Empress, Can I? [Transmigration + GL] - Chapter 51

Recently, the court had been uneventful. Lin Zaifu, Xuan Jingming, and Xuan Jingmou seemed to have chosen to hold their positions, no longer openly opposing her in court.

At first, they had refuted her once or twice. But unexpectedly, not only was Xuan Jingchi eloquent in debate, even the imperial edict secretary by her side, Meng Wan, proved formidable—so much so that Dugu Jinyu didn’t even need to step in.

Xuan Jingchi understood: her enemies were quietly observing her, like a pack of wolves and tigers encircling a pitiful, vulnerable lamb.

The more patience they showed, the longer they waited, the fiercer their eventual counterattack would be!

Outwardly, Xuan Jingchi remained amiable, treating her two elder brothers with courtesy and showing respect to the influential Left Chancellor Lin Zaifu.

But inwardly, she sneered. This emperor would not be a lamb led to slaughter.

Soon, spring arrived—the season of renewal, the beginning of planting.

Xuan Jingchi issued an edict to allow the people to recuperate, exempting them from ten percent of that year’s taxes.

The common folk cheered, for even a one-tenth reduction was a tremendous imperial grace.

The Ministry of Rites submitted a memorial reporting that the powerful northern barbarian state of She Country had produced a young khan named Mo Duo. Despite his youth, he had already unified all the northern tribes, becoming the youngest khan in history.

They petitioned the Emperor to send an envoy to represent the Great Qing Dynasty in congratulating this new khan.

But who should be sent?

This became a multiple-choice question placed before Xuan Jingchi.

This Khan Mo Duo was precisely the male protagonist from that book – the enlightened ruler who would one day unite the entire realm.

He was also the hero whose iron cavalry would sweep across this continent, invincible wherever they went.

It was he who would breach the Great Qing Dynasty’s defenses, slaughter a hundred thousand citizens, capture Emperor Xuan Jingchi alive, and take Empress Xiao Yueli into his harem.

This man was the enemy of Great Qing, Xuan Jingchi’s most terrifying and formidable opponent!

That evening, candles burned brightly in the Hall of Mental Cultivation as Xuan Jingchi bent over her desk reviewing memorials. The stacks of documents towered high – she was already accustomed to this.

Meng Wan sat below at her own desk, her brush flying across paper as she recorded the Emperor’s opinions in the most elegant and graceful prose.

As time passed, Xuan Jingchi looked up and asked Chenxiang, “What time is it?”

“Your Majesty, it’s already hai hour (9-11 PM).”

Xuan Jingchi said, “Wan’er, you may retire for the night. I’ll review a few more myself.”

Staying up late was second nature to Xuan Jingchi. Back in the laboratory, she’d never left before midnight – she was long accustomed to it.

Meng Wan replied, “This subject will accompany Your Majesty until you finish.”

“Go to sleep. That’s an imperial command.”

Unable to refuse, Meng Wan rose and bowed. “May Your Majesty also rest early.”

Without looking up, Xuan Jingchi nodded. “I know.” As Meng Wan reached the door, her steps hesitated. She turned back.

Seeing her hesitation, Xuan Jingchi smiled slightly. “Wan’er, do you have something to say?”

“Your Majesty, regarding sending an envoy to She Country, this subject has a candidate in mind.”

Xuan Jingchi set down her brush and raised her eyes. “Whom does Wan’er wish to recommend?”

“The son of the Vice Minister of Rites – Huang Tingzhi.”

—

In the deep silence of the midnight hour, Xuan Jingchi worked alone in the great hall reviewing memorials. “Chenxiang, trim this lamp brighter, then you may retire too.”

“As you command.” Chenxiang stepped forward, gently adjusting the wick with scissors, making the light immediately brighter before quietly withdrawing from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Time passed indeterminately until Xuan Jingchi grew thirsty. Reaching for the teacup on her desk, she found it empty.

Frowning, she set it down. Seeing only a few memorials remained, she decided against getting up for more tea, opting to finish them first.

Then came the sound of light footsteps in the hall.

Even in the silent night, Xuan Jingchi heard them clearly.

“Chenxiang, didn’t I tell you to go rest?” she said without looking up.

A cup of water appeared before her. Without glancing at it, Xuan Jingchi took a sip.

Plain water, perfectly tempered.

Unable to resist, she turned to see a graceful figure standing by the candlelight – a face of refined elegance smiling gently at her.

“Yueli, what brings you here?”

Xuan Jingchi was both surprised and delighted, then suddenly frowned. “Why aren’t you asleep? This isn’t good for your complexion. Go rest.”

Xiao Yueli laughed. “Your Majesty isn’t resting either.”

“I’m the ruler of a nation. It’s my duty – of course I must finish before sleeping.”

Xiao Yueli walked over and sat behind Meng Wan’s desk, smiling. “Accompanying Your Majesty is this consort’s duty.”

Xuan Jingchi sighed as she saw her resolute attitude and began reviewing the memorials at a faster pace.

“Your Majesty, are you troubled about sending an envoy to She Country?”

Xuan Jingchi nodded. There was no need to hide anything from the Empress. “This person isn’t just an envoy. It would be best if he could stay in She Country for a long time. I need him to buy time for Daqing.”

Xiao Yueli was taken aback.

Buy time for Daqing?

Why would Xuan Jingchi say such a thing?

Noticing the rare hint of surprise on her face, Xuan Jingchi continued reading the memorials and said, “Yueli, Mo Duo of She Country is ambitious, and his iron cavalry is invincible. Right now, he has just ascended to the position of Great Khan, and his ambitions have yet to fully surface. Once he consolidates his power, it will be time for him to raise his sword. So, I need time—time to nurture talent, train the army. Only then will we have the strength to resist Mo Duo.”

Xiao Yueli couldn’t help but recall her past life—the country destroyed, the family lost, the land in ruins. Wherever the iron cavalry of She Country went, rivers of blood flowed, and corpses piled like mountains.

She still remembered when Mo Duo stormed the imperial palace. That Xuan Jingchi had fled in panic, forcing a palace maid to swap clothes with her.

But by then, what authority did a fallen ruler like her still have?

The palace maids and eunuchs pushed her aside and ran, scrambling to loot valuable treasures as they fled.

No one stayed behind—except for her.

She stayed, of course, not for her sake.

She had long lost her home, and now, even her country was gone.

Where could a person with no country and no home go?

Watching Xuan Jingchi, trembling like a stray dog, she said coldly, “Xuan Jingchi, can’t you at least maintain a shred of dignity befitting a ruler?”

Xuan Jingchi froze, a trace of sorrow flashing across her face before it twisted into something ferocious. She roared madly, “It’s all because of you! Xiao Yueli! I hate you! In what way am I inferior to you?! Why didn’t Yuan Zhao like me? Why wouldn’t he love me, even in death?”

“I’ll kill you! Kill you!” She picked up a sword from the ground.

The blade flashed, pressing against Xiao Yueli’s neck. “What I hate most is this aloof, arrogant look of yours! It’s this saintly, untouchable act that made Yuan Zhao unable to forget you!”

She pushed the blade closer, her voice frantic with rage. “Beg me! Beg me not to kill you! Grovel like a dog! Let Yuan Zhao see what kind of woman you really are!”

Xiao Yueli looked at her coldly, her expression eerily calm. “Xuan Jingchi, you truly are a pitiful woman.”

“You!!” Xuan Jingchi flew into a rage and raised her sword to kill Xiao Yueli, only to be interrupted by Mo Duo, who had just stormed into the palace.

Xiao Yueli’s eyes flashed with momentary shock at his appearance.

The Forbidden Palace had fallen!

The Great Qing Dynasty was completely destroyed!

Mo Duo approached her, eyeing the white dress spread across the decaying, ruined hall with disdain. “Who are you?”

“I am Empress Xiao Yueli of the Great Qing Dynasty.”

“Is this how all the empresses of your country dress?” Mo Duo flicked the blindingly white hem of her dress with the tip of his sword.

The woman was strikingly beautiful, her eyes like stars on the grassland—bright, dazzling, and untouchably distant.

“This is mourning attire. Great Khan Mo Duo, I am in mourning for the Great Qing Dynasty,” Xiao Yueli replied evenly, neither submissive nor arrogant.

Mo Duo paused, reassessing this noble, sacredly beautiful woman.

“Men, attend to her well. I want her as my consort,” Mo Duo declared impassively, as if it were routine.

Acquiring a beautiful woman was merely another jewel to adorn the scabbard of his mighty sword.

His gaze then fell upon Xuan Jingchi, trembling and cowering on the ground.

“Don’t kill me! Please, don’t kill me!” Xuan Jingchi groveled, begging for mercy.

Mo Duo had seen countless such cowardly wretches. With a contemptuous wave, he ordered, “Take this incompetent, tyrannical fallen ruler away.”

Unexpectedly, Xiao Yueli spoke up. “Great Khan, if you wish me to be your consort, I have one condition.”

Mo Duo’s men burst into laughter. What right did the empress of a fallen dynasty have to make demands?

Mo Duo asked, “What condition?”

Xiao Yueli’s gaze settled on Xuan Jingchi, who shivered under her stare, her spine turning to ice.

“Let me kill her myself.”

“No! No! You vile woman! Xiao Yueli! I regret not killing you when I had the chance!”

“Granted,” Mo Duo agreed with a hearty laugh. “If killing her wins you over, why not?”

Xiao Yueli bowed deeply in gratitude to Mo Duo before following the soldiers of She Country out, step by step.

The shattered land, the burning ruins, the bloodstained stone steps…

Her country, her home—gone.

The Great Qing Dynasty, which had endured for over three centuries, had fallen just like that.

With Xuan Jingchi dead, she had no reason left to live.

If there was an afterlife, may the heavens have mercy and protect her beloved, pitiful homeland.

“Yueli, what’s wrong?” Xuan Jingchi, startled by Xiao Yueli’s strange expression and the pain in her eyes, hurried over and embraced her.

Feeling the woman in her arms trembling uncontrollably, she held her tighter.

“Are you remembering something terrible? What are you afraid of?”

Xiao Yueli snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at her. “Your Majesty, was it the gods who brought you to me?”

Xuan Jingchi froze, unsure how to answer.

Was she chosen by the gods? Perhaps.

But one thing she knew with absolute certainty.

Gazing at Xiao Yueli with deep, unwavering resolve, she said, “Yueli, don’t be afraid. I won’t let anyone take you away from me.”

Xiao Yueli smiled faintly and hugged her tightly in return. “I believe you. I believe you can do it.”