Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 21

In the pregnant silence, even the wind seemed to slow.

Ji Zhao looked up. “Xiao Le.”

“Present~”

Ji Zhao slipped on the slippers. “One more inappropriate remark, and I’ll unplug you.”

Xiao Le fell silent for a moment. “…Goodbye, Master~”

Ji Zhao gestured for Yu Cheng to change into slippers, then walked inside, surveying the room’s furnishings. “I remember Xiao Le can be controlled through the phone,” she said. “We can just manually adjust it later.”

Add Yu Cheng’s information and status, and set it to quiet mode.

Ji Zhao sank into the caramel-colored sofa, its plush cushions enveloping her. “It’s too loud.”

Yu Cheng nodded in agreement, silently noting the key point: So that’s what “girlfriend” means in modern society. No wonder… She quickly snapped out of her reminiscing and instinctively checked her surroundings.

To the left of the entryway was an open kitchen and dining area. The vintage checkered window was a rich black, while a deep walnut sideboard held a potted plant with tender shoots reaching upward. Cream-colored walls displayed walnut picture frames containing bold, unconventional artwork they’d never seen before.

The woman in the painting wore only a few scraps of clothing, her face painted with vivid blue and red. A streak of blue swept across her nose, covering her eyes, seemingly to maintain the overall harmony of the composition. The painting had been treated with a matte finish, its low saturation blending seamlessly with the room’s decor.

“This is the designer’s inspiration,” Ji Zhao said, tapping her temple. “A memory that just popped up.”

Yu Cheng stared at the painting for a moment, then tapped the frame, hesitating. “There’s no hidden room?”

Ji Zhao: “……”

Yu Cheng leaned back. “Why would an ordinary person’s house have a hidden room?”

Yu Cheng disagreed. “This place is so tall. If bad guys showed up, the survival rate for escaping through the window would be zero. So it makes sense to have a hidden room.” She knocked on the wall. “Is anyone living next door? We could buy it to use as an exit for the hidden room.”

Ji Zhao looked at her, the Grand General who seemed untouched by worldly concerns. “It’s very expensive. House prices in this era are outrageously high.”

Yu Cheng paused, wanting to say something but holding back.

Ji Zhao raised an eyebrow. “Are you paying?”

Yu Cheng nodded. “Yu Wangmeng is very rich, and his acting fees are very high.”

Ji Zhao smiled. “That’s your father’s money. Do you think he’d let you use it however you want?”

“He would,” Yu Cheng said. “When she was little, she saw Yu Wangmeng cheat on her mother. She had nightmares for a whole month. Ever since then, he’s felt guilty and gives her anything she asks for.”

A flicker of disgust crossed Ji Zhao’s eyes at the word “cheat.” “Men who don’t respect themselves are like rotten cabbages.”

Yu Cheng nodded. “So don’t feel guilty about spending his money.”

Yu Cheng’s family situation was simple. After Yu Wangmeng cheated, her mother quickly divided the assets and divorced him. After Yu Cheng refused to go abroad with her, her mother went alone to study piano and is now touring the world.

“After the competition, we’ll buy it,” Ji Zhao said.

Yu Cheng walked over. “Yes.”

“Don’t just stand there, sit down,” Ji Zhao said, rubbing her temples. “It’s not easy to come out here, but rest is important too. There’s food in the fridge. Eat and go to sleep. There are two bedrooms.”

Before Yu Cheng could respond, Ji Zhao glanced at her and said, “Refusal will be considered defiance.”

Yu Cheng pressed her lips together. “I want to stay by Your Majesty’s side.”

Ji Zhao suppressed her irritation. “Why bother staying by my side?”

“What if Your Majesty wakes up thirsty? What if you have a nightmare?” Yu Cheng looked at her earnestly, her eyes twinkling with determination. “Even if the possibility is small, for me, any chance of failure is unacceptable.”

Ji Zhao was initially relieved that Yu Cheng had finally stopped referring to herself as “This subject.” But then she felt a headache coming on—Yu Cheng was simply too beautiful. Looking into those soft, shimmering eyes, it was impossible to refuse her.

Ji Zhao drifted into a momentary reverie.

If this had happened before, when we disagreed on policy, and Yu Cheng had looked at me like this, would I have lost my head? she wondered. Probably not, right? She felt a pang of guilt. After all, she was supposed to be a wise ruler…

“Your Majesty?” Yu Cheng noticed her wandering mind.

Ji Zhao snapped back to reality, exasperated. “Fine, fine, fine! Have it your way. The master bedroom’s bed is big enough. You can sleep with me and keep a close eye on me. Happy now?”

“How could I possibly…” Yu Cheng began.

“That settles it,” Ji Zhao said, pulling herself off the soft sofa. “It’s getting late. I’m going to bathe… and I don’t need an attendant!”

The last sentence was directed at Yu Cheng, who was about to follow her.

Yu Cheng mumbled a dull “oh,” but still trailed after her to the bathroom door. Ji Zhao glared at her and shut the door, snapping, “Go back!”

Yu Cheng silently stepped aside, standing ramrod straight beside the door. As the sound of water began to echo from inside, she hesitated for a moment before calling out, “Xiao Le?”

“I’m here~”

“What does ‘girlfriend’ mean?”

“According to Baidu and Wikipedia, with the rise of free love, people understand ‘girlfriend’ to mean ‘a woman you’re in a romantic relationship with.'”

Yu Cheng felt as if she’d been struck by lightning, her face flushing crimson.

Free love… romantic relationship…

She’d actually just called herself Your Majesty’s girlfriend! This was even more presumptuous than claiming to be his sister! In the past, such an offense would have warranted exile to the borderlands!

No wonder Xiao Le had told her to kiss Your Majesty.

Yu Cheng’s eyes grew deep in thought. No one has ever kissed Your Majesty, have they? she wondered. The emperor had ascended the throne at a young age and remained constantly occupied with state affairs. Although he complied with his ministers’ wishes by holding imperial selections every three years, rumor had it that he never set foot in the imperial harem.

No one… has ever kissed Your Majesty, right?

Yu Cheng’s certainty wavered. She had spent most of her life guarding the border, with only a handful of days spent in the capital. The occasional snippets of conversation she heard from her colleagues about His Majesty always pertained to matters of state. As for affairs of the imperial harem—

Just as this thought crossed her mind, a shrill alarm blared in her ear, and Xiao Le shouted:

“Alert! The alarm has been triggered! Yu Cheng’s heart rate is 160 beats per minute, exceeding the normal range! Counting down: three, two, one! If not canceled, an ambulance will be summoned immediately!”

“……”

“!!!”

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