisms in place to stop any enemy intrusion and sound an alarm."

"A trap? That sounds quite novel." A hint of interest flashed in the king's eyes.

"Yes, Your Majesty. These traps can range from trigger-activated crossbows to spike traps hidden in the ground or walls. With clever design, they can catch the enemy by surprise. Of course, to prevent our own personnel from accidentally triggering them, the guards will need special training to familiarize them with the locations and methods of disarming these traps."

The king pondered for a moment and said, "While this plan is brilliant, we must proceed with caution and avoid harming our own people. What about intelligence? What are your thoughts, my beloved concubine?"

"Your Majesty, intelligence is like the eyes and ears in palace struggles and is of vital importance. We should establish a comprehensive intelligence network, covering both inside and outside the palace. Inside the palace, we can select some loyal, reliable, and meticulous palace maids and eunuchs to secretly observe everyone's words and actions. If we find anything suspicious, we must report it immediately."

"But how can we ensure the loyalty of these palace maids and eunuchs? What if they are bribed? Wouldn't that be counterproductive?" the king questioned.

"Your Majesty is wise. Therefore, when selecting personnel, you must conduct rigorous screening and testing. Not only must their backgrounds be examined, but their daily conduct must also be observed. Those selected should be given generous rewards and good treatment, so that they understand that their loyalty to Your Majesty will be greatly rewarded. At the same time, you can arrange for them to monitor each other, and any acts of betrayal will be severely punished."

"Yeah, that makes sense. What about outside the palace?"

"Outside the palace, we can place spies in important cities, official residences, and martial arts sects. These spies must maintain close contact with intelligence personnel within the palace and regularly relay information. Through them, we can keep abreast of local developments, official movements, and rumors within the martial arts world, so we can proactively prevent potential threats."

The king stood up and paced around his study, pondering my suggestions. "My beloved concubine, these ideas are quite novel. If implemented, the safety of the palace will be greatly guaranteed. However, this reform involves many aspects and cannot be accomplished overnight."

"Your Majesty, I understand. But this matter cannot be delayed. The longer it is delayed, the greater the danger. We can start with some key points and advance step by step. For example, we can first improve the personnel entry and exit registration system, and then start selecting intelligence personnel, and at the same time summon skilled craftsmen to design mechanisms and traps." I said.

The king stopped and looked at me, his eyes filled with admiration. "My beloved, I am truly honored that you are so thoughtful and considerate, sharing my concerns. I have decided to follow your advice and begin implementing these reforms. Will you assist me?"

I knelt slightly and saluted. "Your Majesty has commanded me to do my utmost. For the peace of the palace, and for the sake of your Majesty's country, I am willing to do my best."

In the days that followed, a series of reforms began within the palace. The king and I conferred together and established detailed entry and exit registration regulations, which I personally oversaw. Those who attempted to circumvent these rules or violated them were severely punished to serve as a warning to others.

"Who are you? Why do you want to break into the inner palace without registering?" The guard stopped a young eunuch and asked.

"Eunuch, I'm new here and don't know the rules. I hope you can be flexible." The young eunuch said with a smile on his face.

"Don't you know the rules? In this palace, rules are above everything else. Come, arrest him and send him to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for punishment!" I said coldly, standing aside.

At the same time, we also began selecting intelligence personnel. I personally participated in the selection process, and through various tests and observations, I selected a group of loyal and reliable palace maids and eunuchs. I gathered them together and conducted secret training.

"You have all been strictly selected and shoulder an important mission. Your task is to secretly observe every move in the palace and not let go of any suspicious people or suspicious things. Once a clue is found, it must be reported quickly in accordance with the prescribed method without any mistakes." I said to them seriously.

"Yes, Your Majesty. We will do our best to live up to Your Majesty's trust." They answered in unison.

To design the traps, the king summoned skilled artisans from the palace and experts from the public. I shared my knowledge of the principles of these traps with them, and we discussed design options together.

"My Lady, how should we set the force and angle of this trigger-type crossbow arrow so that we can effectively kill the enemy without accidentally injuring our own people?" asked a craftsman.

"This needs to be determined based on the specific installation location and surrounding environment. We can first conduct some simulation tests and make adjustments based on the test results." I replied after thinking for a moment.

As the reforms progressed, the atmosphere within the palace shifted. Everyone sensed the king's determination to strengthen security, and they became more cautious. But I knew this was just the beginning. To truly prevent rebellion, long-term effort and continuous improvement were required.

During the discussion with the King, I also put forward suggestions on strengthening the education and management of the princes and princesses.

"Your Majesty, the prince was one of the masterminds of this rebellion. This shows that the education of the princes and princesses cannot be neglected. From a young age, they should be instilled with the idea of ​​loyalty to Your Majesty and maintaining peace in the palace. At the same time, their moral character and talents should be cultivated so that they can become a support to the palace, rather than a threat."

"My beloved concubine is right. My previous teaching of the princes was indeed lacking. In the future, we should set up a special school and hire respected teachers to teach the princes and princesses classics, history, etiquette and morality, as well as the way to govern the country. My beloved concubine, would you be willing to participate in the preparation of this matter?" asked the king.

"Your Majesty has given the order, and I will obey it. I think that some historical examples of palace struggles can be appropriately included in the teaching content to let them understand the dangers and consequences of rebellion, and thus learn from it." I said.

"This is a very good plan. I believe that through these reforms and education, the palace will be able to move towards a more prosperous and stable path." The king said confidently.

However, the road to reform was not smooth. Some old nobles and ministers were dissatisfied with the reform measures, believing that they would restrict their power and freedom. They submitted memorials to the court in an attempt to stop the reform.

"Your Majesty, this personnel entry and exit registration system is too strict. It takes a lot of time for us to go to the palace to discuss matters every day, which may delay state affairs." A minister made a memorial.

"Your Majesty, will the establishment of this intelligence network cause everyone in the palace to be insecure and suspicious of each other, thus destroying the harmonious atmosphere of the palace?" Another minister echoed.

The king remained undeterred by these oppositions. He addressed the court sternly, "My dear ministers, the rebellion is still fresh in our minds. If we do not strengthen palace security and intelligence, how will I explain to our ancestors and the people of the land if a similar incident occurs again? This reform is imperative and unquestionable!"

With the King's unwavering support, the reforms were able to proceed, and I worked quietly behind the scenes to coordinate relationships among all parties and resolve various issues that arose during the reform process.

"Your Majesty, those old nobles have quite a few complaints against you, so you must be careful." Wanqing said worriedly.

"It doesn't matter. As long as the reform can succeed and the court can be peaceful, I am not afraid of these complaints." I said firmly.

While responding to external pressure, I did not relax the construction of the intelligence network. I maintained close contact with intelligence personnel and promptly analyzed and processed the intelligence they reported.

"Your Majesty, according to our informants, a minister in the court has been in frequent contact with a mysterious person recently, and his whereabouts are suspicious." An intelligence officer reported to me.

"Keep watching and find out their identities and purposes. If necessary, take action to secretly arrest and interrogate them." I gave the order.

Over time, the palace's security and intelligence systems have gradually improved. While there are still some minor issues to be resolved, significant progress has been made. The king has gained greater trust and reliance on me, and my position within the court has become increasingly secure.