From cute to empress

Beads of sweat dripped from Lord Zhang's forehead, shattering into eight pieces on the golden brick floor. With a trembling voice, he recounted the Ministry of Revenue's financial situation over the years, finally admitting with resigned regret, "Your Majesty, if we increase investment in culture and education, the national treasury... the national treasury will probably struggle to afford it!"

As soon as Lord Zhang finished speaking, whispers erupted in the court. I took it all in, but remained unfazed. I know that any reform will encounter resistance, but I will never back down.

"My dear ministers, I know you all have concerns." I slowly stood up, scanning the room with a determined gaze. "But I want to tell you that culture and education are the cornerstone of a country's long-term stability and prosperity. They must never be abandoned!"

"I have decided that, starting today, 30% of the silver from the national treasury will be allocated annually for cultural and educational purposes! At the same time, I will also call on wealthy merchants throughout the world to donate to support education, so that we can work together to cultivate talents for this country!"

As soon as I finished speaking, the court erupted in an uproar. Thirty percent in silver—that's no small sum! However, my mind was made up, and no dissenting voice could shake my resolve.

Time flies, and three years have passed in the blink of an eye. During these three years, I have withstood pressure from all sides and devoted all my energy to cultural education. Cultural schools have gradually been established across the country, and from the bustling capital to the remotest villages, the sound of children reading aloud can be heard everywhere. The Confucian classics textbooks compiled by Chen Daru with great effort have been widely recognized, and students have deepened their understanding of traditional culture.

"Your Majesty, please go and have a look! There are new things at the Cultural School!" One day, I was reviewing memorials when Eunuch Li suddenly ran in excitedly to report.

I put down the memorial in my hand and asked curiously, "Oh? What's new? Tell me about it."

Eunuch Li said with a broad smile, "Your Majesty, Painter Wu's students have recently created a series of paintings that are very different in style from their previous works. I heard they've caused quite a stir in the capital, and many people are rushing to see them!"

When I heard this, I immediately became interested and stood up and said, "Come on, let's go to the Cultural School with me!"

I hurried along with Eunuch Li to the Cultural School. As soon as we entered the courtyard, we heard exclamations and discussions. I followed the sound to a spacious studio, where the walls were covered with a variety of paintings, all vibrantly colored and with novel compositions, completely different from the traditional landscapes, flowers, and birds I'd seen before.

"His Majesty has arrived!" Eunuch Li shouted loudly.

Everyone knelt in greeting. I gestured for them to stand, but my gaze was captivated by a painting. It was a portrait of a plainly dressed peasant girl, but her eyes were clear and her smile was brilliant, as if filled with hope and strength.

"This painting..." I pointed at it and asked in surprise, "Who painted it?"

"Your Majesty, this painting was created by my student Zhang Xiao," Painter Wu replied respectfully. "Zhang Xiao has loved doodling since she was young and possesses a unique sense of color and light and shadow. Based on her unique qualities, I encouraged her to boldly experiment with new painting styles. I never expected she would produce such a remarkable work."

I nodded, scanning the other paintings. Though their styles varied, they were all brimming with vitality and innovation. I couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. It seemed my cultural revitalization project was truly bearing fruit.

"Your Majesty, look at this painting. Doesn't it depict the new look of our capital? Those tall buildings and the running steam cars are so lifelike!" Eunuch Li said excitedly, pointing to another painting.

I looked in the direction of his finger and saw that the painting depicted a bustling and bustling urban scene, with towering buildings, a constant stream of people, and steam trains emitting black smoke, all of which demonstrated the unique firepower of this era.

As I was admiring these paintings, a melodious sound came from a distance and caught my attention. "What is this music? Why is it so beautiful?" I asked.

"Your Majesty, this is Master Li's students playing a newly composed piece of music," Eunuch Li replied. "I heard they're currently touring the country. Wherever they go, the streets are packed with people. They're incredibly popular!"

Listening to the joyful, leaping notes, I seemed to see the people living and working in peace and contentment, my heart filled with joy and hope. Culture is the soul of a nation and a people. I believe that as long as we persevere, we will surely ensure that the flame of Chinese culture will be passed down from generation to generation, illuminating the future!

"Your Majesty, look, those young men in long gowns over there, are they..." Eunuch Li pointed to a group of young people sitting together not far away, and seemed to be hesitant to speak.

"Are those young men in long gowns the students of poet Zhou Enlai, reciting and composing poetry?" I replied with a smile, gazing at the high-spirited group of young people. Some spoke passionately, some murmured, and some discussed with one another, their faces brimming with youthful energy and a passion for poetry.

"Your Majesty is wise! They are the students of Poet Zhou," Eunuch Li said with a beaming smile. "I heard they recently entered a poetry competition in a neighboring country and won first place with a poem praising peace and friendship, bringing honor to our country!"

"Oh? Is that true?" I was delighted and asked quickly, "Take me to see it!"

I came in front of the group of young people, and when they saw me, they immediately stopped their discussion and saluted respectfully.

"Everyone, stand up! No need to be so formal," I said with a smile. "I heard you won great results in the poetry competition, so I came here to congratulate you!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" A student representative stepped forward and said respectfully, "It's all thanks to Teacher Zhou's excellent teaching that we've achieved such great results."

"Poet Zhou has taught me well, and you all have great potential," I encouraged him. "I hope you will continue to work hard, create more and better works, and contribute to the inheritance and development of Chinese culture!"

"We will follow your Majesty's instructions!" the students answered in unison.

I spoke with them, learning about their poetry studies and their aspirations for the future. Looking at these energetic young people, my heart is filled with hope. I believe that through their efforts, Chinese culture will shine even brighter.

After leaving the poetry competition, I went to Monk Meng's Buddhist temple. The temple was filled with incense and no one was sitting still. Monk Meng was sitting on a cushion, explaining the Dharma to everyone in plain language.

I stood quietly at the door, listening to him speak. His voice was calm and kind, as if it had a magical power that could cleanse the dust of one's soul and make one feel calm and peaceful.

"Amitabha!" After finishing a passage of scripture, Monk Meng put his hands together and chanted a Buddhist name in a low voice.

"Master, what did you mean by 'Put down the butcher knife and become a Buddha instantly'?" a young man asked.

"Putting down the butcher knife means letting go of evil thoughts such as greed, hatred, ignorance, etc. in your heart. Becoming a Buddha instantly means that as long as we can let go of these evil thoughts, we can become enlightened right away and become a person with a pure heart and full of wisdom." Monk Meng explained patiently.

I looked at Monk Meng with admiration. Not only was he profoundly versed in Buddhist teachings, but he was also filled with compassion, using his wisdom and sympathy to guide people toward light and happiness.

Cultural rejuvenation is a heavy responsibility and a long road ahead. I know this is just the beginning. But I believe that as long as we persevere, we will surely achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!

"Your Majesty, look..." Eunuch Li suddenly pointed behind me, his face heavy, "What is that..."

I was startled and turned around suddenly, only to see... I was startled and turned around suddenly, only to see a group of men in black, holding sharp blades, silently appearing at the entrance of the Buddhist temple. Their faces were grim and murderous, completely out of place in this peaceful Buddhist temple.

"Protect His Majesty!" Eunuch Li's sharp voice broke the tranquility of the Buddhist hall. He quickly stood in front of me, but was pushed away mercilessly by two men in black.

"You bold lunatic, how dare you trespass into the holy land of Buddhism!" Monk Meng shouted angrily and stood up from the cushion, but was forced back by the man in black with a sword.

Amidst the chaos, I tried to remain calm. These men in black were well-trained and had a clear goal; they clearly came prepared. They weren't just ordinary bandits; they were coming for me, for this cultural renaissance!

"Who are you? Who sent you?" I asked sternly, trying to buy time.

The man in black didn't answer, but only approached step by step, his sword flashing with a cold light. At this moment, there was a commotion outside the Buddhist temple, and Zhen Youcai arrived in time with a team of guards.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Zhen Youcai's tense face relaxed a little when he saw I was safe and sound. He ordered the guards to surround the men in black, while he stood in front of me, observing his surroundings vigilantly.

"I'm fine, thanks to you arriving just in time." I shook my head, signaling him to stay calm. "Control them first, don't alert them."

"Yes!" Zhen Youcai accepted the order and immediately ordered all the men in black to be captured.

After the situation stabilized, I searched a man in black and found a letter. Unfolding it, my expression suddenly grew serious. The letter was written in a special code, its contents obscure and difficult to understand. But one thing was certain: this was a conspiracy against Cultural Renaissance, and I was their target!

I handed the letter to Zhen Youcai and said in a deep voice, "It seems we've met a true rival. This cultural revival has touched upon the interests of certain individuals, and they want to strangle us in the cradle!"

Zhen Youcai took the letter and read it carefully, his expression turning grim. He knew a storm was coming, and they were already at the center of it...