Empress Xiao Mingzhao: My Painstaking Efforts, You Do Not Understand

Capital, Imperial Palace, Fengtian Hall.

The eighty-year-old Duke of Zhenguo knelt beneath the crimson steps, his hoary head pressed against the freezing ground. His tone was mournful, his heart filled with indignation.

Your Majesty, our Great Yu is a vast and mighty empire. How can we bow our knees and form a marriage alliance with the barbarians? And for you to personally marry Tuoba Xiangtai?

The barbarians are of a different race. Since ancient times, it has been said that those who are not of our kin are sure to have different hearts. This single act will plunge our Great Yu into deep waters and scorching fire, and the territories of our ancestors will be lost!

Now the world is already in chaos. In the south, an army of two hundred thousand has risen and is marching directly toward the capital. Bandits run rampant in the northern borders, and the barbarians are acting tyrannically in Shanhe City. The world is on the verge of a great upheaval.

For the sake of the state and the common people of the world, I implore Your Majesty to retract your edict, sever this marriage with the barbarians, select the worthy and appoint the capable, and command the great army to pacify the chaos and wars across the realm!

Such hoarse and exhausted remonstrations had gone on for an unknown number of times over this period. Yet, the Emperor remained deep within the palace, ignoring them. Only a heart full of loyal blood buzzed in the empty, echoing hall.

The Duke of Zhenguo's eyes were bloodshot.

Still, there was absolutely nothing he could do.

Settling for the next best thing, he cried out, Your Majesty, at the very least, you cannot allow the barbarians to attack Yunji City. Shanhe City is already lost. If the barbarians take Yunji City as well, the northern defense line will be completely empty, and the barbarians will be able to march south at any moment.

Our Great Yu would truly be doomed beyond redemption!

...

Inside the Imperial Study.

Wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, Xiao Mingzhao, with a face beautiful enough to topple empires, was filled with tender affection as she slowly wrote on an imperial edict with her brush.

As if every single word contained her deep feelings, she wrote extremely slowly. A smile never left her radiant, jade-like face.

Young Master Tuoba, I have made all the preparations and am ready for you to come and marry me at any time...

Young Master Tuoba, Yunji City is guarded by Ren Tianye. His love for me is no less than yours. Unfortunately, he has never understood that his love for me is merely a petty love.

And my love for you is the grand love.

Ren Tianye does not understand that his petty love should give way to my grand love. He fights desperately to defend Yunji City just to vie for my attention. I am troubled by this, but there is nothing I can do.

However, no matter what, he has a sincere heart for me. I hope that after you conquer Yunji City, you will grant him an intact corpse and bury him well.

After pouring countless thoughts of longing onto the paper, Xiao Mingzhao finally set down her brush. In her bright, captivating eyes, ripples of emotion flowed, filled entirely with fantasies of her future grand wedding.

That was until a young eunuch stumbled into the room.

Your Majesty, the Duke of Zhenguo is crying and shouting in the main hall again.

His voice is shaking the heavens and the earth. He also said that if Your Majesty still refuses to grant his request, next time, he will bring a coffin to remonstrate.

Xiao Mingzhao's good mood was instantly swept away.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and dissatisfaction, along with a sense of helplessness, surfaced on her face.

The Duke of Zhenguo, my pillar that holds up the sky, my beam that spans the seas... why, why does he not understand my painstaking efforts in the slightest?

Never mind, never mind. Summon him in to give his advice.

Yes.

The young eunuch went to deliver the decree. A moment later, the Duke of Zhenguo strode in and immediately fell to his knees.

However, before he even had time to speak, Xiao Mingzhao spoke first, saying, My beloved subject, Great Yu has weathered eight hundred years of storms to reach this day. You must be clear about the events of our Great Yu's past dynasties, correct?

The Duke of Zhenguo had not expected Xiao Mingzhao to open with such a question. He was momentarily stunned, assuming Xiao Mingzhao wanted to use history as a mirror with him, and immediately replied, Although this old minister has not read extensively, I remember the deeds of our ancestors clearly.

Good, then let me ask you. Xiao Mingzhao stood with her hands resting on the dragon desk and said calmly, During the time of the Late Emperor Xiaowen, the barbarians were fierce and repeatedly invaded our borders.

The Late Emperor Xiaowen suppressed the pro-war faction internally and offered marriage alliances and tributes to the barbarians. This caused endless criticism in the court, and the barbarians reached for a yard after taking an inch, leading to frequent border raids.

Are you aware of this?

The Duke of Zhenguo immediately replied, This old minister naturally knows. The Late Emperor Xiaowen endured for twenty years, buying Great Yu the time to rest and recover, which doubled Great Yu's population and filled the national treasury.

Only then did we have the subsequent magnificent feat of striking the barbarians in the north and recovering our lost territories!

Xiao Mingzhao nodded and continued, During the time of the Late Emperor Xiaohui, he forcefully revoked the fiefdoms of the vassal kings and reclaimed military power, triggering the Rebellion of the Seven Kings. The central plains fell into twenty years of civil war, the people's livelihoods withered, and foreign tribes rose up on all sides. Do you remember?

Of course I remember, the Duke of Zhenguo said. The Late Emperor Xiaohui possessed deep foresight. By enduring a temporary period of chaos, he dismantled the power of the vassal kings and strengthened the court's authority. Following that, Great Yu's administration was stable, and all four directions submitted to our rule. It was a golden age.

Xiao Mingzhao nodded in satisfaction and went on, During the time of the Late Emperor Xiaowu, he mobilized the strength of the entire nation for years of continuous warfare, even erecting a stone stele beneath Shanhe City that read, 'Within Great Yu's borders, barbarians are forbidden to pass.' Yet, he exhausted the military and engaged in unbridled aggression, levying exorbitant taxes.

This caused the taxes on the common people to double, displaced refugees to rise everywhere, the national treasury to empty, and frequent violent uprisings.

Do you remember?

I remember! The Duke of Zhenguo sensed something was amiss, but still said, However, the Late Emperor Xiaowu crushed the main force of the barbarians, expanded our territory by three thousand miles, opened the trade routes to the Western Regions, and completely reversed the offensive and defensive dynamic between us and the barbarians.

He was an emperor of the ages!

Very good! Xiao Mingzhao commented with a smile. Then there was the Late Emperor Xiaoxuan, who implemented reforms with thunderous methods, abolishing the hereditary stipends of the noble families. This caused the hundred officials to weep along the streets, the court to become unstable, and the realm to be restless.

Do you know of this?

Naturally I know! The Duke of Zhenguo said. But the Late Emperor Xiaoxuan broke the monopoly of the noble clans and powerful families, allowing scholars from humble backgrounds to enter the court. The administration became clear and honest, the people's livelihoods recovered, the granaries across the world overflowed, and the commoners lived in peace and contentment.

Such achievements can be called a great revival.

Pausing, he looked at Xiao Mingzhao and said, Your Majesty, what exactly are you trying to say?

Xiao Mingzhao flicked her dragon robe and said, Since you know all of this, my beloved subject, why can you not understand my painstaking efforts?

Today, the realm of Great Yu enjoys national wealth and strong people. It is precisely the time to build a great hegemony and scheme for the world. The barbarians and the people of Yu have been mortal enemies for generations, fighting to the bitter end. But as long as I marry the Third Prince of the barbarians, the world will achieve Great Harmony.

At that time, Great Yu will usher in an unprecedented golden age!

I still remember when my Imperial Father was alive, he earnestly taught me that as an emperor, each generation must do the work of its generation.

For my generation, the task to accomplish is Great Harmony in the world, where barbarians and the people of Yu become one family!

It means that wherever the sun and moon shine, it shall all be Yu territory!

It is merely that the person I am to marry happens to be the love of my life. Yet you all try to stop me by every possible means, making me terribly disappointed!

The Duke of Zhenguo's eyes widened.

He only felt that this reasoning was absurd and bizarre, filled with fantasies that could not possibly be grounded in reality. He immediately fell to his knees with a thud again. Your Majesty, how... how could you have such thoughts?

I beg you to open your eyes and look.

This world is already on the brink of great chaos. There are military disasters in both the northern borders and the south. The ambitious within Great Yu's borders have all raised their weapons. The world is about to perish; where is this golden age you speak of?

Xiao Mingzhao smiled, her face full of composure. In achieving great governance, there will naturally be obstructions, extreme measures, bloodshed, and the trials of violent storms.

But I will learn from the spirit of the Late Emperors.

Fearing no hardships, fearing no obstructions, I will forge a glorious golden age, an era of Great Harmony that far surpasses that of my ancestors!

Great Yu shall, in my hands, reach an unprecedented pinnacle!

Without giving the Duke of Zhenguo another chance to speak, he said, "My beloved subject, carefully contemplate the meaning behind my words."

"I hope that you will forever remain my most trusted minister, acting as my vanguard to sweep away all obstacles to my reforms!"

"By the way..."

"I have already ordered the Third Prince of the Barbarians to attack Yunji City. If everything goes as expected, Yunji City is on the verge of being captured by the barbarians right this very moment!"

...