Empress, Can I? [Transmigration + GL] - Chapter 1

“Xuan Jingchi, I’ll never let you off even in death!!!”

Xuan Jingchi’s vision spun wildly as her body tumbled uncontrollably, flipping over and over until—

Thud!

She collided hard against something unyielding.

Her head felt cold, and there was a strange, whistling sensation, as if wind was rushing through it.

In the last moments before her sight faded, she saw well-dressed corporate elites passing by, their faces pale with shock as they screamed and shouted in panic.

Then, everything plunged into darkness.

Just before the darkness swallowed her completely, before her consciousness slipped away, she finally understood what had happened.

She had just received the long-awaited offer from Z&L Company, only to suffer a tragic twist of fate—she missed a step and tumbled down a long flight of stairs.

Just like that, she ended up killing herself.

Light gradually seeped into her vision, growing brighter and brighter. Xuan Jingchi’s dizzy head finally began to clear.

What a huge lamp—it looked just like a tree.

This exquisitely crafted tree was adorned with countless candles, their flickering light reflecting off the gilded branches, making the entire tree shimmer with a golden glow. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

She had only ever seen something like this in a museum.

Wait… a museum?!!

But museums never lit candles for visitors to admire.

Just as Xuan Jingchi was utterly confused, a furious shout exploded right in front of her.

“Xuan Jingchi, you deserve to die a horrible death!”

Xuan Jingchi shuddered and finally reacted.

Her fingertips brushed against something soft and smooth, like the finest silk.

She turned her head, following the sensation, and her gaze collided with the eyes of the person before her.

What kind of eyes were those?!

Though they burned with fury, like a volcano spewing molten lava—enough to incinerate her on the spot—their beauty was undeniable.

Bright, radiant, sparkling like stars—

No words could truly capture their splendor.

The woman was extraordinarily beautiful, with fair, delicate skin that seemed as if it could be pierced by a mere touch. Her features were elegant and serene, bathed in a soft glow, as though she were a goddess descended from the moon.

Yet this ethereal, moonlit beauty was now frowning, struggling to breathe.

And Xuan Jingchi’s hands were tightly wrapped around her throat.

What am I doing?!

Realizing she was about to strangle the woman to death, Xuan Jingchi panicked and immediately let go.

The woman coughed twice, gasping for air, then immediately resumed her furious tirade:

“Xuan Jingchi, you are depraved and tyrannical! One day, you will be abandoned by all, your kingdom in ruins!”

As soon as she finished speaking, two eunuchs standing nearby, each holding one end of a white silk cord, sneered in shrill voices, “Empress, to speak so insolently in the presence of the Son of Heaven is an act of grave disrespect!”

With that, they began pulling the cord with eerie determination.

So she’s the Empress!

Then… am I the Emperor?!

Xuan Jingchi froze, then glared at the two eunuchs and shouted, “What are you doing? Trying to kill her? Let her go, now!”

The eunuchs were stunned. Seeing the anger on Xuan Jingchi’s face, they hastily released the cord and dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.

“Your Majesty, spare us! Your Majesty, spare us!”

“Your Majesty, why not try this?”

A voice came from behind.

Xuan Jingchi instinctively turned her head and saw a girl of about fifteen or sixteen, holding out a sword horizontally with both hands.

Judging by her appearance and attire, she was refined and proper, making it hard to discern her status at first glance.

Xuan Jingchi glanced back at the empress—dressed in luxurious, vibrant robes, exuding grace and nobility—clearly someone of the highest rank.

Turning back, now with a point of comparison, she was certain the girl was a palace maid.

The maid, noticing the emperor’s gaze, became even more ingratiating: “Your Majesty, if strangling isn’t satisfying enough, why not use the sword?”

Just then, another maid hurried over, her face full of flattery: “Stab her seventeen or eighteen times, and Your Majesty will surely feel avenged.”

What?!!

Xuan Jingchi’s heart skipped a beat. What kind of people are these?! Asking me to kill someone? And such a stunningly beautiful woman at that!

Frowning, she was about to refuse when she suddenly remembered—she was now their emperor.

Immediately, she put on a stern face and declared, “How dare you! Have you no regard for the law? She is my—the empress! Who dares lay a hand on her?”

The two maids exchanged bewildered glances, clearly taken aback. The one holding the sword trembled violently, and the sword slipped from her grasp, clattering onto the soft carpet.

“Spare us, Your Majesty! It wasn’t us who wanted to harm the empress—it was… it was you who ordered her death!”

Xuan Jingchi gasped. So, the culprit was me?!!

No!

Not me!

I won’t admit to such a heinous crime.

Furrowing her brows, she mimicked the tone of emperors from dramas and barked, “Guards!”

No sooner had she spoken than a silver-armored guard entered, bowing respectfully, awaiting her command.

Xuan Jingchi recited coldly, “Take these four troublemakers who mislead the sovereign away!”

“Huh???”

“Mercy, Your Majesty!”

“Spare us, Your Majesty!”

“Have mercy, Your Majesty!”

Immediately, the four were dragged away, wailing and pleading, until they were nearly out of the hall.

A guard captain turned back and asked, “Your Majesty, how should these four be punished?”

Seeing how effective her words were, Xuan Jingchi blinked and said, “Give each forty lashes, then lock them up in… in…”

She had intended to say “the Imperial Clan Court,” as she’d heard in dramas, but she wasn’t sure if this dynasty even had one or if it was the right place. Still, a prison was bound to exist, so she amended, “Throw them in the dungeon.”

The other palace maids and eunuchs watched as the emperor disposed of four people in an instant—her most favored ones at that.

They knew this empress was capricious—one moment gleefully ordering the empress’s strangulation, the next imprisoning those who obeyed her command!

Their heads bowed even lower, trembling faintly, wondering who the next unlucky victim would be.

The grand hall was eerily silent; no one dared even breathe loudly.

Seizing the moment while no one was watching her, Xuan Jingchi surveyed her surroundings. The palace was truly magnificent—gold and jade everywhere, every corner filled with what looked like national treasures.

After a full glance around, her gaze settled on the empress, still kneeling on the floor. She strode over and bent down to help her up.

But the empress slapped her hand away with a fierce glare, as if filled with utter loathing.

“Xuan Jingchi, if you want to kill me, then kill me. Why must you humiliate me? From the moment I, Xiao Yueli, married you, I never intended to live!”

Her words rang out with resolute clarity, her gaze firm. Amidst the sorrow and desolation on her face, there was an unyielding pride that would rather die than submit.

Xuan Jingchi was momentarily stunned. She slowly straightened up, somewhat at a loss, and said, “I never intended to humiliate you.”

The empress let out a cold laugh. “Do you think the only way to humiliate me is by sending me to become a courtesan?”

“What?!” Xuan Jingchi was shocked!

What kind of despicable emperor was this Xuan Jingchi?

To even entertain the thought of sending her own wife to become a courtesan?

She was utterly inhuman!

Just how depraved and cruel was this emperor?

Xuan Jingchi… Xiao Yueli… Why did these names sound somewhat familiar?

Xuan Jingchi shuddered. Weren’t these the names of minor, almost insignificant characters from a novel she had read?

The novel chronicled the glorious achievements of a wise and virtuous ruler who expanded his empire, while Xuan Jingchi was merely the ruler of a small kingdom—the only female sovereign among them.

She had become emperor solely because of her equally foolish and tyrannical father.

Her father had doted on this outrageously spoiled daughter, so much so that on his deathbed, he defied all opposition from his ministers and passed the throne to her.

She lived up to expectations, carrying on her father’s legacy of tyranny and cruelty.

The first earth-shattering act she committed after ascending the throne was to take a woman as her empress.

That woman was Xiao Yueli.

The fate of such a minor character, of course, was the inevitable downfall of her kingdom and family!

In the end, Xiao Yueli was taken into the harem of that wise and virtuous ruler. When her new husband brought the captured Xuan Jingchi before her, Xiao Yueli picked up a dagger and, without hesitation, plunged it into her chest.

“Xuan Jingchi, this is what you deserve!”

Of these two characters with barely any screen time, the deepest impression Xuan Jingchi had—aside from the empress who shared her name—was that line: “This is what you deserve!”

Do I deserve this?

Xuan Jingchi shuddered and glanced at the empress on the ground—the very executioner who would one day kill her.

She took a difficult breath, forcing her voice to remain calm. “Attendants, escort the empress back to her palace to rest.”

Yet, none of the palace maids on the ground moved. Not a single one stepped forward.

After a long silence, a palace maid cautiously spoke up, “Your Majesty, this is the Empress’s bedchamber.”

Ah, this!

Xuan Jingchi froze in embarrassment, then after a pause, commanded, “Return to the palace!”

Immediately, a large entourage of palace maids, eunuchs, and guards swarmed around her as she departed.

She deliberately slowed her pace, following them back to a magnificent and imposing palace.

Glancing up at the plaque above the gate, she saw three bold, flowing characters: “Chen Yuan Palace.”

Alright, this must be her own bedchamber.

Along the way, Xuan Jingchi had come to a realization. Since she had the misfortune of transmigrating into this novel, she would embrace her role as Xuan Jingchi.

She had no intention of meeting a tragic end with her country in ruins.

This Xuan Jingchi would protect her home and defend her nation, bringing peace and stability to the realm!

She would safeguard her wife and countless subjects!

She would become a wise and illustrious ruler!