From cute to empress

Chapter 110: A Splendid Era

Golden sunlight bathed the entire palace. Colorful flags fluttered above the carved beams and painted buildings, and a festive atmosphere permeated the air. Today was my coronation ceremony, and it was also the day I fulfilled my promise to him and the people of the world.

Dressed in splendid attire and crowned with a phoenix, I ascended the stage, gazing down at the sea of ​​people below. The common people cheered with joy, their faces brimming with happiness. The envoys from various countries stood respectfully, their eyes brimming with admiration. I took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil within me, and spoke slowly, "Today I ascend the throne as Emperor, and I will..."

My voice was clear and firm, echoing throughout the square. I promised my people that I would be a diligent and caring emperor, leading them to a more glorious future. My gaze swept across the expectant faces, finally settling on a figure in the crowd.

He was dressed in military uniform, his posture erect, like a sword unsheathed, its edge exposed. His gaze followed me the entire time, the tenderness and pride in his eyes seemingly melting all the coldness of the world. My heart, in that moment, settled.

"Your Majesty, Princess Wang has requested an audience. She has something important to report." Eunuch Li's voice rang out again, and I frowned slightly. Princess Wang is a member of the royal family, always arrogant and domineering. Why would she suddenly request an audience today? "Let her in," I said calmly, a hint of uneasiness rising in my heart.

Princess Wang, dressed in a gorgeous palace dress, walked gracefully, supported by her maids. A subtle smile adorned her face, but her eyes shone with an unfathomable light. "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. May your Majesty be blessed with good health." After paying her respects, Princess Wang didn't stand. Instead, she raised her head, looked me straight in the eye, and spoke slowly, "Your Majesty, I have come today to present you with a great gift..."

Her tone was filled with strangeness, and before I could think about it, there was a sudden commotion in the square. Then, exclamations and screams followed one after another: "Fire! Fire!"

I whipped my head around and saw smoke billowing in the distance, flames shooting up into the sky, illuminating half the sky red. My heart sank, and a sense of foreboding washed over me. Princess Wang watched all this, her smile growing ever more eerie.

"You did it?" My voice was as cold as ice.

Princess Wang didn't answer, but simply laughed to the sky, a laugh filled with madness and despair. I suppressed my rage, turned to Eunuch Li, and gave a solemn order, "Pass on my order. Send someone to put out the fire immediately. We must minimize the damage!"

"As you command!" Eunuch Li took his orders and left. I watched the flames rising into the sky in the distance, my unease growing stronger. This fire had come too suddenly, too strangely, and it was definitely not just an accident.

My gaze fell on Princess Wang again, a cold glint in my eyes. Who was she? What did she want to do?

"Come, take Princess Wang down!" I gave the order, and the guards immediately stepped forward and surrounded Princess Wang. Princess Wang didn't resist, but just laughed loudly, her laughter full of provocation and pride.

"Niu Mengmeng, who do you think you are? Do you really think you can change all this? You are wrong, absolutely wrong!" Princess Wang's eyes suddenly became resentful and crazy. "You will regret this, you will definitely regret it!"

I looked at her coldly, saying nothing. I knew there must be a huge conspiracy behind this, and I had to find out the truth as soon as possible to protect my country, my people, and... him.

"Your Majesty, the auspicious time has arrived. Shall we begin the celebration?" The Minister of Rites' voice brought me back from my thoughts. I took a deep breath, suppressed my anxiety and anger, and slowly stood up.

"Let's start." I said lightly, my eyes firm and calm.

Today is my coronation ceremony. I cannot be affected by anything. I want the whole world to know that I, Niu Mengmeng, am the master of this world, and no one can shake my position!

As the music started, I walked down the platform step by step and headed towards the center of the square. I knew that all this had just begun...

He was dressed in military uniform, his posture erect, like a sword unsheathed, its edge exposed. At this moment, he was riding on a tall horse, leading a mighty and majestic army, slowly approaching.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The clatter of their marching footsteps was like a hammer striking at everyone's heart. The soldiers were all in high spirits, their eyes determined, their weapons gleaming coldly in the sunlight, demonstrating the army's invincible momentum.

The envoys from various countries stood up and stared at the army intently, their eyes filled with shock and awe. They had never seen such a powerful army with such high morale, which made them full of fear and awe for this new empire.

After the military parade, there was a dazzling array of cultural performances. Graceful dances, melodious songs, and breathtaking acrobatics all showcased the country's profound cultural heritage and the wisdom and talent of its people.

The envoys from various countries were mesmerized by the performance and could not help but exclaim in admiration. They had never seen such a wonderful performance before, and it aroused their strong interest in the culture of this ancient oriental country.

"Your Majesty, Princess Wang requests an audience." Eunuch Li's voice rang in my ears. I nodded slightly, motioning for him to bring Princess Wang up.

Princess Wang was dressed in a simple, elegant palace dress today, with a graceful smile on her face, a trace of her previous arrogance gone. After bowing to me, she volunteered to serve as the ceremony's ceremonial officer, responsible for entertaining envoys from various countries.

I readily agreed and gave her the task. Princess Wang did not disappoint me. With her outstanding diplomatic skills and elegant conversation, she entertained the envoys from various countries with great care, winning their recognition.

Looking at the confident and dazzling Princess Wang in front of me, I suddenly had a premonition: Perhaps, she will become a great help to me in governing the country in the future.

I raised my glass, about to toast everyone, when I suddenly felt a strange gaze fall upon me. I followed that gaze and saw Princess Wang standing not far away, looking at me with a complicated expression. There seemed to be a subtle... smile at the corner of her mouth. I raised my glass, and the golden liquid shimmered in the sunlight, just like our current mood, filled with joy and hope. "Today, let us raise our glasses together. Cheers to our great country and our happy lives!"

"Cheers!" Everyone responded in unison, the sound was deafening and echoed over the palace for a long time.

I noticed that Princess Wang spoke with ease and grace with several foreign envoys, clearly conveying our nation's culture and ideals. The envoys' initially scrutinizing and skeptical gazes gradually softened, even to a touch of admiration. It seemed Princess Wang had truly grown. She was no longer the headstrong princess, but a capable and independent court lady.

I glanced to the side and spotted the wealthy businessman Zhang in the crowd. He too was dressed in his finest attire, his face etched with unconcealed joy and excitement. After the ceremony, he stepped onto the podium and announced in front of everyone that he would donate a large sum of money to build water conservancy projects, establish schools, and establish a relief fund to assist those in need.

His words immediately drew cheers from the audience. I saw tears in Mr. Zhang's eyes, and I knew he was doing this not just for his own business, but also for this country and the people of this land.

As night fell, the celebration came to a close amidst laughter and joy. I took off my heavy phoenix crown, changed into light casual clothes, and prepared to go for a walk outside the palace.

"Are you going out?" Zhen Youcai walked into my bedroom and was a little surprised to see how I was dressed.

"Well, I want to go and see it, to feel this grand night." I said with a smile, "You can come with me."

"Okay." Zhen Youcai did not refuse. He took my hand and led me out of the palace.

The capital city, ablaze with lights and bustling with people, was filled with a festive and peaceful atmosphere. We walked side by side on the streets, listening to the people's discussions about today's celebrations and feeling their heartfelt joy and pride.

"Mengmeng," Zhen Youcai suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at me affectionately, "You've worked hard."

I knew he was referring to all I'd done for the country and its people over the years. I shook my head and smiled, saying, "As long as I can see the people live and work in peace and contentment, and the country prosper, all the hard work is worth it."

He held me in his arms, and my head rested gently on his chest. Listening to his strong heartbeat, I felt a sense of satisfaction and happiness that I had never felt before.

"Let's go," I raised my head and looked into his eyes, "let's go over there and take a look."

I pointed to a brightly lit area not far away. There… there was a bustling crowd, filled with laughter and joy. It turned out to be a stage set up, where a festive play was being performed. We walked hand in hand to the back of the crowd, quietly watching the actors' exaggerated performances and the smiles on the people's faces, our hearts at peace.

"I never thought that the once timid Niu Mengmeng could become the king of a country now." Zhen Youcai sighed, with a hint of teasing in his tone, but it could not hide his deep pride.

I gently hit his chest and said angrily, "Why, are you only now realizing how wise and powerful your queen is?"

Zhen Youcai laughed heartily, hugged me in his arms, and whispered in my ear, "Yes, my queen is not only wise and brave, but also beautiful and kind. She is a unique treasure in this world."

My cheeks flushed slightly, but my heart felt as sweet as honey. Yes, we have walked through so many storms and hardships together, and now we have finally reaped the rewards of our hard work. What could be more comforting than this?

We just hugged each other quietly, enjoying this rare peace and happiness. The cheers of the people around us and the singing of the actors on the stage seemed to become the most beautiful background music, highlighting the tacit understanding and deep affection between us that needed no words.

"Mengmeng, have you ever thought about what we will be like in the future?" Zhen Youcai asked softly in my ear after a long time.

I looked up at the starry sky, and a vision of us growing old together, surrounded by our children and grandchildren, emerged in my mind. I smiled and said, "In the future, I only hope that the country will enjoy long-term peace and stability, that the people can live and work in peace, and that we..."

Before I could finish my words, I was interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps. A guard hurried over and knelt before us in a panic. "Your Majesty, Lord Liu wishes to see you regarding something important!"

My heart trembled, and I had a vague feeling of foreboding. Minister Liu was always calm and experienced. If it wasn't an extremely urgent matter, he would never bother me at this time.

I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the uneasiness in my heart, and said to Zhen Youcai, "It seems that tonight is destined to be a restless night. Let's go back and take a look."

Zhen Youcai held my hand tightly, nodded firmly, and turned with me, walking towards the palace. I knew that no matter what happened, he would be by my side, facing it together.

Back in the Imperial Study, Minister Liu had been waiting for a long time. His face was pale, and beads of sweat covered his forehead. Upon seeing us enter, he immediately knelt down and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty... something terrible has happened! I... I have received a secret report..."