From cute to empress

"Yes, Your Majesty, the news of the great victory in the border town has been reported back. The general has returned in triumph and is now waiting outside the palace gate!" The maid could not hide her joy and spoke excitedly.

"Good, good, this is wonderful!" I couldn't contain my joy and stood up to go out. "Quick, pass the order down and open the city gates. I want to personally welcome the triumphant soldiers!"

"Your Majesty, do you think we should first..." The maid reminded me quickly when she saw how anxious I was.

Only then did I realize I'd been so excited I'd forgotten all about etiquette. Calming myself, I ordered, "Pass the word down. Hold a celebration banquet in the square outside the city. I want to celebrate with the people and reward the troops!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

In the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun cast a golden glow on the square outside the city. The square was crowded with people, soldiers in armor stood in neat rows, and the people gathered around them, their faces filled with the joy of victory.

Zhen Youcai and I stood side by side on the podium, looking at the dark crowd below, feeling filled with emotion.

"Soldiers, you have worked hard!" I picked up the wine bottle and said loudly.

"Long live His Majesty! Long live the Great Wei!" Deafening cheers resounded through the sky.

I raised the wine bottle in my hand high and signaled everyone to drink from it together.

"Today, I want to toast every hero here and thank you for your great contributions to the Wei Dynasty!" After saying that, I drank the wine in the glass.

"Your Majesty is wise! Long live His Majesty!" Thunderous cheers rang out from the audience again.

Next, I personally awarded medals to generals including Zhen Youcai, Military Advisor Guo, County Magistrate Wu, and Village Chief Zhou to commend their heroic performance in this battle.

"Youcai, you did a great job!" I solemnly put the "Golden Dragon Medal" representing the highest honor on Zhen Youcai's chest, my eyes full of pride and love.

"This is my duty." Zhen Youcai knelt on one knee and said with his head down, but his tone could not hide his excitement.

Looking at the soldiers and civilians cheering in the audience, I took a deep breath and slowly said, "Today, I want to..."

Looking at the cheering soldiers and civilians below, I took a deep breath and spoke slowly, "Today, I want to thank every soldier who sacrificed their lives to defend the Great Wei! You are the backbone of this country and the heroes of our people!"

My eyes swept across the resolute faces, my heart filled with gratitude. "I also want to thank the people of the border towns. In the midst of war, you remained steadfast in your homes and provided supplies to the soldiers on the front lines. Your dedication and support were the key to our ultimate victory!"

The audience suddenly fell silent, and the people were all somewhat flattered. They probably had not expected that I, the king of a country, would value their contributions so much.

"I know full well that this war has brought tremendous losses to Border Town." My tone became heavier. "However, I believe that with everyone's joint efforts, Border Town will definitely rebuild its homes and restore its former prosperity! I promise that I will do my best to strive for the prosperity of the Great Wei and for the people to live and work in peace and contentment throughout my life!"

As soon as I finished speaking, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause and cheers. The people excitedly shouted "Long Live the Empress," the sound reaching the sky and echoing for a long time throughout the square.

At that moment, a burly, dark-faced man emerged from the crowd. He walked to the front of the stage, knelt on one knee, and raised his hands above his head, holding a wooden box. "I, Zhou Tai, pay my respects to Your Majesty!"

"Master Zhou, please stand up." I recognized him at a glance. He was the master of a nearby stronghold. During this process of resisting foreign enemies, he led the brothers of the stronghold and provided us with great help.

"Your Majesty, this is our village's ancestral peace locket, carved from thousand-year-old jade, a symbol of unity and protection," Zhou Tai said respectfully. "Today, I present it to Your Majesty, hoping it will bless Your Majesty with peace and prosperity, and also bring peace and prosperity to the people of the Great Wei Kingdom!"

I motioned for the maid to take the wooden box and opened it. Inside, I saw a crystal-clear, cool-to-the-touch, glittering and translucent peace locket. I picked it up and examined it carefully. It was engraved with delicate patterns and radiated a faint glow.

"I accept your kindness, Village Chief Zhou." I held the peace locket in my hand and said solemnly, "Please believe that I will live up to your expectations and lead the Great Wei towards an even more glorious future!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" Zhou Tai kowtowed again, stood up and walked back into the crowd.

Watching this scene, I was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. I knew that this road to becoming an emperor was filled with thorns and challenges, but I was not alone, for millions of ordinary people walked with me.

"Today, I declare..." The voice of County Magistrate Wu suddenly rang out, attracting everyone's attention.

"Today, I declare..." The resounding voice of the Wu Commandery Magistrate suddenly rang out, drawing everyone's attention. He glanced around and declared, "Border Town will become a solid fortress for our Great Wei against foreign enemies!"

The crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers, and the soldiers excitedly waved their weapons. They had experienced the baptism of blood and fire and understood the strategic significance of the border town. Now, this place would become the steel Great Wall that protected their homeland.

"Not only that," Magistrate Wu said, pausing his hand to signal silence. "Border Town will also become a new starting point for our economic development! We will build water conservancy projects here, develop agriculture, encourage commerce, and make Border Town one of the most prosperous cities in the Wei Dynasty!"

The people were even more delighted when they heard this. They looked forward to a peaceful life and a better future. Looking at their hopeful faces, my heart was filled with strength. I knew that the burden on my shoulders had become heavier, but I would not let them down.

The celebration banquet lasted until late at night. The soldiers ate and drank to their heart's content, celebrating their hard-earned victory. Zhen Youcai and I walked side by side on the way back to the palace. The moonlight in the border town was exceptionally bright, illuminating our path.

"Youcai, I'm so happy to see the people living and working in peace and contentment." I said softly, my tone full of emotion.

"Yes, all this is inseparable from your efforts." Zhen Youcai held my hand, his palm warm and strong. "You have poured all your efforts into the people and the Wei Dynasty."

I turned to look at him. The moonlight illuminated his angular face, and his eyes were filled with tenderness and love. I knew that he had always been silently supporting and encouraging me.

"It's great to have you by my side." I snuggled up to his shoulder, feeling the tranquility and happiness of this moment.

"I will always be with you. No matter how many storms the future holds, we will face them together." Zhen Youcai gently stroked my hair, his tone firm and gentle.

We just hugged each other quietly, enjoying this rare tranquility. However, at this moment, a guard appeared in front of us, holding a letter in his hand and looking hurried.

"Your Majesty, an urgent letter!" The guard knelt on one knee and held the letter high above his head.

My heart trembled, and I felt something was going to happen. I took the letter, unfolded it, and my face suddenly became solemn...

"Your Majesty, an urgent letter!" The guard knelt on one knee and held the letter high above his head.

My heart trembled. This sudden interruption in the joyful atmosphere gave me a premonition that something had happened. I took the letter, unfolded it, and my face instantly turned solemn. The letter contained little, but it was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing all our joy.

"What's wrong?" Zhen Youcai noticed that something was wrong with me and asked softly.

I didn't say anything, just handed him the letter. He quickly glanced through it, frowning deeply.

"There have been new enemy movements in other areas of the border. It seems that these peaceful days are only a brief respite..." I took a deep breath and tried to calm the waves in my heart.

"Hmph, you're still ruthless!" Zhen Youcai crumpled the letter into a ball, a cold glint in his eyes. "It seems our previous victory has only made them even crazier."

"Where did this letter come from?" I turned to look at the guard kneeling on the ground and asked in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty," the guard raised his head, "This letter was sent by Military Advisor Guo, who is currently stationed at..."

Before the guard could finish, Zhen Youcai suddenly interrupted him, "Military Advisor Guo? Since he has received the news, why doesn't he come in person?"

The guard hesitated, looked at me, then at Zhen Youcai, and finally lowered his head. "Military Advisor Guo said that this matter is of great importance. He has discovered some new movements of the enemy army and needs to be carefully considered, so..."

"So he asked you to deliver the letter, leaving us here to worry?" Zhen Youcai said with a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone, "What on earth is he thinking?"

"You're quite talented," I said, pulling his hand and signaling him to calm down. "Military Advisor Guo has always been cautious in his actions. If he does this, he must have his reasons. Let's wait and see."

I looked up at the bright moon in the sky, but my heart, like the night itself, was shrouded in a shadow. Military Advisor Guo's letter was like a stone dropped into a tranquil lake, disrupting our original plan and foreshadowing even greater challenges to come. I took a deep breath and looked at Zhen Youcai. "It seems we'll have to fight side by side again..."