From cute to empress

Chapter 31 Sharing weal and woe

The night was dark and the moonlight was like water. The palace, which should have been quiet, was now filled with the sound of killing and the sky-high flames.

"There's an assassin! Protect the Emperor!" A distant cry, like a thunderclap, jolted me from my uneasy premonition. Zhen Youcai's face darkened, and he suddenly drew his sword from his waist, saying decisively, "Your Majesty, it looks like tonight is going to be a turbulent night. Stay with me!"

I tightly gripped the sword at my waist, my heart beat faster, my breathing became rapid, but I tried to stay calm and followed Zhen Youcai out of the bedroom.

In the palace, the patrolling guards fell in a pool of blood in twos and threes. A group of men in black, holding sharp blades, rushed towards the emperor's bedroom like a pack of wolves.

"Protect the Emperor!" Zhen Youcai roared, leading several guards in a desperate struggle against the surging tide of black-clad men. His swordsmanship was sharp, his moves ruthless, and every strike of his sword took a life.

Although I had only recently learned martial arts, I knew this was not the time to be timid. I took a deep breath, brandished my sword, and joined the battle.

"My Queen, be careful!" Zhen Youcai fought furiously while also trying to keep an eye on my safety. I dodged a longsword thrust from a man in black and stabbed him in the throat with a backhanded strike.

Blood gushed out and splashed all over my face, but I didn't bother to wipe it off and continued to swing my sword to meet the enemy.

"Kill!——" There were more and more people in black, and we were gradually losing the upper hand.

"Your Majesty, the situation is critical. We must rush to the Emperor's side as soon as possible!" Zhen Youcai said anxiously while fending off the attacks of the men in black.

I understand that the emperor's safety is the most important thing at this moment. I nodded and followed Zhen Youcai, fighting and retreating, breaking out towards the emperor's bedroom.

Along the way, we encountered countless men in black, chasing and blocking us, and were in danger at every turn. I personally saw many guards fall in pools of blood while trying to protect us.

"Zhen Youcai, this is not a solution. We can't break through the siege at all!" I said anxiously.

Zhen Youcai looked around and his eyes fell on a palace not far away. It was the empress dowager's bedroom, and few people went in and out.

"Empress, let's go there!" Zhen Youcai made a quick decision and pulled me towards the palace.

We rushed into the palace, quickly closed the door, and used our bodies to block the door to prevent the men in black from chasing us.

"Huh... Huh..." I leaned against the cold palace door, breathing heavily, feeling that all the strength in my body had been drained.

"My queen, are you okay?" Zhen Youcai asked with concern.

"I'm fine." I shook my head, raised my head, looked at Zhen Youcai, and asked, "How is the emperor doing? What should we do now?"

Zhen Youcai frowned and said in a deep voice, "The Emperor's safety now depends on Master Sun and his men. As for us..."

He paused, his eyes determined as he spoke, "My Lady, we must find a way to break out and find reinforcements to quell this rebellion!"

Zhen Youcai's words were firm and powerful, yet they also intensified my anxiety. I knew full well that while the inner court of the imperial palace might appear calm, it harbored turbulent undercurrents, and the slightest misstep could plunge us into an abyss of irretrievable destruction. And now, we were at the center of this sudden coup, our lives uncertain, and this filled me with an unprecedented fear and confusion.

"Zhen Youcai, do you think...will the emperor be in trouble?" I gripped the hilt of the sword tightly, my knuckles turned white from excessive force, and there was a barely perceptible tremor in my voice.

Zhen Youcai was silent for a moment, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes, but then he regained his determination: "Don't worry, Your Majesty. Coach Sun is a highly skilled martial artist and a loyal man. He will definitely fight to the death to protect the safety of the emperor."

His words were filled with confidence, but I still felt uneasy. Although Master Sun was a skilled martial artist, two fists could not defeat four hands. Moreover, those assassins were well-trained and ruthless. It was hard to predict whether the emperor would be safe.

Just when we were extremely anxious, we suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the palace, mixed with the sound of weapons clashing and the shouts of soldiers. It seemed that the war had spread to the vicinity of the Empress Dowager's bedroom.

I was shocked. Could it be that those assassins were chasing me?

Zhen Youcai motioned for me to remain silent while he quietly walked to the palace door and peered through the crack. A moment later, he returned with a grave expression and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, it's Scholar Zhao. He seems to have something to say to us."

Scholar Zhao? I was startled. Could it be that he had seen through the rebels' plot?

Before we could think, Zhen Youcai had already opened the palace door and welcomed Scholar Zhao in. Scholar Zhao's clothes were disheveled, his hair was in disarray, and his face was filled with anxiety. As soon as he saw us, he said hurriedly, "Your Majesty, Guard Zhen, I'm so glad you're all right! The emperor's situation is critical, and I, this old minister, finally escaped the pursuers and came to tell you the news!"

"Master Zhao, what exactly happened? Who ordered those assassins?" I asked anxiously, with a bad premonition in my heart.

Scholar Zhao took a deep breath and said in a heavy tone, "Your Majesty, this rebellion is... is..."

He hesitated to speak, his eyes flickering, as if he had something to hide.

I felt even more uneasy. Could it be that other forces were involved in this matter?

"Mr. Zhao, at this point, is there anything you can't say? Just say it!" Zhen Youcai urged anxiously.

Scholar Zhao gritted his teeth, as if he had made up his mind, and said in a deep voice: "This rebellion is... is..."

His words came to an abrupt end. At the same time, there was a sudden noise of footsteps outside the hall, accompanied by a few exclamations, as if someone had broken in.

I was shocked. Could it be that the assassin was chasing me?

Before I could react, the palace door was suddenly pushed open, and a group of palace maids and eunuchs ran in in panic, led by Su Xiu Niang and Qian Leshi.

As soon as Su Xiu Niang saw me, she rushed over to me, crying, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I'm so glad you're okay! I thought I'd never see you again..."

Su Xiu Niang's cries warmed my heart and made me realize more clearly that the situation was critical and I couldn't lose my composure. I patted her back gently and said softly, "I'm fine. Don't be afraid. Guard Zhen is here. We'll be fine."

Musician Qian also cried out, "Your Majesty, those assassins are so terrible! They kill anyone they see. Many palace maids and eunuchs have been killed by them... by them..."

By this point, Musician Qian had broken down in tears, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. This sudden coup had claimed countless innocent lives.

"Mrs. Su, Mr. Qian, stop crying and take the injured to the side hall to hide. It's too dangerous here!" Zhen Youcai ordered without hesitation.

Su Xiu Niang and Qian Le Shi finally reacted and quickly organized the frightened palace maids and eunuchs, supported the injured people, and walked towards the side hall.

"Your Majesty, let's go too. It's not safe here." Zhen Youcai protected me and prepared to leave the main hall.

However, before we stepped out of the palace, we heard a burst of dense footsteps outside, and then a group of assassins armed with sharp blades rushed in.

"Protect the Queen!" Zhen Youcai shouted and drew his sword to meet the enemy.

Although I was afraid, I knew this was not the time to retreat. I took a deep breath, forced myself to calm down, and gripped the sword tightly.

The assassins were clearly well-prepared. They were well-trained, coordinated, and each strike was ruthless, aiming for the vital points of Zhen Youcai and me. Zhen Youcai was a skilled warrior, and even outnumbered ten at once was still a breeze. Although my swordsmanship was mediocre, I was able to defend myself under Zhen Youcai's protection.

However, the assassins were too numerous, and we gradually lost ground. Just then, a roar came from outside the palace: "You bold lunatics, how dare you trespass into the palace? Surrender now!"

Then, a tall and mighty figure appeared at the entrance of the hall. It was Master Sun! Holding a spear, he rushed into the hall like a tiger descending from the mountain. Brandishing the spear, he was like an empty space, instantly knocking down several assassins.

The arrival of Master Sun undoubtedly gave us great encouragement. With renewed energy, I fought alongside Zhen Youcai and finally repelled all the assassins who had rushed into the hall.

"My queen, are you okay?" Coach Sun asked with concern.

"I'm fine, Coach Sun, the emperor..." I asked anxiously, my heart full of worry.

Instructor Sun showed a relieved smile on his face and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty, the Emperor is safe. We have wiped out all the rebels!"

When I heard the news, the stone in my heart finally fell to the ground.

"Who is it? Who wants to murder the emperor?" I asked in a deep voice, with a sharp light flashing in my eyes.

Coach Sun glanced at Zhen Youcai and seemed to be hesitant to speak.

I was moved. Could there be some hidden secret behind this matter?

"Master Sun, feel free to speak." I said in a firm tone.

Instructor Sun took a deep breath and said slowly, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. I dare not speak rashly. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me."

I was even more confused. What could have happened that even Coach Sun didn't dare to reveal it easily?

I understand that you want me to continue writing the 31st chapter of your novel "From Cute to Empress". I will write it according to your requirements.

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"Master Sun, there are no outsiders here, just say whatever you want to say." I looked at Zhen Youcai, and he also gave me an encouraging look. I became more certain that Master Sun must know something.

Coach Sun then walked over to me and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the mastermind behind this rebellion...is the Third Prince."

"What?!" I exclaimed. The Third Prince? Hadn't he been at the border the entire time? Why would he suddenly start a rebellion?

"Your Majesty, you may not know this," Coach Sun explained. "The Third Prince had been secretly building up his power for several years. He took advantage of the Emperor's sacrifice to heaven, leaving the capital defenses unattended, to launch a sudden attack. Fortunately, the Emperor was well prepared, deploying Scholar Zhao and other senior officials ahead of time to quell the rebellion."

Only then did I realize that this coup was not accidental, but had been planned long ago. Fortunately, the Emperor was wise and prevented the Third Prince from succeeding.

"Where is the third prince now?" I asked.

"He has been captured by Scholar Zhao and will be brought back to the capital soon to await the Emperor's decision."

I nodded, but my heart still trembled. This rebellion had exposed me to the cruelty of imperial power and made me realize that within the harem, dangers abounded. I needed to be even more cautious to protect myself and those around me.

Not long after, the emperor returned to the main hall accompanied by Zhao Xueshi. His face was pale, obviously frightened.

"Long live the emperor!" Everyone knelt down and saluted.

"Everyone, get up." The emperor waved his hand weakly, his eyes fixed on Zhen Youcai and me, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. "Niu Mengmeng, Zhen Youcai, you two faced danger without fear and protected me in this critical moment. I am deeply pleased."

"I (your servant) dare not take credit for it. Protecting the emperor is my (your servant's) duty." Zhen Youcai and I said in unison.

"Good, good!" The emperor said "good" twice, and finally a smile appeared on his face. "I have decided to make Niu Mengmeng a noble concubine and reward her with a thousand taels of gold and ten thousand pieces of silk and satin. I decree this!"

"I thank you for your grace." I knelt again to express my gratitude, but I didn't feel much joy. I knew that this reward was both a recognition of my loyalty and a test of my character.

The emperor turned his gaze to Zhen Youcai and said, "Zhen Youcai, you are a skilled warrior and loyal. I have decided to promote you to the position of Commander of the Imperial Guards, responsible for the security inside and outside the palace. Are you willing?"

"I accept your command and thank you!" Zhen Youcai knelt on one knee with a sonorous and powerful tone.

I looked at Zhen Youcai, full of vigor and ambition, and felt happy for him. I knew he had always longed to achieve great things, and now that he had finally received the emperor's approval, I believed he would live up to the emperor's expectations.

After the coup d'état, the palace returned to its former tranquility, but beneath this surface, undercurrents surged. I noticed that ever since that day, Concubine Mei always looked at me with a hint of viciousness, like a venomous snake lurking in the dark, watching its prey, which gave me the chills.

I know that the real test has just begun...