Chapter 144

Xiao Yuanhang returned alone to the Prince's Mansion.

Cheng Ru'an exclaimed in surprise, "Where is Tuan Tuan? Why didn't she return with the Prince?"

Xiao Yuanhang recounted everything that had happened at court this morning: "His Majesty has kept her in the Palace."

"Kept in the Palace?" Cheng Ru'an's eyes widened even more, "Which Palace?"

"Fengyi Palace."

"The Empress's Palace? The Empress is a distant relative of the Murong family! Although she has always been on bad terms with the Empress Dowager, how could they keep Tuan Tuan in her Palace?"

Cheng Ru'an grew anxious: "No, I must go into the Palace to beg His Majesty to bring Tuan Tuan back."

"No need." Xiao Yuanhang took his wife's hand, gently patted it, and had her sit down beside him.

"Although the Empress is a distant relative of the Empress Dowager, because the Empress Dowager holds power, she has been feigning illness and staying out of sight for years."

"Now the Empress Dowager has retreated to the Shoucheng Palace to chant sutras, and only then has the Empress taken charge of the six palaces."

"His Majesty and the Empress Dowager are deeply estranged; the fact that he has entrusted the authority of the harem to the Empress shows that she is not of one heart with the Empress Dowager."

"Tuan Tuan enjoys His Majesty's deep favor; she would certainly not dare to defy his will. Otherwise, I would not have returned alone."

After hearing this, Cheng Ru'an's heart eased a little, but she still worried about her daughter, her brows furrowed: "I don't know what Tuan Tuan is doing now—will she be hungry, will she be cold?"

Xiao Yuanhang laughed: "My dear Princess Consort! That's the Imperial Palace—nothing will happen. Tuan Tuan is only staying temporarily in the Palace; we'll go see her in a few days, so rest easy."

Outside Fengyi Palace.

"Reporting to Her Majesty the Empress, His Majesty has ordered this old servant to bring Princess Jiayou to stay with you for a few days."

"Please come in."

Eunuch Cheng led Tuan Tuan inside.

Inside Fengyi Palace, incense curled gently, and all was still.

A dignified and gentle woman in fine robes sat in the center—none other than Empress Murong Jing.

Tuan Tuan bowed and said, "I pay my respects, Your Majesty the Empress."

Empress Murong Jing said softly, "Princess, please rise."

Tuan Tuan rose, looked up, and exclaimed, "Wow, Her Majesty the Empress is truly beautiful! Her eyes are clear and pure."

Empress Murong Jing also sized up Tuan Tuan, thinking, "This little Princess truly lives up to her reputation—lovely as carved jade, so fresh and spirited!"

The two gazed at each other, and Empress Murong Jing smiled faintly: "Tuan Tuan? A lovely name."

Tuan Tuan laughed happily, her dimples deep.

Eunuch Cheng stood aside, watching silently, thinking, "This little Princess is beloved by all; it seems Her Majesty the Empress has also fallen under her charm, so I need not stay any longer."

"Your Majesty, His Majesty has instructed that the little Princess likes sweets, so please prepare more."

"If the little Princess has any needs, please attend to them fully."

Empress Murong Jing nodded: "I understand; please report back to His Majesty—I will see to it myself."

Eunuch Cheng bowed and then turned to leave.

A pure white lion-cat sauntered over to Tuan Tuan's feet and rubbed its head against her embroidered shoes.

"Oh! A little cat!" Tuan Tuan exclaimed delightedly, crouching down to begin stroking it.

Empress Murong Jing was slightly surprised: "Snow Tuan is actually willing to get close to people today."

"Her Majesty the Empress, she likes me!"

Empress Murong Jing nodded slightly: "Indeed, this cat has a fierce temperament; normally, no one besides myself may touch her."

"However, lately the cat has been listless, always drooping, and eating little."

"The palace veterinarian has come several times, yet found no cause."

Tuan Tuan gently stroked Snow Tuan's back, tilted her head, and let out a soft "meow."

Snow Tuan also lifted her head and replied in a faint voice with a "meow."

One person and one cat, exchanging calls back and forth.

Empress Murong Jing found it amusing: "You little thing, can you actually understand what it's saying?"

Tuan Tuan lifted her head: "Her Majesty the Empress, it's not sick."

Empress Murong Jing blinked: "Oh?"

"It doesn't like being cooped up indoors all day, nor does it like eating those hard, dried meat treats."

"It's unhappy! I'll just take it out to play."

Empress Murong Jing hesitated: "Going out? Though the Imperial Garden is lovely, if Snow Tuan goes, she might get lost."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty!" Tuan Tuan hugged Snow Tuan and began to chatter, "Snow Tuan, we're going out to play—you must not run around!"

"If you run around, you'll lose your way home! If you don't come back, Her Majesty the Empress will be heartbroken and cry! You must play where I can see you, understand?"

Snow Tuan let out a "meow," as if she had understood.

"Pfft." Empress Murong Jing couldn't help laughing, nodded, and ordered two steady palace maids to follow.

Tuan Tuan held Snow Tuan and followed the palace maids to the Imperial Garden.

"Wow, this place is huge!" Tuan Tuan set Snow Tuan on the ground and said, "Go play!"

Snow Tuan truly seemed like a different cat—with a "whoosh" she sprang onto the artificial hill, looked around for a moment, saw butterflies fluttering among the flowers, then with another "whoosh" leapt down to pounce.

The white figure darted nimbly among the flowers and grasses, yet never left Tuan Tuan's sight.

The two palace maids glanced at each other, thinking, "Snow Tuan doesn't look the slightest bit ill."

The little Princess was absolutely right!

After playing wildly for a while, Snow Tuan seemed tired, ran to the edge of the Green Ripple Pond, and lay down.

It fixed its gaze on several plump, vivid koi swimming lazily in the pond, and extended its snowy white little paw.

It tentatively scratched the water surface; the fish were startled and scattered, but moments later they gathered together again.

Snowball repeatedly extended its claws, but couldn't touch the fish at all, anxiously meowing and circling the pond's edge.

Tuan Tuan ran over, squatted beside it, propping her chin with one hand, staring at the unusually plump fish in the water, blinked, and said, "Snowball, do you want to eat fish?"

"Meow!" Snowball cried out even louder.

"They're quite fat." Tuan Tuan stared at the several plump fish, licked her lips, "They look delicious; I want to eat them too."

The palace maid beside her heard this, her face turned pale with fright, and she hurried forward to dissuade: "Princess, this must not be done! These koi carp were offered as tribute from abroad; there are only a few of them, they're extremely rare!"

Tuan Tuan let out an "oh", a flash of mischief crossing her big eyes.

Seeing that she had abandoned the idea of catching fish, the palace maids all retreated to the back, not daring to stray far, nor to approach again.

Snowball still guarded the pond's edge, looking determined not to give up until she got her hands on it.

Tuan Tuan, however, stopped looking at the fish and instead lowered her head to search among the pebbles laid at the pond's edge.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up—this was just right!

She picked up a twig as thick as a little finger, dry and yellowish yet quite flexible, bent it into a fishhook shape, and clenched it in her palm.

One person and one cat, backs to the palace maids, continued to squat by the pond.

Tuan Tuan began to mutter: "Little fish, little fish, come ashore quickly, don't just spin around in the water."

"Here there's food for you to eat, and a cat to play with!"

She furtively glanced back and saw that the two palace maids weren't watching her, so she tossed the thing in her hand into the water.

The wooden fishhook sank into the water, a faint light flashed, and it vanished instantly.

The next moment, the calm pond surface seemed to suddenly boil!

Plunk! Plunk! Plunk!

One after another, the koi carp, as if bewitched, thrashed their tails and leapt out of the water in a mad scramble, crashing heavily onto the shore.

One nearly struck the observing Snowball, who yelped and darted behind the fake mountain, peeking out to watch the water's edge.

The palace maids were terrified out of their wits, scrambling forward to grab the fish and fling them back into the water.

But the fish seemed determined to come ashore; as soon as one was tossed back, two or three more sprang up.

In just a moment, four or five large, fat fish lay flopping on the shore, each about a foot long.

Tuan Tuan watched the scene with satisfaction, her eyes crescent-shaped.

She swiftly took off her outer garment, spread it on the ground, and called to Snowball: "Come help!"

Fortunately, we had packed the spirit herbs at Sacred Medicine Valley with Second Uncle and the others!

She picked up the still-flopping fish one by one and placed them on the garment.

Snowball also helped excitedly, nudging them with her paws.

"Princess! This! This isn't allowed!" the palace maids cried, watching her lie on the ground expertly bundling the fish, wanting to cry but unable to.

Tuan Tuan tied the four corners of the bundle, heaved it onto her shoulder with effort, her small frame wobbling under the weight, her face flushed with excitement.

She addressed the dumbfounded palace maids with confidence: "You all saw it—they insisted on coming ashore themselves; it's not my fault!"

"Come on, Snowball, let's go find Her Majesty the Empress and go eat fish!"

Tuan Tuan turned and headed for Phoenix Etiquette Palace.

Snowball looked up at her admiringly, running back and forth close to her legs, closely following.