Chapter 90

Proofreader: Mim

The following morning, before reporting to her palace duties, Li Cien carefully handed a snow-white kitten into Li Zhi’s arms.

“Thank you, Cien. You must have gone through a lot of effort for this little one,” Li Zhi said sincerely, cradling the kitten in her arms. Training a dog was already no small feat—training a cat was a different matter entirely.

But Li Cien, her youthful face lit with a bright smile, replied, “Being able to help you, Sister, makes me happier than anything. And what’s training a cat compared to that?”

Holding the kitten gently, Li Zhi walked with Li Cien toward the main gate of their residence, their conversation lighthearted as they strolled.

“You’ll be fifteen next year,” Li Zhi teased. “If there’s a young man you fancy, just let me know quietly, and I’ll help you arrange things.”

“Sister, are you already trying to marry me off?” Li Cien huffed in mock indignation, her wide eyes playful. “If I’m going to get married, then you must marry first, and Brother must find a bride before I even start to consider it!”

“I wouldn’t rush you. Marriage is no trifling matter,” Li Zhi said, her tone softening. “With no elders left in the family to arrange such things—” She tactfully ignored the near-senile grandmother in the main house, who could only sit and drool—”as long as the person has a clean character, I’ll make sure to support both you and Xiangsheng.”

At the gate, Li Cien gave her sister a gentle push, grinning mischievously. “Instead of worrying about me and Brother, why don’t you spend more time worrying about yourself, Sister?” she said with a cheeky face, sticking her tongue out playfully.

Li Zhi chuckled, waving her hand at her sister before walking to the waiting carriage.

The coachman brought out an iron pet carrier from the vehicle, and Li Zhi carefully placed the fluffy white kitten inside. The kitten adjusted to the confined space quickly, circling twice before settling down, its emerald-green eyes curiously peering at its surroundings.

With the kitten secured, Li Zhi stepped into the carriage and set off toward the imperial palace.

Arriving at Cheng’an Gate, Li Zhi disembarked with the carrier and began the familiar walk to her office in the Palace Administration Bureau.

It was still early, and court was in session at the Ziwei Palace. The palace paths were quiet save for the occasional palace servants hurrying about. Each one who passed by greeted her respectfully.

Li Zhi returned their greetings with polite smiles and continued on her way.

When she reached Changqiu Hall, she handed the carrier to Chunmei, Lu Yao’s personal maid. Chunmei gasped at the sight of the beautiful white kitten.

“Director Li, why have you brought a kitten?” Chunmei asked in surprise.

“It’s a gift for the consort, to help lift her spirits,” Li Zhi replied with a smile.

Since the palace had no empress, and the empress dowager had passed away long ago, there were no strict rituals requiring daily greetings. Lu Yao had only just risen and, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, came to meet Li Zhi. Upon hearing that a kitten had been brought for her, she immediately perked up, her eyes wide with excitement.

“Let me see! Let me see the kitten!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together like a child.

Li Zhi gestured for Chunmei to bring the carrier inside. Lu Yao, too excited to wait, hastily slipped her feet into her embroidered shoes and rushed to the carrier, her curiosity evident.

“Will it bite?” she asked nervously, torn between her desire to touch the kitten and her natural caution.

“It won’t. This little one is very gentle and friendly,” Li Zhi reassured her. “You can try petting it.”

Tentatively, Lu Yao reached through the carrier’s metal bars, her fingers trembling slightly. The kitten lowered its head and affectionately nudged her hand with its soft fur.

“Oh! It’s so cute!” Lu Yao squealed, her voice filled with uncontainable joy. “Let it out, quickly!”

Moments later, Lu Yao was cuddling the kitten, her face glowing with happiness as she held the furry creature close to her chest.

“Now you’ll need to think of a name for her,” Li Zhi said with a gentle laugh.

Before Lu Yao could respond, a loud, commanding voice interrupted the serene moment.

“I’ll help come up with a name, too!”

Everyone in the hall froze, and Lu Yao and Li Zhi immediately bowed as Emperor Xie Shencong strode into the main hall, his imposing figure cutting a striking contrast against the elegant surroundings. Behind him, as usual, was Gao Shan, his face impassive as always.

The kitten, startled, leapt out of Lu Yao’s arms and curiously trotted toward the emperor, its tail swishing confidently as it approached the hem of his bright yellow robes.

“Rise,” Xie Shencong said with a wave of his hand before bending down to scoop the kitten into his arms.

Lu Yao and Li Zhi exchanged a brief glance.

“Your Majesty,” Li Zhi said respectfully, “this humble servant will take her leave.”

Xie Shencong gave a dismissive nod, not sparing her a glance as she backed out of the hall.

With the hall now empty save for the emperor and Lu Yao, Xie Shencong sat down at the tea table, setting the kitten down on the ground to explore.

“You seem to get along quite well,” he remarked casually.

“Of course! If it weren’t for Sister Li, I wouldn’t have met Your Majesty,” Lu Yao said cheerfully, wrapping her arms around Xie Shencong’s free arm and looking up at him with innocent, bright eyes.

“It’s good that you’re happy in the palace,” Xie Shencong said, pouring himself a cup of tea.

Observing his expression, Lu Yao moved to stand behind him, placing her small hands on his shoulders to massage them gently.

Xie Shencong closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. After a while, he spoke.

“You’re quite skilled at this.”

“Of course I am,” Lu Yao replied proudly. “At home, I was always my parents’ little helper. But now, I’m Your Majesty’s little helper. Whenever Your Majesty feels tired or sore, just come to me, and I’ll make it all better.”

“You really do have a way with words,” Xie Shencong said, a faint smile finally gracing his lips.

Lu Yao leaned forward, her mischievous face peeking out from behind his shoulder. “I only say sweet things because I hate to see Your Majesty upset. I’ll do anything to make you smile.”

“You noticed?” Xie Shencong’s tone turned curious, though still laced with amusement.

“As soon as the Emperor stepped into the hall, his face was stern and devoid of a smile ofcourse this one could tell.” While massaging his shoulders with gentle hands, she casually asked, “Who’s the blind fool that dared to upset Your Majesty this time?”

Xie Shencong let out a cold snort, his eyes glinting with a sharp, ruthless light. “It’s not one fool but a whole pack of insolent fools! They think I’ve got one foot in the grave already, can’t wait to push me aside, and are clamoring to crown a new heir!”

“Why should Your Majesty bother being angry over such people?” Lu Yao soothed, her sweet voice like honey. She leaned closer, resting her head lightly against his shoulder. “Your Majesty is strong and vigorous—fit as ever! I’ll even give you a little prince someday, and we’ll watch him grow up together!”

“Only you truly care for me,” Xie Shencong muttered. “The rest of them can’t wait for me to name a crown prince today and pass the throne tomorrow!”

“I don’t want Your Majesty to become the retired Emperor so soon,” Lu Yao pouted, adding a touch of playfulness. “What if the new Emperor doesn’t like me or my child? Wouldn’t we just be bullied to death?”

“This palace… only you dare to speak the truth,” Xie Shencong said with a sigh. “And only you are truly devoted to me. Even Noble Consort Yi, for all her affection, has been subtly pressuring me to name Prince Feng as the crown prince, saying it’s for the sake of the nation’s stability. Stability? What nonsense! I’m neither sick nor old—what ‘stability’ needs securing?”

“They have nothing but bad intentions!” Lu Yao chimed in, fanning the flames. “I don’t care who Your Majesty makes the crown prince or when you decide to do it. Whatever you decide is always the best choice because Your Majesty is much wiser than me.”

Without warning, Xie Shencong coldly said, “What do you think of me naming Prince Langya as the crown prince?”

Lu Yao’s heart skipped a beat. Danger was in the air.

She immediately realized this wasn’t just a casual remark—it was a test. The Emperor knew about her closeness to Li Zhi, and by extension, her connection to the Prince Langya. This question wasn’t merely about the Prince’s qualifications; it was an indirect probe into his ambitions.

“Your Majesty has so many sons,” Lu Yao responded with a giggle, feigning innocence. “Why would you name your son’s son as heir? If you’re going to do that, you might as well wait for our child!”

Her words were playful, yet clever, each one a salve for the Emperor’s suspicions. Her gentle flattery and loyalty smoothed the rough edges of his temper, and his lingering doubts were momentarily set aside. The storm of anger that had built up during court dissipated entirely.

“This little kitten shall be called Jianxi—‘Bringer of Joy’!” Xie Shencong declared with a hearty laugh. “Just as seeing you always brings me joy!”

The kitten, having received an imperial name, was now an official palace cat. It became a cherished pet with special privileges, and even lower-ranked consorts had to give way when encountering it. This rare honor caused Lu Yao to coo and swoon with exaggerated gratitude and affection, earning even more favor from the Emperor.

By mid-afternoon, news of the Emperor naming Lu Yao’s kitten had spread like wildfire throughout the palace. Over in Yaohua Palace, the familiar sound of priceless treasures being smashed once again echoed through the halls. This was no surprise—Noble Consort Yi’s fits of jealousy were so frequent that not only her maids but the rest of the palace had grown accustomed to the racket.

However, another piece of news that shook the political landscape of the capital arrived shortly after.

Around the late afternoon, the Emperor summoned Prince Langya to the palace for a private discussion. Following their confidential meeting, the Prince was promoted from Minister of Judicial

Review to Left Assistant Minister of State, a prestigious position second only to the Chancellor himself.

Conversely, Chen You, the Censor-in-Chief and one of the loudest advocates for naming a crown prince, was suspended pending an investigation into his conduct.

This sudden reshuffling was like a bucket of ice water dumped over the heads of Prince Feng’s faction.

Ironically, it wasn’t the affected parties themselves who were most incensed—but their supporters.

Yaohua Palace, already in disarray, lost even more of its opulent treasures that day. Noble Consort Yi was so furious that she snapped the long nails she had carefully cultivated over months.

“Nanny, what should I do?” she cried, her face a tearful mess as she slumped against her servant’s lap. With her son absent, Noble Consort Yi no longer cared about maintaining her dignity. “The Emperor clearly promised that Feng’er would be made crown prince! Now, not only is he delaying it, but he’s showering that Lu fox spirit with favor! The entire palace is laughing at me—do you expect me to sit by and do nothing?”

The elderly nanny gently patted her back, as if consoling a child. “Your Highness, you’ve always been kind and above petty schemes. But in this cutthroat palace, being kind-hearted means being a rabbit among wolves. In the past, the Emperor’s love protected you, but now you’re finally experiencing the harsh reality of the harem.”

“Nanny, is it because I’m old?” Noble Consort Yi asked pitifully, her tear-filled eyes wide with despair. “Why doesn’t the Emperor come to see me anymore?”

“Everyone ages, Your Highness. But not everyone has a son who’s adored by the Emperor,” the nanny said earnestly. “Prince Feng is Your Highness’s true pillar of support. You must remain strong for him—he needs you to be his greatest ally. And if I may, Your Highness, I believe the Emperor’s favor for Lu Yao is merely a passing fancy. New things can be exciting for a moment, but that excitement will fade—whether it’s her or someone else.”

The nanny paused, then added with a knowing glint in her eye: “Your Highness, why not propose a court-wide selection for concubines using the excuse of finding Prince Feng a bride?”

Noble Consort Yi perked up at the suggestion. Wiping her tears, she asked eagerly, “What good would that do?”

“First,” the nanny explained, “it would show your magnanimity and win the Emperor’s favor. Second, it would curb Lu Yao’s growing influence. And third, it would remind the palace that you are the true mistress of the harem—the one whose voice matters most!”

Invigorated by the idea, Noble Consort Yi sat up straight, determination blazing in her eyes.

“You’re right, Nanny! Even if the Emperor visits others, I’ll make sure that Lu Yao loses her edge! I’ll go now and propose the selection!”

Without hesitation, she dried her tears and hurried to the Ziwei Palace.

That evening, the Emperor, still basking in the sweetness of Lu Yao’s flattery, was delighted by Noble Consort Yi’s unexpected suggestion. The notoriously jealous consort advocating for a concubine selection was unprecedented. Pleased by her newfound “maturity,” the Emperor praised her warmly and, for the first time in months, flipped Noble Consort Yi’s nameplate.

Amid the unfolding palace intrigues, Xie Lanxu steadily climbed closer to his goals, each promotion bringing him nearer to power. Meanwhile, Li Zhi’s plans progressed meticulously. Both the Empress’s seat and the hidden treasure of the former dynasty loomed as twin prizes within reach—but also within perilous grasp.

If the last Emperor, unwilling to succumb to humiliation, had left behind clues about the treasure, it was no accident. The key to unearthing this secret lay within the long-abandoned Eastern Palace.

To succeed, Li Zhi needed a reason to enter the Eastern Palace without drawing attention. And most importantly, she had to keep her involvement hidden, especially from Xie Lanxu.

She wracked her brain for a solution.

Fortunately, where humans faltered, cats could succeed.