The Second World in Ancient Times

His Majesty and I strolled through the Imperial Gardens. Though the surrounding flowers and plants had withered slightly after the war, they were still striving to grow, as if foreshadowing the fate of the nation. His Majesty gently grasped my hand, his expression solemn yet resolute.

"My beloved, although it is difficult to implement the new policy, I will not give up. I will make this country prosperous in our hands, even if the road ahead is full of thorns." His Majesty's voice was low and powerful.

I looked back at His Majesty, my eyes filled with trust and support. "Your Majesty, I will fight alongside you. Although the opposition is loud, as long as we patiently explain the benefits of the new policy to everyone, we will surely overcome the obstacles."

As I was speaking, an old minister arrived, requesting an audience. Seeing Your Majesty and me, he dropped to his knees and offered an earnest warning: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this new policy is truly disrupting the political order. Changing the laws of our ancestors will surely anger Heaven and bring disaster. I implore Your Majesty to halt this new policy immediately and return to the orthodox way."

I stepped forward, leaned slightly forward, and spoke in a gentle voice, "My Lord, I understand your respect for the laws of our ancestors. However, our ancestors also enacted laws for the prosperity of the country and the well-being of the people. Now, times have changed, and the old laws are no longer suitable for the new situation. The educational reforms in this new policy will enable our students to acquire more practical knowledge, so that they can become pillars of the country, share Your Majesty's worries, and benefit the people. Economic diversification will enrich the national treasury and make the people prosperous, eliminating the suffering of poverty. The improvement of the people's livelihood and welfare system will further demonstrate Your Majesty's benevolence and provide support for the lonely and the widowed. These actions will benefit the country and the people. How can they disrupt the order of the court?"

The old minister raised his head, still stubbornly saying, "Your Majesty, I only know how to follow the old system. This new thing is hard for me to accept. I hope Your Majesty will stop trying to persuade you and persuade Your Majesty to change his mind."

His Majesty said in a deep voice, "My mind is made up. As the Son of Heaven, I must work for the long-term development of the country. The new policy cannot be questioned. If anyone dares to maliciously obstruct it again, I will not show mercy."

Seeing that Your Majesty is determined, the old minister had no choice but to take his leave.

I said to His Majesty, "Your Majesty, these old officials have deeply ingrained conservative ideas, and they won't change overnight. We need to take a long-term approach and make more officials and citizens understand the new policies."

His Majesty nodded. "My beloved concubine is right. I will gather some young, promising, and open-minded officials and have them speak out in favor of the new policies at court, gradually influencing other officials. My beloved concubine, please also make more efforts in the harem to get the concubines' families to support the new policies."

I replied, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will make the arrangements."

Returning to the harem, I summoned all the concubines.

"Sisters, the implementation of the new policy has been hindered. Although we are in the harem, we can also do our part. You can write letters to your own families and explain to them in detail the significance and benefits of the new policy. For example, tell them that planting cash crops can bring huge profits, and the welfare system can take care of the vulnerable groups in the family. Let them support the new policy locally and help local officials implement the new policy." I said.

One of the concubines said with some concern: "Your Majesty, my family are all traditional people. Will they listen to me?"

I consoled her, "Don't worry, sister. You just need to honestly explain the benefits of the new policy. If they have any questions, you can ask them to send someone to the capital, and I will answer them personally. This is just like modern propaganda and promotion, starting with those around you and gradually expanding the influence."

The concubines all expressed their willingness to give it a try.

In the court, His Majesty summoned the young officials as planned.

A young official stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe the Empress's new policies are the key to our dynasty's prosperity. Educational reform can cultivate innovative talent, diversified operations can promote economic prosperity, and welfare systems can stabilize public sentiment. I fully support the implementation of the new policies and will actively promote them in the local area so that more people can understand their benefits."

With the support of the young officials, the atmosphere in the court gradually changed, and some officials who had originally been on the sidelines began to waver.

When I learned of this, I said to His Majesty, "Your Majesty, it appears this strategy is working. We should strike while the iron is hot and hold a seminar to publicize the new policies. Invite court ministers, representatives of local officials, and some gentry. Your Majesty should attend in person to demonstrate your firm commitment to the new policies. Then I will explain the new policies in detail so that everyone can gain a deeper understanding."

His Majesty agreed, "My beloved concubine, this is a very good plan. I will arrange it immediately."

While preparing for the briefing, I received news from local authorities that, after learning some of the new policies, some local residents had become interested in them, but they still had some concerns.

I said to Jinshu, "Jinshu, compile some case studies of successful pilot programs across the country, and write them down in a simple, easy-to-understand format. Distribute them at the briefing so everyone can directly see the effectiveness of the new policy. It's like a modern-day success story presentation—let the facts speak for themselves and enhance persuasiveness."

Jinshu took the order and left, and quickly sorted out the case.

On the day of the lecture, the hall was packed. His Majesty, seated on the dragon throne, surveyed the room with a majestic gaze before speaking: "I have summoned you today to discuss our dynasty's new policies. I fully understand that their implementation will be difficult, but the Empress and I firmly believe that this is the only way for our dynasty to achieve prosperity and strength. I hope you will set aside your prejudices, listen carefully to the Empress's explanation of the new policies, and work together for the future of our dynasty."

I stepped forward, bowed slightly, and began to explain: "My Lords, the economic measures of the New Deal are aimed at breaking the traditional single-family farming model. For example, we are piloting tea and mulberry planting in southern China. The tea is then exported to other countries. Mulberry trees are used to raise silkworms and weave silk. The silk fabrics are exquisite and are not only popular at home but also have a vast market abroad. This has greatly increased the income of local people and significantly improved their living standards. In terms of education, universities in the capital have begun to add courses on natural sciences and New Deal concepts. Students are eager to learn and will become a new force in the future construction of our dynasty. In terms of people's livelihood and welfare, nursing homes and orphanages have been established in some areas, providing a place for the lonely and the elderly to live out their days in peace. These are all the achievements of the New Deal."

The officials and gentry in the audience listened, some seemed to be thinking about something, while others nodded frequently.

A local official asked, "Your Majesty, if this new policy is implemented locally and encounters resistance from local forces, what should we do?"

I replied, "Sir, if you encounter resistance, you can report it to the court. His Majesty will take strong measures to deal with malicious obstructionists and ensure the implementation of the new policy. At the same time, local officials should actively communicate with the people, explain the significance of the new policy, and organize people who have benefited from it to share their own experiences, so that more people will believe in its benefits. This is like modern grassroots governance and conflict resolution, with unity from top to bottom and joint progress."

With the conclusion of the seminar, the implementation of the new policy took a new turn, with more officials and local forces expressing their willingness to try to implement the new policy.

Your Majesty and I discussed the follow-up matters in the palace.

His Majesty said, "My beloved, although things have improved, we must not be complacent. We must continue to strengthen the promotion and supervision of the new policies to ensure their smooth implementation."

I said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. I will continue organizing activities in the harem to support the new policies. Your Majesty can commend officials who actively promote the new policies in court to encourage more people to devote themselves to the cause of the new policies. This is like the modern incentive mechanism and continuous promotion, maintaining the momentum and enthusiasm for the implementation of the new policies."

In the face of numerous difficulties, Your Majesty and I supported each other, relying on unwavering faith and unremitting efforts to gradually overcome the obstacles in the implementation of the New Deal. Whether it was persuading conservative ministers, promoting the New Deal to officials and citizens, or addressing local issues, we bravely forged ahead, determined to achieve the goal of successfully implementing the New Deal. We only hope that under the guidance of the New Deal, our country will soon be revitalized and become a powerful nation. In this historical process, Your Majesty and I will work together to write our own glorious chapter and contribute our utmost to the rise of our country.

While preparing for the subsequent promotion of the New Deal, I thought again about the importance of cultural communication in supporting it. I told the Minister in charge of cultural affairs, "Your Excellency, cultural communication can help the New Deal's ideas penetrate the hearts of the people. We can create literary works—poems, operas, stories—about the New Deal and disseminate them widely among the people. For example, we could write operas about how cash crop cultivation enriched the people, or compose poems praising the benevolence of the welfare system. This is like modern-day cultural propaganda and public opinion guidance, using the power of culture to promote the New Deal."

The Minister of Culture said, "Your Majesty, this creative work requires the gathering of many writers and poets, and we must ensure the quality and dissemination of the works."

I said, "Your Excellency could set up a creative writing competition in the capital, offering generous prizes to attract literary talent. To disseminate these works, you could organize opera troupes and storytellers to tour the country, bringing these works to the ears of the people. This would be like planning cultural events and operating cultural industries in modern times, allowing the culture of the New Deal to spread far and wide."

In the harem, I organized the concubines to study these New Deal cultural works so that they could spread them among the palace maids and eunuchs. I told them, "Sisters, we must first become disseminators of New Deal culture before we can spread its reach to more people. Everyone should study diligently and influence those around them through their words and actions. This is like modern cultural inheritance and interpersonal communication: starting from within and spreading outward."

The concubines responded one after another: "Your Majesty, we will study hard and do our part to spread the new policy."

During the critical period of the implementation of the New Deal, I fully utilized modern thinking, knowledge and experience, and actively operated between the palace and the court. From policy explanation to cultural communication, from incentive mechanisms to conflict resolution, I tried my best to introduce modern concepts and methods, hoping to consolidate the good momentum of the implementation of the New Deal and lay a solid foundation for the long-term development of the country. On this historical stage, I also continued to write my own legendary story and worked tirelessly for the country's transformation and prosperity.

While encouraging cultural creation and dissemination, I also considered the opportunity to promote the New Deal through diplomacy. I said to the Foreign Minister, "Your Excellency, we can publicize our New Deal in our interactions with foreign nations. Show them the economic development and cultural prosperity it has brought, and encourage them to engage in further cooperation with our country. For example, when receiving foreign envoys, we could arrange for them to visit workshops and schools under the New Deal, allowing them to witness its charm firsthand. This is like a modern-day international image display and diplomatic cooperation promotion, enhancing our country's international influence while also expanding opportunities for the New Deal."

The Foreign Minister said, "Your Majesty, this diplomatic promotion must be done with caution. We must demonstrate our achievements without leaking secrets."

I said, "Don't worry, sir. We can select some suitable exhibition projects and prepare and train them in advance. We can let foreign envoys see the positive side of our new policies and feel our friendship and strength. This is like modern diplomatic etiquette and image management, grasping the right degree of diplomatic promotion."

In the harem, I also organized the concubines to learn about foreign culture and etiquette so they could better cooperate in diplomatic situations. I told them, "Sisters, we can also play a role in diplomacy. Learning foreign culture and etiquette will help us better receive the wives of foreign envoys, strengthen mutual friendship, and create a favorable atmosphere for diplomatic cooperation. This is like modern cross-cultural exchange and diplomatic assistance, empowering diplomacy from a female perspective."

The concubines all expressed their willingness to learn: "Your Majesty, we will study hard and add luster to our country's diplomacy."

During the difficult journey of implementing the New Deal, I have continuously explored and innovated, combining modern thinking, knowledge and experience with ancient national conditions. Whether in domestic and foreign affairs or culture and economy, I have strived to seek breakthroughs, hoping to lead the country out of its difficulties and realize the grand blueprint of the New Deal. I will also continue to leave my own unique mark of struggle in this long river of history and contribute all my strength to the rejuvenation and development of the country.