The Second World in Ancient Times

The king and I stood hand in hand atop the palace's high platform, gazing at the distant sky shrouded in the smoke of war. Though my heart was filled with worry, my gaze remained resolute. The invasion of foreign enemies has plunged the entire nation into a profound crisis, yet I know that only by facing it bravely can we have a glimmer of hope.

"Your Majesty, I think the morale is low right now. I would like to go to the military camp to personally comfort the soldiers and boost their morale." I turned to the king and said.

The king looked at me, his eyes filled with relief and emotion. "My beloved, I am very pleased that you have such a thoughtful thought. However, life in the military camp is difficult, and I am afraid that you will suffer."

I gently grasped the king's hand. "Your Majesty, the soldiers are fighting bravely on the front lines, suffering far more than I have. If I can help them feel the care of the court and the harem, and inspire their fighting spirit, it will be worth it."

The king nodded and said, "My beloved, I will send a team of guards to accompany you and ensure your safety."

I arrived at the military camp under the escort of my guards, carrying carefully prepared supplies and rewards. The camp was filled with a thick atmosphere of blood and sorrow, and the wounded soldiers lay in their tents, groaning in pain.

I walked into a tent and saw a gravely wounded general. He was wrapped in thick bandages, his face pale but still radiating determination. I stepped forward and gently shook his hand. "General, you have suffered this grave wound for your country. On behalf of His Majesty and the entire nation, I offer you my deepest respect. Your heroic deeds will surely spread far and wide, becoming a role model for all soldiers."

The general opened his eyes weakly and said, "Empress, I am truly ashamed that I failed to repel the enemy despite my duty."

I consoled him, "General, don't blame yourself. Victory and defeat are commonplace in war. The court is united and will fully support you. Just rest and recuperate. Once you've recovered, return to the battlefield and fight for your country."

Afterward, I visited the soldiers' tents. I gazed at these young and brave soldiers, my heart filled with admiration. "Soldiers, you have bravely fought bravely on this battlefield, far from home. Your Majesty and I have witnessed your dedication. You are heroes of this nation, and the protectors of our people. Right now, the nation is praying for you and preparing supplies for you. You are not alone; the entire nation stands with you."

A young soldier said excitedly: "Empress, it is my honor to fight for my country. I will fight to the death and never retreat."

The other soldiers also shouted: "Fight for the country! Fight for His Majesty and the Queen!"

To further boost morale, I decided to hold a special banquet in the barracks. I summoned all the soldiers in the camp, ordered them to set up tables and chairs in an open area, and displayed the fine wine and delicacies we had brought.

I stood before the soldiers and spoke loudly, "Soldiers, today's banquet is prepared for you. You have endured life and death trials on the battlefield. This moment of rest and joy is what you deserve."

I personally poured wine for the soldiers. Walking up to a young soldier, I smiled and said, "Brave man, this glass of wine is for you. May you be more powerful than a tiger on the battlefield and return safely."

The soldier took the wine glass with trepidation: "Thank you, Queen. I will definitely live up to your expectations."

At the banquet, I also arranged for some performances by the soldiers. Some displayed their martial arts skills, their bravery evident amidst the flashes of swords and the shadows of sabers; others sang folk songs from their homeland. The melodious voices brought tears to the eyes of many soldiers, who missed their families and their homeland far away.

I told the soldiers, "This song may be simple, but it's filled with longing for home. We fight here to protect the land that gave us our birth and raised us, and to protect our parents, wives, and children back home from the flames of war."

I then announced the court's rewards for meritorious servicemen. "Your Majesty has decreed that those who have distinguished themselves on the battlefield will be rewarded with generous land, gold, silver, and jewelry, and promoted to higher positions. Your contributions will not be forgotten by the court or the nation."

When the soldiers heard this, they cheered loudly.

Afterward, I went deep into the barracks' kitchen. Seeing the cooks busy at work, I went over to help. I picked up a kitchen knife and expertly cut the vegetables, saying to them, "You prepare meals for the soldiers every day, and you contribute to the war effort. These meals, though simple, are crucial to the soldiers' strength and morale."

The cooks looked at me in surprise: "Empress, your precious body, how can you do such rough work?"

I smiled and said, "In this military camp, there is no distinction between rich and poor. We are all fighting for the country and for victory."

After returning from the military camp, the king and I summoned the generals to discuss battle strategies.

In the imperial study, the generals' faces were solemn. An experienced veteran spoke first, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the enemy is advancing with great force and is well-equipped. But they also have a weakness: they are unfamiliar with the mountainous terrain of our frontier. We can exploit this and set an ambush."

After a moment's thought, I said, "The old general is absolutely right. But relying solely on ambushes won't guarantee victory. We must also take the initiative, sending out small, elite units to launch harassing attacks on the enemy, disrupting their deployment and keeping them on their toes."

Another general said, "Your Majesty, we can set up obstacles along the enemy's route, such as traps and roadblocks, to slow down their march and buy time for our deployment."

I nodded in agreement. "This is a very good plan. At the same time, we must strengthen intelligence gathering to understand the enemy's troop movements, food reserves, and other situations so that we can make a more precise response."

The king finally gave the order: "Generals, follow the plan we discussed today and prepare immediately. The Queen and I await your victory report in the rear."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The generals took the order and left.

Across the country, common people responded to the imperial court's call, with local gentry organizing people to collect food and fodder, and to make clothing and weapons.

I received a letter from an elderly man. He wrote, "Empress, although I am old, I cannot bear to see our country invaded by foreign enemies. I have called on the villagers to donate their food and money to support the army. The young men in the village have also enthusiastically joined the army, willing to contribute their share to the country."

As I read the letter, tears welled up in my eyes. I said to the king, "Your Majesty, the people are so patriotic. We must not let them down."

The king was also moved by the people's enthusiasm: "My beloved, my people are so united, it is a blessing for the country. I will lead them to repel the foreign enemies and protect our country."

As the battle strategy was implemented, some good news came from the front: our harassing attacks were effective, and the enemy began to fall into chaos.

A general reported back from the front: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, our small forces have repeatedly raided the enemy camp, and the enemy is caught off guard. Their morale has been severely damaged, and in their panic, their troop deployment has been compromised."

The king and I beamed. "Your Majesty," I said, "now is the perfect time for us to launch a counterattack. Order our main force to encircle the enemy as planned."

The king immediately gave the order: "Pass on my order, the main force will attack and must annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop."

On the battlefield, our soldiers fought bravely, taking advantage of the terrain, cleverly avoiding the enemy's sharp edge, and then launching fierce attacks on the enemy's weak links.

During a fierce battle, our army encountered the enemy in a valley. Relying on superior weaponry, the enemy attempted a breakout. Our general calmly commanded, "Soldiers, today is the day we fight for our country. Don't be afraid, for behind us is our home and our loved ones."

The soldiers shouted, "Kill!" and then rushed towards the enemy like a tide.

After a bitter fight, our army finally won the battle. The enemy suffered heavy casualties, and the remaining troops began to flee in panic.

When I heard the victory news in the palace, I excitedly said to the king, "Your Majesty, we have won! This is earned by the bravery and fearlessness of our soldiers."

The king also said excitedly: "My beloved, this is just the beginning. I will pursue this victory and drive the enemy out of our territory completely."

In the subsequent battles, our army pursued the enemy all the way. The people spontaneously organized themselves to provide logistical support. Young women brought water and food to the soldiers and cared for the wounded, while the elderly helped guard supplies and pass on messages.

During one of our pursuits, our troops encountered stiff resistance from the enemy, who were entrenched in a fortified city.

After discussion, our generals decided to adopt a tactic that combined siege equipment with violent attacks.

A general said to the king, "Your Majesty, our queen, we have prepared catapults, siege towers, and other weapons. We will first use the catapults to attack the enemy's city defenses to weaken their strength, and then we will send in our soldiers to attack the city."

I said, "General, when attacking the city, you must also protect the safety of your soldiers. You can arrange archers to provide cover to prevent the enemy from leaving the city and launching a surprise attack."

During the siege, our soldiers bravely climbed the city walls, braving the enemy's arrows and stones.

A soldier shouted: "For the country, for His Majesty and the Queen, charge!"

After a fierce battle, our army finally captured the city. The remaining enemy troops continued to flee, and our army pursued them relentlessly.

As our army continues to win, our country is gradually overcoming its disadvantage on the battlefield. But I also know that the war is not over yet, and we must remain vigilant and continue our efforts.

During these difficult years of war, the King and I have supported each other, shared our plans with our generals, and worked hand in hand with the people. With courage and wisdom, we have advanced step by step toward victory. I firmly believe that one day, we will completely repel the foreign enemy and usher in peace and prosperity for our country.

As victory neared, I began to consider postwar reconstruction. I told the king, "Your Majesty, although victory is imminent, postwar reconstruction is a daunting task. We must plan ahead, including rebuilding border areas, restoring civilian life, and relocating the military."

The king nodded. "My beloved, you are absolutely right. I will summon my ministers to discuss this matter. If you have any ideas, please share them with me."

I said, "Your Majesty, to rebuild the border regions, we can encourage the people to migrate there by providing them with preferential land, housing, and tax policies, allowing them to settle down with peace of mind. At the same time, we should strengthen the military defenses of the border regions, building fortresses and city walls to prevent further invasions by foreign enemies. To restore the people's livelihoods, we can reduce or exempt taxes nationwide, allowing them to recuperate. As for the military, we should reward meritorious officers and soldiers based on their achievements, giving them generous rewards and promotions, and we can also arrange for some retired soldiers to participate in local security and construction work."

The king thought for a moment. "My beloved concubine, your idea is excellent. I will discuss this carefully with my ministers and formulate a detailed post-war reconstruction plan."

During the discussion of the post-war reconstruction plan with the ministers, they also put forward many valuable suggestions.

The Minister of Revenue said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, post-war reconstruction requires a large amount of funds. We can issue national bonds domestically to raise funds, and at the same time encourage merchants to invest in the construction of border areas and grant them certain commercial privileges."

The Minister of Works said, "Your Majesty, regarding the defense of the border areas, I believe we can adopt new building materials and technologies to improve the strength and durability of the fortifications. At the same time, we can build roads, bridges, and other infrastructure within the country to promote trade and communication."

I listened to the ministers' suggestions and said, "Your Excellencies' suggestions are all valuable. We must consider them comprehensively and formulate a reconstruction plan that is both feasible and beneficial to the long-term development of the country."

In the final stages of the war, our army finally drove the invading enemy completely out of our territory. The whole country was immersed in the joy of victory.

The king and I stood on the city wall of the palace, looking at the cheering people, with a lot of emotions in our hearts.

The king held my hand tightly. "My beloved, I've endured all the hardships along the way thanks to your company. If it weren't for your meticulous management of the harem, your advice on military strategy, and your thoughtful efforts in boosting morale, I can't imagine what the outcome of this war would have been."

I smiled and said, "Your Majesty, this is my duty. This victory is the result of your wise leadership, the bravery of our soldiers, and the full support of the people."

At this moment of victory, I know that the road ahead is still long, and the reconstruction and development of the country is a long way to go. But I believe that with the joint efforts of the king and I, and the concerted efforts of all the people of the country, the country will surely move towards a more prosperous tomorrow.