Chapter99

Just like the capable officials and talented people who have been personally appointed and promoted by Her Majesty the Empress, you can do what you're good at. You can use your strengths to help build Plumera Kingdom stronger and stronger, and let the people live in peace and prosperity, until no one dares to bully us. Then things like what we went through before, being treated like livestock and killed at will, will never happen again.

The child's eyes lit up at the future his father described.

Not being treated like livestock and killed at will had always been Little Shuan's biggest wish over the years.

As he listened to his father's words, the fear, inferiority, and cautiousness in his eyes quietly faded away.

He looked at his father with bright eyes and suddenly said seriously and loudly, "Then I want to study. I want to take the exams. I want to become an official. I want to make Plumera Kingdom stronger and stronger. I want to make sure no one in Plumera Kingdom ever gets treated like livestock again."

Hearing the child's passionate voice, his father burst out laughing.

After laughing, he hugged his son tightly and gave him a firm pat on the bottom.

"Good good good. What a great ambition. When we reach the city, I'll go to work right away and earn money to support your studies."

Under several city gates, the same kind of exclamations and dreams were happening again and again in conversations among people from all walks of life.

At the southern gate.

Because Elara had first gone to the southern Marigold City to develop and had taken the lead in capturing the three major city-counties of Belladonna and Edelweiss, people in the southern regions of Plumera Kingdom were the first to know about the reforms and also the first to benefit from them.

Moreover, the first thing Elara did after ascending the throne was organize a nationwide exam. It didn't matter what background you had. Even slaves were allowed to participate. If they passed, she would personally grant them titles and positions without discrimination.

These facts were witnessed by everyone in the nation. It made the once hesitant and doubtful people in the various city-counties finally feel at ease. While they sighed with regret and envy at those who made it into the first national exam and were personally appointed by Her Majesty, they also rushed to push their own family members to study day and night, hoping they could succeed in the second national exam.

Under the southern city gate,

a few scholars who had come from the south to take the exam were occasionally looking down in awe at the smooth and firm wide official roads, or lifting their heads to admire the tall and magnificent city walls.

"Plumera City has changed so much. It's like heaven and earth turned upside down. Even those second-tier countries out there probably don't have capitals with such tall city walls. Her Majesty is truly wise."

"Her Majesty is wise indeed. But, Chang, you don't have to talk about second-tier countries like that. I just got news from the Northern Frontier recently. Want to guess? Ha. A few days ago, there was a sudden war between several countries outside the Northern Frontier. Guess what. Our Plumera Kingdom's army was involved. And Her Majesty personally led the army."

The nearby scholars immediately gathered around, eyes wide open, looking intently at the one speaking.

The scholar cleared his throat, lifted his chin with pride, and continued,

"This came from a distant relative in the Northern Frontier. They said some merchants who were traveling outside the border actually saw Her Majesty leading the troops herself. They saw her charge through enemy lines with unstoppable force, leading our army deep into the Northern Frontier, unstoppable all the way."

"In just about half a month, all those arrogant countries beyond the Northern Frontier were completely conquered by our army like sweeping away dead leaves. Even that second-tier country, Salvia Kingdom, which those countries always relied on, ha. It was also taken down by our army together with allied troops."

"Soon, when Her Majesty returns victorious from the Northern Frontier, Plumera Kingdom's national territory will definitely expand again. From Belladonna and Marigold City in the far south all the way to the 'Frozen Forbidden Zone' in the far north of the continent, it will all belong to Plumera Kingdom."

"With such vast new land, maybe Plumera Kingdom will directly rise to become a second-tier country."

Hearing that, the other scholars were all visibly excited and exclaimed in admiration.

"Is this news reliable? If true, then the Empress really is the true blessed one! She is truly the guiding star of our Plumera Kingdom!"

"I also heard this news before from the Northern Frontier, but not in such detail! So the army fighting outside the Northern Frontier recently was our Plumera Kingdom's forces! No wonder the arrogant neighboring states suddenly seemed close to collapse. It turns out they were beaten by our army, haha! That's wonderful!"

"It must be true! I heard it too!"

"The Empress is truly the blessed one! In just half a year since taking the throne, she has wiped out the old court's corruption and greed, removed many corrupt officials, and changed the government's style. She brought a fresh wind to our kingdom. She led campaigns in the south and north, personally going to the battlefield. The south first took Belladonna and Edelweiss, and in just half a year, the north also occupied many states, even breaking through the Salvia Kingdom!"

"She is a star sent from heaven! A star sent from heaven! Haha!"

"You are right! Having such an Empress is a great fortune for all our people! I will work a hundred times harder for this exam. I want to pass and stand before the imperial hall, to see the Empress's holy face and receive her appointment. I want to contribute my small strength to the growth of our kingdom!"

Other students heard this. Some nodded in agreement, others snorted quietly at the speaker.

"Brother Rin, your words are big. Aren't you afraid if you fail the exam? Also, I remember months ago when your family urged you to join the first big exam, you were scared of Plumera City, like it was some dangerous beast, and refused to come even when forced."

The student who had just promised great ambitions immediately turned red.

He thought about how months ago his family pushed him to take the first exam, but he hesitated and refused for many reasons, missing that chance. He showed regret on his face and did not mind others exposing his weakness. He sighed sadly.

"Ah, I was blind and timid before, missing my chance and not recognizing the Empress's wisdom. But because I missed the first chance, I must hold tight to this second one!"

After the sigh, his face showed seriousness. "No matter what, I will prepare with all my skill for this exam! If I pass, it means my years of study were not wasted. If I fail, I will keep studying and wait for the next, or the one after next exam!"

Others looked at him with respect. The students who once doubted stopped complaining and raised their tea cups to him from afar.

This kind of conversation happened almost under all four city gates of the new Plumera City.

Because of the big reforms in the kingdom and the capital in recent months, everyone in the towns and counties knew the new Empress truly wanted to wipe away old customs and build a new kingdom that benefits everyone.

So people from all towns and counties rushed toward Plumera City.

Most of them were students who missed the first big exam months ago for various reasons.

Hearing that the second national exam would be held soon, students who once feared the capital now changed their minds. They quickly packed and left. Those from noble families had escorts, others joined merchant caravans.

Now, all students in the Plumera Kingdom knew this national exam was the new "imperial examination," much improved from the old system. The Empress had introduced many new ways to enter officialdom.

Not only scholars, but anyone with a skill could come to the capital to take the exam.

Therefore, recently, Plumera City received the most students and talents from all over.

The nearby kingdoms and states also took part in the excitement. Students and talents from the Dahlia Kingdom, Magnolia Kingdom, Sargassum, Periwinkle Kingdom, Geranium Kingdom, Narcissus Kingdom, Petunia State, Celosia State, and even the Sacred Beast Kingdom came to Plumera City.

The Delphinium Border was busy with people traveling in and out.

The Jiasi Kingdom and Gladiolus Kingdom were also preparing for this great event.

The Carnation Kingdom's Empress had sent her regards and wished success to all candidates.

The Bai Family's Business in Marigold City was bustling with activity, sending supplies to students heading to the exam.

Everyone hoped to see the Empress's wise rule bring peace and prosperity to all lands.

The new system allowed many talents from various places to shine in Plumera City, not just those born into noble families.

This wave of change energized the entire kingdom, promising a bright future for the Plumera Kingdom and all its neighbors.

Among them were even the people from Belladonna who had already been governed and were obedient and well-behaved, as well as the noble families from the three large counties of the former Edelweiss Kingdom.

So when Elara finally returned to Plumera City, what she saw was this scene of a crowded crowd. People from all the cities and counties of the Plumera Kingdom were rushing toward Plumera City in great excitement.

The streets were filled with voices and movement, showing the lively spirit of the whole kingdom. The nobles, merchants, and commoners all gathered in the capital with hope and curiosity.

This bustling scene marked a new beginning for the Plumera Kingdom and its people. Everyone seemed eager for what the future would bring.

Elara returned from the northern border and arrived outside the capital's northern gate.

She traveled with many people, including General Qi, Damon, Egbert, and others from the army. Also with her were Scholar Fu, who had been made the "Retired Emperor" and returned with her, as well as Senior General Duanmu and General He leading the northern troops.

General Qi, Damon, and Egbert had all stayed in the capital before. They had seen the city slowly rebuilt and were already used to the huge changes there.

Senior General Duanmu, General He, and the northern troops had never seen it before.

When they saw the tall, grand new city walls and the smooth, new roads inside the city limits, they could not hide their shock and amazement.

Inside the carriage, Scholar Fu slightly sat up. With help from a servant, he gently lifted the curtain on the side of the carriage to look at the smooth road below and the wide, magnificent new city walls gradually coming into full view.

His eyes flickered for a moment before slowly focusing on Elara at the front of the group. He coughed quietly from his throat.

A servant worriedly urged him not to catch a cold from the wind. Scholar Fu lowered the curtain and lay back inside the carriage.

Elara looked at the great changes in the capital with some surprise.

The new construction was even better than she had expected.

When she left the city three months ago, the new city was only roughly built. Now, all unfinished projects were completely finished.

The military bastions, dozens of meters tall, around the city walls were built. The ear-shaped forts on both sides reserved for the military's defense troops were also completed.

The wide new city walls were even covered with many military defense weapons made by the military production department.

Besides the heavy crossbows and other large-range, high-damage weapons Elara had taught them, there were also many mechanical arrow towers sent by Mr. Gong with his caravan after she saved Frederic.

These weapons had all been densely installed on the new city walls.