Empress, Can I? [Transmigration + GL] - Chapter 42

The next day’s banquet was held at the Yulong Pavilion.

It had three floors, with tables of food and drink spread across each level.

Xuan Jingchi quickly glanced around—five tables at each cardinal direction per floor, totaling sixty tables across three levels.

Good heavens, over six hundred officials had actually come to eat and drink.

Her first thought was: With so many officials coming to feast, if such grand state banquets were held multiple times a year, the national treasury might be drained by their consumption.

When the assembled ministers saw the Emperor and Empress arrive, they all rose to welcome them. Only after the imperial couple took their seats did the officials sit down.

With the sound of drums and music, the Dancers from the Imperial Music Academy filed in, their long sleeves fluttering as they performed an elegant dance.

Meng Wan sat to the Emperor’s right, watching the graceful Dancers with a somewhat distant expression.

Noticing this, Xuan Jingchi sighed with a smile, “In this Emperor’s view, none of these performers can compare to Miss Leng’s astonishing dance skills. Wouldn’t you agree, Wan’er?”

“This subject…” Meng Wan’s lips moved, but no words came out.

Xuan Jingchi smiled faintly, then noticed a golden sphere glittering brilliantly on a nearby jade pillar.

Seeing the Emperor looking at the golden sphere, Chenxiang explained, “Your Majesty, this is an auspicious prosperity sphere commissioned by the Ministry of Rites for this banquet. Each weighs nine jin and nine liang of gold.”

Xuan Jingchi frowned, “Four spheres would use nearly forty jin of gold. Summon the Minister of Rites—this Emperor wants to ask him whether hosting a state banquet requires such extravagance and waste?”

Beside her, Xiao Yueli interjected gently, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Let us discuss this after the banquet concludes.”

Xuan Jingchi nodded. Then Chenxiang added, “Reporting to Your Majesty, these golden spheres are not made entirely of gold. The craftsmen mixed in some brass.”

Xuan Jingchi’s expression softened considerably as she said, “That’s more like it.”

Xuan Jingchi toasted the envoys and then the assembled officials, who in turn came forward to toast her. She drank each cup with a smile, but even diluted with water, after dozens of cups, she began to feel lightheaded.

After the dance and music concluded, the envoy from the Mo Country stood and approached Xuan Jingchi.

Seeing this, Xuan Jingchi thought, here it comes.

The envoy first praised the diplomatic relations between the two nations, then complimented the beauty of Emperor Xuan Jingchi and Empress Xiao Yueli.

After clearing his throat, he announced loudly, “Our sovereign has a question that has long perplexed him. Hearing of your nation’s abundance of talent and wisdom, he wishes to seek your counsel.”

Xuan Jingchi replied, “What might this question be?”

The Yulong Pavilion, filled with over six hundred people across its two floors, fell into complete silence as everyone waited to hear the riddle.

“It goes like this: A traveler is lost in a perilous place and comes to a fork in the road. There are two paths leading in opposite directions—one leads to a terrifying hell, while the other is the correct way out.”

“Standing at the fork are two brothers. One always tells the truth, while the other always lies. When asked for directions, they will point the way.”

“The question is: If you were this traveler, how would you ask for directions?”

Upon hearing this, the crowd wondered what kind of question this was—was it really worthy of being posed at a state banquet? Just as they were about to burst into laughter, the envoy added, “Your Majesty, Empress, and esteemed officials, please note: the traveler may ask only one question.”

“What?!”

“Only one question?”

At this, everyone exchanged bewildered glances. The civil and military officials gathered in the Yulong Pavilion were dumbfounded.

“How would one even ask that?”

Lin Zaifu thought to himself, “Mu Ran of the Mo Country is truly tiresome. To flaunt his cleverness, he devises riddles every year to stump rulers and ministers of other nations. And this time, he’s come up with this?”

He turned to the person seated below him and asked, “Can you answer it?”

The official wiped sweat from his brow. “This humble official… needs more time to think.”

The hall was filled with ministers deep in thought, some murmuring and discussing among themselves.

“Only one question—how?”

“How would I know which one tells the truth and which one lies?”

“Ah, this is giving me a headache. I can’t figure it out.”

“This is up to you civil officials. We military men only know how to fight.”

The civil officials felt the weight of expectation.

Xiao Yueli grew uneasy, secretly worried. Indeed, in this reborn life, the challenges were entirely different.

“What should we do?” She pondered for a long time but couldn’t find an answer. Glancing discreetly at Xuan Jingchi, she saw her sitting motionless, eyes slightly closed—whether deep in thought or simply dizzy from the wine, it was hard to tell.

Even Chenxiang, standing behind the emperor, began to grow anxious.

When Xuan Jingchi first heard the riddle, she recognized it as a logic puzzle.

The question wasn’t particularly difficult, but if you didn’t know the trick, you could rack your brains for days without figuring it out.

She already had the answer but wasn’t in a hurry to reveal it.

Looking up at the assembled officials, she noticed Meng Wan beside her frowning in deep concentration. Smiling, she asked, “Wan’er, have you figured it out?”

The Empress, who had secretly pinned her hopes on Meng Wan, also turned to look at her when Xuan Jingchi posed the question.

Meng Wan’s face flushed red with indescribable embarrassment as she said, “This subject is dull-witted and unable to share Your Majesty’s burdens.”

With her hopes dashed, the Empress sighed quietly in her heart.

She looked towards Dugu Jinyu, only to see Dugu Jinyu shake her head helplessly.

Another hope was extinguished.

After waiting a while, the envoy gradually revealed a smug expression when he saw that not a single official in the entire court could stand up to answer.

“Honorable ministers, is there anyone who can answer?”

The entire hall of civil and military officials fell silent as a grave, heads bowing involuntarily.

Prime Minister Lin Zaifu, seeing the opportune moment had arrived, spoke with utmost reverence, “Your Majesty’s brilliance surpasses all, truly chosen by the gods. We subjects are dull-witted and humbly request Your Majesty to resolve this puzzle and uphold the prestige of Qing Country.”

As these words fell, whispers broke out across the assembly.

“Lin Zaifu is throwing this difficult problem to Her Majesty!”

“Isn’t this deliberately trying to embarrass Her Majesty?”

“Can Her Majesty answer it? What if he can’t?”

“If even we can’t think of it, how much more Her Majesty?”

Xiao Yueli and Dugu Jinyu both changed expressions simultaneously. Dugu Jinyu keenly realized that Lin Zaifu was using the “chosen by heaven” narrative to make his move.

All eyes in the hall turned to Xuan Jingchi.

Xuan Jingchi straightened his back and slowly rose to his feet under everyone’s gaze.

Xiao Yueli’s face was full of worry as she couldn’t help but call out, “Your Majesty!”

Xuan Jingchi turned slightly to look at her with a smile, signaling her not to worry.

“Our ministers are all being modest, deliberately yielding to us. Though we are untalented, we have read a few books. We were reluctant to embarrass ourselves publicly, but since Prime Minister Lin thinks so highly of us, today we shall attempt it—to let everyone see whether the gods chose correctly or not.”

Step by step, he approached the envoy and said, “Envoy, listen well. If we were that person, we would ask: ‘Which path do you think your brother would point to as the correct way out?'”

As these words fell, silence descended. Not a single person spoke in the vast Yulong Pavilion. All eyes turned as one toward the envoy from Mo Country.

Waiting for him to tell everyone whether Her Majesty’s answer was correct or not.

Hearing this, the envoy’s expression changed dramatically as he stared in shock at the female emperor of Great Qing Dynasty.

Xuan Jingchi smiled faintly, “After they point out the path, we would take the opposite one—that would be the correct way out.”

The envoy’s face showed admiration as he praised, “Your Majesty is absolutely correct! Precisely so! No wonder the late emperor chose to pass the throne to Your Majesty. Your Majesty’s brilliance is unparalleled, truly chosen by the gods.”

Some cheered and applauded,

Some pondered Xuan Jingchi’s answer carefully,

Some remained utterly confused,

While others loudly praised,

“Brilliant! Truly brilliant! Your Majesty is exceptionally sharp-witted!”

“How did Your Majesty come up with that?!”

“Admirable! Truly admirable!”

The envoy clapped, and thunderous applause erupted throughout the pavilion.

Someone shouted, “Chosen by the gods! Heaven bless our King!”

Lin Zaifu’s expression darkened to the extreme. Instead of embarrassing Xuan Jingchi, he had unwittingly reinforced the belief that she was indeed the divinely chosen ruler.

Xuan Jingchi turned to look at the Empress, who was clapping her hands, her beautiful eyes fixed on her with an undisguised look of admiration and joy as she smiled at her.

Xuan Jingchi’s gaze fell upon a lucky wishing pearl beside the Empress, and an idea struck her. She turned and said, “Your king is renowned for his wisdom and vast knowledge, and I have long admired him. Today, I shall also pose a question for your kingdom. Please take it back to your ruler.”

The envoy looked nervous. “What question?”

Xuan Jingchi said, “Someone, bring down one of the prosperity sphere.”

Immediately, a guard stepped forward and retrieved a golden, shimmering orb.

Xuan Jingchi declared, “This pearl weighs nine jin and nine liang. My question is: Without damaging this sphere, how can one determine whether it is made of pure gold?”

Upon hearing this, the envoy’s face twisted in surprise and dismay.

To determine if it was pure gold, one could simply cut it open or melt it down to inspect its composition—but either method would ruin the pearl.

To assess its purity without damaging it… this… this…

Xuan Jingchi said, “Do not worry, Envoy. I trust your king will surely solve this puzzle for me.”

The envoy accepted the golden pearl with visible unease.

The ministers in the Yulong Pavilion were exhilarated.

“Your Majesty’s question is brilliant!”

“Before, we were always stumped by Mo Country’s questions. Now, let them taste their own medicine!”

“Finally, we’ve had our revenge!”

“Hahaha! Your Majesty is wise! Your Majesty is wise!”