From cute to empress

"What's the reason for Prime Minister Li's visit so late at night?" I suppressed the doubts in my heart and asked calmly.

General Zhou Wu immediately understood and turned around and ordered the guards to bring Prime Minister Li up.

Prime Minister Li was nearly sixty years old, his temples gray, but he was still energetic. He hurried up the city wall, and when he saw Zhen Youcai and me, he immediately knelt and saluted: "Your Majesty, your Majesty, your Majesty."

"Prime Minister, there's no need to be so polite. Please stand up quickly." I gave him a light hand, motioning for him to stand up and speak. "Prime Minister, you're not in the capital, so you rushed to the border late at night. What important matter has occurred?"

"Your Majesty, I'm worried about the war and can't sleep at night. I've come here to share your worries," Prime Minister Li said, pulling a memorial from his sleeve and presenting it with both hands. "This is a grain and fodder dispatch plan I drafted overnight. Please review it, Your Majesty."

Zhen Youcai took the memorial and began to read it carefully. I quietly observed Prime Minister Li's expression, which was calm, showing no sign of abnormality.

"The Prime Minister's plan is very thoughtful, and I am very pleased." Zhen Youcai put down the memorial and nodded in approval. "However, the war is now urgent, and the transportation of food and fodder must be handled expedited. There must be no delay."

"Your Majesty is absolutely right. I understand." Prime Minister Li responded with a bow.

I thought to myself that Prime Minister Li's actions seemed reasonable, but for some reason, I always felt that something was wrong.

Over the next few days, I frequently summoned ministers to discuss matters under the pretext of concern for the war, but in reality, I was secretly observing Prime Minister Li's actions. Sure enough, I discovered some clues.

During a court debate about whether to increase troops at Yunxia Pass, Prime Minister Li, contrary to his usual attitude, adopted a passive and evasive tone, even hinting, intentionally or unintentionally, at his intention to negotiate peace. His remarks, so different from his previous stances, only confirmed my suspicions—there was something wrong with Prime Minister Li!

To avoid alerting the enemy, I didn't expose him publicly, but instead secretly sent people to investigate his movements. As expected, my people soon discovered that Prime Minister Li was closely associated with a number of suspicious individuals. Most of these people were former officials of the previous dynasty, and some were even considered remnants of the previous dynasty!

What were they plotting in this private meeting? Could it be that Prime Minister Li has truly betrayed us and colluded with the remnants of the previous dynasty? My heart sank, and a chill washed over me.

I know this matter is of grave importance. Any inadvertent misstep could cause unrest within the government and even threaten the very foundation of the nation. I must proceed with caution and find solid evidence to bring Prime Minister Li to justice.

I closed my eyes, and the various behaviors of Prime Minister Li in the court emerged in my mind. A plan gradually took shape... A few days later, I held a banquet in the palace to entertain civil and military officials in the name of celebrating the initial victory in the war.

As we drank and chatted, I observed Prime Minister Li's every move, and a barely perceptible sneer appeared at the corner of my mouth.

"Prime Minister Li, I offer you a toast." I raised my glass and gestured to Prime Minister Li, "Thank you for sharing the country's worries and your hard work."

Prime Minister Li was flattered and quickly stood up, took the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

"Your Majesty, you are too kind. This is what an old minister should do." Prime Minister Li put down his wine glass, a look of panic on his face.

I smiled faintly and feigned concern, saying, "Prime Minister, you work so hard for state affairs, you should also take care of your health. I see you don't look well today, is there anything on your mind?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am your old minister..." Prime Minister Li was about to speak when his face suddenly changed. He covered his chest and groaned in pain.

"Someone come, call the imperial physician quickly!" I shouted anxiously.

Prime Minister Li's abnormal behavior immediately attracted the attention of everyone present. Everyone stood up and surrounded him, talking about it.

I took advantage of the chaos to signal to my trusted confidant, who nodded knowingly and quietly left the banquet hall. The imperial physician arrived quickly, and after a brief examination, he shook his head solemnly, "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, Prime Minister Li has been poisoned!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the banquet hall erupted in an uproar. Poisoned? Who was so bold as to poison the prime minister at a banquet in the imperial palace?

"How dare you! Who on earth dares to do such a cruel thing!" Zhen Youcai slammed the table and stood up, his eyes wide open in anger. A majestic aura instantly enveloped the entire banquet hall.

I secretly observed Prime Minister Li. His face was pale, his lips purple, clearly a victim of the poison. Yet, he endured the pain and spoke haltingly, "This old minister... I have no... grudges against anyone... Why..."

His words were filled with confusion and bewilderment, as if he genuinely didn't know why he'd been poisoned. I sneered inwardly, "You acted quite convincingly, but unfortunately, despite all your calculations, you'd forgotten that I'd already seen through everything you said!"

"Come here, seal the palace gate and no one is allowed to enter or leave!" Zhen Youcai gave an order and the guards immediately took action and surrounded the entire banquet hall.

I slowly stood up and looked around, my eyes sweeping over everyone's face, finally landing on the entourage brought by Prime Minister Li.

"Empress, what do you mean?" One of Prime Minister Li's followers saw my gaze on him, and immediately lowered his head guiltily and asked in a panic.

"I just want to ask, has the Prime Minister eaten anything today? Or has he come into contact with any suspicious people?" I pressed on, with a hint of unquestionable majesty in my tone.

The follower's forehead was covered with beads of sweat, his eyes flickered, and he stammered, "This... I don't know..."

"How dare you! The Queen asked you questions, and you dare to conceal the truth!" Zhen Youcai shouted angrily, rushed to the follower and picked him up.

The follower was frightened by Zhen Youcai's aura. His face turned pale, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

"Tell me! Who instructed you to poison the prime minister?" Zhen Youcai asked sternly.

The attendant was trembling all over and looked at Prime Minister Li with horror, but he saw that Prime Minister Li was unconscious at the moment and could not give him any instructions.

"I... I..." The follower's lips trembled, as if he was making his last struggle.

Seeing this, I knew the time had come, so I winked at Zhen Youcai. Zhen Youcai understood, threw the attendant to the ground, and then waved his hand and ordered the guards behind him: "Capture all suspicious people!"

The guards rushed forward and subdued all of Prime Minister Li's followers. I noticed that one of the followers accidentally dropped a letter from his arms while being subdued.

I was quick-witted and immediately picked up the letter. When I opened it, I saw the word "rebellion" written on it!

My heart sank suddenly. It seemed that my guess was right. Prime Minister Li was really colluding with the remnants of the previous dynasty and intending to rebel!

I handed the letter to Zhen Youcai and said in a deep voice, "Take a look."

Zhen Youcai took the letter, read it carefully, and his face suddenly turned livid. He slammed the letter on the table and roared, "Prime Minister Li, you are so bold! How dare you collude with the rebels and plot rebellion!"

The atmosphere in the banquet hall instantly dropped to freezing point, and everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events. They had never imagined that a celebratory banquet would turn into a thrilling palace coup!

"Come here, arrest Prime Minister Li and his followers, throw them into the Sky Prison and wait for their fate!" Zhen Youcai gave an order, and the guards immediately took Prime Minister Li and others away.

The banquet hall was in chaos, with everyone talking and panicking. I glanced at the crowd, finally landing on Minister Wang, who stood in the corner, silent the entire time.

He was calm and composed, his eyes clear, a stark contrast to the panicked crowd around him. I smiled at him and thought to myself: It seems like it's time to give you a chance...

Inside the banquet hall, amid the panicked crowd, Minister Wang stood out. He remained calm and composed, as if the sudden change before him had nothing to do with him. I silently observed his expression, and my admiration for him grew even stronger.

After everyone dispersed, only Zhen Youcai, Prime Minister Li, and others, who were being escorted by guards, remained in the banquet hall. I slowly walked up to Minister Wang and asked gently, "Minister Wang, what are your thoughts on tonight's events?"

Minister Wang replied calmly, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I find it deeply distressing that Prime Minister Li, despite his high position and power, has committed such a heinous act. However, the law forbids such an act. I beg Your Majesty to investigate this matter and punish him severely!"

"Minister Wang is absolutely right." I smiled slightly and continued, "Prime Minister Li formed a clique for personal gain and plotted rebellion. His crime is unforgivable! Come, remove Prime Minister Li from office, investigate him, and throw him into the Sky Prison to await his fate! And severely punish his accomplices as well!"

"Yes!" The guards took the order and took Prime Minister Li and others away.

I turned to look at Minister Wang, and said with a hint of admiration, "Minister Wang, you are quick-witted and decisive. It is truly rare that you can remain calm in such a critical situation today."

Minister Wang replied modestly, "I dare not take any credit for this. I was simply fulfilling my duties faithfully."

I smiled faintly, already having a plan in mind: "Minister Wang, the position of Prime Minister Li is vacant. Are you willing to take over the position temporarily and assist me in governing the country?"

Upon hearing this, Minister Wang was stunned for a moment, then he knelt on the ground and said excitedly, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your kindness. I will do my best to live up to your expectations!"

I personally helped Minister Wang up, patted his shoulder, and said earnestly, "Minister Wang, I believe in you. I hope you will not let me down."

"I will sacrifice my life for the country without hesitation!" Minister Wang said in a firm tone.

I nodded in satisfaction, gazing out the window with a deep gaze, but a sense of unease welled up in my heart. Prime Minister Li had been apprehended, but was this really the end of the matter? My intuition told me that this matter wasn't as simple as it seemed, and perhaps there was a greater conspiracy hidden behind it...

I turned to look at Zhen Youcai, about to say something, but was interrupted by the worry and determination in his eyes. He held my hand, warm and strong, as if conveying silent support. I knew that no matter what the road ahead held, he would always be by my side, never leaving me.

It was late at night, but I couldn't sleep at all. My mind kept thinking about everything that happened tonight and the meaning of the word "rebellion" in the letter.

Is Prime Minister Li truly just a pawn of the remnants of the previous dynasty? Is there a larger force behind him? All of this remains an unsolved mystery... Prime Minister Li's capture hasn't relieved me much, but rather, it's weighed down my heart. I know this is just the beginning.

"Youcai, do you think Prime Minister Li is really just a pawn of the remnants of the previous dynasty?" I leaned on Zhen Youcai's shoulder, frowning.

He gently stroked my hair, his tone calm, "Whether it's a pawn or not, we'll know after the interrogation. It's just..."

"Just what?" I raised my head and looked into his deep eyes.

"But I always feel that this matter is not that simple." He shook his head slightly. "Prime Minister Li has been in the court for many years and has many students and former officials. If he really wanted to rebel, we would never have discovered it so easily."

Zhen Youcai's words enlightened me. Prime Minister Li's downfall was too smooth, so smooth it was unsettling. I immediately ordered a thorough investigation of Prime Minister Li's allies and accomplices, ensuring that all those involved in the rebellion were brought to justice.

A few days later, a large number of officials implicated in the case were escorted to the capital. However, to my surprise, most of these officials were low- and mid-level officials, with no high-ranking officials implicated. The results of the interrogation were also disappointing. They confessed to Prime Minister Li's collusion with remnants of the previous dynasty, but knew nothing about the mastermind behind the incident.

I flipped through the mountain of files, a cloud of doubt filling my heart. Was Prime Minister Li really just risking everything? Did he really have no other forces behind him?

"Your Majesty, you have been sleepless for several days. You should take a rest." Zhen Youcai walked to my side with a bowl of ginseng soup, his tone full of heartache.

I took the ginseng soup, but I had no appetite. "Youcai, do you think this matter will be related to..."

Before I could finish my words, I was interrupted by the eunuch's shrill voice outside the door, "Your Majesty, Lord Wang requests an audience."

"Xuan." I put down the ginseng soup and sorted out my thoughts.

Minister Wang hurried into the imperial study, his expression solemn, "Your Majesty, I have an important matter to report."

"Go on." I motioned for him to continue.

"While sorting through Prime Minister Li's files, I discovered a secret letter." Minister Wang pulled out an unmarked envelope from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

I took the letter, opened it, and my face turned pale. The letter was simple, just a few words, but it gave me chills.

"The imperial examination will begin in three days..."

My eyes fell on the last line of words. I suddenly raised my head and looked at Minister Wang, who said word by word: "Pass the order down. This year's imperial examination..."