From cute to empress

Chapter 42 Taking advantage of the situation

Zhen Youcai's words resonated like thunder in my ears. Minister Wang, hadn't he always supported the Crown Prince? How could he be involved with Eunuch Zheng? Could it be... a terrifying thought suddenly flashed through my mind. Could it be that they were plotting a rebellion?

"No, I have to go and take a look!" I stood up suddenly, but was stopped by Zhen Youcai.

"Your Majesty, calm down! Going now will only alert the enemy!" Zhen Youcai said anxiously, "Don't worry, I've arranged for people to secretly monitor them. If there's any movement, we'll know immediately."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. "You're right, I was too impulsive." I sat down slowly and rubbed my temples. "What should we do now?"

Zhen Youcai pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, we might as well take advantage of their strategy..."

For the next few days, I handled government affairs and appeased the harem as usual, as if nothing had happened. But only Zhen Youcai and I knew that a bigger storm was brewing.

We secretly investigated Eunuch Zheng and discovered that he had been exchanging letters with the Third Prince, who was on the run. Minister Wang was the Third Prince's confidant. When the Third Prince's rebellion failed, Minister Wang was also implicated and demoted to a minor official. Now it seems that he wants to make a comeback by relying on the Third Prince's power.

"This eunuch Zheng is really a fence-sitter. He will side with whichever side is in power." I sneered, already having a plan in mind.

"What does Your Majesty plan to do?" Zhen Youcai asked.

"Since they want to put on a show, let's play along!" A gleam of light flashed in my eyes. "Go find a few smart palace maids, and starting tomorrow, let them..."

I whispered a few words into Zhen Youcai's ear. After listening, he showed a look of surprise on his face and then nodded in agreement.

The next day, I took a stroll in the Imperial Garden and casually mentioned, "Hey, I don't know who leaked the news that the Fourth Prince is interested..."

I deliberately lowered my voice and did not continue speaking, but Eunuch Zheng who was hiding in the dark heard it clearly. He quickly passed the news to Minister Wang.

"It seems Niu Mengmeng has also started to doubt me." I sneered in my heart, "Then I'll let you add fuel to the fire and muddy the waters completely."

"The Emperor has arrived!" Just then, the eunuch's shrill voice came from a distance. I looked up and saw the emperor walking slowly towards me, surrounded by a group of eunuchs and palace maids.

"My dear concubine, what are you talking about?" The emperor walked to my side and asked with a smile.

"I am discussing with Commander Zhen how to capture the two traitors, the Third Prince and Grand Tutor Li." I smiled slightly and calmly turned the topic to the Third Prince.

"Hmph, these two traitors, I will bring them to justice sooner or later!" The emperor was indeed enraged by me. He gritted his teeth and said, "Don't worry, my beloved concubine, I will definitely give you an explanation!"

I was secretly delighted. It seemed my plan was already half successful...

In the following days, I, like a cunning fox, laid a tight net in the harem. I deliberately selected some sharp-tongued young palace maids and let them "accidentally" talk about some "secrets" near my bedroom.

"Hey, have you heard? The Empress has been summoning Commander Zhen in the middle of the night lately, and the two of them talk for most of the night. What do you think of them..."

"Shh, keep your voice down! This is a palace secret. If someone hears it, watch out for your head!"

"What are you afraid of? I heard it from my cousin. She works in the imperial kitchen and saw with her own eyes that the Empress rewarded Commander Zhen with a bowl of ginseng soup. That's..."

Hiding behind the beaded curtain, I listened to their vivid descriptions, and the corners of my mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly. These words naturally didn't escape the ears of Eunuch Zheng, and I could already imagine his face twisted with excitement.

To make the scene more realistic, I even had Zhen Youcai sneak into my bedroom late at night, dressed in night clothes. Of course, all this was done for Eunuch Zheng to see.

"My Lady, have you really decided to do this?" Zhen Youcai looked at me, his eyes full of worry. "What if we alert the enemy..."

"Don't worry, everything is under my control." I smiled confidently, "I have already arranged everything, you just need to follow my instructions."

Zhen Youcai nodded, turned, and disappeared into the night. I knew he would set up a trap outside the city, waiting for the Third Prince and Grand Tutor Li to fall into it.

That night, I lay in bed, unable to sleep. The moonlight streamed through the window lattice onto my face, reflecting my complex emotions. I was eager for my plan to succeed, yet also worried about its failure.

"Empress, are you asleep?" At this moment, Xiaolian's voice came from outside the door.

"Come in." I sat up and said softly.

Xiaolian came in carrying a bowl of steaming bird's nest porridge and said, "My Lady, you haven't eaten much all day. Please eat something."

I took the bird's nest porridge, took a sip, and asked, "Is there any movement outside?"

Xiaolian shook her head and said, "No, everything is very peaceful."

"Calm..." I put down the bowl and muttered to myself, "I hope this storm will be even more severe..."

Eunuch Zheng acted even faster than I imagined. Within three days, news arrived from outside the capital: The Third Prince and Grand Tutor Li were leading the remnants of their forces in rebellion, intending to capture the capital!

"Empress! Something terrible has happened! The Third Prince has rebelled!" Xiaolian ran into my bedroom in a panic, her face pale.

I feigned composure, setting down the teacup in my hand, and asked calmly, "Oh? What's the panic? How many troops do they have? Where are they now?"

"Your Majesty, I heard that there are 50,000 troops and they are now at the gates of the city!" Xiaolian's voice was filled with tears.

I sneered inwardly. Fifty thousand? Just a bunch of them, how dare they come and die? I slowly stood up and said to Xiaolian, "Pass the word down. I will personally go to the tower to supervise the battle!"

"Your Majesty! You absolutely cannot do that!" Xiaolian exclaimed, "How can you put yourself in danger when you are so precious?"

I patted her hand and soothed her, "Don't worry, I know what to do."

After saying that, I took a team of guards and went straight to the city wall.

On the city wall, Zhen Youcai, clad in silver armor and looking valiant, was commanding the imperial guards to fend off the rebels. Seeing me approach, he quickly stepped forward and saluted, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Empress!"

"My dear, please stand up." I nodded, walked to the edge of the city wall, and looked down. I saw a dark mass of rebel soldiers below the city wall. They all had ferocious faces, like a group of ferocious jackals.

"Commander Zhen, what's the situation?" I asked in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty, the rebels are coming with great force, but fortunately we are well prepared and they cannot attack us for the time being." Zhen Youcai replied.

"Yes." I nodded. "Pass the order down, tell the soldiers to hold the city gates and wait for reinforcements to arrive!"

"Yes!"

For the next several hours, we commanded the battle from the tower. The rebels launched attack after attack, but were always repelled by our brave Imperial Guards. As the sky darkened and the rebel offensive gradually weakened, I saw a familiar figure emerge from the rebel camp.

"It's Eunuch Zheng!" I pointed at the figure and said to Zhen Youcai beside me.

"Your Highness, you have good eyesight!" Zhen Youcai looked in the direction of my finger and saw that it was indeed Eunuch Zheng. He sneered and said, "It seems that this old dog is indeed in collusion with the Third Prince!"

"Hmph, I knew it!" I snorted coldly, "Pass the order down. Eunuch Zheng must be captured alive. I will personally interrogate him!"

As night fell, the cries of battle outside the city gradually died down, leaving only a few torches flickering in the wind. Standing atop the city walls, I gazed at the captured rebels below, but I felt no sense of relief. Eunuch Zheng was brought to me, bound and tied up. His once meticulously styled hair was disheveled, his ornate eunuch attire stained with dust, making him look disheveled.

"Eunuch Zheng, do you admit your guilt?" I looked down at him with a cold tone.

Eunuch Zheng raised his head, a flicker of resentment flashing across his eyes, but it quickly vanished, replaced by a pitiful expression. "I am wronged! Your Majesty, I am loyal to the Emperor and hold you in high esteem. How could I have done such a treasonous act?"

"At this point, are you still trying to quibble?" I snorted coldly. "You colluded with the Third Prince, working from within and without, to plot a rebellion. The evidence is there, and you still want to deny it?"

Eunuch Zheng shuddered, then collapsed to the ground, weeping bitterly, "Your Majesty, please spare me! I was confused for a moment, blinded by greed. Please, Your Majesty, spare me this time, considering my many years of service to the Emperor!"

I watched him act out coldly, feeling no emotion. This old fox wouldn't reveal his true colors until the very last moment.

"Eunuch Zheng, do you think I'll believe you just because you say that?" I walked up to him, squatted down, and looked him straight in the eye. "You'd better tell me honestly who ordered you to do this and who's behind you. Then maybe I'll consider leaving your body intact."

My words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Eunuch Zheng's ears. His face turned pale in an instant, and his eyes flickered. It was obvious that my words had hit a sore spot.

"Your Majesty, I...I really don't know!" Eunuch Zheng was still making his last struggle.

I stood up, no longer looking at him, and said to Zhen Youcai beside me, "Commander Zhen, it seems that Eunuch Zheng won't cry until he sees the coffin. Then please treat Eunuch Zheng well. I believe you will make him speak."

Zhen Youcai understood and bowed to me and said, "I obey your order!" After that, he ordered people to drag Eunuch Zheng away.

I watched Eunuch Zheng being dragged away, a cold glint in my eyes. I wanted to see who was stirring up trouble behind the scenes, trying to overturn everything I had worked so hard to build!

"Your Majesty, do you really believe that Eunuch Zheng will reveal the person behind this?" Zhen Youcai walked up to me and asked in a low voice.

I shook my head, a meaningful smile on my face. "Whether he will tell me or not is actually not important..."

"Then your Majesty..." Zhen Youcai looked at me in confusion.

I turned and looked towards the direction of the palace, my eyes deep: "Some things have to be done by someone, right?"