Chapter 62
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His Highness had scolded him so harshly that Jiang Juan was left dazed.
He sat there for a long time, barely reacting even when the maid brought a hand warmer to dry his clothes and hair. It wasn’t until the tent flap was lifted and someone walked in that Jiang Juan instinctively called out, “Your Highness…”
“It’s me.”
Su Feiyue smiled at him, followed by Chief Steward Wang and the imperial physician.
Chief Steward Wang, seeing Jiang Juan looking so pitiful, exclaimed, “Oh dear, Your Royal Consort, you must take better care of yourself. Your health is already fragile.”
He hurried over, taking a hand warmer from the maid, and began to dry Jiang Juan’s hair. The imperial physician, at Su Feiyue’s signal, started taking Jiang Juan’s pulse.
“Your Royal Consort is not seriously ill, but… while the clothes can be dried, it will take some time. It would be better for you to take a bath soon to avoid catching a cold.”
Su Feiyue nodded in relief. He glanced at Jiang Juan, who still looked dejected, and sat down beside him, speaking softly, “Don’t think too much. In fact, I find your perspective…”
Su Feiyue’s smile deepened. “Quite interesting.”
Jiang Juan was taken aback and asked, “You heard it?”
Su Feiyue nodded, not hiding it. “Servants are people, and nobles are people too. However—” Pausing for a moment, Su Feiyue continued, “Since you think this way, I assume you don’t like to order others around. But in everything, you must do your best. His Highness was right; if he hadn’t been there to pull you up in time and the guards arrived too late, what would you have done?”
“Kindness is a good trait, but next time, take better care of yourself.”
His tone was gentle, and his advice sincere. Jiang Juan listened and nodded, “Yes, I’ll remember.”
Su Feiyue looked at him and then teased, “Fortunately, Fuying didn’t hear what you said, or she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.”
Jiang Juan, puzzled, asked, “Why wouldn’t she be able to sleep?”
Su Feiyue gazed at Jiang Juan with a warm expression. “Fuying and I both greatly admire Mr. Wu Liu.”
Mr. Wu Liu? Tao Yuanming?
Jiang Juan blinked, and Su Feiyue recited, “…crisscrossed paths, the sounds of dogs and chickens. People working in the fields, men and women dressed like outsiders. The elderly and children, all happy and content.”
Jiang Juan had memorized the entire piece. “The ‘Peach Blossom Spring.’”
Su Feiyue praised him, “Exactly, that’s the one. Have you read it?”
After asking, he laughed at himself. “Given your thoughts, it’s clear you’ve read it. We share the same interests.”
Su Feiyue provided a plausible explanation for Jiang Juan. Jiang Juan thought about it and didn’t argue, accepting it. Just as Su Feiyue was about to say more, someone else arrived, peeking in from outside.
“Brother Juan! Brother Juan!”
Xue Congyun had checked that his fifth brother wasn’t around before sneaking over. “I brought the cat with Jiang Qingliang. Come quickly…”
He suddenly noticed Su Feiyue and quickly stood upright, fearing he would be reported. “Uncle.”
Su Feiyue nodded with a smile and asked Jiang Juan, “Are they here to see you?”
Hearing Xue Congyun mention the cat, Jiang Juan felt down again as he remembered His Highness. He only responded with a simple “Hmm.” Su Feiyue patted his shoulder and said, “Go and take a walk with him.”
Although Jiang Juan initially didn’t want to go, he agreed after being comforted by Su Feiyue for so long. “Alright.”
“Then I won’t keep you,” Su Feiyue said. “His Majesty asked me to check on you. Since you’re fine, I’ll go report back to him.”
Su Feiyue stood up, and since Jiang Juan was going out with Xue Congyun, he couldn’t go around looking like this. Hot water had already been prepared, so Jiang Juan went to take a bath.
Not long after, he had freshened up, and Xue Congyun immediately dragged him away.
When they arrived, Jiang Qingliang was sitting in a tree, arguing with Gu Puwang.
Of course, it was more of a one-sided argument with Gu Puwang.
“Surnamed Gu, you’re really a sly old fox with sinister intentions. I wondered why you were fishing, and now I see your true motive.”
“Is being a good person so hard?”
Gu Puwang ignored him, sitting on the ground next to a tipped-over basket. He held the basket with one hand, from which a furry paw occasionally poked out.
Jiang Juan curiously asked, “What’s going on?”
Xue Congyun waved his hand dismissively, “It’s nothing, really.”
Despite his words, Xue Congyun’s face fell.
This situation stemmed from when he got punished. After sneaking away, Xue Congyun hurried to the racetrack. It wouldn’t have been a problem if he hadn’t gone, but once there, he caught Jiang Qingliang red-handed.
Jiang Qingliang and Gu Puwang didn’t warn him when his fifth brother arrived. Now, Jiang Qingliang sneaking to the racetrack was too much.
Xue Congyun almost fought with him, but they eventually reached an agreement. No matter who won the race, they would claim they had worked together.
In the end—they managed to catch this four-eared cat after much effort. Planning to show off to Gu Puwang, they didn’t expect the cat to cling to Gu Puwang. When they reached out to catch it, it would back away. After relaxing for a while, Gu Puwang slowly smiled and said, “Let’s say we all caught it together.”
What could they do?
If they didn’t agree, the cat would cling to Gu Puwang, making it his catch alone.
Gu Puwang had gotten fish scent all over him from fishing.
The cat smelled it and wouldn’t leave.
But they couldn’t tell Jiang Juan that—it was too embarrassing. Xue Congyun changed his story, “The cat’s in the basket. We caught it together for you.”
Jiang Juan didn’t notice the details. He walked over, squatted down, and looked at the cat in the basket.
It was a small tabby, as Xue Congyun had said, with four ears—two small ones hidden inside the larger ones.
Jiang Juan wanted to pet it but was afraid the cat might be scared of him, so he didn’t. Seeing this, Gu Puwang took the cat out of the basket.
Thanks to the fish scent on Gu Puwang, the little tabby wasn’t frightened. It just sniffed his hand, and Gu Puwang said to Jiang Juan, “You can pet it; it’s in a good mood.”
Jiang Juan reached out cautiously and gently touched the cat. He was very curious about the two sets of ears and lightly flicked them a few times. Feeling much happier, Jiang Juan remarked, “It’s so cute.”
Then he said to Gu Puwang, “You’re really good with cats.”
Gu Puwang: “Not too bad.”
Jiang Qingliang: “……….”
Xue Congyun: “………”
What a jerk!
They both cursed him silently.
At the same time, they suddenly felt a sense of crisis.
—— Brother Juan seemed to be getting along quite well with Gu Puwang. When the two of them were together, they even had a strange kind of tacit understanding.
Jiang Juan and Gu Puwang shared a bond as salted fish and naturally had an understanding between them. However, Xue Congyun and Jiang Qingliang were unaware of this and felt like outsiders. They quickly decided to force their way in.
“Let me pet it too.”
“Me too.”
While Jiang Juan was fine by himself, the noisy intrusion of the other two scared the little tabby. It quickly dove back into the basket, peeking out warily, and no one could touch it anymore.
Xue Congyun rubbed his nose and blamed Jiang Qingliang without hesitation, “It’s all Jiang Qingliang’s fault. His bandit aura scared the cat away.”
Jiang Qingliang rolled his eyes at him, “What did I do to scare it? Are you the cat to say it’s my fault? I could say it’s your stupidity that scared it away.”
Xue Congyun lunged to choke him, “Apologize, apologize to this prince.”
The two of them started to wrestle. Jiang Juan, watching them, sat next to Gu Puwang. He didn’t say anything, but Gu Puwang keenly asked, “Why are you unhappy?”
Jiang Juan replied, “I made His Highness angry.”
Gu Puwang: “What happened?”
Jiang Juan briefly explained the situation. Gu Puwang was silent for a few seconds before commenting, “Your perspective is quite unique.”
Jiang Juan’s question was, “Is it strange?”
Before Gu Puwang could answer, Jiang Juan continued, “Never mind, don’t worry about me. I know.”
Jiang Juan understood that the Prince Consort was likely an exception. The educational system of his time emphasized equality, unlike the strict hierarchy of the current era.
Jiang Juan slowly said, “Anyway, he’s angry.”
He furrowed his brow and pressed his lips together, then asked Gu Puwang, “What should I do?”
Gu Puwang glanced at him and confidently said, “Act cute.”
Jiang Juan was taken aback, his brows furrowing even more. “Huh? I can’t do that.”
Gu Puwang nodded slowly, “Yes, exactly like that.”
Jiang Juan: “???”
What do you mean by “exactly like that”?
He wanted to ask more questions, but suddenly heard a scream, followed by an angry woman’s voice.
“Someone, take down this beast for me!”
Jiang Juan looked in the direction of the voice. A woman in splendid attire, with a plum blossom mark on her forehead, seemed quite startled. She was lightly patting her chest, and at her feet was a basket, the very one the little tabby had been in.
——Jiang Juan had been seeking help from Gu Puwang, while Xue Congyun was playfully fighting with Jiang Qingliang. None of them had noticed the little tabby playing by itself. The basket had rolled away and seemed to have bumped into the woman.
To say it bumped into her wasn’t entirely accurate.
The woman, furious, shouted, “Are you all deaf? I despise cats and dogs the most, and yet I’ve run into one! How unlucky! Someone, come and gouge out its eyes!”
Her rage was so intense that Jiang Juan and Gu Puwang stopped what they were doing, and even Xue Congyun and Jiang Qingliang ceased their scuffle. Xue Congyun quickly spoke up, “Imperial Consort Mei, this is my cat!”
The woman was Imperial Consort Mei. Neither Jiang Qingliang nor Gu Puwang felt they could speak to her, so Xue Congyun had to step in. He smiled sheepishly, “You don’t like cats. I’ll take it away so it won’t bother you.”
“I was wondering where a stray cat came from in the royal stables,” Imperial Consort Mei glanced at him, “Is this the cat you just won from the racetrack?”
With her words, Xue Congyun understood the situation.
——It wasn’t about the cat bumping into her or bringing bad luck; she was deliberately causing trouble.
Imperial Consort Mei was known for her fiery personality and competitiveness. She not only competed herself but also liked to push Xue Congyun’s eldest brother to compete.
During the recent horse race, he and his eldest brother competed and Xue Congyun had easily outpaced his eldest brother.
He didn’t like his eldest brother much because of Imperial Consort Mei. Every time his eldest brother fell short, Imperial Consort Mei would cause trouble. Xue Congyun had initially planned to avoid his eldest brother, but since Jiang Juan wanted a cat, he had to give it his all.
With a playful grin, Xue Congyun said, “I wouldn’t say I won it; it was just a stroke of luck.”
“Imperial Consort Mei, please don’t gouge its eyes out. This is a four-eared cat, a divine cat granted by the Emperor. I was hoping to take it back and raise it for a while.”
Xue Congyun emphasized “granted by the Emperor” to ensure Imperial Consort Mei couldn’t harm the cat without showing disrespect to the Emperor. Imperial Consort Mei picked up on his implication and scoffed, “A divine cat?”
“It has four ears and seems quite intelligent,” Xue Congyun explained. “Locals call it a divine cat.”
“Interesting,” Imperial Consort Mei nodded. She looked at the little tabby in the basket and thoughtfully said, “Yesterday, I visited Empress Dowager at the Cining Palace to pay my respects. The Empress Dowager mentioned how quiet her palace is and how she wishes for a small, obedient pet for company. How about giving this cat to her?”
“You usually play around and probably won’t keep the cat for long. Once the novelty wears off, you’ll get bored. It would be better for it to enjoy a peaceful life with the Empress Dowager.”
Xue Congyun was momentarily speechless.
If Imperial Consort Mei had personally asked him for the cat, Xue Congyun could have easily laughed it off and refused. But since she mentioned the Empress Dowager, Xue Congyun knew he had no choice. If word got back to the Empress Dowager and his mother found out, she would be in trouble.
If his mother got into trouble, so would Xue Congyun.
If the cat was just his, he could have given it away. But it was meant for Brother Juan!
He had promised to bring it to Jiang Juan whenever his fifth brother wasn’t around, using the opportunity to bond with Brother Juan.
Now his well-laid plans were at risk.
Xue Congyun was torn.
If he agreed, Jiang Juan wouldn’t have the cat to play with. If he didn’t, his mother would surely punish him.
But he never considered telling the truth—that the cat was for Jiang Juan. After all, Jiang Juan appeared frail and often cried. If Imperial Consort Mei turned on him, he’d likely end up in tears.
The tension hung thick until someone broke the silence with a clear and bright voice.
“Imperial Consort Mei, the Empress Dowager is a devout Buddhist. Buddhism teaches the law of cause and effect. Keeping pets can interfere with spiritual practice, so the Empress Dowager likely wouldn’t want a cat.”
It was Jiang Juan who spoke. He had met the Empress Dowager and had been forced to copy scriptures, so he remembered this well.
Jiang Juan’s words made Xue Congyun realize that his grandmother might have mentioned wanting a pet, but she definitely wouldn’t keep a cat. Ultimately, the cat would end up with Imperial Consort Mei, who was now calling for its eyes to be gouged out. If the cat fell into her hands, who knows how it would suffer?
“Oh, really?”
Imperial Consort Mei smiled, “Are you implying that I’m lying?”
Imperial Consort Mei vaguely recognized a few people who were friendly with Xue Congyun. When she arrived, she hadn’t paid much attention, but now that Jiang Juan had spoken, she noticed his unfamiliar face. With a half-smile, she asked, “And you are…?”
Xue Congyun quickly said, “My fifth brother’s Royal Consort!”
At times like these, his fifth brother’s title was especially useful. Everyone, both inside and outside the palace, was wary of his fifth brother. Xue Congyun spoke loudly, ensuring Imperial Consort Mei heard him clearly.
Imperial Consort Mei’s hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched tightly as a wave of hatred washed over her, but she kept her smile, “So, it’s Prince Li’s Royal Consort.”
Imperial Consort Mei had always been competitive. In her youth, she was the most favored concubine in the palace until Beauty Yu arrived. Losing favor overnight, she endured endless cold looks and mockery.
When Beauty Yu died, Imperial Consort Mei slowly regained her status, but her son, Xue Chaohua, never won the Emperor’s favor. She hated Xue Fangli as much now as she had hated Beauty Yu back then.
Moreover, the Assistant Minister of Justice had recently been frequently begging her for help, asking her to have the Emperor retract his order—his only son had offended His Royal Consort and was about to lose his life. The harem was not supposed to interfere in state affairs, but since it involved her family, Imperial Consort Mei had to repeatedly urge Xue Chaohua. After a while, Xue Chaohua started avoiding her, and complaints began to arise from her family.
In the end, it all came down to this mother and son. The dead one was annoying, and the living one was even more of an eyesore!
“The rumors are indeed true,” Imperial Consort Mei said with a smile. “Prince Li’s Royal Consort is truly a beauty.”
After a pause, Imperial Consort Mei raised an eyebrow and said, “You say the Empress Dowager believes in Buddhism and would not want to raise a cat. Are you implying that I lied?”
Jiang Juan shook his head and honestly said, “I’m afraid you might not know, so I was just reminding you.”
“The Empress Dowager said she wanted a small, obedient pet. She probably meant she wanted you to visit her more often.”
He spoke so candidly that Imperial Consort Mei was momentarily stunned, unsure of what to say, and could only respond blankly, “I understand.”
Originally, she intended to make a fuss, but that response made it seem like Jiang Juan had lectured her, and Imperial Consort Mei was meekly agreeing.
Xue Congyun found it amusing and almost laughed out loud, hurriedly covering his mouth with his sleeve.
Despite his quick reaction, Imperial Consort Mei still heard the “pfft” sound, and her face darkened, her expression turning unpleasant.
“Regardless,” Imperial Consort Mei said slowly, “since the Empress Dowager mentioned it, I must pay more attention. Congyun’s cat is indeed adorable. Whether the Empress Dowager decides to keep it or not is up to her. How can we overstep?”
“Congyun, don’t you agree?”
Here we go again.
Xue Congyun’s scalp tingled. No matter how well he understood that his grandmother’s request was just an excuse, Imperial Consort Mei clearly wanted the cat to torture it, and he couldn’t say that directly.
He couldn’t give it.
But how could he say that?
Xue Congyun was so anxious he was scratching his head.
Jiang Juan looked at him. No matter what, this cat was won by Xue Congyun and his friends through their efforts. If the Empress Dowager wanted it, she should ask the Emperor to ask Xue Congyun for it, not have Imperial Consort Mei take it and offer it as a gift.
He said softly, “Imperial Consort Mei, it’s not that the Sixth Prince is unwilling, but he can’t decide. He… gave the cat to His Highness.”
“If you want it, you might have to speak with His Highness.”
Jiang Juan wanted to help Xue Congyun, so he told a harmless little lie.
He thought it was simple: Xue Congyun wasn’t the cat’s owner, and His Highness wasn’t present, so Xue Congyun naturally couldn’t decide. Imperial Consort Mei wouldn’t go out of her way to ask His Highness for a cat, right?
Imperial Consort Mei indeed wouldn’t specifically go to ask Xue Fangli, but upon hearing this, she had a new idea.
Imperial Consort Mei feigned delight and said, “Given to His Highness? That’s perfect. No need to speak with him; you, as his Royal Consort, can decide.”
Jiang Juan blinked. “I can’t…”
“Why not?” Imperial Consort Mei said with a laugh, covering her mouth. “You are his officially wedded Royal Consort. Surely you can handle a mere cat?”
Imperial Consort Mei knew Xue Fangli’s character well. Not to mention a cat, she believed that even a single brick in the Prince’s residence could not be disposed of without his approval. Her words were full of malice.
If Jiang Juan didn’t rise to the bait, he would have to admit he had no status in the Prince’s residence.
If Jiang Juan did rise to the bait and made a decision about the cat, His Highness would certainly not let him off easily.
“I’ve heard recently,” Imperial Consort Mei said, “that you are quite favored by His Highness. He can’t bear to let you take even a single step on your own. With such favor, what’s a mere cat?”
These words were naturally what Imperial Consort Mei had heard from Xue Chaohua, but she didn’t take them to heart. Even when Emperor Hongxing favored her the most, she couldn’t act on her own accord. Xue Fangli, on the other hand, was a complete madman.
“This cat, if you gift it to me, I will return you a Persian cat in the future, how about that?”
Imperial Consort Mei leisurely waited for Jiang Juan to make his decision.
In her eyes, most people valued their reputation. Jiang Juan had married into the Prince’s residence as a replacement for the second son of their family. He needed people to know he was doing well and couldn’t afford to lose face.
But Jiang Juan earnestly said, “I truly can’t make decisions about even a cat. You should still ask His Highness yourself.”
Imperial Consort Mei was stunned. She couldn’t understand how someone could be unable to make a decision about a cat and yet say it so righteously. She asked Jiang Juan, “Don’t you feel ashamed?”
If it were her, she would be utterly humiliated.
Jiang Juan slowly said, “Why would I feel ashamed? Not having to worry about anything, having everything handed to me, isn’t that happiness?”
Mei Fei: “???”
She couldn’t understand and was greatly shocked.
But no matter what, Jiang Juan’s refusal was clear. Imperial Consort Mei wasn’t one to be easily crossed. She finally dropped her pretense and put away her smile. “They say you’ve been in the countryside too long, not even as good as a country bumpkin. You don’t know manners and are quite ungrateful. Seeing you today, it’s true.”
With new and old grudges combined, Imperial Consort Mei was determined to have the cat whether Jiang Juan gave it or not. She said with a half-smile, “I really like your cat. I must trouble you to part with it.”
She then gave an order, “Someone, take this creature away!”
One of the attendants who accompanied Imperial Consort Mei stepped forward but suddenly seemed to see someone. He respectfully bowed, “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Imperial Consort Mei’s expression changed, and she looked up in shock.
Not far away, a man slowly walked over, dressed in a dark robe with the hem trailing on the ground. His posture was proud and noble, yet a fierce aura surrounded him. Xue Fangli, with a cold expression, asked, “Imperial Consort Mei, did I hear something wrong just now?”
“Did you say my Royal Consort is ungrateful?”
Xue Fangli calmly said, “I think you are the one who truly doesn’t know your place.”
The author’s note: His Highness: After supporting him, continue to be angry with him.
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