The Second World in Ancient Times

Standing at the pinnacle of power in this palace, I thought I could work hand in hand with the king to create a peaceful and prosperous era. However, I did not expect that beneath the calm surface, an undercurrent of crisis was surging.

One day, Wanqing came hurriedly with a worried look on her face: "Your Majesty, it's bad. Rumors about you are spreading everywhere in the palace."

I frowned slightly. "What rumor? Tell me in detail."

Wanqing lowered her voice, "They say that Your Majesty ascended to the throne by using seductive tactics to deceive His Majesty. They also say that you are dictatorial in the harem, suppressing the other concubines and withholding their expenses to enrich yourself. These rumors are spreading like wildfire, and now everyone in the harem is in a state of panic, and many concubines are secretly watching."

My heart sank, but I remained calm and said, "I am a decent woman, so why would I be afraid of these groundless rumors? However, if they are allowed to spread, they will definitely disrupt the order of the harem. Go and investigate and find out who is behind this."

"Yes, your majesty." Wanqing took the order and left.

A few days later, Wanqing returned with a report: "Your Majesty, according to my investigation, it is the remnants of the families of Concubine Li, who was previously banished to the cold palace, and Concubine Ning, who was demoted, who are secretly colluding and instructing the palace maids and eunuchs to spread rumors in the palace. They have also bribed some foreign officials and are preparing to attack you in court."

I snorted coldly, "They're still intent on stealing. Wanqing, keep watching their every move. I have a plan for dealing with them."

Meanwhile, the king also learned of this and came to my palace. His face darkened, "My beloved, I will never allow anyone to slander you like this. I will order a thorough investigation and severely punish those who spread these rumors."

I gently grasped the king's hand. "Your Majesty, this matter should not be precipitated. Since they dared to act this way, they must have a thorough plan. If Your Majesty were to suppress it by force, it might cause even greater unrest. I suggest we start with the source of the rumor, find solid evidence, and then refute it in one fell swoop."

The king looked at me with trust in his eyes: "My beloved concubine, you have considered everything carefully. I will listen to you."

Outside the palace, ministers also came to the palace to meet the emperor, bringing many problems facing the country.

Lord Li said worriedly, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the southern part of our country has suffered a rare flood disaster. Countless people have been displaced, crops have been submerged, and the grain harvest has been destroyed. The northern part of our country has suffered from drought, the land has cracked, and livestock have died of thirst. This attack from both north and south has severely damaged our agriculture and plunged our economy into recession."

I frowned and asked, "Master Li, has the court taken any countermeasures?"

Lord Li replied, "Your Majesty, the court has dispatched officials to the disaster area for relief efforts and has also released some grain from granaries. However, the disaster area is so vast that these measures are merely a drop in the bucket. Furthermore, due to the economic recession, tax revenues have decreased across the country, leaving the treasury empty and unable to support large-scale disaster relief and reconstruction efforts."

After a moment's thought, I said to the king, "Your Majesty, I suggest that we first call on wealthy households nationwide to donate money and supplies, while also organizing the people to help themselves. For those areas less affected by the disaster, we should encourage them to plant more drought- and flood-resistant crops to alleviate food pressures."

The king nodded. "My beloved concubine, your words are quite true. I will immediately issue an order for officials from all regions to take active action."

However, things were far from simple. Within the harem, the remnants of the old forces were still plotting. They had poisoned the harem's meals, intending to murder me. Fortunately, my personal maid was quick-witted and noticed something was amiss before I ate.

The maid said in horror: "My Lady, this food is poisonous, you must not eat it."

I looked at the food with a cold gaze. "How dare they be so brazen! Wanqing, inform His Majesty of this matter. At the same time, arrest all those responsible for the food. I will personally interrogate them."

When the king learned of this, he flew into a rage: "These people are simply lawless. My beloved, are you hurt?"

I shook my head. "Your Majesty, I'm fine. But this matter must be dealt with seriously to serve as a warning to others."

During the interrogation, a young eunuch, unable to withstand the torture, confessed the truth: "Your Majesty, it was Concubine Li's brothers who ordered this servant to do this. They said that as long as Your Majesty dies, they can support Concubine Li to take the throne again and restore the family's glory."

I sneered, "They are wishful thinking. Wanqing, record this young eunuch's confession and present it to His Majesty."

After reading the confession, the king immediately issued an order: "Capture Concubine Li's brother and his accomplices and bring them to justice. Punish them severely. Concubine Li is still restless in the cold palace and will be executed immediately. Concubine Ning will be demoted to a palace maid and will work in the laundry room for the rest of her life."

With the conspiracy of Concubine Li and others thwarted, the harem temporarily returned to peace. But the crisis of the country remained severe.

In the court, ministers argued endlessly about how to raise funds for disaster relief.

One minister said, "Your Majesty, I think we should increase taxes to enrich the treasury for disaster relief and reconstruction."

Another minister objected, "No! The people are suffering from the disaster and are living in hardship. If we increase taxes again, they will be overwhelmed and may even cause a civil uprising."

I stepped forward and said, "My Lords, increasing taxes is not a good idea. I suggest levying a tax on the extravagant consumption of some wealthy merchants while also reducing court expenses and using the savings for disaster relief. Alternatively, the court could organize work-for-relief partnerships between merchants and the people in the disaster-stricken areas, giving them work and food, and speeding up reconstruction."

After hearing what I said, the ministers nodded in agreement, saying, "Your Majesty, this is a brilliant plan."

The king also agreed: "I will follow your advice, my beloved concubine. I hope that all the ministers can work together to overcome this difficult time."

While responding to natural disasters, I also did not neglect cultural and educational issues. Due to the economic recession, some universities were facing funding shortages, and many students were forced to drop out.

I said to the king, "Your Majesty, culture and education are the foundation of our nation. Our schools are currently in trouble, and students are losing their education. If this continues, our country will lose its talent. I suggest that a portion of the disaster relief funds be allocated specifically to support schools, while also encouraging private education and granting certain preferential policies."

The king considered for a moment and said, "My beloved, disaster relief funds are already tight. If we allocate some to the academy, will it affect the progress of disaster relief?"

I explained, "Your Majesty, cultural education and disaster relief and reconstruction are not mutually exclusive. Cultivating talent today is for the long-term development of the nation. With talented individuals, we can better govern the country and prevent and respond to future disasters. Furthermore, privately run schools can reduce the burden on the court, requiring only supervision and guidance from the court."

The king finally nodded. "My beloved concubine, you are right. I will leave this matter to you."

Thanks to my efforts, private education gradually gained popularity. Many insightful individuals responded and invested in establishing schools. The school's difficulties were alleviated, and many students who had dropped out of school were able to return to the classroom.

However, the internal struggles within the palace had not completely subsided. Although some concubines did not dare to openly oppose me, they still tried to trip me up in secret.

Once, during a sacrificial ceremony held in the palace, a concubine deliberately made a mistake during the ceremony, causing the sacrifice to be interrupted. She feigned innocence and said, "Your Majesty, I did not mean to do it. I was just nervous at the moment. Please forgive me."

I looked at her and said sternly, "Sacrifice is a matter of great importance to the state. How can you treat it so lightly? Although you may be nervous, your mistake is too serious. I punish you by confining yourself to the palace for a month and copying the sacrificial rituals a hundred times."

Through this series of events, I have learned that whether it's a palace struggle or a national crisis, I must remain vigilant and respond with wisdom. I cannot afford to slack off, for as the Empress, it is my unshirkable responsibility to safeguard the peace of the palace and the nation.

As time went on, the pressure of economic recession continued. I discussed with the king and decided to implement a series of economic reform measures.

I said to the king, "Your Majesty, our country's economic decline is primarily due to severe agricultural losses and the resulting stagnation of commercial development. I suggest that in agriculture, we can promote new farming techniques, build water conservancy projects, and increase agricultural production. Regarding commerce, we can relax restrictions on merchants, encourage foreign trade, and promote the circulation of goods."

The king said with some concern, "My beloved concubine, if we relax the restrictions on merchants, will this lead to their becoming too powerful and affect the court's rule?"

I replied, "Your Majesty, you can formulate appropriate laws and regulations to regulate merchants. Encouraging foreign trade will not only increase tax revenue, but also introduce advanced foreign technology and culture, promoting the development of our country."

The king thought for a moment and said, "My beloved, this matter is of great importance and requires caution. I will summon my ministers to discuss the matter and make a decision."

During the ministers' deliberations, different voices emerged. Some conservative ministers believed that the traditional policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce could not be changed, otherwise it would undermine the foundation of the country. However, some more open-minded ministers supported my view that economic reform was imperative.

I reiterated my point in the court: "My Lords, times have changed. The development of commerce is just as important to the prosperity of our nation. We cannot rest on our laurels and must adapt to the trends of the times. Of course, during the reform process, we will fully consider various risks and formulate comprehensive policies and regulations to ensure that the court's ruling status is not affected."

After a heated debate, the king finally decided to support my economic reform proposals. The court began to vigorously promote new farming techniques, build water conservancy facilities, and relax restrictions on merchants to encourage foreign trade.

In the early days of reform, we encountered many difficulties: farmers were unfamiliar with the new farming techniques, and merchants were hesitant to accept the new policies.

I personally went to the countryside and demonstrated the new farming techniques to the farmers: "Fellow villagers, this new farming technique can increase yields and reduce pests and diseases. Don't worry, the court will send someone to guide you."

I also met with merchants and said, "Dear merchants, the government is relaxing restrictions to allow for better development. As long as you abide by the laws and operate legally, the government will support and protect you."

Over time, economic reforms gradually yielded results. Agricultural production began to increase, and commerce gradually prospered. The country's economy began to recover, and people's lives gradually improved.

In the face of this series of challenges, the King and I worked hand in hand to face them together. Our relationship deepened amidst the difficulties, and with our efforts, the court and the country gradually emerged from the predicament and moved towards a better future.