From cute to empress

Chapter 268 The Call of the Historical Scroll

"Mengmeng, I'm back." A familiar voice rang in my ears, a little tired but incredibly determined. I looked up, and through my tearful eyes, I saw the face I'd been thinking about day and night.

"You're talented!" I hugged him tightly, as if I wanted to rub him into my bones and blood. The fatigue and anxiety that had accumulated in my heart these days turned into tears at this moment, and I vented them freely.

Zhen Youcai gently stroked my hair and spoke softly about the war at the border and how much he missed me. His voice seemed to have a magical power, soothing my inner anxiety and filling me with strength again.

"Youcai, you came at the right time," I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and pulled him to the table. "Look, these are paintings sent from all over the place, but..." I pointed to the table full of works of art, hesitant to speak.

"What's wrong?" Zhen Youcai picked up a painting and looked at it carefully.

"For this art event, not only will neighboring countries send envoys, but I've also specially invited artists from the Western continent, hoping to use this opportunity to bring our culture to the world. However, these works..." I sighed, "are far from what I imagined."

"Don't worry, I believe you can find a better work." Zhen Youcai put down the painting, held my hand, and looked determined.

The next day, the art festival officially kicked off. Ambassadors and artists from various countries gathered, bringing with them their most proud art treasures. The most eye-catching of these were the oil paintings brought by artists from the Western continent.

The paintings were vibrant in color, exquisite in technique, and the figures were so lifelike that they seemed to have stepped out of the canvas. The audience could not help but gasp in amazement, and even the master painters, who always prided themselves on their extensive knowledge, could not help but admire them.

"Their paintings are full of light, shadow and movement. It's a style we've never seen before." The famous opera actor stood beside me and whispered, with a barely perceptible hint of worry in his tone.

I nodded slightly and turned my gaze to a foreign artist in the crowd who was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had an arrogant look on his face. He was proudly introducing his works to everyone.

At this moment, an art critic came forward and started talking to him in fluent Western Yi language. I noticed that the critic's eyes moved back and forth between me and the artworks from my dynasty, and finally, he stopped in front of me...

The critic was tall and slender, dressed in a royal blue robe and wearing a jade pendant at his waist. He was clearly a well-read man. He exchanged a few words with the foreign artist, then turned and walked towards me. The ministers around me subconsciously straightened their backs, their expressions slightly nervous.

"This must be Her Majesty the Empress," the critic said, bowing slightly to me, his tone neither humble nor arrogant. "I've long heard of your name."

I smiled and nodded, motioning for him to continue.

"Your Majesty, by hosting this art festival and inviting artists from all over the world to showcase the essence of their cultures, you can truly say that this event will benefit both the present and future generations!" He paused, his eyes sweeping over the artists present. "It's just..."

The word "just" was said with profound meaning. Everyone present held their breath, waiting for his next words.

"This gentleman's paintings are technically admirable, but in terms of artistic conception and connotation..." the critic cast his eyes on the paintings behind me, "they seem to be lacking a bit of flair."

Although his words were gentle, they struck like a hammer, hammering down upon the hearts of everyone present. Several artists, usually arrogant and proud, blushed and felt ashamed.

I took a deep breath, suppressed the disappointment in my heart, and asked, "What do you think, sir?"

"Your Majesty, art isn't something that's created behind closed doors, nor is it something that can be mastered by a single individual," the critic said, pointing to the foreign painting. "While their works are undoubtedly excellent, they only reflect their own culture and aesthetics. Our country, with its vast territory, rich history, and profound cultural heritage, should create unique works of art of our own!"

His words, like a ray of light, illuminated the confusion in our hearts. Yes, we have a 5,000-year-old civilization, countless heroic stories, and endless beautiful mountains and rivers. Why should we belittle ourselves?

"Sir, you are absolutely right!" Master Danqing was the first to react. He bowed and said to me, "Your Majesty, we are willing to devote all our life's knowledge to create a masterpiece that can represent the essence of our dynasty's culture and pass it down through the ages!"

"We are willing!" Several other artists also expressed their opinions.

Looking around at these passionate artists, a fire ignited in my heart. Our culture will never lose to anyone!

"Good!" I said loudly, "I believe that we can create a great work that is worthy of history and worthy of our times!"

I looked at Zhen Youcai beside me. He was looking into the distance, with an inexplicable light flickering in his eyes...

Zhen Youcai remained silent, his gaze deep and far-reaching, as if he could see through the palace walls and see the frontier thousands of miles away. I knew him; he was thinking, mulling over something. Sure enough, after a moment, he turned to face me, a determined glint in his eyes.

"Your Majesty," he said in a deep voice, "Our dynasty is vast and culturally diverse. When it comes to the magnificent sweep of history, who can compare with the grandeur and magnificence of our frontiers, and who can match the fervent passion of our soldiers?"

His words, like a flash of lightning, split the fog and opened our eyes to a new direction. Yes, the frontier! It is a place full of legends, with towering snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands, and even unknown heroes who sacrificed their lives to protect their homeland!

Master Danqing's eyes lit up, and he said excitedly, "General Zhen, you are wrong! We have lived in the palace for a long time, and our knowledge is limited. How can we depict the majestic spirit of the frontier? I hope the general will be generous with his guidance!"

Zhen Youcai nodded and recounted what he had seen and heard on the frontier. He described the soldiers patrolling in the snow, their heroic spirit on the battlefield, and their joy in celebrating victory. His words were simple yet powerful, transporting us back to that war-torn era.

The art critic was mesmerized by the piece, nodding his head in praise. "Excellent! 'Don't laugh at me sleeping drunk on the battlefield, for how many have ever returned from battles in history?'" Such boldness, such sentiment, how can those works of the boudoir even compare?"

Inspiration welled up like a spring. Artists took up their brushes, transforming Zhen Youcai's descriptions into vivid paintings. However, the creative process was not smooth sailing. To capture the unique landscape of the frontier, they needed to use many materials and techniques they had never seen before.

"This special mineral pigment is only found in the Western Regions..." Master Danqing looked at the drawing in his hand with a frown.

"Your Majesty, I will take people to look for him!" Zhen Youcai said without hesitation.

"And this piece of cloth needs to be woven on a special loom..." The famous opera actor also encountered a problem.

I patted her shoulder and encouraged her: "Don't worry, we'll find a solution together!"

The entire team was completely absorbed in the creative process. They toiled through the night, forgetting to eat or sleep, overcoming one challenge after another. Watching them at work, I was filled with emotion and admiration.

Finally, the night before the opening of the art festival, this massive work, the result of everyone's hard work, was completed. I stood before the painting, gazing at it for a long time...

"Your Majesty, the time has come..." Zhen Youcai's voice sounded in my ears.