Empress, Can I? [Transmigration + GL] - Chapter 65

That night, fearing she might draw attention, Xuan Jingchi didn’t even light a fire. She slept fitfully, half-awake, leaning against a rock. At the first light of dawn, she rose from the ground and hastily washed her face in a nearby stream.

Looking at her reflection in the water—a disheveled girl with wrinkled clothes and messy hair—Xuan Jingchi smiled wryly.

At least Yueli didn’t have to see her in such a sorry state.

Drifting from place to place, there was no room for refinement. Without Chenxiang to comb her hair, she simply gathered it behind her head and tied it into a simple bun. Just as she was about to mount her horse—

A voice suddenly laughed, “Who would have thought the Emperor of Daqing would ever endure such hardships?”

The voice wasn’t loud, carrying a hint of teasing amusement, devoid of malice—even carrying a trace of warmth.

In the chilly morning air of the mountain forest, it felt somewhat out of place.

Hearing this person call out her identity in one breath, Xuan Jingchi’s body tensed instantly. Her hand pressed against her longsword as she coldly demanded, “Who’s there?”

“Your Majesty need not be alarmed. This humble subject means no harm.”

As the words were spoken, the rustling of grass and leaves followed, and a figure slowly emerged from the distant woods.

Watching him approach step by step, Xuan Jingchi wondered inwardly, Where did I slip up this time to reveal my identity?

I’ve even covered my face, changed my clothes, shoes, and hairstyle, swapped my horse and bow, and deliberately used silver notes—my entire outfit is no different from an ordinary person’s.

Only this sword is a famous blade from the palace collection.

Could this person have recognized me by the sword?

But my sword hasn’t even been drawn, and I had that gaudy sapphire on the scabbard removed.

How did he recognize me?

As the man drew closer, Xuan Jingchi got a clearer look at him—unkempt, his clothes wrinkled and crumpled as if he’d rolled on the ground countless times. His face was obscured by a mess of tangled hair, but his stature was tall and imposing.

Xuan Jingchi recognized him at once, somewhat surprised. “It’s you!”

It turned out this man was the drunkard from last night in the inn, sitting facing the wall in the corner, who had twice spoken up in her defense.

Though she hadn’t seen his face, she could tell it was him from his disheveled appearance.

The man stopped at a moderate distance from her, brushing aside the tangled hair covering his eyes to reveal a pair of bright, lively eyes and a dirty but still somewhat presentable face.

Grinning, he said, “Your Majesty must be wondering how I saw through your disguise.”

“How did you figure it out?” Xuan Jingchi raised an eyebrow, not bothering to deny it. “I’d like to hear the details.”

Since this man had twice spoken in her favor and now appeared alone in the woods, he likely meant no harm. Otherwise, he could have reported her to the authorities and had them arrest her.

“Your Majesty, first, I must thank you for treating me to drinks in the capital. Your generosity is unmatched—twelve identical South Sea pearls are not something just anyone could possess. Haha, thanks to those twelve pearls, I’ve been able to sample fine wines to my heart’s content.”

Xuan Jingchi was startled and took a closer look at him, finally recognizing him.

It really was that drunkard from the tavern in the capital—the one she had given the pearls from her robe as payment for drinks.

“Your Majesty is benevolent, not only feeding the disaster victims but also urging them to submit petitions to the throne. When you said, ‘Others may refuse, but I must take this case,’ wasn’t that a clear sign you were the Emperor of Daqing?”

The man walked closer, chuckling as he spoke. “Your Majesty, this humble subject owns nothing of value—I don’t even have a single copper coin to my name. But I love wine, and a day without it leaves me restless. Since fate has brought me to you, I beg Your Majesty to take me along. Just spare me a little wine, and I’ll serve as your groom and errand boy. What do you say?”

Xuan Jingchi couldn’t help but smile as she listened to him bargaining with her. This man appeared unkempt and cynical, yet his insights were profound—able to discern at a glance that She Country was the true rival, even amidst Fang Country’s dominance in the world.

To think, she had only learned this from books.

In terms of knowledge, she was far inferior to him. Why refuse when such a hidden master was willing to lead her horse?

She bowed slightly with a nod and a smile, saying, “I can’t promise much else, but there’ll be no shortage of wine.”

The man burst into hearty laughter upon her immediate agreement, clearly overjoyed. He bowed deeply and said, “This humble commoner thanks Your Majesty.”

As Xuan Jingchi prepared to mount her horse, he added, “Your Majesty, allow this lowly one to wash up first. The stench doesn’t bother me, but if it offends Your Majesty—ha!—that would be rather impolite.”

With that, he walked toward the stream without looking back. “Men and women should keep their distance. Please wait for me on the road, Your Majesty.”

Xuan Jingchi shook her head. This man—if you called him rude, he was considerate enough to wash off his filth. Yet if you called him polite, he referred to himself as a commoner while making the emperor wait for him.

Leading her horse out of the woods, she stood by the roadside to get her bearings. Since it was still early, there were hardly any travelers. Occasionally, a villager leaving the city passed by, and Xuan Jingchi quickly asked for directions to Yanzhou.

Before long, the man reappeared. His clothes were still wrinkled, but his previously messy, bird’s-nest-like hair was now tied up, and his face was clean—revealing a strikingly handsome man with an air of martial vigor, likely in his mid-thirties.

Seeing Xuan Jingchi still asking passersby for directions, he naturally stepped forward to take the reins and said respectfully, “Seventh Miss, please mount.”

Hearing him address her as “Seventh Miss,” Xuan Jingchi understood he was referring to her being the youngest of seven sisters—a convenient title when traveling incognito. After all, constantly calling her “Your Majesty” or “Emperor” wouldn’t do.

She smiled faintly, swung onto the horse, and asked from the saddle, “What should I call you, sir?”

The man looked up with a grin. “This humble one bears the single name Meng.”

Noticing he deliberately omitted his surname or lineage, she didn’t press further and nodded. “Then I shall call you Mister Meng.”

The man laughed heartily, seemingly quite pleased with the title. He turned away, swaying his head as he strode ahead.

“Seventh Miss is heading to Yanzhou?”

Yet as he spoke, he led the horse in the opposite direction.

Xuan Jingchi blinked. “Mister Meng, have you mistaken the way? To Yanzhou, we should head south.”

Mister Meng swung his sleeves, marching boldly forward without a care. He chuckled and said, “Oh, we’ll go to Yanzhou—but this humble one’s thirst for wine has struck. Might Seventh Miss grant this drink first?”