Empress, Can I? [Transmigration + GL] - Chapter 45

That day, officials from the Ministry of Rites indeed came to petition. To pray for the prosperity and flourishing of the Great Celebration, the fourth prince, His Highness Prince Yin, would personally visit the immortal mountain to invite the Immortal Venerable to descend to the mortal realm, exorcise demons, and protect the imperial family. They requested the Emperor to fast for three days to demonstrate Her Majesty’s sincere devotion.

Xuan Jingchi replied expressionlessly, “We are aware.”

Prayers for blessings were a significant matter, and according to ritual, the Emperor and Empress could not share a bed during these three days.

During the day, she continued to ride horses, practice archery, and train with the sword as if nothing were amiss. At night, she sat alone in silence, neither speaking nor smiling.

Nuanxiang and Chenxiang noticed the Emperor’s low spirits. Chenxiang attempted to cheer her up with a playful remark or two, but Xuan Jingchi only managed a faint smile. “We are tired. We wish to be alone for a while.”

Helpless, Nuanxiang and Chenxiang bowed in unison and replied, “As you command,” before quietly withdrawing.

Xuan Jingchi curled up, hugging her legs tightly, her gaze fixed blankly on the golden dragon embroidery on the brocade quilt.

During the exorcism ritual, would the Immortal Venerable purge her soul—one that never belonged to this world in the first place?

Would she disappear?

Once, she had despised this face and struggled to adjust to this body.

But now, Xuan Jingchi clung to this body desperately, her nails digging into her flesh without her even noticing.

Tears had already begun to fall without her realizing.

Did she only have three days left?

No—one day had already passed. She only had two days remaining.

She couldn’t bear to leave this world, couldn’t bear to part with Nuanxiang, Chenxiang, Xiao Fu, Xiao Rong, or Xuan Jingning. And most of all, she couldn’t bear to leave the Empress.

The mere thought of never seeing Xiao Yueli again made Xuan Jingchi tremble uncontrollably. Suppressed sobs escaped her slender frame, their faint echoes lingering in the vast hall.

When Xiao Yueli arrived at Chenyuan Palace early in the morning, she was surprised to find Xuan Jingchi already awake, with no one in the bedchamber.

Chenxiang explained, “Her Majesty did not sleep all night. She rose in the middle of the night and has been working diligently in the side hall. She ordered us not to disturb her.”

When Xiao Yueli pushed the door open, she found Xuan Jingchi bent over the desk, writing intently.

She had to admit that Xuan Jingchi, with her serious and focused demeanor, possessed a uniquely captivating charm.

She seemed like an entirely different person—filled with wisdom, confidence, and an unparalleled brilliance.

In that moment, it was as if she was seeing the real Xuan Jingchi.

Without looking up, Xuan Jingchi smiled and said, “You’ve come early, Yueli.”

“Jingchi, what are you writing?”

Xiao Yueli noticed that Xuan Jingchi was not using a brush but instead a snow-white goose feather dipped in ink. She wrote swiftly, her handwriting elegant, neat, and refined.

So, this was her true handwriting.

Hearing the question, Xuan Jingchi lifted her head and smiled at her before lowering it again to continue writing.

“I want to finish this book—Geometry.”

Xiao Yueli saw the exhaustion on Xuan Jingchi’s face and knew she had stayed up all night. Softly, she urged, “Jingchi, go rest for a while. Take care of yourself. The book can be written slowly.”

The swiftly moving quill paused. Two silent tears fell onto the white paper, spreading in dark stains. “You know… I don’t have much time left.”

“Jingchi!” Xiao Yueli’s heart ached unbearably, her voice trembling. “Don’t—don’t say such things.”

Last night, she too had not slept a wink.

Reborn into this life, she had finally escaped that nightmare-like existence. This person respected her, loved her, cherished her—could make her laugh, could make her angry, could make her both angry and in love.

She hadn’t even known her life could feel so vibrant.

She thanked the gods. Surely, the heavens had seen how tragic and bitter her past life had been, and so granted her this second chance, sending such a dazzling person to her side—someone who would forsake everything just to love her.

She believed this person was the gods’ compensation to her.

Just as she imagined spending this lifetime with this person, living happily ever after like the characters in the stories she told—

The heavens sought to take her away.

Why send her to me, only to take her back?

If she were gone, vanished, Xiao Yueli didn’t dare imagine how the long years ahead would unfold.

But she knew one thing—she would never be happy again for the rest of her life.

“Yueli.”

Before she realized it, someone gently embraced her, pulling her into a warm embrace.

She turned and met Xuan Jingchi’s reddened eyes—her peach-blossom gaze blurred with tears, making her all the more mesmerizing.

In that moment, Xiao Yueli cast aside restraint and threw herself into Xuan Jingchi’s arms, shoulders trembling.

Tears slid down her cheeks, dripping onto Xuan Jingchi’s shoulders, soaking her robes.

“Jingchi!”

Xuan Jingchi held her tightly, tears falling freely as she choked out, “Yueli, I love you!”

“I love you too!” Xiao Yueli wept. “Jingchi, don’t leave me!”

Xiao Yueli felt utterly powerless. No matter what she tried, there was nothing she could do.

This time, what they faced was neither the King of Yin, nor Leng Qiuci, nor Lin Zaifu—but the supreme will of the gods.

At those words, Xuan Jingchi’s tears only flowed harder. She clung to Xiao Yueli even tighter, kissing her hair. “Don’t forget me!”

No matter how unwilling they were, time slipped away, second by second.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the evening of the third day, Xuan Jingchi handed Xiao Yueli the book she had written, smiling faintly. “If I’m really gone… give this to Shangguan Wei. I think she’d enjoy reading it.”

Xiao Yueli shook her head. “I won’t give it to her. This is the only thing you’ve left me. I’ll keep it for myself. When you’re gone… I’ll read it slowly.”

In just those few words, both their eyes welled up again.

Xuan Jingchi held back her tears, forcing a smile. “You’re so clever. You’ll master it in no time.”

Xiao Yueli cradled the book in one hand, gripping Xuan Jingchi’s fingers with the other. “I’m not clever. I need you to teach me. I’ll wait for you to teach me.”

Xuan Jingchi patted the back of her hand and smiled lightly, saying, “Go back and rest. Tomorrow we’ll meet the divine beings. Aren’t you looking forward to it? To be honest, I really want to see what they look like.”

Her heart ached with sorrow, yet she deliberately spoke in a lighthearted tone, as if this were just an ordinary farewell between them.

Xiao Yueli knew she was trying to comfort her and forced a faint smile. “Since they’re divine beings, they must be extraordinarily beautiful.”

Xuan Jingchi laughed. “No matter how beautiful they are, they can’t compare to you. You don’t know this, but I fell in love with you at first sight.”

“Really?”

“It’s true. You are my divine being!”

The ritual to pray for blessings and dispel evil was a solemn and sacred event.

At Guanghua Gate, the entire imperial family had gathered—Prince Liang Xuan Jingming, Prince Yin Xuan Jingmou, Grand Princess Xuan Jingning, Princess Gaole Xuan Jingyu, Princess Yongle Xu—along with over ten high-ranking officials led by Lin Zaifu and Dugu Jinyu.

Everyone appeared calm, as if this were just another routine blessing ceremony.

The only difference was that this time, the revered leader of the foremost immortal sect, Tianmenzong, would personally descend.

None of them had ever seen an immortal before. Hearing that celestial beings possessed radiant grace and peerless beauty, they were eager to witness their divine presence.

Dugu Jinyu remained composed, casting a glance at Lin Zaifu with an inward sneer.

His niece had proven herself admirably. Ever since she successfully answered the envoy from Mo Country, many court officials had begun viewing her in a new light. Some even started believing she truly was the chosen one of the divine, blessed by the gods—otherwise, how could an uneducated fool have answered correctly?

Thanks to Lin Zaifu’s relentless efforts to debunk the myth of the divine chosen one, he had stubbornly insisted on this evil-dispelling ritual.

So what if the divine appeared?

It was just an exorcism. Best if they could rid them of Lin Zaifu himself—the real evil here!

Lin Zaifu kept his eyes downcast, but inwardly he thought, Xuan Jingchi, let’s see what tricks you can pull before the divine beings. I want to see for myself—are you truly the chosen one, or is this just demonic trickery?

Xuan Jingchi walked step by step toward Guanghua Gate, her expression composed and her stride steady. Since there was no escape, she would face it head-on.

She was now the ruler of Daqing, the dignified and majestic Son of Heaven!

Her gaze immediately found the Empress in the crowd, recognizing the resplendent robes she had worn on the day they first met.

She still remembered—during that first encounter, the original host had nearly killed the Empress. Fortunately, she had taken over.

Coming to this world, meeting her, and then falling in love with her.

A smile flickered in her eyes, meeting Xiao Yueli’s serene gaze. The Empress, too, smiled faintly in return.

Under the sunlight, Xuan Jingchi noticed a glimmering golden Scent Pouch hanging at her waist.

She recognized it—the Openwork Gold Sachet she had gifted her.

Xiao Yueli had never been fond of wearing accessories like scent pouches or jade pendants.

Yet today, she wore it.

As the appointed hour approached, golden light suddenly radiated across the sky, and a gentle breeze swept through the surroundings.

Everyone looked up at the heavens, their eyes filled with reverence and devotion.

At the far end of their awestruck gazes, two figures—one clad in red, the other in white—descended gracefully from the clouds.

Their sleeves fluttered like flowing silk, their movements as light as the softest feathers, ethereal and transcendent as they slowly descended from the sky.

The crowd exclaimed, “The divine beings have arrived! We humbly welcome them!” and knelt to kowtow.

Xuan Jingchi stared at the approaching divine beings, utterly stunned.

So there really are gods!!!

She had never seen anyone so beautiful before!

So beautiful that no words could describe their beauty!

They emitted a faint golden light, their entire beings bathed in a holy radiance that made it impossible to gaze directly at them.

Xuan Jingchi suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of reverence well up inside her. She knelt on the ground and kowtowed deeply.

The red-robed immortal spoke, “Who is the ruler of the Great Qing Dynasty?”

Her voice was calm, deep, devoid of any emotion, solemn and dignified, making one instinctively want to prostrate at her feet.

Xuan Jingchi stood up and said, “I am Xuan Jingchi, monarch of the Great Qing Dynasty.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Xuan Jingchi felt a cold, profound gaze sweep over her, as if piercing through flesh to strike directly at her soul, seeing right through her in an instant.

Am I about to be exterminated as an evil spirit?

Xuan Jingchi involuntarily turned her head, her gaze falling on Xiao Yueli.

Let me look at her one last time, then remember her forever!

Xiao Yueli’s heart clenched tightly! Her hands beneath her sleeves balled into fists.

She almost rushed forward without thinking, kneeling to beg the gods to spare her, to let Xuan Jingchi live.

But doing so would be admitting to everyone that this Xuan Jingchi’s identity was false.

She saw the farewell in Xuan Jingchi’s eyes, a teary-eyed, smiling farewell.

Prince Yin Xuan Jingmou stepped forward and said, “Immortal Venerable, what say you? Is there an evil spirit among us?”

At these words, everyone, including Xuan Jingchi herself, turned their gazes to the red-robed immortal.

Awaiting the judgment of the gods.

The red-robed immortal spoke: “This venerable one requires a separate palace to perform rites for your monarch, to properly determine the presence of evil spirits.”

This response gave Xuan Jingchi a glimmer of hope.

Why?

She had clearly felt the gods see right through her,

Why would they need to perform separate rites?

“Yes, yes,” Xuan Jingmou nodded repeatedly, personally leading the two immortals to a palace, then respectfully inviting Xuan Jingchi inside.

The others waited outside the palace in silence.

No sound came from within the hall; the crowd couldn’t hear the slightest movement from inside.

Some began whispering among themselves,

“The gods are truly beautiful!”

“Today I finally understand what immortal grace looks like!”

“Which sacred mountain do these immortals come from?”

“The Tianmen Sect claims that the most powerful immortal lord has descended this time.”

“Is there evil haunting the palace?”

“Evil spirits? Since when?”

“Has Her Majesty been affected?”

“That’s hard to say. It depends on what the deities decree.”

The crowd murmured among themselves, exchanging whispers one after another.

Xiao Yueli remained silent with downcast eyes, her heart filled with unease.

What would the deities do to Xuan Jingchi?

Would they slay her as they would an evil spirit?

Xuan Jingchi is not an evil spirit! She is not!

Perhaps, just maybe, the deities wouldn’t notice?

Even clinging to this slim hope, she secretly prayed the deities wouldn’t detect anything unusual about Xuan Jingchi.

Amidst the inner turmoil and fear, Xiao Yueli’s face turned pale as she kept her head bowed low.

The wait outside the hall seemed excruciatingly long.

The murmurs among the crowd gradually grew louder into open discussions.

Xuan Jingmou exaggeratedly remarked, “If my royal sister hasn’t emerged for so long, could she be possessed by evil spirits? Ah! Perhaps she herself is the evil spirit!”

Hearing this, Prince Liang Xuan Jingming lowered his head with a hidden smirk.

Princess Gaole Xuan Jingyu and Princess Yongle Xuan Jingxu turned pale with fright. “Surely not? Our royal sister is an evil spirit?”

Lin Zaifu maintained a neutral expression but felt smug inside. He had always suspected something amiss with this Xuan Jingchi. Now they’d see how they could still call her the divine choice.

Dugu Jinyu frowned silently, praying fervently that no chaos would erupt on the eve of the court assembly.

Grand Princess Xuan Jingning strode up to Xuan Jingmou and glared at him. “What nonsense are you spouting, Fourth Brother? Our royal sister shares the same imperial blood as us. Even if evil spirits have disturbed her, now that the deities have descended, they will surely eliminate the spirits and protect our sister. But if you slander her as an evil spirit, wouldn’t that imply any of us siblings could be one too?”

Xuan Jingning, once the Grand Marshal of the World’s Armed Forces commanding two hundred thousand troops, carried an imposing dignity unmatched by ordinary women. Her series of rebukes rang with authority.

Seeing her anger, Xuan Jingmou immediately backed down, genuinely intimidated by his elder sister. He forced a smile and said, “Sister, you misunderstand. We are all of imperial lineage, noble and exalted—how could we be evil spirits? Evil spirits would flee at our very presence. I misspoke just now—please don’t take offense.”

Xuan Jingning snorted and ignored him, walking over to Xiao Yueli instead. “Empress, don’t worry too much. My sister will be fine.”

Xiao Yueli gave a faint nod. Seeing Xuan Jingning’s sincere concern, her heart twisted with mixed emotions.

You are such a good sister to Xuan Jingchi… but your real sister has long been gone.

It’s not your sister I worry about—it’s another Xuan Jingchi.

As nearly two hours passed and impatience grew among the crowd, the hall doors creaked open.

The crimson-robed immortal lord stepped out first, followed closely by the white-robed one.

The red-clad immortal unfurled a scroll in his hand, revealing the image of a green-haired demon with bared fangs and a ferocious glare.

Its eyes seemed to move, its long crimson tongue poised to lash out, its gaping maw filled with jagged teeth as if ready to leap off the paper and devour anyone nearby!

The crowd recoiled in shock. Princess Gaole and Princess Yongle screamed in terror.

“What—what is this?!”

The Red-robed Immortal said, “This is an evil spirit hiding in your imperial palace. It thrives on wickedness and preys on those with impure hearts, luring them into committing sinful deeds.”

With that, a flame rose from her palm. The crowd watched as the malevolent ghost on the paper was burned alive, its agonized screeches seemingly echoing in their ears.

Only when the terrifying ghost had turned to wisps of smoke in the roaring flames did everyone finally exhale in relief.

After speaking, the Red-robed Immortal flicked her sleeve and prepared to depart.

Xuan Jingmou stepped forward urgently, “Immortal, what about my royal sister? How is she?”

The Red-robed Immortal declared clearly, “Though your ruler is an Empress, she is chosen by the gods and blessed with divine protection. Naturally, she is unharmed.”

The crowd cheered. Xuan Jingning heaved a great sigh of relief, while Xuan Jingmou couldn’t conceal his disappointment.

Lin Zaifu remained silent, his face ashen. Dugu Jinyu smiled faintly, casting a glance at Lin Zaifu that seemed to mock his self-inflicted misfortune.

Before Xiao Yueli could rejoice, she noticed the Red-robed Immortal’s gaze sweeping over her. Whether it was her imagination or not, Xiao Yueli felt there was a hint of scrutiny in that divine look—as if the immortal could see through her rebirth from another life.

Xiao Yueli’s heart pounded like a drum, her face pale, as an invisible pressure seemed to suffocate her.

That divine gaze felt both eternal and fleeting.

When the immortal’s eyes finally withdrew, Xiao Yueli felt as though an invisible mountain had been lifted from her shoulders, allowing her to breathe again.

At that moment, Xuan Jingchi emerged from the hall just in time to see the Red-robed Immortal extend her hand. The White-robed Immortal also reached out, their fingers intertwining as they shared a smile before gracefully ascending together.

Red robes billowing, white sleeves flowing, dark hair dancing in the wind.

Their divine elegance was beyond words—ethereal, untrammeled, the very picture of celestial grace.

Xuan Jingchi knelt on the ground, watching their clasped hands disappear into the distance, and bowed deeply. “Immortals above, accept my reverence!”

The crowd prostrated themselves in gratitude, thanking the deities for purging the evil and ensuring their safety.

Xuan Jingning asked, “Younger sister, are you alright? You were inside for so long—I was truly worried.”

Xuan Jingchi replied, “I’m fine, sorry for worrying you, elder sister. The immortal’s ritual to capture the ghost took some time.”

She turned to look at Xiao Yueli, who returned her gaze. Though no words passed between them, their eyes spoke volumes, brimming with the joy and gratitude of survivors.