Empress, Can I? [Transmigration + GL] - Chapter 56

The diners downstairs chattered excitedly, one after another.

“What happened?”

“Outside the city, someone tried to extort silver. Hahaha, in the end, that person was left speechless, unable to voice their grievances. So satisfying!”

“Tell us, hurry up and tell us…”

The voices from the first-floor hall carried upstairs, where Xuan Jingchi and Xiao Yueli sat, listening clearly.

It turned out that a young man had found a money pouch on the road containing fifty taels of silver. Delighted, he took it home and handed it to his mother.

This mother was kind and upright. She said to her son, “Fifty taels is no small sum. It might be money someone urgently needed for an important matter. Now that they’ve lost it, they must be desperate.”

She then told her son to hurry back to where he found the pouch and wait for the owner to come looking for it.

The son, being filial and obedient, immediately took the silver back to the spot and waited.

After a long while, a man indeed came rushing over in a panic.

The son asked him, “What are you looking for?”

The man said he had lost silver on this road and asked if the young man had seen it.

The son replied that he had just found fifty taels here and asked, “Is this yours?” He then handed the pouch to the man.

The man immediately took it, counted the silver, but instead of thanking him, he grew malicious and claimed he had actually lost a hundred taels, asking why only fifty were returned.

The son panicked and insisted he had only found fifty taels—there was no hundred taels.

The two began to argue…

Hearing this, Xuan Jingchi laughed and said to Xiao Yueli, “The son is honest, but he was too careless. Anyone could falsely claim lost money. If he had first confirmed with the man—what the pouch looked like, if it had any markings, how much silver was inside, whether it was ingots or loose pieces—he could have avoided all this trouble.”

Xiao Yueli couldn’t help but glance at her twice, smiling. “Today I’ve learned that you, Jingchi, are actually so meticulous.”

Xuan Jingchi lowered her voice and grinned. “Thank you for the praise. But where I grew up, it’s common for good deeds to be met with false accusations. So people either don’t do good deeds, or if they do, they make sure to keep evidence. What can you do? There are many good people in the world, but plenty of bad ones too.”

Xiao Yueli smiled faintly, picking up a piece of meat for her with a gentle gaze. “Eat more—a reward for you, clever and kind.”

“Thank you, Empress, for your grace!” Xuan Jingchi laughed, popping the meat into her mouth.

Being fed like this felt so nice!

Just then, they heard the people downstairs continue loudly.

“What happened next? How was it resolved?”

“Later, they argued until a crowd gathered on the road to watch—I went too. Each stuck to their story—one saying he’d only found fifty taels, the other insisting he’d lost a hundred.”

“Then, suddenly, another man arrived and asked them questions.”

“He asked the one who lost the silver, ‘Did you lose a hundred taels?'”

“The man insisted, ‘Yes, I lost a hundred.'”

“This man then asked the son, ‘Are you sure you found fifty taels?'”

“The son said fervently, ‘I swear it was only fifty taels. If I’m lying, may I die a terrible death.'”

“The man turned to the one who claimed to have lost the silver and said, ‘Then this isn’t yours. Give the fifty taels back to him.'”

“The man immediately flew into a rage and said, ‘This is my silver! Why should I give it back to him?'”

The man replied unhurriedly, “You lost one hundred taels, but he picked up fifty taels. Clearly, these fifty taels are not yours. Since we can’t find the owner now, let him take it home to support his elderly mother first. We’ll deal with it when the real owner is found. You should keep waiting here—perhaps someone will find your hundred taels and return them. Whatever you do, don’t leave! If the person comes and can’t find you, how can they return your money?”

With that, the man burst into laughter. Seeing that the other still refused to return the silver, his expression darkened. “If you don’t return it, you’re forcibly seizing another’s property. According to Daqing law, you should be imprisoned.”

The one who had lost the silver was left speechless, having suffered a silent loss. Frightened by the threat, he could only walk away resentfully.

“Hahaha! Serves him right!”

Hearing this, Xuan Jingchi turned to Xiao Yueli and said, “This man is quite clever—sharp-minded and quick-witted.”

Xiao Yueli smiled and nodded.

Suddenly, there was a commotion downstairs. Someone exclaimed, “Look! That’s him! He’s the one who solved the riddle!”

The man walked in, and as the crowd saluted him with cupped hands, he politely returned the gesture. Seeing that the first floor was full, he lifted the hem of his robe, preparing to go upstairs.

The waiter, noticing his intent, hurriedly stopped him with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, sir, but the upper floor has been reserved.”

The man paused, then turned to leave.

Xuan Jingchi, curious to meet him, called out loudly, “If you don’t mind, sir, please come upstairs.”

Hearing her permission, the waiter no longer obstructed him and stepped forward to guide the way. “This way, sir.”

Upon reaching the second floor, the man saw that the entire level had only three occupied tables.

Two tables were filled with burly men eating together. Despite their numbers, not a single unruly sound was made. Though they continued eating, their eyes discreetly flicked toward him, their expressions guarded.

At the innermost table sat two women dressed in luxurious attire.

One of them, without looking up, said, “There’s an empty table here, sir. Please make yourself comfortable.”

As the man drew closer, he stopped near Xuan Jingchi.

Noticing his scrutinizing gaze, Xuan Jingchi raised her head to study him in return.

He appeared to be around twenty-six or twenty-seven, with a dignified appearance—his brows like reclining silkworms, his eyes bright and piercing. His gaze held a cautious intensity as he observed her.

Suddenly, the man turned to the waiter and said, “Young man, you may leave for now. I’ll call for you later.”

The waiter complied and left.

Once the waiter was gone, the man suddenly dropped to his knees, prostrating himself in a deep bow. In a hushed voice, he said, “Your servant, Jian Ci, pays homage to the Emperor and Empress! May Your Majesties enjoy boundless fortune and peace!”

Upon hearing this, the guards at both tables were startled. They abruptly stood up with a collective sound and swiftly drew their swords from their waists.

Xiao Yueli’s expression changed, but Xuan Jingchi placed a reassuring hand on hers and gave Wang Zhan a glance, signaling the guards to stand down. Only then did she turn to Jian Ci and say, “Rise.”

Though inwardly surprised, Xuan Jingchi felt more curiosity than tension.

Before leaving the palace, she had changed into attire devoid of any royal insignia or adornments—not just her clothes, but also her shoes, hair accessories, and hairstyle. To any observer, she appeared simply as a wealthy young lady.

Now that Jian Ci had recognized her as the Emperor, he no longer dared to gaze at her directly and instead stood respectfully with his head bowed.

“Minister Jian, I am quite curious—how did you deduce my identity?”

“Your Majesty, I inferred Your Majesty’s identity based on three observations.”

“Which three?”

Xuan Jingchi maintained her composure, though inwardly she wondered, Even if I accidentally revealed my identity, how could there be three clues at once?

“First, when I came upstairs, I noticed the men at these two tables carried themselves like seasoned soldiers. Observing their dining habits, their movements were synchronized and utterly silent—clearly a sign of rigorous training. Since this is the imperial capital, I concluded they must be guards from a noble household.”

Xuan Jingchi nodded with a faint smile. “And the second? That alone wouldn’t suffice.”

“Second, the robe Your Majesty wears today is made of Yun brocade—resplendent as clouds at sunset, worth its weight in gold. Yun brocade is rare and precious, a tribute reserved only for imperial consorts and princesses.”

Xuan Jingchi chuckled. “Well done. But even with these two points, at most, you could only conclude I am a princess.”

Jian Ci smiled slightly. “The final clue came from a horse I saw beside the tavern when I arrived. At first, I merely thought it an exceptional steed, but later, while pondering Your Majesty’s true identity, I recalled it was a prized breed from the northern frontier—one of only two such horses purchased at great cost by Grand Princess Xuan Jingning during her tenure as Grand Marshal of the Armies. One was presented to the late Emperor. Thus, the current owner could only be either the Grand Princess or Your Majesty.”

“Having heard that Your Majesty’s eyes resemble peach blossoms, I confirmed your imperial countenance was not that of the Grand Princess. As for the lady beside you, her dignified grace and the ease with which she conversed and served you at the table could belong to none other than the Empress.”

“Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!” Xuan Jingchi couldn’t help but applaud, her face alight with admiration as she regarded Jian Ci. “What office do you currently hold, Minister Jian?”

Jian Ci wore an uncharacteristically awkward expression. “I am but a minor official in Laiyang County, Bingzhou. I came to the capital’s outskirts to visit my sister and brother-in-law and decided to tour the city today. Never did I imagine the fortune of encountering Your Majesty.”

Xuan Jingchi smiled and summoned a waiter, instructing him to prepare another table of dishes. “Minister Jian, you’ve traveled far and endured the dust of the road. Allow me to host this meal in your honor—please enjoy.”

Overwhelmed by the imperial favor, Jian Ci hesitated to accept.

Turning to Xiao Yueli, Xuan Jingchi said, “Let us leave. Otherwise, Minister Jian will be too reserved to eat and may go hungry.”

Xiao Yueli rose with a smile, and surrounded by guards, she descended the stairs with Xuan Jingchi to depart.