From cute to empress

Chapter 191 Trust and Suspicion

"This peace agreement," I said slowly, my voice low but loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly, "is for the benefit of all people in the world..."

"That's nonsense!" Grand Tutor Zhang stood up suddenly, pointed at my nose, and said in a trembling voice, "You are being too soft-hearted! Too soft-hearted!"

I took a deep breath, suppressing the rage within me, and glanced at the excited crowd below. Grand Tutor Zhang's words undoubtedly represented the sentiments of a large portion of the court, who were accustomed to resolving problems through force and viewed compromise as weakness.

"I know," I said calmly, yet forcefully. "In the eyes of you gentlemen, this treaty may be a humiliating one. But I want to ask: what else has war brought us besides bloodshed and hatred? How many civilians have been displaced, how many families have been torn apart? Do we really want to push more innocent lives onto the battlefield for the sake of so-called dignity?"

My eyes fell on Wang Jianguan. He seemed particularly excited today, holding a scroll of bamboo slips tightly in his hand, as if holding a sharp sword, ready to stab me at any time.

"Lord Wang," I called softly, "you've always been known for your outspokenness and admonition. Why are you so agitated today?"

The Royal Censor raised his head, his eyes filled with grief and disappointment. "Your Majesty, I'm not opposed to peace, but this neighboring country is ruthlessly ambitious. This peace agreement is merely a temporary fix. Sooner or later, they'll return! How will we respond then?"

"Lord Wang is absolutely right," Advisor Liu, who had been silent until then, stood up. He bowed to me and turned to face the crowd. "But this peace agreement doesn't mean we'll just give in. Mutual trade will not only allow us to recuperate and develop our economy, but also give us an opportunity to understand our neighbors' strengths and weaknesses and prepare for the future."

I nodded and motioned for Advisor Liu to continue.

"War consumes national strength and harms people's livelihoods. Rather than exhausting ourselves in endless wars, we should seize the opportunity to develop ourselves. When our country is prosperous and our people are strong, why should we fear foreign invasion?"

Liu Moushi's words were powerful and the court gradually quieted down. Some ministers began to lower their heads in thought.

"Your Majesty," Zhao Bairen, who had been standing silently in the corner, suddenly knelt down. Behind him followed several people dressed in the same way. They were all specially arranged by me to observe the meeting. "Your Majesty, I dare you to put the people of the world first!"

I looked at them with mixed feelings. I knew that the people longed for peace and a stable life.

"I have made up my mind," I took a deep breath and said firmly, "This peace agreement is for the benefit of all people in the world, for lasting peace!"

As soon as I finished speaking, Wang Jianguan suddenly stepped forward and raised the bamboo slips in his hand high. "Your Majesty! Please take a look at this letter from the people! The people..." Wang Jianguan's words were like a boulder, crashing into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand waves. A letter from the people? My heart sank. Could it be true, as Wang Jianguan said, that this peace agreement was unpopular?

"Your Majesty," Advisor Liu lowered his voice and reminded me in my ear, "This matter must be handled with caution." I understood what he meant. This book to all peoples was like a time bomb. If not handled properly, it would destroy everything I had worked so hard for.

"I want to go and see for myself." I stood up, my tone firm. Instead of arguing endlessly in the court, it would be better to go to the people and understand their true thoughts.

Liu, the counselor, looked worried and tried to persuade me again, but I shook my head, reassuring him. I knew that words were powerless at this moment; only actions would speak for themselves.

After leaving the palace, I changed into simple clothes and, accompanied by a few guards, headed for the city's busiest streets. The streets were bustling with people, all struggling to make a living, yet their faces were filled with smiles of contentment.

I walked into a teahouse, ordered a pot of tea, and listened quietly to the conversations of the people around me.

"I heard that the imperial court wants to negotiate peace with neighboring countries?"

"Yeah, I don't know if it's true or not."

"Alas, what's the good of war? It's us ordinary people who suffer."

"That being said, if we negotiate peace, won't we be at the mercy of others?"

I listened to their conversation with mixed feelings. The people longed for peace, but they also worried about the price of peace.

"Sister," I walked over to an aunt who was mending clothes and asked softly, "Do you think this peace talk is a good thing or a bad thing?"

The aunt looked up and saw that I was wearing simple clothes. She didn't recognize me as the current emperor and just sighed: "Girl, you don't know, these days of war are so hard. All the men in the family have been conscripted to fight. We women, children, the elderly and the young can only wait at home, not knowing when we can be reunited as a family..."

I nodded in understanding.

"But," the aunt paused, a hint of worry in her tone, "if we negotiate peace, will the neighboring country make a comeback? What should we do then?"

I looked at the aunt's worried eyes and felt warm in my heart. She was not against peace, but was worried about the fragility of peace.

"Don't worry, big sister," I held her hand, my tone firm, "The court will definitely protect the safety of the people and won't let anyone invade our homeland."

Leaving the teahouse, I walked on the bustling streets, my mind full of thoughts. It's not that the people don't understand the meaning of peace; they just need time to digest and accept it.

"Your Majesty, look..." A guard pointed ahead with a hint of surprise in his tone.

I followed his gaze and saw a group of people gathered not far away, seemingly arguing about something. I walked closer and saw an old man standing in the crowd, holding a scroll of bamboo slips. It was the same book that Wang Jianguan had presented to the court...

The old man, weeping, denounced the various drawbacks of the peace talks, calling it a humiliating treaty that would bring shame to the nation for generations to come. The surrounding people were outraged and echoed his sentiments. My heart tightened. The contents of the Book of Ten Thousand Peoples had been made public, distorted, and incited the people!

"Your Majesty, do you want to..." The guard put his hand on the hilt of the sword and scanned the crowd with a sharp gaze.

"Don't act rashly," I whispered to stop him. "The people are simply deceived. What we should do is to untie their knots."

I pushed through the crowd, walked up to the old man, and asked calmly, "Old man, why do you say that negotiating peace is a loss of sovereignty and a humiliation to the country?"

The old man was obviously not expecting me to show up. He was slightly startled, then pointed at the Book of Nations in my hand and said angrily, "Look for yourself, it's clearly written here!"

I took the Book of Nations and looked at it carefully. It was indeed full of doubts and opposition to the peace talks, but most of them were due to concerns that the neighboring country would break its promise, not that they really wanted to continue the war.

"Old man," I handed the Book of All Peoples back to him, speaking sincerely, "I understand everything you say. The people have worked hard for so many years and long for a stable life. Isn't that the same for me?"

I glanced at the people around me and continued, "Negotiations are meant to avoid further war and sacrifice, to allow the people to live and work in peace, and to make our country more prosperous and strong. I guarantee with my life that I will do my utmost to protect the security of our country and will not allow anyone to invade our homeland!"

My words were so powerful that the crowd gradually quieted down, and many people had a pensive look on their faces.

Meanwhile, Zhen Youcai, far away in the frontier, had also received my message. He knew full well how hard this peace agreement had been to come by, and understood the pressure I was currently facing. While strengthening border defenses to prevent neighboring countries from violating the agreement, he also wrote to Grand Tutor Zhang and Advisor Liu in the imperial court, hoping they could help stabilize the situation.

After receiving the letter, Grand Tutor Zhang and Advisor Liu immediately took action. They actively promoted the benefits of a peace agreement in court, outlining the drawbacks of years of war and highlighting its significance for national development. They also arranged for civilians who had experienced the hardships of war to share their personal experiences in court, attempting to change the ministers' minds.

I know that winning the hearts and minds of the people is not an overnight undertaking, but I will not give up. Every day, I make private visits to the people, in disguise, to understand their true thoughts and do my best to help them resolve their problems. I also regularly invite respected representatives of the people to the palace for long conversations and to listen to their opinions and suggestions.

"Your Majesty, you should rest," the maidservant advised softly, bringing a cup of hot tea.

I took the teacup, took a sip, and gazed out the window at the gradually brightening sky, my heart filled with hope. I believed that as long as I persevered, I would be able to...

"Report—" a guard rushed in, "urgent news from the border!"

I put down my teacup and rubbed my sore eyes. During this time, I've walked nearly every street and alley in the capital, listening to the voices of the people. Thankfully, my efforts have paid off, as more and more people are beginning to understand the value of peace.

"Sister Mengmeng, don't worry! We all trust you!" At the city gate, the old man selling candied haws patted my shoulder with a smile, "You are just too worried about us ordinary people!"

"Yes, Your Majesty has worked hard for us, and we have seen it all!" Several people nearby also echoed.

Looking at their sincere faces, a warm feeling welled up in my heart. I know it will take time for everyone to understand and accept this agreement, but I believe that as long as we persevere, we will be able to dispel their doubts and win their sincere support.

However, fate always seems to like playing jokes.

"Report—" The guard's urgent voice broke the brief silence. He rushed into the hall, sweating profusely, and knelt on one knee. "Your Majesty, urgent news from the border!"

My heart tightened, a sense of foreboding washed over me. The frontier? Could it be...

"Present it quickly!" My voice trembled slightly, but I couldn't hide my inner anxiety.

The guard presented the secret letter to me, and I couldn't wait to open it. The lines of handwriting came into my eyes, but they were like thunderclaps exploding in my ears.

"Neighboring countries' troops are gathering at the border and have repeatedly crossed the line to provoke. General Zhen requests instructions..."

My breathing quickened, my fists clenched tightly, my nails digging deep into my flesh, yet I felt no pain. Our neighboring country was openly provoking us at this very moment. They were testing us, testing whether we had truly laid down our arms, and testing the weight of this peace agreement!

The doubts that had been gradually subsiding, the trust that had just been established, at this moment, were like a sand castle, instantly collapsed by the sudden huge wave...

"Someone!" I stood up suddenly and slammed the secret letter in my hand onto the table. "Pass the order down. Tomorrow morning, I want..."