Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 46: The Empress
Li Xian looked at the somewhat naive maidservant in front of him and felt a mix of disdain and a hint of envy towards the Emperor. He finally asked, “This beautiful sister, may I ask you something?”
As he spoke, he skillfully flicked a string of pearls toward her. This was a string of thirty thumb-sized pearls—truly extraordinary; such understated luxury was a treasure within the palace.
The maidservant was indeed clever; without missing a beat, she caught the pearls and discreetly inspected them, quickly realizing their value. She immediately put on a stern face and replied, “Matters of the palace cannot be inquired about casually. But you may ask; if I cannot answer or do not know, I won't be able to help.”
“Understood, understood. Have you seen a young woman about eighteen or nineteen years old tonight? She wears simple clothing but carries herself like a noble lady, and she has a little nephew with her...”
Li Xian described her in detail. The maidservant’s expression grew increasingly strange.
Seeing this, Li Xian understood—there was hope.
However, to his dismay, the maidservant eventually replied, “I haven’t seen her.”
Li Xian was at a loss for words; but after a moment of thought and observing the maidservant's expression, he realized: although she didn’t say it directly, she had conveyed to him—I did see her.
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“We’ve arrived, go inside.” The maidservant said, turning to leave.
With his mind racing, Li Xian caught another meaning in her words—“The woman you’re looking for is inside, go in.”
“Wow… people in the palace are truly extraordinary; a simple sentence can have two meanings. Impressive! The palace is indeed not a place where just anyone can mix.”
With such astonishment, Li Xian walked through the gate confidently.
“Clang!” Two long swords crossed in front of him, and two armored women spoke simultaneously, “Trespassing into the inner palace without cause warrants a thousand cuts.”
“Sisters, I have an invitation!” Li Xian, feeling the formidable presence of the two guards, who were at least Foundation Establishment level, quickly pulled out his invitation.
One guard took the invitation, examined it, and tossed it back into Li Xian's arms, saying, “Go ahead. But next time we meet, don’t call me ‘sister’; I’m old enough to be your great-grandmother.”
“Old as tree bark?” Li Xian muttered under his breath.
Unfortunately, his comment was overheard, causing a stir.
“Good, Li Xian has quite the courage. Let me see just how bold you really are. Raise your swords!”
With a series of swishing sounds, a dazzling array of long swords shot up, intersecting to form a “sword gate.”
Seeing the gleaming blades, Li Xian's face turned pale. But in the next moment, he found his courage and strode confidently forward, completely ignoring the sword tips grazing his scalp. His heart raced like a drum, and as he finally passed through the “sword gate,” he felt his legs turn to jelly, and his back was already drenched.
“Wow… a boy has come in!” Just after Li Xian stepped through, a delicate voice exclaimed.
He turned to see a girl who looked like a little fairy floating over, around eleven or twelve years old. Li Xian straightened up and declared, “Reporting to the little fairy, I’ve come from the mortal realm to present a gift!”
With a flourish, he pulled out a bracelet made of colored glass prisms strung together with sea soul silk, featuring a large white pearl about 15 millimeters in diameter at its center. The bracelet sparkled beautifully under the colorful lights.
“Wow, so pretty!” The girl reached out, hesitating slightly.
“There aren’t many, though…” Li Xian quickly switched to a more mischievous tone.
The girl paused for a moment, then, with her hands behind her back, inspected Li Xian like a little adult before nodding. “Alright, seeing how earnest you are, this fairy will accept your gift. Present it!”
The little girl was definitely bold! Without waiting for Li Xian to hand it over, she snatched the bracelet and ran off, leaving a trail of cheerful laughter, flaunting her new treasure. The bracelet shimmered even more brightly as she danced away.
In the next moment, Li Xian found himself surrounded by a group of little girls, each tugging at his sleeves. Some bolder ones even shouted, “Mortal, where’s my gift?”
“Everyone will get one, everyone will get one!” Li Xian hurriedly tossed out seven or eight bracelets, hoping to make his escape.
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However, two little girls still clung to his sleeves, insisting, “You bad guy! There are fourteen of us, and you only brought seven or eight bracelets? That’s treason!”
Li Xian broke out in a cold sweat; he hadn’t expected so many girls to gather! As more approached, he quickly argued, “Fairies, I only brought nine bracelets. How about you come to the Brilliant Star Trading Company in three days to pick up your gifts? Each can have two!”
“Alright, alright, enough of this commotion. Li Xian, just bring 200 bracelets in three days,” the Empress interjected, her voice cutting through the chaos.
Li Xian was drenched in sweat at the thought of needing to prepare 200 bracelets. To meet the deadline, he would have to push the craftsmen to work overtime and use spells to condense the crystals. Fortunately, he still had a bit of stock left for the pearls.
However, as he glanced at the Empress, he was taken aback. A simple figure sat to her right, looking very composed. Most importantly, this woman bore a striking resemblance to the Empress, almost as if they were related.
The identity was almost obvious, but why was she dressed so plainly?
After greeting the Empress, Li Xian presented a beautifully crafted purple glass box containing ten identical purple pearls, each the size of a thumb. These pearls were not only exquisite but also had medicinal properties that could help regulate the body.
The Empress was pleased. “Be seated.”
A servant girl brought over a cushion, and Li Xian sat down a bit awkwardly, feeling the weight of the Empress's gaze upon him.
The chatter around the room gradually quieted, and all eyes turned to Li Xian, the only man present.
After a long pause, the Empress finally spoke. “Li Xian, I’ve been hearing your name quite often lately. Ten months ago, you were quite unruly, but now you seem like a different person.”
“Today, I’ve allowed you to enter here not only to see this suddenly reformed prodigal but also because of Qingqing.”
“Is it true that you fell in love at first sight with her?”
Huh? Who said that? It must have been the Crown Prince! Li Xian muttered internally, but something felt off.
‘Qingqing’ must be the princess's name, not a surname, yet the Empress's expression hinted at a deeper story.
Most importantly, Li Xian rifled through his memories and couldn't recall any mention of “Qingqing” or “Princess Qingqing.” Did she really just drop down from the sky?
Faced with the Empress's question, he could only grit his teeth and answer, “Yes.”
After saying this, he looked at the princess beside the Empress. She was already absorbed in playing with the night lantern that Li Xian had gifted her.
Seeing Li Xian's reaction, the Empress suddenly sighed. “Are you wondering why you’ve never heard the name ‘Qingqing’ before?”
“Yes.” Li Xian was surprisingly honest at that moment.
“This involves a secret that has been hidden for over a decade, and today, it is time to unveil it.”