From cute to empress

My heart tightened, a sense of foreboding washed over me, and I took the urgent message with trembling hands. The bright red seal on the urgent message was particularly glaring in the candlelight, but the handwriting on it swept away the gloom in my heart.

"Report, Your Majesty, General Zhen has won a great victory and has returned with his army. He will arrive in the capital soon!"

I raised my head abruptly, looked at the guard, and asked anxiously, "Are you serious?"

"It's absolutely true! People outside the city can already see our army's flags from afar!" The guard's tone was full of excitement.

My heart finally settled, and I was overwhelmed with joy. I looked at Zhen Youcai, and he couldn't help but smile, his eyes gleaming with triumph.

"I knew you would return victorious!" I excitedly held his hand. His hand was warm and strong, giving me a sense of security as always.

"Mengmeng, wait for me." He looked at me gently, and the tenderness in his eyes almost melted me.

News of Zhen Youcai's triumphant return spread quickly throughout the capital, and the people spontaneously took to the streets, beating drums and gongs, lining the streets to welcome their hero. Standing on the city wall, I watched the streets overflowing with people, cheering and rejoicing, and my heart was filled with pride and emotion.

To celebrate Zhen Youcai's triumphant return, I specially hosted a banquet in the palace for the soldiers. At the banquet, there was constant laughter and joy. Watching Zhen Youcai chatting and laughing with the soldiers, my heart was filled with happiness. His face was filled with the joy of victory, but I knew that his heart was always with the people and the country.

My eyes met his, and his gaze was deep and gentle, like a deep pool, drawing me in. I saw him raise his glass, motioning towards me, and I smiled slightly, raised my glass too, and clinked it with his from a distance.

"When I take off my armor, I will enjoy this peaceful and prosperous world with you." His voice was soft, but it reached my ears clearly.

I nodded, a warm feeling welling up in my heart. I knew he would keep his word, because he would definitely do what he promised me.

After the dinner, I felt a little tired and was about to go back to my bedroom to rest, but I saw Zhen Youcai coming over.

"Mengmeng, will you walk with me?" he asked softly, with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

I nodded and handed him my hand.

"Let's go."

He took my hand, walked out of the hall, and came to the Imperial Garden...

He took my hand and we walked out of the hall and into the Imperial Garden. It was late at night, and the Imperial Garden was silent, with only a few unknown insects humming in the grass. Moonlight poured down like water, casting a silver veil over everything.

We strolled side by side along the flower-lined path, neither of us speaking a word, but enjoying the beauty of this quiet moment. Zhen Youcai's hands were warm and powerful, as if they could dispel all my anxiety and fatigue.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" I asked softly, breaking the moment of silence.

"Of course I remember." He turned to look at me, a gentle smile on his lips, "Back then, you were still a reckless little girl, and you ran headfirst into my arms."

"I'm not a little girl!" I retorted coquettishly, but the scene of our first meeting surfaced in my mind. Back then, I was new here, full of curiosity and anxiety about everything, and he was like a ray of light, illuminating my path forward.

"You've always been a child who never grows up." He ruffled my hair lovingly, "But I like your innocence and kindness."

We just walked aimlessly, chatting about the little things in the past. From our initial meeting, to our later acquaintance and love, to our current battles side by side, we have been through so much along the way.

"Mengmeng, do you know? Every time I go to war, the person I can't let go of the most is you." He stopped and looked at me affectionately, his eyes full of tenderness and longing.

"Me too." I lowered my head, not daring to look him in the eye. His gaze was too hot, as if it could melt me.

"I promise you, I will never leave you for so long again." He lifted my chin and forced me to look him in the eye. "I will always be by your side, protecting you and loving you."

Under the moonlight, his eyes were so sincere and so determined that I couldn't help but sink into them. I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what to say. I could only let him hold me tightly in his arms.

"Mengmeng..." He whispered in my ear, his voice hoarse and full of charm, "I..."

"Mengmeng..." He whispered in my ear, his voice hoarse and full of charm, "I..."

He paused, took a deep breath, as if he had finally made up his mind: "I love you, Mengmeng. From the first time I saw you, my heart was completely captured by you. Your every frown and smile, your every move, are deeply imprinted in my mind and linger."

I looked up at him through tearful eyes. In the moonlight, his face looked exceptionally handsome, and the deep affection in his eyes almost melted me.

"I know I can't give you a passionate love, and my life is full of dangers and challenges. But, Mengmeng, I am willing to give up everything for you, and I only ask that you give me a chance to take care of you for the rest of my life." He gently held my face and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes.

"You're talented..." I choked, unable to speak. All my words melted into the emotion and joy of the moment. I never doubted his feelings for me, but I shouldered the fate of an entire country, so I didn't dare give my heart away easily.

"You don't have to say anything, Mengmeng. I know what you mean." He bent down and kissed my forehead, then held me tightly in his arms. "From now on, let me be your support and protect you from wind and rain."

I closed my eyes, feeling the warmth of his embrace, feeling the happiness and sweetness of this moment. His embrace is my harbor when I am tired, and the home of my soul.

"Mengmeng, will you marry me?" His voice sounded above my head, with a hint of nervousness and anticipation.

I raised my head, tears glistening in my eyes, but with a happy smile: "Okay."

He was ecstatic, lowering his head and kissing me on the lips. It was a gentle yet domineering kiss, filled with all his love and passion. I returned his kiss, feeling his warmth and his heartbeat. At that moment, it was as if everything in the world had stopped, leaving only us, each other.

The moonlight shone down like silver light, stretching our tightly embraced figures to appear exceptionally slender. However...

However, just as we were immersed in happiness, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" A guard came running over, holding a letter high in his hand. "Urgent news from the border!"

My heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding washed over me. Youcai also let go of me, frowning slightly as he took the letter from the guard.

The envelope was stamped with the seal of the border commander, the bright red ink like a drop of blood, particularly glaring in the moonlight. Youcai unfolded the letter and scanned it quickly, his expression growing more serious as he read more of the contents.

"What's wrong? What happened?" I asked anxiously. My heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, and breathing became difficult.

Youcai put down the letter, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice: "It's the barbarians in the north. They have assembled a large army and are preparing to..."

He paused, as if weighing his words, but I could already guess from his serious expression what he was going to do. "What are they going to do?" My voice trembled slightly, and the ominous premonition in my heart grew stronger and stronger.

"They want to tear up the armistice agreement and invade the border." Youcai's tone was heavy, as if a huge rock was pressing on his heart.

My heart sank, a chill running from my feet to my head. The barbarians, those brutal savages, how dare they break their oath and start a war again!

"Damn these barbarians!" I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth, "They're courting their own death!"

Youcai grabbed my hand. His hand was warm and strong, as if injecting a surge of strength into me. "Mengmeng, don't worry. Things haven't reached the worst point yet."

"But……"

"No buts!" He interrupted me, his tone firm, "I will make them pay the price! I will protect you and our country!"

His eyes were firm and sharp, like a sword unsheathed, gleaming with a cold light. I knew he was serious. He would definitely do what he said, because he was a man of integrity, a hero who protected his homeland!

"Pass the order down, summon all the generals, and discuss the matter in the imperial study tonight!" I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.

"Yes, sir!" The guard took the order and left in a hurry.

I turned to look at Youcai. His face was a little tired, but more so, determined and confident. I reached out to smooth his furrowed brow and said softly, "Go ahead. I'll wait for you in the palace."

He held my hand, kissed the back of it gently, then turned and strode away. His back was straight and resolute, like a god of war about to rush off to the battlefield.

I watched him leave, my heart filled with worry and uneasiness. But I believed in him, believed that he would return victorious, and believed that he would protect our home and our love.

The moonlight was like water, falling quietly, stretching my figure to be particularly slender. I looked up at the sky, and the bright moon was still as bright as ever, as if silently telling something.

"Wait for me, Youcai..." I muttered to myself, with a determined light in my eyes.