From cute to empress

The sound of the teacup shattering still seemed to echo in my ears. I suppressed my shock and anger and quickly gathered my thoughts. Prime Minister Li, we were once king and subject. I have treated you well, so why are you doing this?

"Your Majesty, please don't be anxious. Let's think about it carefully first..." Zhen Youcai's voice was still weak, but he still tried hard to share my worries.

I held his hand, my eyes firm. "Don't worry, Youcai, I won't cause any chaos. The most urgent task now is to rush back to the capital as soon as possible to stabilize the situation."

"But your safety..."

"I'll bring secret guards and be in disguise, so nothing will happen." I interrupted him. "Just focus on recovering. We'll discuss other matters when I get back."

My tone left no room for questioning. Zhen Youcai also knew that now was not the time to argue, so he could only nod helplessly.

I immediately sent out orders, ordering the carriage to be prepared, and secretly sent messages to several trusted ministers, asking them to secretly investigate the situation in the capital. I knew that this trip would be a tough battle, but I would not retreat. I would protect my country and my people!

Night fell, the stars twinkled as our convoy sped through the darkness. Along the way, Zhen Youcai and I pondered our response. Prime Minister Li's rebellion must have been long-planned, and who knows how many of his followers remain within the capital. We must proceed with caution and plan carefully to minimize losses.

"Your Majesty, I think we should first secretly contact the defenders in the city, control the city gate, and then..." Zhen Youcai, despite his illness, gave me advice.

As I listened, I carefully studied the layout of the capital on a map, mentally simulating various possible scenarios. Time was running out, and we had to come up with a foolproof plan to catch the enemy off guard.

After several days of traveling, we finally arrived near the capital. In order not to alert the enemy, we decided to temporarily stay in a temple outside the city and wait and see what would happen.

I changed into ordinary civilian clothes, disguised myself, and quietly entered the city with a few guards. The atmosphere on the streets of the capital was noticeably more tense than usual, with patrolling soldiers several times more numerous than usual, revealing a sense of impending doom and gloom.

I went to the agreed location and found the ministers who had been secretly contacting me. They told me that Prime Minister Li had already taken control of the palace and most of the court officials, and the situation was very unfavorable to us.

"Your Majesty, I am incompetent and failed to stop this rebellion..." said an old minister with great sorrow.

I helped him up and said firmly, "This isn't your fault. Prime Minister Li has evil ambitions and has been plotting this for a long time. You've been deceived by him. The most important thing now is to unite and fight the rebels together!"

I took a deep breath, looked around at everyone present, and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, I know that you are all loyal ministers, all devoted to serving our country and our people. Now, it is time to test us! Success or failure depends on this one move. I hope that everyone will put aside all concerns and work together to help me quell the rebellion and restore peace and prosperity to our great country!"

"Your Majesty, we swear to be loyal to you until death!" Everyone responded in unison, their voices full of firmness and determination.

I know that a great war is about to begin...

In the temple's simple meditation room, I gazed at the mottled Buddha statues on the wall, but my heart was not at peace. Prime Minister Li's rebellion was like a huge rock, weighing heavily on my heart, making it difficult for me to breathe.

"Your Majesty, you don't have to worry too much." Zhen Youcai's voice was still weak, but he forced himself to sit up and hold my hand. "I have already made arrangements. The generals of the Dragon and Tiger Army stationed outside the city are my old subordinates. Upon hearing about the changes in the capital, they are willing to obey orders and are ready to enter the city to defend the king at any time."

My heart skipped a beat. The Dragon and Tiger Army was an elite force trained by Zhen Youcai himself. They were brave and loyal. With their support, our chances of victory increased. I shook his hand, a glint of hope in my eyes. "Youcai, you always bring me hope."

Zhen Youcai's face was pale, but he gave me a comforting smile: "It is my honor to share your majesty's worries."

We secretly deployed the Dragon and Tiger Army to a secluded valley outside the city, awaiting the perfect time to act. I knew in my heart that this was a huge gamble, and if we failed, the consequences would be disastrous.

On a stormy night, I changed into a black nightgown, tied up my long hair high, held the cold hilt of the sword in my hand, and my eyes were firm and cold.

"Your Majesty, do you really want to go in person? It's too dangerous!" Zhen Youcai looked at me worriedly and wanted to stop me.

"I've made up my mind." I patted his shoulder. "You meet them outside the city and make sure the Dragon and Tiger Army is safe."

I mounted my horse and, accompanied by several skilled secret guards, galloped through the pouring rain towards Prime Minister Li's residence. The rain blurred my vision and muffled the sound of the horses' hooves. The entire world seemed to be filled with only the whistling sound of wind and rain.

Prime Minister Li's residence was brightly lit and heavily guarded, evidently anticipating our actions. I led the secret guards, sneaking into the residence like a ghost, dispatching any guards along the way.

"Kill! Leave no one alive!" With my command, the Dragon and Tiger Army soldiers, hidden in the shadows, rushed into the mansion like a tiger descending from a mountain, engaging in a desperate battle with the rebels. Shouts of killing, the clash of weapons, and screams mingled, resounding through the night sky.

Holding the sword, I went straight to Prime Minister Li's study, where he was plotting something with a few of his confidants.

"Bang!" I kicked open the study door and pointed my sword at Prime Minister Li, my eyes burning with rage. "Prime Minister Li, you are so bold! How dare you try to usurp the throne!"

Prime Minister Li looked up suddenly, and when he saw me, a flash of panic crossed his face, but he quickly calmed down...

Prime Minister Li looked up suddenly, and when he saw me, a flash of panic crossed his face, but he quickly regained his composure. He sneered, "The victor will be the king, the loser the bandit. I will kill you or chop you up, it's all up to you!"

"I won't kill you," I said, looking at him coldly. "I want you to witness with your own eyes how your conspiracy crumbles." I turned to look at his confidants behind him. "Are you still stubborn? Prime Minister Li has reached his wit's end. Lay down your weapons, and I can spare your lives!"

Those confidants looked at each other, their eyes filled with hesitation and fear.

"Don't listen to her!" Prime Minister Li roared at the top of his lungs. "She's just a puppet emperor. If we kill her, we'll be considered founding heroes!"

However, his words had no effect. His henchmen had already seen the situation clearly, and they dropped their weapons and knelt down to beg for mercy.

I ignored Prime Minister Li's cries and ordered him to be taken away. Later, I led Zhen Youcai and the Dragon and Tiger Army to quickly seize control of key areas in the capital and quell the rebellion.

To reassure the people, I ordered a grand rally in the square in front of the palace. Wearing a dragon robe and a phoenix crown, I stood on the high steps, looking down at the huge crowd below.

"I know that much has happened in the capital lately, causing panic among the people." My voice was clear and firm, echoing throughout the square. "But I want to tell you that good prevails over evil. Prime Minister Li's conspiracy has been shattered, and order has been restored in the capital."

I took a deep breath and continued, "Prime Minister Li, a high-ranking official at the imperial court, was blinded by greed, forming a clique for personal gain, and even daring to attempt to usurp the throne. He deserves death! I have already established that Prime Minister Li has been corrupt and perverted the law over the years, exploiting the people. The evidence is irrefutable!"

The crowd below the stage was in an uproar, and people were talking about it, shocked and angry at Prime Minister Li's crimes.

I continued, "I swear today that I will give an explanation to the people of the world and severely punish all officials involved in the rebellion. I will show no leniency!"

As soon as I finished speaking, thunderous applause and cheers broke out from the audience. I knew that I had successfully stabilized the people's hearts.

To prevent similar incidents from happening again, I carried out a thorough reform of the court. I strengthened central power and weakened local power. At the same time, I vigorously promoted young and promising officials, rectified the administration, and punished corruption.

I know this road is still long, but I will keep going, for my people, for my country...

"Your Majesty," Zhen Youcai's voice rang in my ears, "It's late, it's time to rest."

I turned to look at him. Under the moonlight, his eyes were gentle yet firm...

"Yeah," I sighed softly, pulling myself away from the memories, "You've been really hard these days."

Zhen Youcai smiled and shook his head. "It is my honor to share your majesty's worries." He reached out and gently tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "But... Your Majesty, please take care of yourself and don't overwork yourself."

I nodded and took his hand, feeling the warmth of his palm. Although Prime Minister Li's rebellion had subsided, undercurrents were surging within the court, and many complex issues remained, demanding urgent resolution.

In the days that followed, we worked diligently to govern the country and implemented a series of reforms. I promoted talented individuals, rectified the administration, severely punished corrupt officials, reduced taxes, encouraged farming, developed commerce, and worked hard to restore people's livelihoods and stabilize social order.

The people are gradually emerging from the shadow of war. The fields are teeming with life, the markets are bustling with people, and the scene is prosperous. Seeing all this, I am filled with joy, but I also realize more clearly that this is only the beginning. True peace and prosperity will require even more effort.

"Your Majesty, please read this memorial..." Zhen Youcai's voice brought me back to reality. He handed me a densely written memorial. I took it and saw it was the Minister of Revenue's report on this year's tax revenue.

"This year's tax revenue has increased by 30% compared to last year. It seems that people's lives have indeed improved." I put down the memorial and a relieved smile appeared on my face.

"Yes, this is all the result of your majesty's wisdom and bravery, and his hard work and efforts to govern the country." Zhen Youcai said sincerely.

I shook my head. "This is not just my achievement, but also the credit of all those who have worked hard for our country. Without them, there would be no prosperity today."

I stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the bustling scenery outside, but a sense of unease welled up in my heart. I knew that the current prosperity was only superficial, and that there were still many hidden dangers within the country, such as the lack of cultural education and backward ideas...

I suddenly remembered a previous discussion with Zhen Youcai about how to enhance a country's soft power. A strong country must not only have strong military and economic strength, but also strong cultural soft power.

"Youcai," I turned around and looked at Zhen Youcai, "What do you think, should we..."

"Your Majesty wants to..." Zhen Youcai seemed to have guessed what I was thinking, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

"Well," I nodded, "it's time..."