From cute to empress

Chapter 277 Cultural Exploration under the Frontier War

The clamor of the banquet hall gradually faded behind me, and Zhen Youcai and I hurried back to the bedroom. The silence within was a stark contrast to the bustle outside. I slammed the secret letter on the table and paced back and forth, my uneasiness growing stronger.

"Who sent this letter? How did you know our code word?" Zhen Youcai frowned, his tone solemn.

"There's no signature on the envelope, but judging by the handwriting, it should be Master..." I paused, and Master's kind yet wise face emerged in my mind. "Master, he's been a mysterious figure, elusive. All these years, I always thought..."

"Your Majesty, don't worry. Master is very powerful and will be fine." Zhen Youcai comforted him, "It's just that the contents of this letter..."

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. "The 'Starry Chessboard' mentioned in the letter probably refers to the ancient ruins deep within the Sunset Mountains. Legend has it that it was the center of an ancient civilization, holding countless secrets but also filled with unknown dangers."

"Master specifically reminded us of the 'Starry Chessboard'. Could it be that he wanted us to..." A glimmer of enlightenment flashed in Zhen Youcai's eyes.

I nodded. "That's right. We can use the next cultural exchange opportunity to organize a team to go to the Sunset Mountains and investigate. This will distract Augustus and perhaps solve the mystery of the 'Starry Chessboard'."

At this moment, there was a slight knock on the door outside the hall.

"Your Majesty, the master of painting and the famous opera actor want to see you." The maid's voice came from outside the door.

"Please come in!" I said quickly.

The masters of painting and famous opera actors walked into the hall, with excitement and anticipation on their faces.

"Your Majesty, we heard that you are going to organize a new cultural exchange activity. I wonder..." the famous opera actor asked impatiently.

"We want to explore the 'Starry Chessboard'!" Zhen Youcai spoke before I could even open my mouth.

"'Starry Chessboard'?!" Master Danqing and the famous opera actor exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with surprise and desire.

"We're happy to join!" Master Danqing said excitedly. "We believe that exploring ancient cultural relics will bring more inspiration to artistic creation!"

As I watched them, a warm feeling welled up in my heart. I knew this adventure was bound to be full of challenges, but I believed that as long as we worked together, we would be able to overcome all difficulties!

"Your Majesty, I do have a suggestion..." The art critic, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up.

"Oh? What do you think, sir?" I asked curiously, motioning him to continue.

The art critic smiled slightly and said slowly, "Your Majesty, 'Starry Chessboard' is a matter of great importance. With just a few of us, I'm afraid it's difficult to fully explore its full potential. I suggest that we take this opportunity to invite more scholars and artists, both domestic and international, to participate and pool their wisdom. This will ensure that this exploration will yield even richer results."

His suggestion was a revelation. Indeed, the art critic's words enlightened me. Exploring the "Starry Chessboard" isn't just a treasure hunt; it's also an exploration and study of ancient civilizations. The involvement of diverse talent can provide a more comprehensive perspective.

"Sir, you are absolutely right. I will immediately issue an order to invite heroes from all walks of life to join us in this great event!" I said excitedly, and a grand blueprint had already begun to emerge in my mind.

At this moment, the wealthy merchant's wife, who had been standing silently by, spoke up. "Your Majesty, I deeply admire your foresight and vision! I am willing to provide all the necessary financial support for this expedition, hoping to contribute my humble efforts to promoting our nation's culture."

I nodded gratefully and was about to express my gratitude when the wealthy merchant's wife gave a shy smile and continued, "Actually, I'm quite knowledgeable about ancient cultural relics. I have a collection of related ancient books and maps at home, which may be of some help to your majesty's exploration."

As she spoke, she pulled out an exquisite jade pendant from her sleeve and handed it to me: "This jade pendant was passed down from my ancestors. It is said to have some connection with the 'Starry Chessboard'..."

I took the jade pendant and examined it carefully. A warm touch passed through my fingertips. The jade pendant was engraved with strange patterns. I had never seen them before, but it felt strangely familiar. Before I could ask, I heard hurried footsteps outside the palace. Then, a guard rushed in, knelt on the ground, and said in a hurried tone: "Report... Report to Your Majesty, outside the palace... outside the palace..."

"How can you be so flustered!" I frowned slightly and scolded him unhappily, "Tell me what happened slowly."

The guard took a deep breath, calmed his panic, and then said, "Your Majesty, urgent news from the border! General Zhen... General Zhen..."

"What happened to General Zhen? Tell me quickly!" My heart sank suddenly and a bad premonition came to my mind.

"General Zhen was attacked by an enemy while patrolling the border and was seriously injured!"

I suddenly felt dizzy, and Zhen Youcai's resolute face appeared in my mind. My heart seemed to be tightly grasped, and breathing became difficult.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself down and asked in a deep voice, "Who is the enemy country? Have you found out?"

"Your Majesty, it's... it's the Rouran Kingdom in the north..." The guard's voice trailed off, clearly aware of what this meant. The Rouran Kingdom has always been at odds with us, with constant friction along the border. Now that Zhen Youcai has been seriously injured, it's undoubtedly exacerbating the already tense situation.

I suppressed my uneasiness and decisively ordered, "Pass the order down. Summon the imperial physicians immediately. Bring the best medicine and rush to the border! Also, pass on my decree. Order the Minister of War and the Minister of Revenue to come to the palace immediately to discuss this matter!"

"As you wish!" The guards took the order and left, and I was suddenly the only one left in the hall.

I slumped weakly onto the dragon throne, clutching the smooth jade pendant tightly in my hand, my mind racing. The news of Zhen Youcai's injury made me realize that exploring the "Starry Chessboard" required a long-term plan. The immediate priority was to stabilize the border situation and ensure national security.

"Your Majesty, are you okay?" The worried voice of the wealthy businessman's wife brought me back to reality.

I raised my head, meeting her concerned gaze, and forced a smile. "I'm fine, sorry to have worried you. Today's matter requires further consideration. Once I've dealt with border affairs, I'll discuss exploring the 'Starry Chessboard' with you all. How do you think?"

Everyone understood my difficulties and expressed their understanding, promising to do their best to help. After seeing them off, I immediately summoned my trusted ministers to discuss countermeasures. After a heated discussion, we ultimately decided to send envoys to the Rouran Kingdom to negotiate and ascertain their intentions, while also strengthening border defenses as a precaution.

After handling the urgent military situation, I immediately set about assembling a dedicated team to plan and organize the exploration of the "Starry Chessboard." I knew this was more than just a treasure hunt; it was also a grand event of cultural exchange. I hoped to use this opportunity to showcase the glorious achievements of my country's ancient civilization to the world, while also hoping to establish more friendly and stable relations with our neighbors.

As the team frantically prepared, an unexpected visitor appeared in my chambers. He was dressed in exotic attire, his eyes deep and mysterious. He held an ancient wooden box in his hands. He slowly approached me and spoke in a half-fluent voice, "Your Majesty, I come from the distant West, bringing gifts from an old friend, and..."

He paused, his eyes falling on the jade pendant in my hand, a meaningful smile curling up at the corner of his mouth, "A secret about the 'Starry Chessboard'..."