From cute to empress

Cold sweat drenched my back. Every word of the imperial edict burned like a branding iron, searing itself into my mind. Father, he actually... abdicated?! He passed the throne to my uncle, the treacherous and cunning Regent who had always coveted it!

“How could this happen…” I muttered to myself, my vision blurry.

"Your Majesty..." Zhen Youcai supported me as I was about to fall, his eyes full of worry and anger.

"No, this isn't true. I don't believe it!" I snapped back to my senses and grabbed the Prime Minister's collar. "Prime Minister, tell me, what is going on? Why did my father...why did he do this?!"

The Prime Minister lowered his head in grief, his voice choking with sobs as he spoke, "Your Majesty... the rebels broke into the palace, and the Emperor chose to compromise in order to protect the princes and princesses..."

My heart felt like it was being fiercely grasped by an invisible hand, the pain was so severe that I could hardly breathe. Father, for us, he actually sacrificed himself...

"No, I can't just sit there and wait for death!" I stood up suddenly, with a blazing fire in my eyes, "I want to take back everything that belongs to me!"

Zhen Youcai held my hand tightly and said in a deep voice, "Mengmeng, calm down! Now is not the time to be impulsive. We must take a long-term view."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. Zhen Youcai was right. The most important thing now was to understand the situation and accumulate strength so that we could ultimately defeat the enemy.

"Prime Minister, what is the current situation in the court?" I asked, suppressing the grief in my heart.

The Prime Minister sighed and said, "Your Majesty, the Regent has now taken control of the capital, and many ministers in the court have defected to him. Our current situation is very difficult."

"I understand." I nodded, a determined look in my eyes. "Prime Minister, don't worry, I won't give up. I will definitely take back everything that belongs to me, for my father and for myself!"

I know that to regain the throne, military force alone is not enough, and a strong economic foundation is also needed. Therefore, I issued a series of policies to revitalize commerce, the first of which was to significantly reduce commercial taxes to encourage merchants to expand their trade.

This policy immediately caused an uproar. Many merchants were skeptical. After all, the imperial court had long exploited businesses severely, and they did not believe that I was truly committed to developing commerce.

At this moment, Mr. Zheng, a wealthy businessman, stepped forward. He was a renowned businessman with a keen business sense and decisive decision-making ability. He took the lead in responding to my call, investing in new shops, expanding the scale of trade, and actively connecting with other merchants to jointly promote business development.

Zheng's actions undoubtedly reassured other merchants, and they followed suit. For a time, business flourished. Watching the treasury gradually fill up, I was filled with hope.

"Your Majesty, Tax Officer Li requests an audience."

I smiled slightly. It seemed that the fun was about to begin...

"Announce." I put down the memorial in my hand and rubbed my eyebrows. This is the tenth memorial I have dealt with today. Each one is related to the national economy and people's livelihood, and no carelessness is allowed.

Tax official Li walked quickly into the imperial study and bowed, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."

"Lord Li, please excuse me." I raised my hand, motioning him to stand. "Have you come here this time to make any progress on the tax collection issue?"

Tax Officer Li's face lit up with joy as he bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, since you implemented your new policies, business has flourished, and tax revenues have increased significantly. Following your instructions, I have compiled a list of tax revenues for your review."

I took the account book and leafed through it carefully. It clearly recorded the source, amount, and purpose of every tax payment. It was clear at a glance. I nodded in satisfaction. Tax Officer Li always had my confidence in his work.

"Your Majesty, I have another matter to report." Tax Officer Li looked embarrassed. "Since the implementation of the new policy, although most merchants have been operating honestly and paying taxes according to regulations, there are some, especially wealthy merchants with generations of business, who have become accustomed to the previous low tax policy and are secretly disobeying the new policy. Some even collude with local officials to evade taxes."

I put down the account book, a cold glint in my eyes. How dare these parasites take advantage of the opportunity to disrupt the government and enrich themselves! "Lord Li, can you find out who these people are?"

"Your Majesty, I have already obtained some evidence, but..." Tax Officer Li hesitated to speak.

"Just what? Lord Li, please feel free to tell me."

"But the forces behind these people are so intertwined that even a single move could affect the entire body. I'm worried..." Tax Officer Li didn't say anything else, but I knew what he was worried about.

I sneered. It seemed this was even deeper than I'd imagined. "Rest assured, Li Aiqing. Since I've dared to implement this new policy, I will persevere to the end and will not allow those scoundrels to succeed! Simply investigate. I will bear all consequences!"

"Your humble servant obeys your order!" A trace of admiration flashed in Tax Officer Li's eyes, and he bowed and retreated.

I know a storm is coming. Those traditional forces whose interests have been affected will never sit idly by. They will definitely try every possible means to obstruct the implementation of the new policy, even...

"Report..." A guard hurried over to report, "Your Majesty, several gentlemen have requested an audience. They say they have important matters to discuss."

I sneered inwardly. They were finally here. "Let them in."

The door to the imperial study slowly opened, and several ministers dressed in official uniforms and with solemn expressions walked in. They were all senior officials in the court, and they had a significant influence in the court.

I looked at them and slowly said, "My dear ministers, why do you visit me so late at night? I wonder what is the important matter?"

An old minister at the head stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, we are here to discuss the new policy..."

I watched him quietly, waiting for his next words. I knew a game was about to begin...

"Your Majesty, although the new policy is good, it is too hasty and will inevitably cause shock to the court and the country. Please think twice!" The old minister who was in charge was heartbroken, as if I had committed a heinous crime.

I put down the memorial in my hand and glanced at several old ministers. Some of them looked worried, while others seemed hesitant to speak. I knew that they represented the interests of those families who had enjoyed privileges for generations.

"My dear ministers, you are all loyal and devoted ministers of the Great Wei. I understand your concerns." I spoke calmly, yet with unquestionable determination. "But new policies are imperative. The Great Wei has been plagued by long-standing problems. Commerce is declining, the treasury is empty, and the people are suffering. If no changes are made, the Great Wei will be in danger!"

"Your Majesty, can the tax issue be discussed again..." Another minister spoke cautiously, obviously worried about affecting their own interests.

"I have made up my mind!" I said, my tone becoming more emphatic. "The core of the new policy lies in fairness. Whether you are a royal relative or a commoner, everyone must be treated equally and must pay taxes according to the law! Only in this way can we ensure a full treasury and allow the people to live and work in peace and contentment!"

Several old ministers wanted to say more, but I interrupted them directly, "My dear ministers, instead of admonishing me here, why don't you go back and think carefully about how you can contribute to the prosperity of the Wei Dynasty!"

Several veteran officials looked at each other in bewilderment, and finally had no choice but to leave. I know they won't let this go, but I, Niu Mengmeng, am not someone to be bullied!

A few days later, Mr. Zheng's new shop opened, and I went incognito to see the results of the new policy. Before I even reached the shop, I heard cheers and the sound of gongs and drums. It was so lively!

"Make way, make way!" I squeezed into the crowd with great effort, and saw that the new shop of Mr. Zheng was newly decorated, with a wide range of goods, and people came to shop in an endless stream.

"Boss Zheng, your shop is really grand, and the goods are more and better than before!" An aunt said with a smile while selecting cloth.

"Haha, thanks to your majesty, once the new policy comes out, we can stand up straight when doing business, and we don't have to worry about those unfair treatments anymore!" Zheng Fushang's face was flushed, and he greeted the guests enthusiastically.

I looked at the bustling scene before me, feeling gratified. Although the implementation of the new policy faced numerous obstacles, as long as it could benefit the people and lead to the prosperity of Wei, it would all be worth it!

"Your Majesty..." Tax Officer Li suddenly appeared behind me, his expression somewhat serious. "Something happened..."

"What happened?" I asked in a low voice, my intuition telling me something terrible must have happened. Tax Officer Li's face paled slightly. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said hurriedly, "Your Majesty, there's been a sudden downpour in the south, and the port... the cargo at the port has suffered heavy losses..."

My heart sank suddenly. The South is an important trade port and a key area for the implementation of the new policy. If the port is damaged, it will inevitably affect the development of business and even shake the foundation of the new policy!

"What's the situation? Are the losses severe?" I asked anxiously, already mulling over countermeasures. Tax Officer Li shook his head gravely, "We're still compiling the details, but preliminary estimates suggest significant losses. Many merchants' goods have been washed away or damaged by the floods..."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. "Pass the order down. Organize disaster relief immediately and minimize the losses! Also, pass on my decree. All businesses affected by the disaster will receive a one-year tax reduction and relief funding to help them through this difficult time!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Tax Officer Li took his orders and left. I looked at the bustling crowd, but my heart felt like it was being weighed down by a huge rock. The new policy had just begun, and it had already encountered such a challenge. The road ahead was still long...

I returned to the palace and immediately summoned the ministers to discuss countermeasures. However, the atmosphere in the court was unusually depressing, and several veteran ministers even had a hint of "I told you so" on their faces.

"Your Majesty, natural disasters are so unpredictable! The new policy has only been implemented for a short time, and already..." an old minister said with great sorrow, his tone full of accusations and ridicule.

"Yes, Your Majesty, this new policy is too radical. Now that something like this has happened, how will it end?" Another minister echoed, with a hint of gloating in his tone.

I suppressed my anger and looked at them coldly, "My dear ministers, now is the time to discuss how to solve the problem, not to assign blame! Natural disasters are ruthless, but we can compensate with human efforts. The people of the Great Wei will never be defeated by a rainstorm!"

I looked around and finally landed my gaze on the Minister of Revenue. "Minister of Revenue, how much silver is left in the treasury?"

The Minister of Revenue was frightened and quickly looked through the account book, "Reply...Report to Your Majesty, the national treasury..." He stammered and was speechless for a long time.

My heart sank, and a sense of foreboding came over me. "Speak!"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the national treasury... the national treasury has less than 50,000 taels of silver left..." The voice of the Minister of Revenue became smaller and smaller, almost inaudible.

Fifty thousand taels! My heart sank completely. Fifty thousand taels of silver is simply a drop in the bucket for disaster relief!

"Your Majesty, I have a proposal!" The Minister of Works, who had been silent until then, suddenly stood up. He glanced at me, then at the elderly ministers who were beaming with joy, took a deep breath, and said, "I suggest that we suspend the discussion..."