From cute to empress

Chapter 335: The Road to Glory, Love and Courage

Morning light streamed into my chambers through the window lattice, but I had no time to appreciate this moment of tranquility. Youcai's words from last night kept echoing in my ears, and a lingering sense of unease lingered. After a quick breakfast, I hurried to the throne room.

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

Civil and military officials had already gathered in the hall. Amidst the thunderous greetings, I stepped steadily onto the imperial steps. My eyes swept over the familiar faces, but my heart inexplicably felt heavy.

"Everyone loves you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"I'm sure you all already know what this morning's court is about." I glanced around with a sharp gaze. "I want to hear the truth. There's no need to be formal; speak freely!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Minister of War stepped forward and reported: "Your Majesty, I have heard that in recent days, a large number of envoys from various countries have suddenly appeared near our border. They are carrying a large number of rare treasures. Their purpose is probably..."

He hesitated, but I understood his meaning. Over the years, our great nation has grown increasingly powerful, and it's only natural that neighboring nations have coveted our territory. But, did they choose to come at this time? Was it simply to congratulate us, or did they have some other agenda?

"Report——"

A guard quickly ran into the hall and knelt down to report: "Your Majesty, envoys from various countries have arrived outside the palace gates and request an audience!"

I exchanged glances with Youcai and said in a deep voice, "Xuan!"

Soon, envoys from various countries filed in. They were dressed in gorgeous attire and had different demeanors, but without exception, they all carried valuable gifts. After a series of elaborate formalities, the envoys expressed their respect and congratulations to my country, their words filled with friendship and goodwill.

The banquet was held in the Imperial Garden, filled with singing and dancing, clinking glasses, and a peaceful atmosphere. Youcai and I shuttled among the envoys from various countries, chatting and laughing, demonstrating the demeanor of a great nation.

However, just as the atmosphere was harmonious, an envoy from the Beiming Kingdom suddenly stood up, raised his glass to me, and said, "Your Majesty, I have come here this time not only to congratulate your country on its prosperity, but also to ask for a favor..."

He paused, a sly look flashing in his eyes. "My Beiming Nation has long heard that your silk and tea are world-renowned. We hope to reach an agreement with you to purchase them at a low price every year..."

I put down my wine glass, my smile fading slightly. The Beiming envoys' intentions were obvious. Their real purpose was to use this opportunity to drive down prices in our country and profit from it.

"The envoy is joking," I said gently, but with undeniable determination. "Our country's silk and tea are both of the highest quality, their value far beyond monetary measure. If your country truly wishes to purchase them, you should clearly mark the price and conduct a fair transaction."

The Beiming envoy's face froze. He was about to say something, but Youcai, standing beside me, spoke first. He raised his glass and said with a hearty laugh, "Your Excellency, you've come a long way and must have had a hard time. Why don't you first taste the fine wines and delicacies of our great nation? We can discuss other matters later."

Youcai deftly resolved the awkwardness, and the envoy from Beiming Kingdom had to give up. However, from his gloomy expression, it could be seen that he had not given up his intention.

After the banquet, I returned to my chambers, still feeling unhappy. I knew that today's events were just the beginning, and other countries might make similar requests. I had to find a way to respond.

"What are you thinking about?" Youcai pushed the door open and saw that I was frowning, and asked with concern.

I told him what happened at the banquet today and expressed my concerns.

"Don't worry, I'm well prepared." Youcai smiled confidently and handed me a secret letter. "I've already arranged for someone to secretly investigate the background of these envoys. I'll also meet with them privately tonight to sound out their concerns."

I took the secret letter and felt a sense of relief. I knew that with Youcai around, I didn't need to worry too much. He always offered guidance when I was lost.

Over the next few days, I negotiated with envoys from various countries while secretly observing their actions. As I expected, other countries also made various demands, attempting to gain benefits from our great nation. However, I had already made every possible preparation and skillfully employed diplomatic tactics to both safeguard my nation's dignity and avoid direct conflict with the envoys.

At the same time, Youcai also communicated privately with other envoys to understand their true intentions and to exploit conflicts between countries to gain more support for China. Thanks to his efforts, some countries that were originally hostile to my country began to change their attitudes and expressed their willingness to coexist with my country in a friendly manner.

Just when I thought this diplomatic crisis was about to be resolved smoothly, an envoy from the Western Regions revealed a secret about a neighboring country to me during a private meeting...

"Your Majesty, there are some things I shouldn't say, but I..." His face was solemn and he seemed to be hesitant to speak.

"Please speak freely, envoy," I put down the teacup in my hand and motioned for him to continue. "I forgive you."

He took a deep breath and lowered his voice, saying, "Your Majesty, I accidentally learned on my way here that the Southern Xinjiang State, which borders our country, has been secretly gathering troops recently. It seems... it seems that they are eyeing our country covetously."

I was shocked, but kept my composure and asked, "Is this true?"

"Absolutely true!" the envoy said confidently. "I've seen with my own eyes that the number of troops stationed on the border of Southern Xinjiang has more than doubled compared to before. Moreover, they are stepping up the production of weapons and training of soldiers. All signs indicate that they may launch a war soon!"

After sending the envoys away, I immediately summoned Youcai to the palace and informed him of the matter. He too had a solemn expression, pacing back and forth, lost in thought.

"It seems the challenge we face is even more severe than we imagined." After a long pause, he finally spoke, "These envoys appear respectful to us, but in reality, they have ulterior motives. We must be on guard."

I nodded, deeply agreeing. These past few days, I'd been dealing with these envoys and had long sensed the undercurrents surging among them, but I hadn't imagined such a massive crisis lay hidden behind them.

"But you don't need to worry too much," Youcai held my hand and said firmly, "We are fully prepared. No matter what happens, I will be by your side and we will face it together."

His words were like a guiding force, calming my flustered heart. Yes, no matter how difficult and arduous the road ahead, as long as we work together, we can overcome all difficulties.

In the days that followed, we feigned peace with envoys from various nations, while secretly strengthening our defenses and actively preparing for war. I ordered the conscription of soldiers and intensified their training. I also ordered the repair of the city walls and the storage of food and fodder to prepare for the possible war.

Youcai used his extraordinary wisdom and diplomatic skills to maneuver between countries, dismantle their alliances, and win more allies for us. He knew that if war broke out, it would be difficult for us to compete with the powerful Southern Xinjiang Kingdom on our own, and we must unite with other countries to achieve ultimate victory.

Thanks to his efforts, some small countries that had originally submitted to the Southern Xinjiang Kingdom also began to show goodwill to us and expressed their willingness to form an alliance with us to jointly resist the invasion of the Southern Xinjiang Kingdom.

After a period of effort, we finally resolved the diplomatic crisis and won the respect and trust of the envoys. Envoys from various countries expressed their willingness to strengthen friendly exchanges with my country and jointly promote peace and development.

However, just when I thought everything was settled, the envoy from the Western Regions asked for a meeting again.

"Your Majesty," he said solemnly, pulling out a secret letter from his bosom. "This is sent to you by a spy I planted in Southern Xinjiang at the risk of my life. Please review it, Your Majesty."

I took the letter, unfolded it, and my expression suddenly became extremely solemn. The letter contained only one sentence:

"Three days later, at midnight..."