From cute to empress

Chapter 179 The Shadow of Faith

The contents of the anonymous letter were like a huge rock, crashing heavily into the lake of my heart, stirring up a thousand waves. I stroked the paper repeatedly, the elegant handwriting exuding an undeniable chill. Was it affecting certain individuals' interests? A conspiracy of sabotage? Who, who was secretly manipulating all this?

I forced myself to calm down and dropped the letter into the candlelight. The flames greedily licked at the letter, seemingly devouring the doubts within me. I knew that beneath this moment of calm lay a turbulent undercurrent. I couldn't sit still and wait for death; I had to find the mastermind behind this as soon as possible.

I summoned the secret guards and ordered them to secretly investigate this matter, especially the "certain individuals" mentioned in the letter. At the same time, I strengthened my contact with Zhen Youcai and asked him to closely monitor the situation on the border to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the opportunity to cause chaos.

These past few days, I've been unable to sleep or eat, feeling a constant urgency, a constant sense of skepticism, watching my every move. Master Huineng and Taoist Master Xuanzhen have repeatedly visited the palace, urging me to prioritize the greater good and not act hastily. I understand their concerns and the responsibility I bear, but I will not allow anyone to sabotage my reforms.

At this moment, a ragged ascetic stumbled into the palace and asked to see me. He said that he had accidentally discovered a group of people who were plotting a rebellion and intended to use the Reformation to stir up trouble and overthrow my rule.

I was shocked and immediately summoned the ascetic. He described the group's plans and actions in detail, saying that they would launch an attack in the near future. After listening to him, I was immediately shocked.

However, just as I was about to send someone to arrest this gang of rioters, the ascetic monk suddenly foamed at the mouth and fell to the ground. I hurried forward to check and found a trace of black blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

"Oh no, he's been poisoned!" I exclaimed.

"Your Majesty, be careful!" The guard beside me suddenly rushed over and protected me behind him.

At the same time, a sharp arrow flew through the air and shot straight at the guard...

The sharp arrow pierced the guard's shoulder, and he groaned and fell to the ground. I was stunned by this sudden change, and the guards' panicked shouts echoed in my ears: "Protect His Majesty!"

"Help! There's an assassin!" I shouted as I came to my senses. The guards quickly surrounded me, looking around vigilantly.

Amidst the chaos, I caught a glimpse of a dark shadow flashing from the corner of the hall and disappearing in the blink of an eye. I became even more certain that all this was carefully planned!

"Your Majesty, are you okay?" My personal maid ran over in panic and looked me up and down.

"I'm fine." I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. "Call the imperial physician to treat the ascetic monk and the guards!"

"Yes!" The maid took the order and left.

I stood there, my heart aching. Who was trying to kill me? Was it the conservative forces opposed to reform, or someone with ulterior motives?

Just then, two panicked figures ran into the hall and knelt in front of me.

"Daughter of the people, see your majesty!"

"Common people see you, Your Majesty!"

"Who are you? Why did you trespass into the palace?" I asked the two people in front of me.

"Your Majesty, we're here to report something!" One of the women raised her head and spoke anxiously. "Today, the two of us went to the temple outside the city to burn incense, but we stumbled upon someone distributing reactionary leaflets. They slandered Your Majesty and the Reformation, inciting the people to rebellion!"

"What?!" I was shocked and immediately ordered someone to bring the flyer to me.

I unfolded the flyer and saw it written in bold red ink: "The Empress is incompetent and attempts to overthrow the divine authority. She will be punished by heaven! Believers, unite, overthrow tyranny, and rebuild your faith!"

My hands clenched into fists, my knuckles turning white. How dare these traitors so brazenly spread rumors and incite the people to rebellion!

"Your Majesty, there is no time to lose. Measures must be taken as soon as possible!" another man said anxiously.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. I knew that at times like this, I couldn't lose my composure.

I immediately sent a message to summon the ministers to discuss the matter. At the same time, I used a special communication method to inform Zhen Youcai, who was far away in the frontier.

Not long after, Zhen Youcai's reply arrived in my hands. In the letter, he analyzed the current situation in detail and formulated a series of emergency measures for me.

Following Zhen Youcai's advice, I quickly issued a series of orders: strengthen the city's defenses, strictly check people entering and leaving the city; send out spies to track down the source of the leaflets; control public opinion and appease the people...

Late at night, I sat in the imperial study, reviewing a mountain of memorials. My heart was filled with anxiety and uneasiness.

"Dong dong dong..."

There was a knock on the door, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Who?"

"Your Majesty, it's me." Master Huineng's voice came from outside the door.

"come in."

Master Huineng and Taoist Priest Xuanzhen walked in side by side, both of them with a solemn look on their faces...

Master Huineng clasped his hands together and bowed slightly: "Amitabha, I am sorry to disturb Your Majesty by coming here so late at night."

Taoist Priest Xuanzhen also bowed to me and said in a heavy tone: "Your Majesty, I am guilty."

I quickly stood up and gestured for them to sit down. "Masters, please take a seat. Given the current situation, I still need your full support."

Master Huineng sighed and said, "Your Majesty's religious reforms were originally intended for the benefit of the people, but unexpectedly, some people with ulterior motives have exploited them to spread rumors and incite people. I have ordered the monks in all temples to intensify their preaching and guide believers to distinguish right from wrong. They must not be exploited by these treacherous people."

"I have also notified all the major Taoist temples to fully cooperate with the court and appease the emotions of the believers." Taoist Priest Xuanzhen continued.

I nodded, feeling somewhat relieved. With the support of these two highly respected masters, I believed this storm would eventually subside.

"I'm very pleased to have two masters helping me." I picked up the teacup and took a sip. "But, I don't know about that flyer..."

"Your Majesty, don't worry. Taoist Xuanzhen and I have already sent people to investigate secretly. I believe there will be results soon." Master Huineng said.

I put down my teacup and rubbed my brow. The fatigue of the past few days gave me a headache. The Reformation has a profound impact on the entire world. If I am not careful, it will cause huge upheavals. I must be fully alert to deal with this crisis.

Over the next few days, I barely slept, attending to government affairs while closely following the progress of the Reformation. Master Huineng and Taoist Master Xuanzhen also worked tirelessly, traveling between various temples and Taoist monasteries to appease the believers and stabilize their hearts.

With my efforts and the help of the two masters, the situation gradually stabilized. The troublemakers who spread rumors gradually disappeared. I finally felt relieved, thinking that the turmoil had finally subsided.

However, I didn't expect that a greater crisis was quietly approaching...

"Report——"

A guard hurriedly ran into the imperial study, knelt on the ground, and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, it's bad! Several temples outside the city... outside the city... are on fire!"

My heart sank, and a sense of foreboding washed over me. Before I could react, another guard rushed in, fell to his knees, and shouted urgently, "Your Majesty! The fire is getting bigger and bigger! It's already spread to the nearby houses!"

I stood up suddenly, my vision went dark, and I almost fell to the ground.