Empress, Can I? [Transmigration + GL] - Chapter 36

After the incident with Leng Qiuci was resolved, Xiao Yueli generously rewarded the guard who had stepped forward to shield the emperor from the knife.

Xuan Jingchi dismissed everyone and turned to look at the somewhat dazed Meng Wan. “Wan’er, you’ve had a shock too. Go back and rest. No lessons tonight—let me take a break as well.”

Hearing this, Meng Wan seemed to snap out of her trance and forced a smile before bowing and taking her leave.

Having endured Leng Qiuci’s brutal beating, Xuan Jingchi was covered in injuries, aching and swollen all over. Then, she had nearly been killed by Leng Qiuchi’s knife. Now that the tension had eased, she felt utterly drained.

In the end, supported by Nuanxiang and Chenxiang, she obediently returned to bed once more.

The imperial physician applied wound medicine to Xuan Jingchi’s neck and wrapped it in gauze. Then, Nuanxiang brought over the medicine, which Xuan Jingchi drank in one gulp before lying down.

The medicinal broth had sleep-inducing and pain-relieving effects. After taking it, Xuan Jingchi could still chat with Xiao Yueli at first, but gradually, her eyelids grew heavier until she unknowingly fell asleep.

Her appalling sleeping habits were once again on full display—hugging the blanket, butt sticking up, half her body exposed outside the covers.

Xiao Yueli gazed at the scars peeking from beneath the hem of her clothes and couldn’t help but sigh softly. After tucking the blanket around her, she was about to rise when her eyes caught sight of a scent pouch hanging by the bedside. Though faded in color and slightly misshapen, she recognized it instantly—it was the very pouch she had gifted the Emperor.

Nuanxiang arrived with tea just then and, noticing the Empress looking at the pouch, said gently, “This was Your Majesty’s birthday gift to the Emperor. He cherished it dearly, wearing it when awake and hanging it by his bedside when asleep, often praising Your Majesty’s skill. Last night, when the Emperor fell into the water, the pouch was soaked and could no longer be worn. He was deeply regretful, so he kept it hanging here.”

Xiao Yueli nodded and sat at the table, sipping her tea slowly.

The events of the past two days had never occurred in her previous life. It seemed many things had changed since her rebirth.

Was Leng Qiuchi’s assassination attempt on the Emperor her own doing, or was she acting under orders?

This remained unclear for now. If she had been instructed, the most likely mastermind would be the Prince of Yin.

This was the first time—but what about afterward?

Her gaze darkened. After sitting in silence for a while, she returned to her palace, instructing before she left that if the Emperor awoke, someone should immediately report to Phoenix Palace. She also ordered that tonight’s dinner be light and simple.

Nuanxiang quickly agreed.

Upon returning to Phoenix Palace, Xiao Fu rushed forward, her face tense with worry. “Your Majesty, what happened? How is the Emperor?”

Xiao Yueli countered without answering, “What have you all heard?”

Xiao Fu said, “I heard the Emperor was badly beaten—by that Miss Leng from the Imperial Music Academy! Heavens, she seemed so delicate and refined, yet she was so ruthless! Tsk tsk, they say she even stormed Chenyuan Palace, fought off the guards, and… and even tried to kill the Emperor with a knife!”

Xiao Yueli glanced at her. “If you already know, why ask me?”

Xiao Fu: “…” She was left speechless.

Seeing her mistress stride into the hall without another word, she hurried after her. “Your Majesty, you still haven’t said—how is the Emperor? Is she all right?”

Just then, Xiao Rong walked past with tea and nudged her, whispering, “You fool! If something had really happened to the Emperor, would Her Majesty be so calm?”

Xiao Fu blinked. “Oh… right. Why didn’t I think of that?”

Xiao Rong said, “I know why.”

Xiao Fu leaned in. “Why?”

“Because you’re a fool.” With that, Xiao Rong giggled and ran off.

Xiao Fu huffed, hands on her hips. “I’m not a fool! I just don’t like to think too hard. Let me tell you, if I put my mind to it, there’s nothing in this world I couldn’t figure out!”

Xiao Rong brought the tea inside, and Xiao Yueli took a sip before asking, “Why are you teasing Xiao Fu?”

Xiao Rong pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile. “No, no, Your Majesty knows how Xiao Fu is—she’s all bark and no bite. Who would dare bully her?”

Xiao Yueli smiled faintly. “Bring me the materials for making scent pouches.”

As evening approached, a messenger arrived from Chenyuan Palace. A young palace maid said, “Sister Nuanxiang sent me to inform Her Majesty that the Emperor has awakened.”

Xiao Yueli replied, “Understood.”

The maid curtsied and left.

Setting down her needlework, Xiao Yueli said, “To Chenyuan Palace.”

—

Xuan Jingchi slept deeply and didn’t wake until the sun had set. She instinctively stretched, but halfway through, her face contorted in pain as she remembered her injuries.

She slowly sat up and looked around, not seeing Xiao Yueli. Getting out of bed, she asked, “Where’s the Empress?”

Nuanxiang replied, “The Empress has returned to Phoenix Palace,” as she began helping Xuan Jingchi dress.

Xuan Jingchi nodded. “The Empress must be tired too.” She then asked, “What did the imperial physician say about my injuries?”

“The physician said some of Your Majesty’s injuries affected the bones and tendons, requiring three months of rest. No horseback riding, archery, or sword practice.”

Xuan Jingchi: “…” No way.

“The physician also advised against spicy and stimulating foods. Her Majesty has already instructed the kitchen to remove all meat, prohibiting spicy and greasy dishes like fish, lamb, deer, and goose. From today onward, only plain porridge and simple vegetables.”

Xuan Jingchi paled in shock. …No way!

She immediately protested, “No, no! Three months of vegetarian food will kill me. Nuanxiang, tell the kitchen to prepare a plate of beef for me. I won’t eat any other meat.”

“This…” Nuanxiang quickly refused. “Your Majesty, please endure for now. The physician repeatedly warned against eating such things.”

“I want to eat it! If you don’t bring it, you’re disobeying an imperial decree.”

Left with no choice, Nuanxiang invoked the Empress’s authority. “Her Majesty ordered this servant not to give Your Majesty any meat. Without her permission, this servant dares not disobey.”

“If you don’t tell and I don’t tell, how would the Empress know?”

“This…”

Just then, a cool voice interjected, “Who says I wouldn’t know?”

Xuan Jingchi’s expression froze. Turning around awkwardly, she said, “Empress, you’re here.”

Xiao Yueli replied, “With Your Majesty injured, this consort has come to attend to your meal.”

She smiled slightly. “This consort just heard Your Majesty say you wanted to eat beef?”

Xuan Jingchi shivered under her gaze and said guiltily, “N-no, Empress misunderstood… It was Nuanxiang. She asked if I wanted beef, and I said no! Nuanxiang, stop tempting me with beef.”

Nuanxiang: “…”

Xiao Yueli looked at her. “Just no beef?”

“No! I won’t eat any meat at all!”

Only then did Xiao Yueli nod in approval. “Your Majesty is the ruler of the nation, the hope of all people. Please take care of your imperial health.”

With that, she ordered the meal to be served.

Tofu, cabbage, eggplant, radish, green beans…

And so, Xuan Jingchi spent her first meal since transmigrating into the book, eating porridge and vegetarian dishes.

“Your Majesty, how does it taste?” Xiao Yueli placed a piece of radish in her bowl.

“Good, very delicious!” Xuan Jingchi smiled brightly, though inwardly she was lamenting—why couldn’t it be radish in chicken broth?

“Empress, I want some mushrooms.”

Xiao Yueli immediately picked some up for her.

As Xuan Jingchi chewed on the mushrooms, she felt like crying.

Oh mushrooms, do you understand my sorrow?

After dinner, when Xiao Yueli prepared to return to her palace, Xuan Jingchi tugged at her sleeve. “Empress, since Wan’er isn’t coming for lessons tonight, why don’t you read to me instead?”

“Your Majesty, you should rest early today. Don’t overexert yourself.”

Xuan Jingchi said, “I slept all afternoon—I’m not tired at all. It’s too early to sleep.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yueli nodded. “Very well. What would Your Majesty like to read?”

“As long as it’s the Empress reading, any book will be enjoyable.”

With that, she instructed Chenxiang and Nuanxiang to fetch a few books from the side hall for the Empress to choose from.

Chenxiang and Nuanxiang both acknowledged the order and left.

Seizing the moment while they were gone, Xuan Jingchi immediately took Xiao Yueli’s hand and whispered in her ear, “Yueli, don’t go back tonight, alright? I miss your medicine.”

Xiao Yueli’s face flushed red as she glared at her. “You—you incorrigible tyrant! Can’t you ever be serious? What on earth goes through your mind all day?”

Xuan Jingchi grinned shamelessly. “Well, you already called me a tyrant, so of course my first thought is of the Empress—of kissing and hugging her.”

Xiao Yueli’s face burned even hotter. “You’re impossible! Spouting such nonsense without shame!”

Just then, Nuanxiang and Chenxiang returned with the books. Xiao Yueli selected one—Admonitions for Monarchs—and flipped open a page to begin reading.

The first story told of an emperor from a previous dynasty who indulged in lust, hoarded beauties from across the land, squandered wealth, neglected governance, and ultimately led his kingdom to ruin.

The second recounted how an emperor, to amuse his beloved, recklessly lit the beacon fires to summon his vassals as a jest—only to enrage them so much that they overthrew him and installed a new ruler.

The third described an emperor so consumed by desire that he seized his own daughter-in-law, provoking his son to rebel, kill him, and then be slain in turn by his father’s loyalists.

Xuan Jingchi quickly realized that the Empress was using these historical tales to criticize her own fondness for beauty.

Honestly, it’s always the emperors who lack self-control, yet they blame beautiful women for their downfall—calling them ‘disastrous temptresses.’

After three such stories, Xiao Yueli noticed that Xuan Jingchi was still smiling, showing no sign of anger, remorse, or reflection.

She asked, “What thoughts do these tales inspire in Your Majesty?”

Xuan Jingchi replied, “Oh, plenty. The problem lies with the beauties.”

Xiao Yueli thought she had finally struck a chord—until Xuan Jingchi continued, “It’s all about warning emperors not to be obsessed with beauty, right? Well, if I’m the ‘disastrous temptress’ myself, then there’s no trouble to worry about.”

Xiao Yueli froze. In this life—or even her past one—she had never encountered such a bizarre response. Even her sharp wit failed her, leaving her speechless.

Beside them, Nuanxiang and Chenxiang couldn’t hold back a snicker.

Xuan Jingchi turned to them. “The Empress will be staying here to care for me for a while. Tell Xiao Fu and Xiao Rong to prepare Her Majesty’s bath and night attire.”

Xiao Yueli blinked in surprise.

“Wasn’t it just tonight? How did it turn into this arrangement?”

She couldn’t very well correct the misunderstanding. If she said it was only for tonight, that would seem even more like trying to cover something up. So she glared fiercely at Xuan Jingchi before going to bathe.

After her bath, Xiao Yueli emerged fresh and clean, like a lotus rising from the water—pure and untainted by worldly dust.

“”

Xuan Jingchi lay on the bed, staring dumbfounded. Xiao Yueli’s face flushed red again as she said to Nuanxiang and Chenxiang, “You may leave now. I’ll take care of things here. I’ll call if we need anything.”

Seeing the Emperor nod, Chenxiang and Nuanxiang withdrew together.

Xiao Yueli lifted the quilt and climbed into bed as well.

The two of them lay looking up at the canopy overhead, listening to each other’s breathing, neither speaking for a while.

“Jingchi…”

“Hmm…”

“Were you afraid today?”

Xuan Jingchi smiled slightly, “A little, but not terribly so.”

She sighed, “I pity Leng Qiuci deeply. When I faced her gaze, I suddenly felt I’d wronged her, as if I were the villain in this story. In that moment, I truly wished she would kill this villain.”

“Why?”

“You’re so beautiful—I was afraid this villain might hurt you.”

“Jingchi,” Xiao Yueli suddenly turned over, reaching out to caress Xuan Jingchi’s face, “I want to thank the heavens for letting me meet you—this Xuan Jingchi.”

Xuan Jingchi froze for a moment before grasping her hand and kissing her palm, “And I thank the heavens for making this Xuan Jingchi appear in time to meet you.”

She looked at Xiao Yueli with utmost seriousness, “Yueli, I won’t let anyone harm you!”

With that, she leaned in and kissed Xiao Yueli.

In the dim candlelight, their kiss was tender and full of deep affection—the best remedy they could offer each other.