From cute to empress

"Report—" A guard rushed in and knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, urgent news from the border..."

My heart sank, a chill ran down my feet, and my hand, gripping the memorial, trembled slightly. Could it be… I didn't dare to think any further. I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, and said in a deep voice, "Speak!"

"Your Majesty," the guard's voice trembled with excitement. "General Zhen... General Zhen... has... achieved a great victory! The Xiongnu have been repelled by our army, and the border... the border has been secured!"

"What?!" I stood up suddenly, the memorial in my hand fell to the ground, and without caring about the emperor's demeanor, I grabbed the guard's shoulder and said, "What did you say? Say it again!"

"Your Majesty," the guard repeated, his face flushed with excitement, "We...we won! General Zhen has won a great victory. The Xiongnu have been driven three hundred miles outside the border. This battle is a great victory!"

Joy surged through my heart like a tide, and I suddenly felt dizzy and swayed. The palace maid beside me quickly supported me. Yes, we won, we finally survived this catastrophe!

I took a deep breath, fighting back the tears in my eyes, and gave the order in a deep voice, "Pass the word down! Hold a grand celebration banquet and reward the three armies! All soldiers who participated in the battle will receive a promotion by one rank and a reward of 100 taels! Also, announce this news to the world so that we can celebrate together!"

"Yes!" The guard took the order and left, his joy beyond words.

The news spread throughout the palace, the capital, and the entire country. The people cheered and told each other about the victory, celebrating this hard-won victory.

Standing high atop the city wall, I gazed down at the jubilant crowds below, my heart filled with emotion. Reflecting on the hardships and tribulations I've endured along the way, I've become even more resolute in my resolve: I want to make my country even stronger, and my people live happier lives!

At the celebration banquet, Zhen Youcai, dressed in military uniform, walked towards me with heroic spirit. His face was filled with the joy of victory, but there was still a hint of fatigue in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, I, Zhen Youcai, come to see you!" He knelt on one knee, his voice loud and powerful.

"My dear, please stand up!" I personally stepped forward to help him up, tears in my eyes. "Thank you for your hard work in this battle."

"Protecting the country is my duty!" Zhen Youcai looked up at me with a firm gaze, "Everything I do is for Your Majesty and for the country!"

I looked at him, a mixture of emotions filling my heart. Just then, Chen Daru slowly approached, holding a scroll in his hand...

He knelt respectfully, holding the scroll high above his head with both hands. "Your Majesty, I, this old minister, have fulfilled your mission. After three years, I have finally completed the compilation of the Confucian classics. Please review it."

I solemnly accepted the scroll, its heavy weight representing countless days and nights of toil. Turning the pages, the familiar words greeted me, and I felt more gratified and proud than ever before. This is more than just a textbook; it's a cultural legacy, a continuation of the national spirit.

"Good, good!" I uttered the word "good" twice, my excitement evident in my words. "Thank you for your hard work, Minister Chen! I believe this set of textbooks will become a model for our students, and Confucian culture will flourish in our dynasty!"

A gratified smile appeared on Chen Daru's aged face. He stood up tremblingly, his tone filled with hope, "I, your Majesty, thank you for your grace! There is hope for the cultural revival of our dynasty. Even if I die, I will have no regrets!"

The atmosphere at the banquet became even more lively. I looked around and saw Painter Wu approaching with his students. His students were holding various scrolls in their hands, their faces brimming with confidence and pride.

"Your Majesty," Painter Wu bowed respectfully, "These are the recent works of my son and my students. Please comment on them, Your Majesty."

I took the scroll with great interest, and a series of exquisite paintings unfolded before me. There were majestic mountains and rivers, lifelike portraits, and profoundly meaningful flowers, birds, fish, and insects. Each painting was brimming with vitality and artistic appeal. Even more delightful was the way these paintings not only incorporated traditional Chinese painting styles but also Western techniques. In the hands of these young artists, Eastern and Western art blended seamlessly, each bringing out the best in the other.

"Great, great!" I couldn't help but admire again, "Your paintings have surpassed my imagination. I believe that one day, your paintings will spread all over the world, allowing the whole world to see the charm of our Chinese art!"

Painter Wu and his students knelt down in gratitude, tears in their eyes. I know that what they are fighting for is not just art, but also the honor of the country and the rejuvenation of the nation.

Just then, a melodious melody drifted in from the distance, clear and melodious, like the sound of nature... The melodious music grew closer, and I looked in the direction of the sound. I saw Teacher Li with a group of young students, each holding a variety of instruments, their faces brimming with youthful energy. Some played the guqin, some the flute, some the chime bells, and still others the erhu. The harmonious blend of Chinese and Western instruments created a magnificent symphony.

"Your Majesty," Musician Li walked up to me and bowed respectfully. "This is a piece of music recently arranged by my students. It just won the gold medal in an international music competition. Please enjoy it, Your Majesty."

My heart leaped. A gold medal in an international music competition! This was the first time Chinese music had received such an honor on the international stage! I stood up excitedly, staring intently at this group of high-spirited young people, as if I saw hope for Chinese music to go global.

"Good, good!" I was so excited that I couldn't speak, and could only say two good words in a row.

When the music ended, thunderous applause erupted in the banquet hall, lasting for a long time. I noticed that some foreign envoys were also listening with rapt attention, their eyes filled with wonder and admiration.

At this time, poet Zhou came over with his students. Each of them held a beautiful collection of poems in their hands, with a confident smile on their face.

"Your Majesty," Poet Zhou saluted me. "This is a collection of poems recently created by my son and his students. It has been translated into many languages, published and distributed around the world, and has received high praise from the international poetry community."

I took the poetry collection and casually opened a page. Beautiful words jumped out of the paper. They have the charm of Chinese classical poetry and the freedom and unrestrainedness of modern poetry. Each poem is full of emotion and philosophy, which makes people linger on it.

"What wonderful poems, what wonderful poems!" I couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. "Your poems not only express the emotions of the Chinese people, but also express the emotions shared by all of humanity. I believe they will resonate with people around the world!"

Poet Zhou and his students knelt down in gratitude, tears in their eyes. I know that what they are fighting for is not just poetry, but also the spread of culture and the rejuvenation of the nation.

Just then, I saw a familiar figure slowly approaching. It was Monk Meng… Monk Meng, dressed in a simple monk's robe and holding a string of Buddhist beads, walked steadily toward me. He clasped his hands together, bowed his head slightly, and wore a compassionate smile on his face.

"Amitabha, Your Majesty, the Buddhist lecture hall I recently opened has attracted many monks and scholars from the Western Regions. They are full of admiration for Chinese culture and hope to bring the essence of Buddhism back to their own countries." Monk Meng spoke in a calm tone, but every word was powerful.

I nodded with satisfaction. As an integral part of Chinese civilization, Buddhist culture has always garnered worldwide attention. Monk Meng's Buddhist lecture hall not only promoted Buddhism but also fostered the exchange and integration of Chinese and foreign cultures.

"Master, you've worked so hard," I said, signaling for the servants to bring over a chair. "I know you've been dedicated to spreading Buddhism and educating people. Now that so many international friends have come to study, I'm sure you're very pleased."

Monk Meng clasped his hands together and smiled faintly: "Your Majesty is wise. I am only doing my humble part to contribute to world peace."

After the banquet, Zhen Youcai approached me. He was dressed in armor, looking dashing, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Mengmeng, do you see this? This is the result of our joint efforts. The country is strong, the people live and work in peace and contentment. You've finally realized your dream."

I smiled faintly, my heart filled with joy and satisfaction. Yes, since crossing into this world, from an ignorant girl to the current empress, I have experienced too many storms and hardships, but in the end I survived them all and created a peaceful and prosperous era with Youcai.

"You're talented," I held his hand, feeling the warmth of his palm. "All of this is inseparable from your help. It's you who helped me grow from a girl who knew nothing to an empress who can stand on her own."

"Silly girl, this is what you deserve." He stroked my hair gently, "You will always be the kind and brave Mengmeng."

I snuggled in his arms, enjoying this moment of peace. However, at this moment, my personal maid Chuntao ran over in a panic and whispered a few words in her ear.

My face instantly darkened. "What did you say? The harem... and the Imperial Household Department..."