From cute to empress

Brother Zhen's words made my heart tighten, and Prime Minister Zhang's unfathomable gaze truly unnerved me. Back at the inn, Madam Wu's gentle exhortations, Princess Zhou's barely concealed hostility, and Prime Minister Zhang's searching gaze all mixed together like a tangled mess, leaving me restless and unable to sleep.

Just as I was lost in thought, there was a gentle knock on the door. "Who's there?" I asked cautiously. "It's me," said Brother Zhen's voice. "Minister Liu sent someone to ask for an important matter."

Minister Liu? Why would he suddenly come to see us? I was puzzled, vaguely feeling that something was about to happen. Brother Zhen and I followed the visitor to Minister Liu's study.

In the study, Minister Liu sat upright. Seeing us come in, he stood up to greet us with a meaningful smile on his face. "Guard Zhen, Miss Niu, how are you?"

"Lord Liu invited me so late at night. I wonder what's the important matter?" Brother Zhen asked in a neither humble nor arrogant manner.

Minister Liu gestured for us to sit down and personally poured us tea. He then slowly spoke, "I witnessed the elegance of both of you at today's palace banquet. I admire Miss Niu's wit and intelligence, and Guard Zhen's loyalty and courage. I admire them both deeply."

I sneered inwardly. Minister Liu was so tight-lipped, I wondered what he was up to. "Master Liu, you're too kind. We're just doing our best."

"Miss Niu, you're too modest." Minister Liu put down his teacup, his tone becoming serious. "The court is currently in turmoil, with various factions ready to make a move. You two, at such young ages, possess such insight and courage, which is truly rare. I came here today to discuss how you two can secure a place at court."

Hearing this, I was moved. It seemed that Minister Liu had come with bad intentions. I glanced at Brother Zhen calmly. He remained expressionless and just listened quietly.

Minister Liu continued, "Currently, the aristocratic faction headed by Prime Minister Zhang is deeply entrenched in the court, while the military faction headed by General Li is gradually rising. The two are engaged in open and covert struggles, neither willing to yield. And the Emperor..." He paused, lowering his voice, "The Emperor is still young and unable to control the government. In reality, the court is a struggle between these two factions."

"Then according to Lord Liu, how should we deal with this?" I asked innocently.

Minister Liu looked at me deeply and said, "With your talents, if you can get the right support, you will surely shine brightly in this court in the future. However, you must carefully consider who to rely on."

His words were full of hints, and I understood he was trying to win us over. However, we were new here, and we knew nothing about the power structure in the court. How could we choose?

As soon as Minister Liu finished speaking, General Li, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up. He put down his teacup and said calmly, "Master Liu is right. The political situation is turbulent right now. If you want to gain a foothold in this chaotic world, you really need to choose carefully."

I turned to look at this battle-hardened general. He was tall and strong, with a resolute face, and an aura of majesty between his brows, which formed a sharp contrast with the gentle and refined Minister Liu.

"In General Li's opinion, what should we choose?" asked Brother Zhen with a hint of temptation in his tone.

General Li did not answer directly, but instead asked, "Do you know who will ultimately rule the world?"

His question stunned both Brother Zhen and me. It was a question so big that we didn't know how to answer it for a moment.

"This world belongs to the people," General Li said firmly. "Whoever can ensure the people live and work in peace and contentment will conquer the world!"

His words were so powerful that they shook my heart. Yes, in these troubled times, the common people are the ones who suffer the most. If I can't let the common people live a good life, what's the point of conquering the world?

"General Li is absolutely right," I nodded in agreement. "However, the power dynamics within the court are complex and complex right now, and we are weak and outnumbered. How can we change the current situation?"

"If you want to change the status quo, you must possess powerful strength." General Li said, his eyes falling on me. "Miss Niu, I know you are resourceful. Do you have any good ideas?"

I pondered for a moment, and the scene of the open and covert struggles among various forces at the palace banquet emerged in my mind, and a bold idea gradually became clear.

"General Li, I do have a plan that might be worth a try." I lowered my voice and laid out my plan. "We can exploit the conflicts within the palace, divide the enemy, and gradually expand our influence..."

I explained my plan in detail, analyzing its pros and cons, as well as the possible risks. General Li listened attentively, nodding in agreement from time to time.

"Although this plan is risky, it's not impossible to succeed," General Li said after a moment's contemplation. "However, we need to take a long-term view and make thorough preparations."

"General Li is right. This matter requires further consideration." Minister Liu also agreed.

Just as the three of us were discussing the details of the plan, the study door was suddenly pushed open and a familiar voice rang out from the doorway: "I don't think there's any need to think about it too long!"

Startled, I looked up to see Prime Minister Zhang, accompanied by a detachment of guards, standing at the doorway with a sullen expression. His piercing gaze, like a hawk's, fixed me intently. My heartbeat quickened. Prime Minister Zhang's sudden arrival shattered the solemn atmosphere in the study. The guards behind him quickly occupied every corner of the room, their sharp gazes sweeping over the three of us, as if they were seeing through us.

"How dare you, Niu Mengmeng!" Prime Minister Zhang, his eyes wide open, pointed at my nose and sternly shouted, "How dare you secretly win over court officials and attempt to disrupt government affairs? Do you still respect the law?"

I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. I knew that Prime Minister Zhang was a high-ranking official and had always been dismissive of me. This sudden attack must have been due to someone saying something to him.

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister has misunderstood," I explained calmly, "We were merely discussing how to better assist the Emperor. We had no ill intentions."

"Hmph, assisting the Emperor?" Prime Minister Zhang sneered. "Just you? A girl still wet behind the ears, a warrior who can only wield a sword and a gun, dare you to talk nonsense about state affairs!"

Although I was furious, I didn't want to confront him head-on. I turned to look at General Li, hoping he could help me out, but he just lowered his head and said nothing.

"Prime Minister," I said again, suppressing my anger. "I know you hold a high position of power, but I believe you also wish to see the country stable and the people live and work in peace and contentment. My plan, while risky, is not without the possibility of success. I hope you will consider it carefully."

I explained my plan in detail again and analyzed its pros and cons. I tried to convince Prime Minister Zhang that my plan was not just a fantasy, but a well-thought-out one.

"Ridiculous!" Prime Minister Zhang became even more furious after hearing my plan. "You're clearly playing with fire! Do you think palace struggles are a joke? If you're not careful, you'll be doomed!"

I met his gaze without showing any weakness, and said firmly, "Prime Minister, I know this road is full of thorns, but I believe that as long as we work together, we will be able to overcome all difficulties and achieve our goal!"

My words were sonorous and powerful, and my eyes were full of confidence and determination. Prime Minister Zhang looked at me with a flash of surprise. He seemed to have not expected that this seemingly weak woman could have such a strong aura.

The study was completely silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Prime Minister Zhang and I just stood there, neither of us speaking.

Finally, Prime Minister Zhang sighed, his tone adding a hint of helplessness. "Well, since you're so insistent, I'll trust you once more. However, let me be frank. If your plan fails, I won't let you off easily!"

I was delighted, knowing I had convinced him, and quickly said, "Thank you, Prime Minister! I will definitely not let you down!"

Prime Minister Zhang didn't say anything else, just looked at me deeply, then turned and left the study, and the guards behind him followed him out one after another.

I looked at his back, my heart filled with hope. I knew I had taken the first step towards success. However, I didn't know that a bigger storm was quietly approaching...

After Prime Minister Zhang left, the atmosphere in the study relaxed considerably. I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to General Li and Minister Liu, saying, "I finally convinced him. It wasn't easy!"

General Li's brows were still furrowed. He pondered for a moment and said, "Mengmeng, Prime Minister Zhang is a suspicious person. Although he has agreed to help you this time, there is no guarantee that he will not regret it. We must make plans early and perfect them as soon as possible."

I nodded, knowing full well that General Li had a point. Prime Minister Zhang was cunning and treacherous, and his willingness to help this time was likely forced by circumstances, not out of genuine trust in me.

"General Li is right," Minister Liu echoed. "There are many spies in the palace. We must be careful not to let the news leak out."

I was secretly alert in my heart. It seems that in this deep palace, every step must be taken carefully. If you are not careful, you will lose everything.

"I understand," I said firmly. "I'll proceed with caution. But what should we do next?"

"I've already contacted several reliable generals," General Li said. "They're all willing to support you. However, the palace is heavily guarded, so we need to carefully consider any action we want to take."

I fell into deep thought, quickly analyzing the current situation in my mind.

At this time, Zhen Youcai hurried in and said to me solemnly, "Mengmeng, I just got the news that Princess Zhou went to the Wu Mansion."

I was startled. Princess Zhou is the Queen's person, and Madam Wu is the wife of Prime Minister Zhang. If the two of them join forces, it will definitely not be a good thing!

"It seems that our Princess Zhou is not an easy person to deal with." I sneered, with a cold light flashing in my eyes.

"I'm afraid she went to the Wu Mansion to disrupt things." Minister Liu said worriedly.

"It seems we have to strike first." A hint of determination flashed in my eyes, and I said to Zhen Youcai, "Youcai, send someone to secretly monitor Princess Zhou and Madam Wu's every move. If you have any news, report it immediately!"

"Yes!" Zhen Youcai took the order and left.

The study fell silent once again, and I knew in my heart that a new storm was about to strike. Princess Zhou's intervention undoubtedly added variables to my plan and made me realize that if I wanted to survive in this deep palace, I had to be more ruthless and decisive than others!