Empress, Can I? [Transmigration + GL] - Chapter 38

Time flew by, and over a month passed in the blink of an eye.

After being enlightened by the Empress that day, Xuan Jingchi summoned Meng Wan to attend evening readings that very night. When Meng Wan received the summons, the heavy stone in her heart immediately lightened—she understood this was the emperor’s way of telling her she still had her trust.

However, with Meng Wan coming for evening readings, Xuan Jingchi had to reluctantly watch the Empress, who had been supervising her meals, return to Phoenix Palace each night.

After pretending to be a sage free of worldly thoughts for several days, one evening after lessons, Xuan Jingchi suddenly cheerfully sent Nuanxiang to Phoenix Palace.

That night, when Xiao Yueli saw Nuanxiang setting out bowls, chopsticks and spoons, she asked in surprise, “What’s all this for?”

Nuanxiang repeated exactly what Xuan Jingchi had instructed her to say, word for word, “Ever since Her Majesty abstained from meat, she often feels hungry after reading at night and has ordered us to prepare midnight snacks. The Empress knows Her Majesty’s temperament—if not for Your Highness keeping her in check, she would surely pester us for meat broth again. Since we cannot control Her Majesty, we had no choice but to invite her to Phoenix Palace for supper.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yueli instantly realized this was yet another of Xuan Jingchi’s crafty schemes.

When she had stayed at Chenyuan Palace recently, she had never seen Xuan Jingchi eat supper at night. Now, barely a few days after her return, Xuan Jingchi suddenly developed a craving for midnight snacks? And insisted on having them here!

This foolish ruler—her intentions were clearly not what they seemed.

Only a fool would believe she had truly come just for supper.

Before Xiao Yueli could speak, Xiao Fu sighed and shook her head, “Her Majesty can’t even eat meat or fish now, how pitiful.”

“Sister Nuanxiang, let me help you set the table. We mustn’t let Her Majesty go hungry and lose weight. Make sure she eats plenty tonight.”

Xiao Yueli looked at the naive Xiao Fu…

Just as they finished setting the table, Xuan Jingchi arrived at Phoenix Palace.

She cheerfully shared sweet soup with Xiao Yueli. After supper, Xiao Yueli, curious to see what she would do next, made no move to keep her and instead said, “Your Majesty, it’s getting late. After finishing the sweet soup, you should return early.”

Xuan Jingchi: “…”

Her gaze swept around until it landed on Xiao Fu, who was clearing the dishes. “Xiao Fu, have you solved the problem I gave you on Mid-Autumn Festival? I promised a reward for the correct answer.”

Xiao Fu immediately put down the dishes and approached hesitantly, “Is it… 12 bottles?”

Xuan Jingchi shook her head, “Wrong.”

“Wrong?” Xiao Fu blinked, “But this was the answer Xiamo, Guihua, and I came up with after counting on our fingers.”

Xuan Jingchi glanced at the Empress and asked, “Didn’t Her Highness help you with the calculation?”

Xiao Fu answered truthfully, “Her Highness helped at first, but then she moved to Chenyuan Palace to accompany Your Majesty, so I had to ask others instead.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yueli flushed slightly and said, “The problem was given to you by Her Majesty. I won’t compete with you for the reward.”

Xuan Jingchi laughed, “How generous of the Empress.” She then turned to Xiao Rong, “Have you worked it out?”

Xiao Rong smiled, “This servant is slow-witted. Could it be 16 bottles?”

Xuan Jingchi asked, “Any other answers?”

Nuanxiang said, “Chenxiang and I calculated 18 bottles.”

Xuan Jingchi laughed, “Let me calculate for you. Ten copper coins buy five bottles of wine. After drinking, you have five empty bottles and five caps…”

“So, the answer is twenty bottles.”

Xiao Yueli listened while doing her own calculations, thinking to herself, This person’s mind is quick, solving it so fast. Aside from being unversed in poetry, they truly have a clever head.

Xiao Fu looked utterly confused, “Your Majesty, you spoke too quickly. This servant couldn’t understand.”

Xuan Jingchi chuckled, “It’s fine if you didn’t understand. It was just for fun anyway. Since Nuanxiang and Chenxiang came closest to the answer, I’ll reward each of you with eighteen golden fruits.”

Nuanxiang smiled, “Thank Your Majesty for the reward!”

Xiao Fu sighed repeatedly, “Your Majesty, please give another problem. I’m the worst at calculations.”

Xuan Jingchi deliberately played coy, “I do have an interesting problem, but it’s too late now. I should return to the palace.”

Xiao Fu grew anxious, “No, no! Your Majesty, tell us the problem first. If it’s late, just stay. This servant will help you change clothes.”

Seeing that Xiao Yueli didn’t object and seemed subtly expectant—as if also curious about the problem—Xuan Jingchi said, “Xiao Rong, please fetch six small bamboo sticks of equal length.”

Xiao Rong acknowledged and left.

Everyone blinked, staring at Xuan Jingchi, wondering what she needed six sticks for.

Soon, Xiao Rong returned with the sticks. Xuan Jingchi took three and walked to the table, arranging them into a triangle.

She turned and smiled, “Look, this is a triangular shape, right?”

Everyone nodded at the triangle on the table, “Yes, it’s a triangle.”

Xuan Jingchi placed the remaining three sticks on the table, “There are six sticks here now. Whoever can use all six to form four identical triangular shapes will receive my reward—this time, thirty bolts of silk.”

“Wow!” The onlookers in Phoenix Palace gasped in amazement. “Thirty bolts of silk! The Emperor is so generous!”

Xuan Jingchi smiled, “Alright, you may go and solve it. I’ll see who can arrange it tomorrow.”

Xiao Fu dashed out immediately, tugging at Nuanxiang, “Sister Nuanxiang, you must help me this time!”

Nuanxiang laughed, “You’d be better off asking Chenxiang. Her mind works faster than mine.”

Xiao Rong returned with a cup of water and approached, “Your Majesty, let this servant help you change clothes.”

Xuan Jingchi waved her off, “No need, I’ll do it myself. You go and think about the problem too. I’ll give you a hint—don’t just think flat.”

Xiao Rong nodded, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Once everyone had left, Xuan Jingchi removed her outer robe and tugged at Xiao Yueli, “Yueli, let’s sleep. You wouldn’t believe how Meng Wan practically tried to cram an entire book into my head today. I’m exhausted. Let’s sleep.”

But Xiao Yueli, while nodding and saying, “Your Majesty has worked hard. Minister Meng meant well,” kept staring at the six bamboo sticks on the table, frowning thoughtfully.

Seeing her like this, Xuan Jingchi knew she was still pondering the problem and teased, “Empress, do you want the silk that badly? Just tell me what you want, and I’ll give it all to you—including myself.”

Although they had shared a bed for over a month, their private interactions had never gone beyond holding hands or the occasional kiss. There had been no overly intimate embraces, let alone anything further.

When Xuan Jingchi mentioned giving herself to her, Xiao Yueli was startled—both shocked and embarrassed. Though she knew little about relations between men and women, her mother hadn’t explained what the wedding night entailed since she was marrying the Empress.

But instinct told her that what Xuan Jingchi was suggesting now was something mortifying.

She slapped Xuan Jingchi’s hand, her face flushed red. “You’re outrageous! The things you say are getting wilder! Let’s sleep! No more nonsense!”

Xuan Jingchi chuckled, climbing into bed first and patting the spot beside her. “Yueli, come to bed. I’m exhausted.”

Xiao Yueli changed into her nightclothes and slipped under the covers. The moment she lay down, Xuan Jingchi suddenly pounced on her. Before Xiao Yueli could even gasp in surprise, her lips were sealed.

“Yueli, Yueli…”

Xuan Jingchi murmured her name between soft, tender kisses, each one filled with affection and care.

Her whispers and kisses were like the gentlest of waters, pulling Xiao Yueli deeper into their embrace.

Only in moments like these could she forget her identity—she wasn’t the Empress, Exemplary of the World, nor the poised and elegant noblewoman. She was simply Xuan Jingchi’s beloved.