From cute to empress

As the sun set, its golden afterglow bathed the entire palace, casting a warm glow over the solemn and majestic structure. I stood by the window, gazing at the distant sky, my heart churning with indescribable excitement and trepidation.

"Mengmeng, what are you thinking about? You look so engrossed." Zhen Youcai's voice sounded behind me, bringing my thoughts back to reality.

I turned around, smiled at him, and said, "I've been thinking about the poetry competition. Do you think I can win?"

Zhen Youcai walked over to me, gently put his arm around my shoulders, and said firmly, "Of course you can win! I believe in you. Your talent is no less than anyone else's."

His words were like a warm current that flowed into my heart and dispelled my anxiety. Yes, I couldn't let him down, and I couldn't let myself down.

So, over the next few days, I dove headfirst into my books, studying all sorts of poetry and songs without sleep or food. From Tang and Song poetry to Yuan opera and Ming and Qing novels, I eagerly absorbed the nutrients of knowledge, hoping to show my talent at the poetry conference.

Zhen Youcai often accompanies me and explains to me the allusions and artistic conception in poetry. He is knowledgeable and can always hit the key points in one sentence, which makes me suddenly enlightened.

"Look at this line, 'The setting sun and the lone wild goose fly together, the autumn water and the sky are the same color'. It describes such a magnificent and beautiful scene!" He pointed to the poem in the book, his eyes gleaming with appreciation.

I nodded and said with deep agreement, "Yes, this poem not only has beautiful scenery, but also has a profound artistic conception that makes people linger on it."

In this way, with the help of Zhen Youcai, my poetry level has improved by leaps and bounds, and my understanding of poetry has become deeper.

Finally, the day of the poetry competition arrived. I put on a simple dress, did some simple makeup, and then, accompanied by Zhen Youcai, came to the competition venue - the Imperial Garden.

The Imperial Garden was already bustling with people, with talented men and beautiful women from all walks of life gathered together. Some of them were reciting poems and composing essays in a low voice, while others were discussing and communicating with each other. The atmosphere was very lively.

Seeing me coming, the crowd immediately started whispering. I knew they were all talking about me, the "dancing girl" who had recently become famous.

I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. I knew that today I would face a more severe test and I couldn't let my guard down.

The competition began, and the contestants took turns taking the stage to showcase their talents. Some poems were fresh and meaningful, some were passionate, and some were lingering and poignant. The variety of styles was dazzling and difficult for the judges to choose.

Finally, it was my turn. I walked slowly onto the stage, and facing the huge crowd below, my heartbeat quickened.

However, when I looked up and saw Zhen Youcai's encouraging eyes, I suddenly calmed down. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly opened my mouth, reciting the poem I had written recently, word for word...

My voice was clear and melodious, like the sound of nature, echoing throughout the Imperial Garden. My poetry, with its profound meaning, full of philosophy and reflection, deeply moved everyone present.

When I finished reciting the last sentence, the entire imperial garden fell silent, as if even time had stood still.

"What a good poem! What a good poem!" I don't know how long it was before thunderous applause suddenly broke out from the crowd, waking me from my intoxication.

I opened my eyes and saw that the people in the audience were looking at me with admiration. Even the emperor had an appreciative smile on his face.

"What's your name?" There was a hint of admiration in the emperor's voice.

"Your Majesty, my name is Niu Mengmeng." I replied respectfully.

"Niu Mengmeng..." The emperor repeated my name in a low voice, then nodded and said, "You write very good poems. You are very talented."

I lowered my head, my heart filled with joy and excitement. I knew that I had succeeded, and I had won everyone's recognition with my talent.

However, I didn't know that my success had planted the seeds of jealousy in another woman's heart.

"Your Majesty, this poem sounds familiar to me..." A charming voice echoed from the crowd, tinged with suspicion and defiance. I looked and saw the speaker was none other than the current emperor's favored concubine, Concubine Mei. She was dressed in lavish attire and meticulously made-up, but a gleam of undisguised anger etched between her brows. Clearly, my success had stung her.

"Oh? What do you mean, my beloved concubine?" The emperor asked with interest, seemingly unaware of the hostility in Concubine Mei's tone.

Mei Fei's eyes flickered, a cold smile curled up at the corner of her mouth, and she said, "Your Majesty, you may not know that this poem is very similar to the posthumous work of a talented woman from the previous dynasty. I have also read it before, so I was deeply impressed."

As soon as she finished speaking, the crowd erupted in an uproar. Plagiarism is the most despicable act among literati. If my poems were indeed plagiarized, then my reputation would be ruined.

My heart suddenly rose to my throat and I looked at the emperor nervously, but saw that his face was calm and no emotion could be seen.

"Mr. Zhao, what do you think?" The emperor turned his gaze to Mr. Zhao who was standing aside. He was a literary giant of the dynasty and was the most fair and strict.

Scholar Zhao stroked his beard and said slowly, "Your Majesty, I have also read the posthumous works of that talented woman. They do have some similarities with Miss Niu's poems, but upon closer inspection, the styles are very different. Miss Niu's poems are more fresh and natural, and the artistic conception is more profound. They are definitely not plagiarism."

Mr. Zhao’s words gave me great encouragement. I looked at him with gratitude and felt a little more at ease.

However, Mei Fei refused to give up. She sneered, "Master Zhao is wrong. How could such a coincidence exist in this world? Moreover, Miss Niu came from a humble background. How could she have had the opportunity to come into contact with the posthumous works of a talented woman from the previous dynasty?"

Her tone was sharp and sarcastic, and it was obvious that she wanted to put me to death.

I clenched my fists, suppressing the rage in my heart. Just as I was about to open my mouth to argue, Zhen Youcai gently pulled my sleeve. He gave me a soothing look, signaling me not to be impulsive.

"Your Majesty, I believe in Miss Niu's character. She would never plagiarize." Zhen Youcai stepped forward and said firmly, "Please Your Majesty, please be clear!"

The emperor was silent for a moment, his eyes moving back and forth between Concubine Mei and me, as if he was weighing something.

"This matter is of great importance. I will investigate it thoroughly." Finally, the emperor made a decision. "Come here, present Niu Mengmeng's poems and the posthumous work of that talented woman. I want to personally review them."

My heart was in my throat again. I knew this would be the longest night of my life...

I spent a long night, barely sleeping. The next morning, the bruises under my eyes barely masked the uneasiness I felt. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I believed the truth would eventually come out.

At noon, Zhen Youcai came to my side with a serious expression and whispered, "Mengmeng, I've already found out. Concubine Mei deliberately made things difficult for you yesterday. She ordered someone to secretly place the poetry collection of that talented woman from the previous dynasty in your room in an attempt to frame you."

I was shocked when I heard that. I didn't expect Concubine Mei to be so vicious and go to so much trouble to frame me!

"Have you found any evidence?" I asked anxiously.

Zhen Youcai nodded, pulled out an exquisite jade pendant from his bosom, and handed it to me, saying, "I found this in your room. According to the palace servants, this jade pendant was something that belonged to Concubine Mei."

I took the jade pendant and looked at it carefully. It was exquisitely crafted and I could tell at a glance that it was of great value. It was definitely not something an ordinary palace maid could own.

"I've reported this to the Emperor. He was furious and ordered a thorough investigation," Zhen Youcai said. "I'm sure there will be results soon."

Sure enough, within half a day, news came from the palace that Concubine Mei had been demoted to a noble lady by the emperor and confined to her own palace because she had framed loyal officials.

A huge weight finally settled in my heart, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew I was able to escape this danger thanks to the help of Master Zhao and Zhen Youcai.

I found Mr. Zhao and expressed my gratitude to him.

"Miss Niu, you're welcome," Scholar Zhao said with a smile, stroking his beard. "I'm just speaking the truth. Your talent is obvious to all."

"Mr. Zhao, you're too kind," I said modestly. "I simply wanted to do my little bit to add some cultural flavor to the palace."

Upon hearing this, Scholar Zhao's eyes flashed with admiration, and he said, "Excellent! What a great idea to 'add some cultural atmosphere to the palace'! I was right about you. You are a talented and ambitious girl, and you will become a great person in the future!"

After listening to his words, I felt a warm feeling in my heart, and I became more determined to use my talents to make a contribution to this era.

In the evening, Zhen Youcai accompanied me for a stroll in the imperial garden. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on us, making us feel warm.

"Mengmeng," Zhen Youcai suddenly stopped, looked at me with burning eyes, and said, "Have you ever thought that you can do much more than this?"

I asked confusedly, "What do you mean...?"

Zhen Youcai smiled slightly, but did not answer my question. He just said meaningfully: "You will understand soon."

His words, like a mystery, linger in my mind...

Zhen Youcai's words always lingered with a hint of mystery, yet they also piqued my curiosity. After the Mei Fei incident, I sensed a shift in the emperor's attitude toward me. He no longer viewed me as a mere poetic plaything, but instead frequently summoned me to his imperial study to discuss poetry and songs, even asking for my opinions on political matters.

One day, I was strolling in the Imperial Garden when I suddenly heard the melodious sound of stringed instruments. Following the sound, I saw several palace maids dancing gracefully in a pavilion in the middle of the lake, while musicians played beautiful music. I was engrossed in the scene when a familiar voice called out from behind me, "Miss Niu, do you like singing and dancing too?"

I turned around and saw that it was the emperor. I quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, your servant is here to see you."

"No need to be so polite." The emperor smiled and gestured for me to stand up. "I saw you were so engrossed in watching, I thought you were also quite knowledgeable about singing and dancing."

"I just think the music is pleasant to the ears and the dance is graceful and moving," I said modestly.

"Haha, you are too modest, girl." The emperor laughed heartily. "I summoned you today to discuss something with you."

My heart trembled. Could this be what Zhen Youcai meant by "I can do more"? Suppressing my excitement, I respectfully asked, "What does the Emperor want you to do?"

The emperor pondered for a moment and said, "I intend to hold a poetry conference in the palace, inviting scholars from all over the world to participate, to demonstrate the cultural prosperity of our dynasty. I hope you can assist Scholar Zhao in organizing this event."

I was overjoyed when I heard this; this was the opportunity I'd been dreaming of! I quickly knelt down to express my gratitude: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace. I will do my best to live up to your expectations!"

The emperor helped me up, his eyes full of admiration: "I believe in you, Miss Niu. You are a talented woman. I look forward to you bringing surprises to me and the entire Tang Dynasty."

I looked at the emperor's expectant eyes and secretly vowed in my heart that I must make this poetry conference a success, live up to the emperor's trust, and open up a new path for my future!