12. Three days later
13. It's been three whole days... It feels like I've... Gone back to those hellish days again...
14. And I can't exactly tell the little empress that I'm basically the literary star reincarnated.
15. In two more days, if heaven helps me, writing an essay will be like playing around... And
16. To keep the chancellor at ease, not a single one of these watchdogs he planted can be touched. So I have to study my butt off under surveillance...
Memuatkan…Memuatkan…
1. "Order the imperial kitchen to prepare the best dishes and snacks. Ningning needs nourishment while she studies."
2. "Pfft! Didn't I say the water has to have ice? Fine- if it's bland, that won't do either. Switch it to a chilled sour plum drink. Ningning needs it to stay sharp."
3. "And cushions and back support, change it according to ningning's request into that "Ergonomics" thing. Hurry!"
4. "Yes!"
5. "Keep it down. Studying hates being disturbed. Go handle your tasks."
6. "Yes...!"
Memuatkan…Memuatkan…
1. "Seriously, what am I supposed to do with you..."
2. "...if I hadn't been exhausted these past few days dealing with the chancellor, and if ningning weren't studying so hard,"
4. "Then I'd definitely be doing something to you right here... What a shame..."
5. "Your majesty, come and wander this sea of books with me."
1. "In a place where the sages read the classics, isn't that kind of inappropriate?"
2. "Doing immoral things in a sacred place of sages... It's beautiful."
3. "Didn't I tell you to hurry off and do your errands? And to keep your voice down... Hey..."
1. "Zhujun?"
2. "Zhujun? Did something happen?"
3. "Reporting to your majesty: the northern desert envoys have arrived at the palace. The court of diplomatic affairs has settled them at the four directions lodge."
4. "If nothing unexpected happens, they'll be able to listen to your majesty at tomorrow's morning court."
5. "Huh? That fast..."
6. "The northern desert people are here? Who's in charge at the court of diplomatic affairs, someone from han xiao's side?"
1. "Th-this subordinate only knows the ones handling reception are vice minister du song of the court of diplomatic affairs, and zhao qiushui, vice minister of rites."
2. "Du song and zhao qiushui..."
3. "Du song is one of han xiao's faction, and zhao qiushui is even more her trusted aide. Back then, both were officials personally guided and promoted by the chancellor."
4. "But above du song, there should be a chief official-chief envoy si qin."
5. "She's the clan elder sister of si yun, the commander of the imperial guards."
6. "Your majesty really knows your stuff, impressive, impressive."
7. "Ningning, you brat. I swear you're mocking"
1. "Me again!"
2. "Report complete. This subordinate takes leave."
4. Based on han xiao's current intel, huoyu tower hasn't been exposed, yet he doesn't send anyone to contact my people planted in huoyu tower. Huoyu tower has probably become a discarded piece.
5. So next, she'll definitely rely on the northern desert. The tukhara mercenaries in xianyue house also came from the northern desert...
6. But xianyue house's master, yuzhi rouhe, only seems loyal to han xiao, she's actually from the northern border. Now it looks like the northern border and the northern desert are colluding too.
7. I need a way to split these two sides apart...
1. "Mm..."
2. "Your majesty, the day after tomorrow I definitely won't commit the crime of deceiving the ruler. You don't have to worry this much!"
3. "I am worried about you. But what I'm more afraid of is facing the northern desert envoys."
4. "Since I ascended the throne, I've never met any envoys. I only heard father empress talk about it when I was little:"
1. During the wars of the six kingdoms, da feng wasn't that strong yet. Negotiations always meant ceding land, political marriages, or paying tribute.
2. No matter which one, someone would have to suffer.
3. Now I still don't hold real power. If the northern desert envoys make some outrageous demand...
4. "Don't worry, your majesty. With this subject here, I'll never let you lose even a shred of dignity before the northern desert envoys."
6. "And I definitely won't let da feng give up even an inch of land or a sliver of benefit."
7. "Your majesty, don't be afraid. As long as this subject is here, da feng will neither marry off princesses nor pay tribute."
8. "This subject will guard the border with your majesty-"
1. "To live and die with the realm!"
2. "Have some tea, have some tea~"
3. "Damn it! Han xiao actually dares betray the king of zhenbei and secretly collude with the northern desert! How can she be this faithless?!"
1. "Han xiao is vicious. For her own selfish desires, she'll sacrifice anything and she's nothing like you northern border eagles with your backbone."
2. "If you want to go back to the northern border, the only one you can trust now is this commander."
3. "Are you threatening us?"
4. "I could threaten you. But I'm not planning to."
5. "Real allies have never relied on threats."
6. "Come with me. If you can trust me, then tell me what the northern desert people want by coming to da feng, and why the king of zhenbei would rebel."
7. "If you can't, I'll personally escort you back to the northern border."
8. "The person you want me to meet is her?"
10. "Mm."
1. "As you can see, this is a map of da feng and the northern desert. Ningning told me you grew up on the border, so you must've suffered a lot, right?"
2. "Thanks to si yun, we asked her big-sister at the court of diplomatic affairs' chief envoy for intel!"
3. "This is ningyuan city. Before da feng unified the six kingdoms, three large-scale wars and fifteen smaller clashes broke out at this border city. Three thousand six hundred soldiers died,"
4. "The people were displaced, and the number of injured was over ten thousand."
5. "Fusang city. In da feng year one, it was raided by the northern desert. Eight hundred thirty-plus of our people were taken as forced labor."
6. "There's homes were burned, grain was plundered. War broke out, and a thousand northern desert troops were killed."
7. "Here, lanqiao gully, little yu ridge, and feilong pass..."
1. It was only thanks to the king of zhenbei that the two borders finally saw a short peace.
2. "Miss, you look about my age, and you live in the palace. You don't seem like someone from the border, so how do you know the past between the two sides so well?"
3. "Actually, I..."
5. "Miss, standing before you is no one else but the reigning empress of da feng."
6. "What?! You-"
7. "I don't know what "Version" of the empress you've heard, but as you can see-"
1. "The empress of da feng worries for the nation and the people. She has never wished for war between the two borders."
2. "Do you think a ruler like that deserves to be killed?"
3. "Da feng's defense forces number six hundred thousand. The king of zhenbei alone commands two hundred thousand elite iron cavalry. If the king of zhenbei rebels,"
4. "Then troops from all under heaven will rush to "Protect the throne." not to mention the old remnants of the six kingdoms rising again. Then the world would be set aflame, and the northern desert would stir."
5. "What kind of brutal scene do you think this realm would become?"
6. "No. The king of zhenbei never intended to rebel, she never wanted the world to fall into chaos. She has guarded da feng's border all along, even as the court's military stipends shrank year after year!"
7. "It's all because the late empress... Stole our northern border princess. There's been no word since. She must've already been killed by the royal family!"
8. "Back then, to restrain the nine borders, father empress did indeed have those royal clansmen, regional lords, and kings of different surnames select hostages to send into the palace."
1. I remember when I was little, I grew up alongside them. But I don't know why, later those companions all vanished...
2. No, that's not adding up!
3. "The late empress must've broken the pact and killed the hostages!"
4. "The king of zhenbei has only one daughter. Kill the princess and you cut off the war-god bloodline!"
5. Wait! Something's off here!
7. "Look-the nine borders, including the king of zhenbei, control nearly all the realm's troops."
8. "Even if the late empress wanted to weaken the nine borders, there'd be no need to slaughter the hostages!"
9. "If that sparked a mutiny, her majesty had just ascended and couldn't yet control the nine borders-wouldn't that be cutting off the dynasty's fate with her own hands?"
10. "This has to be a misunderstanding-maybe even a conspiracy!"
11. "I suspect the northern border princess might still be alive, but I can't guarantee it yet."
1. "After I settle the autumn exam matter, I'll start investigating what happened to those hostages back then and give you and the king of zhenbei an answer."
2. "I'll support ningning in finding the truth too!"
3. "Today is the day commander gu writes her timeless masterpiece. Any of you want to place your bets?"
4. "Out of kindness, I'll remind you again about the crime of deceiving..."
1. "Crime of deceiving the ruler-"
2. "Gu ning, you-you-you!"
3. "Me what?"
4. "This commander, by her majesty's decree, has worked hard studying the classics. Today I will create a timeless masterpiece."
5. "Her majesty hasn't even spoken yet. Who gave you, a rites ministry lackey, the right to bark your head off in front of her majesty?"
6. "Ah! And you even dirtied the official robe her majesty bestowed, are you harboring dissatisfaction toward her majesty?"
7. "Once this timeless masterpiece comes into the world, it will surely shake heaven and make ghosts weep."
8. "It needs someone of noble status to grind the ink for this commander-so I'll trouble chancellor han."
1. "Fine, fine, commander gu. This chancellor will grant your final request, but..."
2. "Since we're witnessing such great work, why not invite more people to appreciate it?"
3. "Reporting to your majesty: it so happens the northern desert envoys are here to the audience today. We can let them enter now and watch commander gu's elegance as well."
4. "Your majesty, this signal means: go ahead boldly, trust me!"
6. "Summon them."