From cute to empress

Chapter 357 Trust and Betrayal in the Palace

The dazzling light gradually faded, and Youcai and I exchanged a look of shock. The man in black had also vanished, as if he had never been there.

"Are we... okay?" I looked down at myself. I was unharmed, except for the crystal in my hand which was slightly hot.

"We're fine." Youcai's voice was still trembling, and he was obviously frightened by the scene just now. "It was this crystal that saved us. It seems... it absorbed the attack of the man in black robe."

We returned to the lab and, without even taking a break, immediately began a deeper study of the crystal. Using a microscope, I observed its internal structure and was astonished to discover that it resembled a miniature galaxy, brimming with mysterious energy flows.

"That's brilliant! Look!" I said excitedly, pointing to the scene under the microscope. "Not only can this crystal control the power of darkness, it also stores enormous amounts of energy!"

Youcai came over to observe it carefully and couldn't help but gasp: "This is simply a miracle! If we can use this power,"

He suddenly stopped, his expression becoming serious. I also realized something and fell silent.

We all knew that this discovery, once made public, would cause a stir. We had no idea how people would react to us and what they would do with it.

"Mengmeng," Youcai held my hand, "We must keep this matter... secret. At least for now..."

I understood what he meant and the responsibility that lay ahead. I nodded. "I know what to do."

However, we didn't know what kind of abyss this decision would push us into...

A few days later, the monk and the meteorological officer came to visit, and they both looked a little anxious.

"Your Majesty," the monk clasped his hands together, "recent celestial phenomena have been unusual. I observed the stars tonight and discovered..."

He paused, looked at me hesitantly, and then looked at Youcai beside me.

My heart sank, and an ominous premonition came over me... "Master, you can say whatever you want." I tried to keep my tone calm, but the hand holding the teacup tightened involuntarily.

The monk sighed and said, "The stars have been in disarray lately, and it seems an evil star has appeared. I'm afraid it foreshadows the coming of disaster!"

My heart skipped a beat. Could it be the crystal's influence? But outwardly, I remained calm. "Master, you're worrying too much. Perhaps it's just a common astronomical phenomenon."

"Your Majesty, don't let your guard down!" The meteorologist beside him echoed, "Recently, disasters have been frequent across the country, with earthquakes and floods. This is by no means accidental!"

I was about to open my mouth to explain, but Youcai stopped me. He shook his head slightly at me, signaling me not to speak.

"Your Majesty," Youcai stepped forward and said, "I believe this matter must be treated with caution and no rash conclusions should be made."

"General, what do you mean by that?" the meteorologist said, somewhat dissatisfied. "Does the general think we are exaggerating?"

"That is not my intention," Youcai said solemnly, "but natural disasters are serious matters. We should get to the bottom of the matter rather than making random guesses and causing panic."

His words made sense, but my heart grew heavier. I sensed a hint of suspicion and distrust in the gazes of the monk and the weather officer.

Sure enough, after pondering for a moment, the monk slowly said, "Your Majesty, General, there is something I don't understand. I wonder if I should ask you."

I took a deep breath, knowing that some things could no longer be concealed, and said, "Master, please speak."

"I want to know if Your Majesty and the General have discovered anything unusual recently? Or, have they obtained anything strange?" The monk's eyes swept over Youcai and me sharply, as if he wanted to see through us.

I clenched my fists and was about to speak, but Youcai beat me to the punch: "Master, why do you say that? We..."

Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by the senior monk: "General, there's no need to hide it. I've noticed that your Majesty and the general have been looking unusual lately, and there have been strange lights flashing in the palace. I'm sure they've obtained some treasure, haven't they?"

I was shocked. It seemed that the energy fluctuations emitted by the crystal had attracted their attention!

I was about to open my mouth to explain when Youcai suddenly stood up and said in a stern voice, "Master, please be careful with your words! Everything we do is for the safety of the empire!"

His reaction was too intense, which only increased the doubts of the monks and meteorologists.

"General, what do you mean?" The meteorologist stood up and asked unkindly, "Could we harm the Empire?"

"Enough!" I stood up suddenly and shouted.

The whole room suddenly fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on me. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, and slowly said, "I..."

"Your Majesty!" At this moment, the guards outside the door suddenly cried out, "Oh no! The city gate has been breached, the enemy... the enemy is charging in!"

My face suddenly changed, and a strong sense of unease welled up in my heart. Was this a coincidence? Or was this all premeditated?

I suddenly turned around to look at the monk and the meteorologist. Their eyes were clearly filled with shock and... suspicion!

"You..." I pointed at them, my lips trembling, but I couldn't utter a word. "Your Majesty!" The guard's panicked voice came again, pulling me back from my great shock. "The enemy has breached the city gate and is heading towards the palace!"

My heart instantly sank. An enemy invasion? How could it be so sudden?! Could it really be, as the monk said, a disaster brought about by the demonic star? Or... was all this just a cover, a carefully orchestrated conspiracy?

My gaze shifted from the panicked guards to the monks and meteorologists. The shock on their faces didn't seem fake, but the deep suspicion pierced my heart like a needle.

"Your Majesty," the weather officer's voice trembled slightly, "We should immediately organize a defense and resist the foreign enemy together!"

"Defense?" I sneered and pointed at them, my anger no longer suppressed. "You keep saying you're doing this for the Empire, but when the Empire is in danger, you doubt your monarch and your generals! Is this your loyalty?!"

My anger seemed to have ignited Youcai's emotions. He suddenly slammed the table and stood up, pointing at the monk's nose and roaring, "You pedantic guys! Even at this point, you are still obsessed with so-called demon stars and treasures! If the empire really collapses, you will be sinners for all eternity!"

"You...you are so outrageous!" The monk's beard trembled with anger. "I am sincere and honest, and heaven and earth can bear witness to my sincerity! How dare you slander me like this!"

"Enough!" I couldn't stand this endless quarrel any longer and shouted at them, "Now is not the time to argue about this! The most urgent task is to resist foreign enemies and defend the empire!"

I forced myself to calm down, took a deep breath, suppressed the turbulent emotions within me, and said slowly, "Pass the order down! All soldiers, swear to defend the palace and the empire to the death!"

"Yes!" The guard took the order and left. I fell tiredly on the dragon chair, my heart was confused.

"Mengmeng..." Youcai walked to my side and gently held my hand. His hand was warm and strong, giving me a little comfort.

"What should we do?" I looked up at him, my eyes full of helplessness and confusion.

Youcai was silent for a moment, then said with a determined look in his eyes, "Mengmeng, we have no way out. The only way to gain their trust and support is to confess everything to them!"

I understood what he meant, but I was still filled with hesitation and uneasiness. Once the secret of the crystal was revealed, the consequences would be unpredictable.

"But……"

"No buts, Mengmeng." Youcai interrupted me, his tone firm, "Believe me, this is our only hope."

I took a deep breath and finally made up my mind: "Okay, let's reveal the secret of the crystal!"

I stood up and glanced at everyone present, the monks, the meteorological officer, and the guards. Their eyes were full of confusion and expectation.

"Everyone," I said in a deep voice, "I know you have many questions in your hearts about some strange things that have happened recently and about some of the actions of the General and I. Today, I will confess everything to you..."

I walked over to the enormous map and slowly peeled back the black silk covering it. The cloth slipped away, revealing a crystal beneath, emitting a faint glow. It lay there quietly, as if possessing the power to change everything.

"This is..." I pointed at the crystal, took a deep breath, and spoke slowly, "The secret we have been keeping is the key to the survival of the empire..."

My voice echoed in the empty hall. Everyone's eyes were focused on the crystal that emitted a faint light. The monk's brow was furrowed, the meteorologist's eyes were full of confusion, and the guards looked at each other and whispered.

"Your Majesty," the monk was the first to break the silence. He clasped his hands together and said solemnly, "What on earth is this? Why have I never seen such a strange thing before?"

I took a deep breath and told them everything about Youcai and I'd discovered the crystals, and their magical powers and predictive abilities. I didn't dare hide anything, nor did I want to. I needed their understanding and support.

"Prediction?" the meteorologist exclaimed, staring at the crystal in disbelief. "Your Majesty, are you saying this crystal can predict the future?"

I nodded, pointed to the places marked with special symbols on the map, and explained, "These are the disasters and crises predicted by the crystals. We use these warnings to prepare in advance, and thus have been able to resolve crises time and time again."

"This..." The meteorologist was so shocked that he was speechless. He had always thought that those accurate warnings came from his observatory, but he didn't expect that the truth would be so incredible.

The monk was silent for a moment. He clasped his hands together again and said in a heavy voice, "Amitabha, I understand. Everything your majesty and the general did was for the empire. I was wrong to blame you."

I glanced at him with relief. Youcai also stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Master, we are all for the empire. I believe that as long as we unite, we will be able to overcome the difficulties we face."

However, just when we thought things were finally turning around, a discordant voice broke the brief harmony.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for speaking frankly. This matter is too bizarre. I..." The meteorologist hesitated to speak, his eyes full of suspicion and uneasiness.

"Mr. Meteorological Officer," Youcai interrupted him sternly, "Do you think His Majesty and I would joke about such a thing?"

"I dare not," the meteorologist shook his head hurriedly, but his tone was still hesitant. "But, the power of this crystal is too strong. Can we really control it? What if..."

"No chance of failure!" I stood up abruptly, speaking firmly, "I believe this crystal is a gift from God. It will help us overcome all difficulties and protect the safety of the empire!"

My tone was firm, and my gaze swept across everyone present, hoping to see trust and support in their eyes. However, what I saw was...