From cute to empress

Chapter 125 Rebuilding Home

I got up before dawn. After reviewing the memorial, I handed it to Yuehua and gently rubbed my sore temples.

"Your Majesty, it's time for you to rest." Yuehua took the memorial and looked at me worriedly. Since the end of the border war, I have been more diligent and have hardly had a good rest.

"I'm fine." I shook my head, walked to the window, and looked at the sky gradually brightening in the distance. "The post-war reconstruction work on the border has just begun. I can't slack off."

Thinking of the memorial submitted by Zhen Youcai yesterday, I am filled with worry. Although the war is over, the border areas are devastated, the people are displaced, the fields are barren, and everything needs to be rebuilt.

"Yuehua, convey my order and summon General Zhen to the palace immediately!" I turned around, with a determined light flashing in my eyes.

In less than half an hour, Zhen Youcai arrived, dusty and exhausted. He was dressed in armor and looked very heroic, but his face was full of fatigue.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." He knelt on one knee and saluted with his fists clasped.

"No need to be polite, my dear." I hurried forward to help him up. "I already know the situation on the border. Thank you for your hard work."

"It is my humble servant's duty to share your majesty's worries," Zhen Youcai said solemnly. "I have drawn up a reconstruction plan. Please review it, Your Majesty."

I took the plan he handed me and read it carefully. It was very detailed, covering everything from house reconstruction and farmland reclamation to business recovery and educational development. It was obvious that Zhen Youcai had put a lot of thought into it.

"This plan is excellent, and I'm very satisfied." I nodded in approval. "However, the borderlands are vast and sparsely populated, and much remains to be rebuilt. The imperial court alone will likely struggle to complete the reconstruction work in such a short period of time."

"Your Majesty, what you said is absolutely correct." Zhen Youcai pondered for a moment and said, "I suggest that we mobilize the local people to participate in the reconstruction work. At the same time, we can also call on merchants from all over to invest and start businesses in the border areas. This way, the reconstruction work can be completed more quickly."

I looked at him with admiration. "Your words are quite true, my dear minister. Let us do as you say. I will issue an order to fully support the reconstruction work on the border."

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace!" A hint of excitement flashed in Zhen Youcai's eyes.

"Oh, by the way," I asked, as if suddenly remembering something, "How are Village Chief Wu and Village Master Ma? They have made great contributions to suppressing the rebellion, and I want to reward them handsomely."

"Your Majesty, Village Chief Wu and Village Master Ma are both doing well. They heard that I will be going to the palace to see Your Majesty, so they asked me to send their regards to Your Majesty."

"Alright, once the situation on the border stabilizes, I'll go there in person to thank them in person." I gazed out the window, my eyes determined. The first rays of dawn filtered through the window lattice into my chambers. I was fully dressed and ready to depart. Today, I would embark on a journey to the border, witnessing firsthand this war-torn land and the people who, amidst the ruins, had rekindled hope.

"Your Majesty, do you really not need me to accompany you?" Zhen Youcai asked with a little concern.

"No need. Just focus on handling the affairs of the court. I am very relieved that you and Village Chief Wu and the others are taking care of the border." I patted his shoulder and signaled him not to worry.

This time, I traveled incognito, traveling with only Yuehua and a few guards, keeping my entourage small and simple, hoping to more deeply experience the people's sentiments. Along the way, once-thriving towns were reduced to rubble, fields barren, and the scars of war were visible everywhere. My heart tightened with the sight before me.

When I arrived at Village Chief Wu's village, the villagers were building simple houses on the ruins. When they saw me, they were stunned and then fell to their knees.

"Common people see you, Your Majesty!"

"Everyone, get up. No need to be so polite." I hurried forward to help an elderly woman up. Looking at her weather-beaten face, my eyes couldn't help but moisten. "Old lady, you have suffered a lot these days."

The old man shook my hand tremblingly, tears glistening in his cloudy eyes: "Your Majesty, you are finally here. Seeing that you are safe and sound, I am relieved..."

I sat with the villagers and asked them in detail about their living conditions and the difficulties they were facing in rebuilding their homes. Funding shortages, food insecurity, collapsed houses... Each of these problems weighed heavily on my heart like a huge rock.

"Your Majesty, don't worry, we will definitely overcome the difficulties and rebuild our home!" Village Chief Wu said firmly, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"Okay! I believe you!" I nodded vigorously, and a warm feeling surged in my heart.

After leaving the village, I rushed to other places without stopping. Wherever I went, I would have cordial exchanges with local people, understand their needs, and encourage them to actively rebuild their homes.

Along the way, I've witnessed the pain of war, but also the resilience of the people and their hope for the future. I know the road to reconstruction will be long and arduous, but I believe that as long as we work together, we will overcome all difficulties and restore vitality to this land.

"Your Majesty, Majiazhai is ahead." Yuehua said, pointing to a mountain village in the distance.

I looked up and saw that the stronghold was built on the hillside, easy to defend and difficult to attack, but now it was in ruins. Suddenly, a burst of rapid horse hooves sounded, and my heart tightened...

"Who are you coming?" A rough voice came from far away and stopped in front of us accompanied by the sound of horse hooves.

I looked closely and saw that the man was a burly man with a full beard and a scimitar on his waist. Behind him was a group of strong men riding horses, all of them looking alert.

"This is the current emperor. Why don't you dismount and pay your respects immediately!" Yuehua stepped forward and said loudly.

"Son of Heaven?" The man was clearly a little unconvinced. He looked me up and down, his tone tinged with suspicion. "In this world, who knows if it's true or not? If you say he's the Son of Heaven, then he's the Son of Heaven?"

"How dare you! How dare you disrespect His Majesty!" The guards immediately drew their swords, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

"Stop!" I raised my hand to stop the guard, then calmly dismounted and walked up to the man. "You are the leader of the Ma Village, right? I'm on this incognito tour to understand the situation on the border, not to offend."

"You..." The Ma Village Chief obviously didn't expect me to be so calm. He was stunned for a moment, then said in a rough voice, "Even if you are the real Son of Heaven, we in the Ma Family Village do not welcome you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of agreement echoed behind him. "I understand that they harbor resentment towards the court, and resolving this resentment will not be easy."

"I know you lost your homes in the war and are dissatisfied with the court." I looked directly at the Ma Village Master and said sincerely, "But I can assure you that I will do my best to help you rebuild your homes!"

"That's a nice thing to say!" A young man rushed out from the crowd, pointing at me and glaring. "Where were you when the barbarians invaded? When our loved ones were killed and our homes burned down, what were you doing?"

His words resonated with the people around him, and a roar of anger suddenly broke out in the crowd.

I remained silent. Faced with their questioning, I could not refute it because those were all facts.

"I know the mistakes of the past cannot be undone." I took a deep breath and spoke firmly, "But I hope you can believe that I am different from those foolish and incompetent kings. I sincerely want to help you and restore the peace of the border!"

I looked around at everyone, taking in their expressions. I knew that it would take time to completely eliminate their doubts and resentment, but I would not give up. I would prove my determination with practical actions.

"Your Majesty..." At this time, the voice of Village Chief Wu came from the outside of the crowd, "Your Majesty, you are here!"

I turned around and saw Village Chief Wu coming over with a group of villagers, followed by several horse-drawn carriages loaded with food and clothing.

"Village Chief Wu, why are you here?" I was a little surprised.

"Your Majesty, I heard you were in Majiazhai, so I quickly brought the villagers over to help." Village Chief Wu pointed to the carriage behind him and said, "These are our little gifts. We hope they can help the villagers of Majiazhai overcome their difficulties."

The village chief looked at the food and clothes with an expression of disbelief on his face. He turned to look at me and opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

"Master Ma, please believe me. We will definitely help you rebuild your home." I walked over and handed him a letter. "This is my personal letter to the Minister of Revenue. He will allocate funds and supplies to support the reconstruction work on the border."

The village chief took the letter, his rough fingers trembling slightly. He looked up at me, his eyes gleaming with complex emotions. After a long moment, he finally spoke...

"Your Majesty..." The village chief's voice was a little choked, and he nodded vigorously, "I believe you!"

His words seemed to break down a barrier, and the tense atmosphere instantly dissipated. The villagers of Majiazhai laid down their weapons, expressions of shame and gratitude on their faces.

"Long live His Majesty!" Village chief Wu took the lead in kneeling, and the villagers behind him followed suit. The roar of thunder and sea echoed throughout the valley.

I reached out and helped Village Chief Wu up, smiling and saying, "Everyone, get up. We're all family from now on. No need to be so polite."

I turned to look at Zhen Youcai. He was looking at me tenderly, his eyes full of admiration and love. My heart warmed, and I walked over and naturally took his hand.

"You are talented. This time, thanks to you for arriving in time, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous."

"It is my honor to share your majesty's worries." Zhen Youcai smiled slightly, and the tenderness in his eyes almost melted me.

"Okay, let's go and see the situation in Majiazhai first." I took Zhen Youcai's hand and walked towards the leader of Majiazhai.

In the next few days, Zhen Youcai and I visited various villages in the border areas to understand the suffering of the people, comfort their emotions, and develop a detailed reconstruction plan.

I discovered that Zhen Youcai was not only brave and skilled on the battlefield, but also displayed remarkable talent in handling government affairs. He was thoughtful and considerate, and he always offered practical suggestions that benefited me greatly.

We discussed reconstruction plans together, toured the disaster area together, and comforted the people together... After experiencing these hardships together, our feelings for each other have become deeper and our understanding has become more complete.

"Mengmeng, are you tired?" One evening, we walked side by side on the ridge of the field. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on us, giving us a layer of golden light.

"Not bad." I shook my head, looking at the vibrant scene before me, my heart filled with hope. "Seeing the lives of the people in the border areas gradually return to normal, all the hardship and fatigue are worth it."

"Yes, it's all worth it." Zhen Youcai looked at me affectionately and suddenly reached out to hug me. "Mengmeng, thank you. Thank you for everything you have done for me and for the people of the world."

I leaned in his arms, listening to his strong heartbeat, and felt a sense of peace and happiness in my heart.

"Youcai, you know, actually I..." I raised my head, wanting to tell him that I came from another world, and wanted to tell him all the secrets deep in my heart.

However, before I could finish my words, I was interrupted by the sound of rapid horse hooves...