The Second World in Ancient Times

I stood in the imperial study, looking at the king with a gloomy face, knowing in my heart that he was about to make a major decision that would determine the fate of the country.

"Your Majesty, the war on the border is tense. We beg Your Majesty to tell us how to deal with it?" said an old minister tremblingly.

The king slowly stood up, his eyes firm, "I have made up my mind. I will lead the army myself."

As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar in the court.

"Your Majesty, it is too dangerous to lead the army in person. Your Majesty's life is worth millions, how can you take such a risk so easily?" A civil official hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

The king's expression was solemn. "I am the ruler of a nation. The country is in trouble now. If I retreat, how can I face my ancestors and convince the soldiers on the frontiers? Only by personally leading the army can I demonstrate our dynasty's resolve to defend the country and boost morale."

Although I was filled with worry, I also understood the king's deeper meaning. I stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, I understand the importance of this matter. Your Majesty, please go. I will fully support you from behind and make all necessary preparations."

The king looked at me, a trace of relief in his eyes. "My beloved concubine, I am relieved to have you here. However, I will trouble you to take care of the palace affairs while I am away."

I knelt slightly and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will definitely live up to your trust."

At this time, a general stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, if Your Majesty leads the army in person, I am willing to lead the vanguard and clear the way for Your Majesty. We will definitely let the barbarians see the might of our army."

The king nodded. "General, your loyalty is commendable. For this expedition, I must carefully prepare food, fodder, and military equipment. Minister of Revenue, how will you arrange this?"

The Minister of Revenue quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I will immediately check the treasury and allocate grain and fodder. However, now that war has begun, supplies are scarce across the country, and raising them may be difficult."

I said, "Sir, you can send a message to the local government to encourage wealthy families to donate food and supplies, and promise them rewards after the war. At the same time, I will also launch a fundraising campaign in the harem to do my part."

The Minister of Revenue bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. With your support, I will do my best."

The king then turned to the Minister of War and said, "The Ministry of War is responsible for preparing the army for war and selecting the best divisions to accompany me on the expedition. There must be no slackness."

The Minister of War accepted the order and said, "Your Majesty, I will select the bravest soldiers of our dynasty to form an army to protect Your Majesty and ensure your safety."

I said to the king, "Your Majesty, intelligence is crucial when you're on a campaign. I suggest you have your secret guards and spies work closely together to constantly monitor the barbarians' troop deployments and tactical movements, so Your Majesty can respond promptly."

The king agreed, "My dear, this is a brilliant plan. I will make all the arrangements."

When I returned to the harem, I immediately summoned the concubines.

"Sisters, now that His Majesty has decided to lead the army in person, this is a major national event. I would like to initiate a fundraising campaign in the harem to prepare supplies for His Majesty. Does anyone have any objection?" I said to the concubines.

One of the concubines said hesitantly, "Your Majesty, we are willing to support Your Majesty. But we don't know what to donate to."

I replied, "Whether it's gold, silver, jewelry, silks, or even my treasured medicinal herbs and food, as long as it can help Your Majesty, I will donate it."

The concubines nodded one after another: "We will follow your Majesty's orders."

During the preparation process, I consulted with the Chief of the Imperial Household Department.

"General Manager, the clothes, tents and other items needed for His Majesty's expedition must be well prepared and sufficient. Are you sure?" I asked.

The head of the Imperial Household Department said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I have arranged for people to work day and night to make it. However, it is some special warm fur, which is not easy to obtain."

I thought for a moment and said, "We can send people to the northern border to trade with the hunters and buy them at a high price. We must ensure that His Majesty does not catch a cold on the frontier."

"Yes, ma'am."

I then told the female officer in charge of food, "Your Majesty, when you go to war, you must not neglect your diet. You must prepare some nutritious, easy-to-store dry food and dish recipes, and have the accompanying chef prepare them accordingly."

The female official replied, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I'm already preparing it. I'll select some nourishing ingredients, such as ginseng and wolfberry, to add to it."

At this time, the king's attendants came to inform him that the king wanted to review the army before going to war.

I hurried to accompany the king to the training ground.

On the parade ground, the soldiers were lined up in neat rows, all in high spirits.

The king stood on the high platform and shouted, "Soldiers, the barbarians are invading and the people on our borders are suffering. I will personally lead the army today and will be with you. Will you follow me to fight the enemies and defend our country?"

The soldiers shouted in unison: "We are willing to follow Your Majesty to kill the enemy and serve our country!"

The king nodded with satisfaction: "Very well! I believe in your courage and strength. I will stand with you in this battle, sharing the joys and sorrows. Victory will surely be ours!"

As I watched from the sidelines, a surge of pride welled up in my heart. I said to the king, "Your Majesty, with such brave soldiers, victory is certain."

The king looked at me and said, "My beloved, if anything happens while I'm away, you can make your own decisions. You don't have to stick to palace rules. The stability of the country is the most important thing."

I said firmly, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will protect the palace and the country."

As the departure date approaches, various preparatory work is being carried out in a tense and orderly manner.

"Your Majesty, when wealthy families from all over the country heard that Your Majesty was leading the army in person, they donated supplies. A salt merchant from Jiangnan donated a large amount of food and money, and also expressed his willingness to provide salt to the army." Wanqing reported to me happily.

I smiled and said, "This is a good thing. When Your Majesty returns victorious, you must reward these patriots."

However, amidst this busyness, there are also some discordant voices.

A concubine quietly complained in the harem, "Your Majesty, I don't know when he will return. What if something happens to you? What will happen to the palace?"

When I heard this, I immediately went over and scolded him, "Shut up! Your Majesty is doing this for the country and the people. As a concubine, you don't want to share His Majesty's worries, but instead spread rumors and disturb people. What is your intention? If you dare to speak nonsense again, I will not forgive you!"

The concubine was so frightened that she immediately knelt down and begged for mercy: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I know I was wrong."

I said sternly, "Go back to your room and reflect on your mistakes. Don't step out of your room for the next few days."

After dealing with this matter, I was secretly alert in my heart. During this critical period, I must not let any chaos occur in the harem.

I went to check the military equipment for the expedition.

"General, are these weapons extremely sharp? Is the armor strong?" I asked the general in charge of armaments.

The general replied, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. These weapons are meticulously crafted, and the armor is made of the finest materials. I have personally inspected them many times, and they will surely protect the soldiers on the battlefield."

I nodded. "That's good. General, please take care of yourself and protect His Majesty on the battlefield."

The general clasped his fists and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will not refuse even if death is the cost."

Finally, the day of departure arrived.

I got up early and put on the armor for the king.

"Your Majesty, you must return safely from this trip. I will pray for Your Majesty day and night in the palace." I said with tears in my eyes.

The king gently wiped my tears away and said, "My beloved, do not be sad. I will surely return victorious."

The king mounted his warhorse and led his army slowly out of the city. I stood on the city wall, watching the retreating troops, and silently prayed, "May Your Majesty triumph and return soon. May our soldiers be safe and sound, and may our country escape this disaster soon."

After the king went to war, I returned to the palace and immediately strengthened the management of the harem.

"Jinshu, pass the order down. A curfew will be imposed in the harem from now on. All concubines are not allowed to move around at will. If there is anything, they must report to me and only act after permission. At the same time, increase the number of guards patrolling to ensure the safety of the palace." I ordered.

Jinshu took the order and left.

I also summoned the eunuchs and palace maids in charge of the harem.

"Listen carefully, everyone. Now that His Majesty is going to war, all matters in the palace must be handled with greater caution. There must not be any mistakes. If you find any abnormal situation, report it to me immediately." I said seriously.

Everyone responded in unison: "Yes, Queen."

I know very well that when the king is not in the palace, I must support the entire palace and relieve the worries of the king and soldiers on the front line. No matter what difficulties I encounter, I must firmly protect this palace and country.

As the days passed, I received daily battle reports from the front lines.

"Your Majesty, news has come from the front line. Your Majesty led the army in the first battle with the barbarians. Our army's morale is high and we have killed many enemies, but the barbarians are also very fierce. The two sides have not yet decided the outcome." Wanqing came to report with the battle report.

My heart tightened: "Is Your Majesty injured?"

Wanqing replied, "The battle report did not mention your majesty's injury. Your Majesty need not worry too much."

I nodded slightly: "Continue to pay close attention to the battle reports. If there is any news, inform me immediately."

"Yes, ma'am."

I was not idle in the palace. In addition to handling harem affairs, I also often visited the families of the injured soldiers.

"Auntie, your son is fighting bravely on the front line. You must take good care of yourself. If you need anything, please let me know." I said to the mother of a soldier.

The old woman said gratefully, "Empress, I appreciate your concern. I only hope that my son can return safely."

I consoled her, "Don't worry, Auntie. His Majesty will surely return victorious with his soldiers."

At the same time, I am also thinking about how to provide further support to the front line.

"Jinshu, go and discuss with the Imperial Hospital to see if they can develop some new prescriptions for treating trauma and epidemics. The fighting on the front lines is fierce, and it is inevitable that soldiers will be injured. If there are new medicines, it may reduce casualties." I said to the female official.

Jinshu took the order and left. Not long after, he returned and said, "Your Majesty, the imperial doctors at the Imperial Hospital are working hard on developing a new medicine, but the testing of the new prescription will take time."

I said, "Tell them to speed up. I will provide everything they need."

During these days of waiting and busyness, I always keep the king and soldiers on the front line in mind, silently praying for victory in the war, and trying to make all preparations for that victory. Although the road ahead is full of unknowns and dangers, the faith in my heart has never wavered.

As the war continued, I received news that there was some shortage of food supplies on the front lines.

I immediately summoned officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Household Department to discuss countermeasures.

"The front line is running out of food and grass. Do you have any solutions?" I asked anxiously.

The Minister of Revenue said, "Your Majesty, I have been trying to gather grain and fodder from various places, but we encountered harassment from the barbarians during transportation and suffered some losses."

I thought for a moment and said, "We can send more guards to escort the food and fodder. At the same time, in areas close to the front lines, we can mobilize the people to help plant some fast-growing crops, such as potatoes, to alleviate the urgent need."

The head of the Imperial Household Department said, "Your Majesty, the palace can also save some food and send it to the front."

I nodded. "Okay, I'll do as you say. This matter cannot be delayed any longer. We must resolve the food and fodder problem as soon as possible."

While solving the food and grass problem, I also paid attention to the morale of the front line.

"Wanqing, arrange for someone to write some morale-boosting letters and send them to the front line. The letters should express my admiration and support for the soldiers and let them know that they are not fighting alone." I ordered.

Wanqing responded, "Yes, your Majesty."

I know very well that in this long and difficult war, morale boosting is of vital importance.