From cute to empress

"Master, what preparations do you think are needed for this blessing ceremony?" I gathered my thoughts and turned to ask the monk. The monk twirled his Buddhist beads and said slowly, "Your Majesty, the ceremony must be held in the square in front of the palace, and all the people are welcome to participate.

During the ceremony, an altar must be set up and offerings made, and Your Majesty must personally light the sacred fire to show his piety to God…” I listened carefully, afraid of missing any details.

Over the next few days, the entire palace was bustling with preparations for the blessing ceremony. Craftsmen toiled day and night, constructing a towering altar. Palace maids and eunuchs rushed back and forth, carrying incense tables, candlesticks, and offerings. Guards maintained order and ensured the ceremony went smoothly.

Zhen Youcai also joined the preparations. He personally took care of everything, checking every detail to ensure everything was flawless. Watching him so busy, a warm feeling welled up in my heart. I knew he wanted to share the pressure and give me peace of mind.

The night of the full moon soon arrived. As dusk fell, the square in front of the palace was ablaze with lights and bustling with people. Citizens came from all directions, some filled with anticipation, others with anxiety, but most were filled with confusion and fear about the future. I, dressed in plain clothes, slowly walked up to the altar. A senior monk, holding incense sticks, stood beside me and whispered, "Your Majesty, are you ready?" I took a deep breath, gazed resolutely at the dense crowd below, and slowly nodded...

I took the torch from the monk and slowly walked toward the towering brazier at the center of the altar. It was filled with pine branches and spices, emitting a delicate aroma. I took a deep breath and steadily extended the torch toward the brazier. Instantly, flames soared into the air, illuminating the entire square. The blazing flames, like a beating heart, brought hope and warmth to the people.

The monk began chanting and praying, his deep voice echoing across the square with a soothing power. Following his words, the people knelt devoutly, muttering to themselves. Their faces showed awe of the heavens and hope for the future.

I stood on the podium, looking down at the sea of ​​people below, feeling a surge of emotion. I understood that this prayer ceremony was not just about seeking divine protection, but also about uniting people and bringing them hope and courage.

Just as the ceremony reached its climax, a sudden gust of wind swept in from the horizon, instantly extinguishing the torches in the square as if by an invisible hand, leaving only the sacred flame on the altar still burning tenaciously. Then, dark clouds rolled in from the sky, obscuring the sun, as if foreshadowing the impending doom of a great disaster.

The crowd began to stir, shouting in panic. My heart tightened, and a sense of foreboding came over me.

"Your Majesty, please leave here!" Zhen Youcai appeared beside me at some point. He grabbed my hand and said anxiously, "This wind is coming strangely. I'm afraid..."

Before he could finish his words, there was a loud boom, and a flash of lightning streaked across the night sky, illuminating the entire square like daylight. The crowd was instantly thrown into chaos, with screams and cries filling the air. I held Zhen Youcai's hand tightly. His hand was warm and strong, giving me great courage.

"General Zhen, organize the troops immediately..."

"General Zhen, organize people immediately, evacuate the people, and ensure that everyone can evacuate safely!" I gave the order loudly, my voice drowning out the screams of the crowd and the roar of thunder.

"Yes!" Zhen Youcai responded decisively, turning around and joining the crowd. His tall and straight figure weaved through the chaos, like a stabilizing force, bringing a sense of security to the people.

I tried to calm myself, took a deep breath, picked up the bronze bell on the altar, and struck it vigorously. The dull bell echoed in the empty square, as if reminding people not to panic and to unite.

Under the command of Zhen Youcai and I, the crowd gradually regained order and began to evacuate the square in an orderly manner. I held the bronze bell tightly, scanning everyone's face. Some were panic-stricken, some were pale, but there was no despair or resignation in their eyes.

An old man stopped as he passed me, his cloudy eyes gleaming with determination. "Your Majesty, we believe in you and in ourselves. We will definitely overcome this disaster!"

"That's right, Your Majesty, we are not afraid!" A young voice sounded, and then more and more people echoed it.

Listening to their voices, a warm feeling welled up in my heart, dispelling the anxiety and fear in my heart. I knew that I was not fighting alone, and behind me were thousands of people who believed in me and supported me.

The wind was still raging, and bean-sized raindrops mixed with hail fell mercilessly. I held Zhen Youcai's arm tightly. His hand was warm and strong, giving me great strength.

"Your Majesty, are you okay?" Zhen Youcai asked with concern.

"I'm fine, how about you?" I shook my head and asked back.

"I'm fine!" he replied firmly. "I will keep you safe!"

The crowd finally evacuated the square safely, leaving only Zhen Youcai and I, the altar that was shaking in the strong wind, and the sacred flame that was still burning in the storm.

I looked at the fire with awe in my heart. It was like an immortal star, illuminating the dark sky and also illuminating people's hearts.

Zhen Youcai walked up to me, took off his armor, and put it on me to shield me from the wind and rain.

"Your Majesty, let's go too. It's too dangerous here."

I nodded and stood side by side with him, letting the wind mess up my hair and the rain wet my face. We didn't say anything, but I knew that we were connected.

We looked at the extinguished sacred flame and vowed in our hearts that no matter how difficult the future may be, we will move forward courageously...

"Your Majesty, look..." Zhen Youcai suddenly pointed to the sky, with a hint of disbelief in his tone.

I raised my head and looked in the direction of his finger...

Following Zhen Youcai's gaze, I saw strange halos appearing in the previously pitch-black sky. They looked like floating colorful silk or giant dancing ribbons of light, tumbling and shifting in the strong wind, illuminating the entire sky.

"What is that?" I muttered to myself. I had never seen such a strange sight.

"This..." Even the usually calm Zhen Youcai showed a look of shock, "I don't know. Could it be..."

He seemed to have thought of something, but didn't say it out loud.

The halos grew brighter and brighter, their colors increasingly vibrant, flowing through the air like life. I vaguely sensed they held some powerful energy, a feeling of inexplicable unease rising within me.

At this moment, a panicked voice came from behind: "Your Majesty! It's bad! The monk... the monk..."

I turned around suddenly and saw the meteorologist stumbling towards me with a look of fear on his face.

"What's wrong with the monk? Don't be anxious, speak slowly!" I quickly supported him and asked anxiously.

"The monk... he suddenly fainted! Before he passed out, he kept shouting..." The meteorologist gasped and spoke intermittently, "He said... there were strange signs in the sky, and a great disaster was about to happen..."

My heart sank. The monk was a highly accomplished person, his predictions always coming true. Could this sudden storm be just the beginning of disaster? What did those strange halos foreshadow?

"Your Majesty, look!" the meteorologist pointed to the sky, his voice trembling. "Those lights... seem to be moving... towards the altar!"

I looked up and saw, as expected, those halos, as if with consciousness, were slowly converging towards us. They carried a powerful sense of oppression, as if they were about to devour everything.

My hands clenched into fists, my heart filled with unprecedented fear and anxiety. Could it be that we really cannot escape this catastrophe?

"General Zhen..." I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Pass the order down, gather all..."