The Second World in Ancient Times

In the palace, I longed day and night for good news from the front, but all I received was heartbreaking battle reports. One day, I was discussing with Jinshu how to make winter clothes for the soldiers on the front lines when Wanqing hurried in, her face pale.

"Empress, urgent news from the front line!" Wanqing said in a trembling voice.

I hurriedly took the battle report, which read: "The enemy has recently concentrated its forces and launched an even more fierce offensive. Many of our defenses have been crumbling under enemy fire. Although our soldiers have fought desperately, they have suffered heavy casualties. The enemy has now formed a siege. If we continue to hold our ground, we risk annihilation. However, if we risk a breakout, the chances of success are uncertain given the enemy's tight encirclement, and the consequences of failure would be disastrous. Your Majesty is currently in a dilemma, and has been discussing countermeasures with the generals, but no conclusion has been reached."

My heart tightened, and the battle report in my hand trembled slightly. "What should I do? Your Majesty must be extremely worried, but I am trapped in this palace, unable to accompany Your Majesty to discuss important plans."

I paced back and forth in the hall, pondering for a moment before saying to Wanqing, "Pass on my decree to quickly summon several important officials to the palace. I want to discuss countermeasures with them, perhaps I can help relieve Your Majesty's worries."

Soon, several important officials arrived at the palace. After paying their respects, they all looked at me with worried expressions.

I spoke first. "My Lords, the situation on the front lines is critical, and His Majesty faces a difficult decision. Although I am a woman, I also want to do my part. What are your suggestions?"

An old minister stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that while holding our position is dangerous, there is still a glimmer of hope. Our army can rely on our existing fortifications to continue engaging the enemy. In the meantime, we can send envoys to negotiate peace with the enemy, promising them some benefits to temporarily alleviate the urgent need."

I frowned slightly and shook my head. "While your plan may seem sound, I find it inappropriate. The barbarians are inherently greedy, and their invasion aims to plunder our land and wealth. Negotiating peace will only embolden them, making them think we are weak and vulnerable. Furthermore, our soldiers are fighting bravely on the front lines. How can we justify their sacrifices if we negotiate peace so easily?"

Another young minister stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. I believe that a risky breakout may be the only way out. We can select our elite divisions to form a vanguard, fighting our way through, thus paving the way for the main force to break out. Then, we can order the remaining soldiers to protect the civilians and evacuate in an orderly manner."

I pondered for a moment, then, drawing on my modern military strategic knowledge, said, "While this plan has some feasibility, it carries too many risks. Since the enemy has already formed a siege, they must have set up numerous checkpoints in all directions of escape. If we rashly break out, we'll likely fall into their trap. I think we can first identify the weak links within the enemy's encirclement. Just like intelligence reconnaissance in modern warfare, we could use our spies to penetrate deep into the enemy's rear and uncover key information such as their troop deployments and food supply locations."

The ministers looked at each other, obviously confused by my statement of "modern warfare".

Seeing this, I explained, "My Lords, I have heard of some ingenious strategies of old, all of which relied on understanding the enemy's strengths and weaknesses to achieve a surprise victory. We can do the same now. First, identify the weak point in the enemy's encirclement, then concentrate our forces to break through from that point. At the same time, we can deploy decoy troops in other directions to confuse the enemy. For example, we can light numerous beacons in directions not intended for a breakout, creating the illusion that our army is about to break out from that direction, thereby attracting the enemy's main force."

A general clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, this is a brilliant plan. However, it is far from easy to gather intelligence deep behind enemy lines. I'm afraid our spies will have difficulty approaching the enemy camp."

I replied, "General, don't worry. I've heard of some extraordinary individuals among the people who are skilled in concealment and can sneak into enemy camps at night. We can offer a large reward to recruit these individuals and have them provide intelligence for our army. Alternatively, we can start by interrogating enemy prisoners and obtain some useful information through skillful interrogation. Just like modern interrogation techniques, it's not just about torture; it's also about winning over the captive's heart, so that he or she can willingly reveal the truth."

The ministers listened to what I said and nodded.

At this time, the Minister of Revenue said, "Your Majesty, whether we hold the line or break out, food and fodder are crucial. We have some food reserves, but at this critical moment, if the battle drags on, we may not be able to sustain it. I suggest that we reserve some light, easy-to-carry dry food in the direction of the breakout, for the soldiers to consume during the breakout. At the same time, for the people in the city, we can organize them to collect their surplus food and distribute it uniformly to ensure that there will be no famine before the breakout."

I nodded and said, "Your Excellency has given it much thought. I've also thought of temporarily burying some of the city's valuables, such as gold, silver, and jewelry, to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. We can retrieve them upon our victorious return. This is similar to the modern storage and transfer of strategic materials. During wartime, protecting important resources will lay the foundation for post-war reconstruction and development."

During the discussion, I thought about modern means of communication.

I said to my ministers, "My Lords, communication between our front lines and the rear is currently quite inconvenient, and messages often take a long time to transmit. I suggest that we establish a more complex signal transmission system, modeled after the ancient beacon fires. For example, different colored flags could represent different military situations, and different flag signal combinations could convey various commands. This way, Your Majesty could command the army more quickly on the battlefield, and the various units would be better coordinated in combat."

After hearing this, the ministers all showed admiration.

One minister said, "Your Majesty is extremely intelligent. These ideas are truly novel and practical. We will fully assist Your Majesty in implementing these strategies."

I said, "My Lords, the situation is critical and time is of the essence. We must compile these strategies as quickly as possible and send them to the front lines for Your Majesty's reference. I hope they will help Your Majesty make the right decisions and lead our soldiers through this difficult time."

The ministers took orders and left.

I watched them depart and prayed silently in my heart, "Your Majesty, I hope you are safe and sound. I will do everything in my power to support you and await your triumphant return."

After the ministers had gone about preparing the necessary matters, I turned my attention to the morale of the soldiers on the front lines. I said to Jinshu, "Jinshu, arrange for the preparation of some morale-boosting items, such as flags and emblems inscribed with encouraging messages. I will have these sent to the front lines along with the supplies, so that the soldiers know they are not fighting alone; the people at home and the court are supporting them."

Jinshu took the order and left.

I know full well that in these trying times, every detail can determine the outcome of the war. Drawing on my modern thinking, knowledge, and experience, I strive to offer counsel to the king and his soldiers on the front lines within the palace, hoping to find a ray of hope amidst this gloom, to turn the tide and save the nation from its dire straits.

Not long after, Jinshu returned with a report: "Your Majesty, all the items are ready. But, Your Majesty, do you think His Majesty will accept our suggestions?"

I sighed softly. "I'm not sure either. But these suggestions are well-considered. If implemented, they could potentially change the course of the war. We can only trust in your Majesty's wise decisions and the bravery of your soldiers."

While waiting for news from the front, I was still busy. I summoned the concubines in the harem.

"Sisters, the war situation on the front line is tense now, and the country is facing danger. Although we cannot kill the enemy on the battlefield like the soldiers, we can also contribute to the country in the rear. I hope that everyone can pray for the soldiers on the front line together, and pray to God to bless them to return safely." I said to the concubines.

One of the concubines said, "Your Majesty, we are willing. But the worry in my heart is hard to dispel."

I consoled her, "I'm no different. But we must be strong and set an example for the soldiers."

The concubines nodded and went to the Buddhist temple in the palace to pray for blessings.

I also prayed silently in the temple: "Buddha, please bless your majesty and our soldiers. If you can help our dynasty survive this disaster, I am willing to pay any price."

In this tense atmosphere, time seemed to stretch infinitely longer. Every passing minute and second tightened my grip. I busied myself in the palace, checking on various preparations, eager to receive news from the front lines as soon as possible. Whether good or bad, as long as I could know the status of His Majesty and the soldiers, I would feel a little more at ease.

Finally, a carrier pigeon arrived with news from the front. I eagerly opened the letter, which read: "Your Majesty, His Majesty has received your and the ministers' advice, and is deeply impressed by your wisdom. His Majesty has decided to adopt your strategy of identifying the enemy's weak points, and has dispatched elite spies and eccentric individuals from the public to investigate. Simultaneously, we are also preparing a signal transmission system and transferring supply reserves, as you have instructed. Our soldiers, upon learning of such support from the rear, are deeply inspired and are ready to fight to the death."

After I finished reading the letter, tears welled up in my eyes. "Thank God, Your Majesty is safe and sound, and is willing to accept my advice. I hope this will be the key to turning the tide of the war."

I immediately told the good news to everyone in the harem and the ministers in the court.

"Everyone, His Majesty has made a decision, and our army's morale is high. We must continue to provide support in the rear, and I believe that His Majesty will lead our soldiers to victory." I said firmly.

After hearing this, everyone cheered and their confidence increased.

However, I also know that this is only the beginning, and the road ahead is still filled with unknowns and dangers. But I no longer feel the same anxiety as before, because I know that with modern thinking and the concerted efforts of the ancient people, we have a glimmer of hope, a hope of defeating the barbarians. I will continue to persevere in this harem, providing unwavering support to the front lines until victory is achieved and peace reigns in the country.

After learning that Your Majesty had adopted the suggestion, I began to think about subsequent response measures just in case.

I said to my ministers, "My Lords, although Your Majesty has taken action, we must still prepare for both scenarios. If the breakout is successful, we must quickly organize our forces and counterattack the enemy, not allowing them a moment to breathe. We can formulate a pursuit plan in advance and arrange for subsequent troop deployments, food supplies, and so on. If the breakout fails, we must also have countermeasures, such as organizing the city's civilians to engage in street fighting, utilizing the city's terrain to defeat the enemy. At the same time, we should quickly seek assistance from neighboring friendly countries. While this is not the best strategy, it is worth a try in this life-or-death situation."

The ministers expressed their agreement.

One minister said, "Your Majesty is very far-sighted. We admire you. I would like to immediately prepare a pursuit plan and street fighting plan."

I nodded and said, "Thank you for your help, my Lords. In addition, in preparation for street fighting, we can mobilize the people to fortify their houses, set up obstacles, and transform the city's streets and alleys into lines of defense. This would be like a modern urban defense, utilizing the terrain and buildings to create maximum trouble for the enemy."

During this process, I also thought about the issue of medical treatment.

I said to the imperial physicians at the Imperial Hospital, "My fellow physicians, if the fighting develops into street fighting, there will undoubtedly be a large number of casualties in the city. You must prepare sufficient medicinal materials and medical equipment in advance, and train more female physicians and apprentices so that they can promptly treat the wounded during wartime. I also know some simple first aid methods, such as making simple stretchers and using nearby items to bandage wounds, which I would like to teach you."

The imperial doctors took the order and left, actively preparing for medical treatment.

In the palace, I constantly coordinate the forces of all parties, preparing for various possible situations. I know full well that the outcome of a war often depends on a single thought. In this critical moment, we cannot afford to slack off or neglect. We must meet the coming challenges with the most comprehensive plans and the most steadfast conviction, protect our country and our people, and wait for the dawn of victory to finally shine upon this land.

As preparations progressed, I received news from the front line.

"Your Majesty, the spies reported that they have discovered a weak link in the enemy's encirclement, located in the valley in the northeast. The enemy has relatively few troops here, and the fortifications are not yet complete. Your Majesty has decided to organize a breakout operation tonight. The vanguard will be composed of the most elite soldiers and will break out from the northeast valley, followed by the main force." The news brought by the carrier pigeon made my heart hang in the air again.

I immediately summoned my ministers. "Your Majesty is about to break out. We must ensure that all preparations in the rear are foolproof. Ministry of War, are the supply transport teams ready?"

The Minister of War replied, "Your Majesty, the supply transport team is waiting outside the city and is ready to depart at any time. Once Your Majesty succeeds in breaking through, they will quickly follow and provide supplies to the soldiers."

I asked again, "Ministry of Revenue, how is the resettlement and food distribution of the people in the city going?"

The Minister of Revenue replied, "Your Majesty, the people have followed your instructions and gathered their surplus food for distribution by the government. The elderly, the weak, women, and children have been relocated to safer areas within the city, and the young and able-bodied have been organized to assist the army in combat or provide logistical support."

I nodded with satisfaction. "Very good. My Lords, tonight will be a crucial night. We await good news from Your Majesty, but we must also be prepared for any unexpected events."

Throughout this long night, I, my ministers, and the harem waited anxiously. Every cry of an owl made my heart tighten. I prayed in my heart, "Your Majesty, you must succeed in breaking through."

Finally, the sky began to turn pale, and the carrier pigeon returned with news. With trembling hands, I opened the letter: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty has led our army to a successful breakthrough! Our soldiers were brave and fearless, breaking through the enemy's defenses. Although there have been casualties, the losses are within a tolerable range. Your Majesty is currently leading the army to a safe area, and will subsequently launch a counterattack against the enemy as planned."

After reading the letter, I burst into tears of joy: "Great! Your Majesty is safe and sound, and our army has successfully broken through!"

After hearing the news, everyone cheered. The entire palace and even the entire capital were immersed in joy and hope.