Empress, Can I? [Transmigration + GL] - Chapter 52

The next day, after court was dismissed, Xuan Jingchi summoned Huang Tingzhi for an audience.

Xuan Jingchi couldn’t help but recall the last time she had seen Huang Tingzhi in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Back then, he had been captured and presented to her as a male favorite. She had apologized to him with sincere remorse, explaining that she had momentarily lost her senses and had never truly intended such actions.

This unexpected turn left Huang Tingzhi at a loss. All the impassioned speeches he had prepared, the righteous rebuttals to defend his dignity—none of them had any use.

After returning, that scene replayed over and over in Huang Tingzhi’s mind.

Later, when that radiant, exquisite face appeared before him again in his thoughts, the question that arose in his mind was: Why had the emperor shown no interest in him?

He found it unbelievable—he must have gone mad.

How could he, of all people, be unable to forget the exalted majesty of the emperor?

Countless nights, he secretly longed for another glimpse of that captivating young woman, to behold his peerless and magnificent Queen once more.

When he heard that Meng Wan had been appointed to oversee the revision of the Minghua Canon, he was the first to volunteer to join the editorial team.

Through Meng Wan, he learned more about Her Majesty.

He heard the beautiful, dreamlike tales the Queen had told.

He felt ashamed—why hadn’t he realized back then that Her Majesty was simply a romantic and innocent young girl at heart, yearning for a beautiful love story, longing for her prince?

Inwardly, he lamented, because the Queen had told him she had no interest in him.

If only she had been willing, he would have become her most loyal prince.

No—he wasn’t a prince. He was merely a subject.

Later, when he heard that the Queen had been ambushed during the Mid-Autumn Festival and had fallen into the river, he nearly rushed out of the Imperial Library, desperate to barge into Chenyuan Palace just to see her.

But he couldn’t. He was only a subject.

He envied Meng Wan in secret—favored by the Queen and, as a woman, free to come and go from Chenyuan Palace, able to see the one he longed for but could not meet.

Later still, when he heard that the Queen had been beaten so severely by a woman that she couldn’t move, his usually gentle and refined demeanor gave way to fury!

What kind of venomous-hearted woman would dare lay hands on his delicate, beautiful, pure-hearted Queen?

And then, when he heard how the Queen had answered the difficult questions posed by the envoy from Mo Country, and how the deity themselves had proclaimed her the chosen one of the gods, he was overcome with exhilaration, nearly laughing aloud to the heavens.

He praised in his heart over and over again—Her Majesty is the chosen one of the gods! Do you hear me?

She is so beautiful, romantic, kind, and clever, so extraordinary—she is indeed the chosen one of the gods! The child of destiny!

This time, he finally got his wish to see Her Majesty, and in the Hall of Mental Cultivation no less.

However, by Her Majesty’s side was another woman, equally beautiful, wise, and noble—her Empress.

He watched as the Queen held the Empress’s hand, her expression tender, personally helping her Empress sit before settling beside her.

Together, they radiated such brilliance, softness, and intimacy, inspiring envy, as if they were always meant to be together.

“Minister Huang, Wan’er mentioned you spent two years in the northern frontier? What are your thoughts on the situation there?”

Her Majesty is asking if I’ve been to the northern frontier?

Of course. Back then, to evade Liu Jili’s pursuit, I hid there for two years, thinking every day about how to avoid being discovered by your agents.

He sighed inwardly. Had I known everything that would come later, I would never have hidden from you. On the contrary, I would have devoutly offered you my heart.

Please have mercy, let me serve by your side, become a slave to your love.

In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he slowly raised his head, his gaze meeting that of the lofty young woman, looking into her clear, profound eyes. “Your subject spent two years in the northern frontier. The land is rich with water and grass, teeming with cattle and sheep. But from July onward, snow flies beyond the borders, stretching across thousands of miles of grassland. The most powerful tribes there are Mo Duo and his younger brother, Jiye…”

He concluded, “Your Majesty, She Country harbors wolfish ambitions. If left unchecked, they will eventually become a grave threat to Daqing.”

He watched as the Queen listened attentively, nodding and smiling at times, frowning in deep thought at others, and occasionally lowering her eyes with a sigh.

He couldn’t bear it—couldn’t bear to see matters of the northern frontier and She Country bring sorrow to the face of this maiden more delicate and beautiful than a flower.

He wished only to see smiles on that pure and radiant face—her carefree smiles.

His goddess should remain lofty and untroubled by these worldly affairs.

He heard the Queen nod in strong agreement and ask him, “If we were to send you as an envoy to She Country, to exploit Mo Duo’s recent ascension as Great Khan, dismantle his forces, and sow discord between him and his brother Jiye—could you accomplish this?”

“During my time in the northern frontier, I happened to befriend one of Jiye’s subordinates. Jiye already resents his half-brother. To motivate his young warriors, Mo Duo distributes all spoils of war to his soldiers, contrary to the steppe tradition of sharing equally with the elderly, women, and children. Jiye is deeply dissatisfied with this. Your subject is confident in approaching Jiye and driving a wedge between him and Mo Duo. Even if we cannot destroy She Country, we can ensure they exhaust themselves in internal strife, weakening them severely.”

“Excellent! Minister Huang, you are indeed clever and astute, grasping our intentions at once,” Xuan Jingchi said. “Bring wine! We shall toast Minister Huang to bid him farewell.”

Across the grand hall, Huang Tingzhi raised his cup, gazing at her from afar.

He watched as Her Majesty smiled at him, her eyes filled with encouragement.

He was content, for in this moment, Her Majesty’s gaze held only him.

He tilted his head back and drained the fine wine in one gulp.

From this day forth, he would journey far to the northern frontier, across towering mountains and endless rivers, unseen for years—only wishing that Her Majesty would remain free from strife and worry.

The next day at court, Xuan Jingchi ordered Meng Wan to read out an edict appointing Huang Tingzhi as the ambassador to Qing Country, to be dispatched to She Country in order to foster friendly relations between the two nations.