Chapter 835: Spend as You Wish

She lowered her eyelids, reached out and gently smoothed Xiao Che's small blanket, her voice still gentle: "They... made a fuss, not as well-behaved as you."

Tuan Tuan tilted her head: "Eleven and Twelve are also well-behaved, they won't make noise."

Murong Jin's fingers stopped on her son's body.

She looked at Tuan Tuan's pair of clear big eyes, pursed her lips.

How could Tuan Tuan know? Xiao Che had just gone through the Gate of Ghosts.

His Majesty said, Liu Yun'er never confessed even to her death.

But upon thinking, one knows that the person behind her must be some prince or their mother.

Already this early they began to worry that Xiao Che, the heir, would block their path, and they actually resorted to such vicious means against an infant in swaddling clothes.

How could she still dare let her son see any of them?

If possible, she even hopes that Xiao Che will never see them.

But these thoughts, she cannot tell anyone, only bury them in her heart, tormenting herself day and night.

Her natal family already committed crime, the Emperor uprooted them root and branch, and the Empress Dowager was also placed under house arrest.

This Empress is nothing but a lonely lady deep in the palace.

What she can do now is to guard her son with utmost care, trying to keep him away from everyone in the palace.

Of course, except for Tuan Tuan; Tuan Tuan will certainly not harm Xiao Che.

Although the Emperor often advises her not to think too much.

But how could she possibly not think too much!

"Xiao Che... is still young," Murong Jin came to her senses, gently patting her son, her voice soft as before: "When he grows a bit older, it's not too late to play together with his elder brothers."

"Oh," Tuan Tuan nodded,

She looked around the hall, asking: "Snowball? Why don't I see it?"

Murong Jin's hand paused again.

After a moment, she softly said: "Snowball is being kept in the Side Hall."

"Xiao Che is too young, the cat has a lot of fur, this Empress worries it might choke him."

Tuan Tuan's little brows furrowed: "Has Snowball been locked up? No wonder Eleven and Twelve said they hadn't seen it for a long time."

"Has it been locked up for a long time, Empress?"

"This Empress doesn't remember." Murong Jin gazed at her son; in her eyes, there was no room for anyone else.

Tuan Tuan's head lowered.

Snowball is so pitiful, can't go out to play; she loves running around in the Imperial Garden the most.

Tuan Tuan fell silent for a moment, then lifted her head to look at Murong Jin: "Empress, could you give Snowball to me?"

"I'll take it back to the Prince's Mansion to raise it, I'll make sure it grows white and fat."

Murong Jin froze for an instant.

"Snowball is locked up here, it must be unhappy." Tuan Tuan's voice soft: "I will take good care of it."

"Also good," Murong Jin nodded slightly: "Si Yu, take the Princess to the Side Hall to get Snowball for her. Don't forget to wrap some snacks for her to take along, take more."

Si Yu came in: "Yes. Princess, please follow me."

Tuan Tuan waved at Murong Jin: "I'm off! Empress!"

Murong Jin smiled.

Tuan Tuan again held Xiao Che's small hand: "Be good, I'll come see you again later."

Having said that, she followed Si Yu toward the Side Hall.

As Si Yu just pushed open the hall door, Snowball let out a meow and lunged to Tuan Tuan's feet, circling and rubbing against her skirt, emitting a purring whimper from its throat.

As if asking, "Why did you take so long to come?"

Tuan Tuan squatted down, hugged Snowball into her arms, buried her face in its fluffy white fur, and drew a deep breath of pity: "Go! Snowball! Come home with me!"

Snowball stuck out its little tongue and licked her chin.

Tuan Tuan held Snowball, stood up, and walked to the Outer Hall.

Xiao Jin and Xiao Lin had already finished eating, sitting properly at the table waiting for her.

"Snowball!" Seeing Snowball, the two were especially happy.

The three little ones surrounded Snowball, rubbing and petting it; Snowball was excited, meowing nonstop.

"Snowball will live at my place from now on!"

Xiao Jin felt envious: "Tuan Tuan, from now on you can hug it every day, how nice!"

Xiao Lin asked: "Tuan Tuan, did the Empress Dowager give Snowball to you?"

Tuan Tuan nodded: "If you want to play with it, come to the Prince's Mansion to find me."

The three little ones hugged Snowball and happily ran out of the Phoenix Etiquette Palace.

After playing a while longer, Tuan Tuan reluctantly bade farewell to her two little companions, followed Xiao Er, hugging Snowball back to the Prince's Mansion, and entered the Tranquil Orchid Pavilion.

Xiao Er looked around; Cheng Ru'an was not there: "Miss, the Princess Consort must be with the Prince; I'll go fetch them."

"Mm-hmm! Uncle Er, don't forget to try the snacks the Empress gave!"

"Okay." Xiao Er smiled and walked out.

Xiao Feifei was lying on the ground, eyes half-closed basking in the sun, its fluffy big tail sweeping the ground intermittently, Little Gold was beside it.

Hearing footsteps, Xiao Feifei's ears perked up.

It opened its eyes, seeing the big ball of snowy fluff in Tuan Tuan's arms, and immediately stood up.

Little Gold raised its head warily, its amber vertical pupils fixed on Snowball.

"Xiao Feifei, have you seen it? Remember?" Tuan Tuan squatted down, gently placed Snowball on the ground: "Little Gold, this is called Snowball."

"From now on it'll live in our house; you mustn't bully it, understand?"

Xiao Feifei tilted its head, and Little Gold nudged its snout.

Snow Tuan had been locked in a side hall of Fengyi Palace for too long; suddenly arriving in this lush, sun‑filled new place, every strand of its cat fur bristled with excitement.

It stretched its four short legs and walked straight toward Little Gold.

Little Gold held its head high, staying motionless, staring intently at the big white cat that kept drawing nearer.

Snow Tuan circled it a few times, extended a paw, and gently pawed the tip of Little Gold's tail.

Little Gold's tail twitched slightly; Xiao Feifei darted over from the other side, also extending a front paw to flick Little Gold's tail.

Little Gold kept staring at Snow Tuan, then hurriedly turned to Xiao Feifei, and its whole snake body involuntarily curled up.

Immediately after, Snow Tuan came again, and Xiao Feifei followed closely.

Under these left‑and‑right pats, Little Gold completely coiled itself into a round snake loop, like a pale gold bracelet, rolling back and forth across the ground.

Tuan Tuan hurriedly reached out, scooped Snow Tuan up, and lowered their head to look at its innocent big eyes: "I just told them not to bully you; why did you end up bullying Little Gold together with Xiao Feifei?"

Snow Tuan lifted its face and let out a soft, delicate "Meow" toward her.

Little Gold finally stopped rolling, lying dazed on the ground, its head wobbling twice.

Xiao Feifei tottered over, lowered its head, and gently nudged its little crown with its nose tip, as if checking whether it had been damaged by rolling.

Tuan Tuan lifted Snow Tuan up to look at it and said seriously, "The three of you must get along from now on; nobody may bully anyone, understand?"

Snow Tuan meowed again, as if saying, "Got it."

Xiao Feifei let out a quick "Ying" and wagged its tail rapidly.

Tuan Tuan nodded with satisfaction and set Snow Tuan down.

Watching the three of them sniff each other and nuzzle, none of them were mischievous anymore.

Only then did Tuan Tuan feel relieved.

Prince Ning and his spouse walked in.

Cheng Ru'an asked, "Tuan Tuan, isn't this the white cat from the Empress's Palace?"

"Yes! Mom! The Empress and I have taken it over!"

"Taken it over?" Cheng Ru'an was a bit surprised. "Why?"

Tuan Tuan chattered away, recounting everything they had seen and heard in Fengyi Palace.

Xiao Yuanhang frowned slightly after listening.

Cheng Ru'an understood that the Empress had been frightened by the incident with Hui Cao last time.

As a fellow mother, she could understand this vigilance and anxiety.

Cheng Ru'an sighed lightly, then laughed, "Our Prince's Mansion has parrots, ponies, foxes and snakes, and now a cat as well; it's almost become Wanlingyuan."

Xiao Yuanhang laughed heartily, "As long as Tuan Tuan is happy, that's all that matters."

Early the next day, Xiao Ze came and said, "Tuan Tuan, would you like to go shopping with Third Elder Brother?"

"Go shopping?"

"Yes, we'll go spend the sanctioned silver however we please!"