Chapter 099

Chapter 099

Kangxi looked down at the cat named Guogaitou: "Well, well, it's been a while since I last encountered this cat. I remember it quite vividly."

Compared to the last time, the cat had grown a bit, but it still had the same fierce demeanor and still loved to bite clothes!

Taking advantage of Guogaitou's teeth being caught in his robe, Kangxi reached out and pinched the scruff of its neck, lifting it up. Liang Jiugong watched nervously from the side, fearing that the cat might accidentally harm the Emperor.

When Guogaitou was lifted by the scruff of its neck, its previous ferocity vanished. It looked over with innocent eyes, wearing an expression of pitiful helplessness, its paws fidgeting awkwardly.

Kangxi looked at it expressionlessly, his imperial gaze intense. Guogaitou's eyes darted away, looking towards the two-legged creature it liked.

As if the fierce cat from before wasn't it at all.

'Meow, meow,' save me.

Guogaitou let out a couple of weak meows towards Su Yi.

Su Yi, sitting nearby, was struggling to hold back her laughter. She didn't laugh out loud because doing so would have embarrassed Guogaitou, wouldn't it?

"Your Majesty, Guogaitou is actually in its teething phase and likes to bite things. Some of my clothes have been ruined by Guogaitou too. Not only does it bite, but it also scratches. This time, it probably thought Your Majesty's robe was particularly durable, which is why it did that."

Su Yi explained from the side, gently patting the arm that was holding Guogaitou, her smile gentle.

Her eyes seemed to say: That's enough, it's just a little kitten.

Kangxi glanced at her and, with a huff, handed Guogaitou back to her. It wasn't as if he liked cats anyway; did she think he enjoyed holding it?

But before Su Yi could hold it securely, Guogaitou felt emboldened again and immediately stood up on Su Yi's lap, loudly meowing what seemed like cat profanities at Kangxi.

Kangxi chuckled at the little cat's behavior of immediately starting to yell at him once it was back in Consort Rong's arms. "Hmph."

This little cat really didn't know its place.

He really was getting into a standoff with a cat.

He reached out and grabbed it under its armpits, lifting it back up. Guogaitou, which had been fiercely meowing profanities, suddenly found itself airborne and face-to-face with the enlarged figure of the two-legged creature it disliked. Meow! It had been caught again by that annoying two-legged creature.

Guogaitou instantly shut its mouth, its eyes becoming innocent, not daring to meet Kangxi's gaze.

Its eyes seemed to say: Who am I? Where am I? Where is the two-legged creature I like? Save me!!

Panicking inside, but looking innocent, pitiful, and weak on the outside.

Kangxi squinted at it for a while, then placed Guogaitou back into Consort Rong's arms. "You hold it."

Su Yi gently cradled Guogaitou.

Sure enough, as Kangxi had anticipated, the little cat started meowing at him again, its meows full of provocation, looking quite triumphant. Where was the timid cat from before? If one hadn't seen it happen, they might have thought it had been swapped!

Tsk, this cat really has two faces.

Su Yi looked at the fiercely meowing, arrogant Guogaitou and fell silent.

To be honest, Guogaitou really was a bit cheeky.

Then she shoved Guogaitou into Kangxi's arms. It was time for the little cat to learn about the harshness of the world.

Guogaitou, now back in Kangxi's arms: !!!!

Instantly silenced, the cat lay quietly in Kangxi's arms, not daring to move, timidly looking up at him.

Kangxi looked down at the cat in his arms, a slight curve forming at the corner of his mouth, "Why don't you keep yelling?"

He tapped the cat's head, and it shrank back, losing its previous bold and fearless demeanor, its ears flattening, looking quite timid.

The cat: I admit, I did speak a bit loudly to you, two-legged creature.

Kangxi then somewhat disdainfully handed the cat back to Consort Rong, "Take care of your cat."

The cat was about to challenge again, come on, you two-legged creature, I'm not afraid of you!

Su Yi pinched its ear and whispered, "Be quiet, little coward, if you keep yelling, he might just eat you up, and I won't be able to save you in time." A small threat to the cat.

The cat looked incredulously at the annoying two-legged creature beside it, so terrifying, this two-legged creature actually eats cats?!

Originally, it wanted to yell to reclaim some feline dignity!

But upon hearing how terrifying the two-legged creature opposite was, the cat's fragile feline heart was frightened, and it meowed, climbing onto Su Yi's shoulder and burying its head, refusing to come out, its claws clinging tightly, fearing it might be snatched away by the two-legged creature next to it and never return.

This won't do!!!

Hearing Su Yi's words, Kangxi couldn't help but glance at her with a slight glare, as if he would eat anything without discrimination.

Su Yi smiled back, "What is it, Your Majesty, I was just joking."

But it worked.

Kangxi: Hmph!

Liang Jiugong, who had been watching nervously, worried that the cat might scratch the Emperor, was truly surprised, this cat of Consort Rong's, it could really bend and stretch, truly quite spirited.

Of course, this is an understatement.

Rongpin had been glaring fiercely, she wished the cat would bite the Emperor, injure the royal body, then that dead cat would surely be doomed, and even Consort Rong wouldn't be able to save it, then she would definitely take the opportunity to deal with the cat, making it suffer and howl before dying.

But as she watched, the result she desired never came.

This dead cat is as cunning as its owner!

The scene she had imagined never happened, she was just left aside unable to join the conversation, making Rongpin both embarrassed and unwilling, she thought she wouldn't care anymore, the favor was gone, it didn't matter, she still had the Third Prince, only the Third Prince was the most important, her future hope.

But the indulgence the Emperor showed to Consort Rong, she had never seen in the Emperor's eyes before.

"Your Majesty." Rongpin spoke up again to remind of her presence.

Su Yi covered the cat's mouth, signaling it to be quiet and not disturb the show.

She thought to herself, if only you had dealt with it earlier, now you're caught.

He runs, she chases, he, cannot escape.

Su Yi couldn't help but want to laugh, so she lowered her head to nuzzle the cat to hide her expression.

Kangxi looked at Rongpin beside him, her gaze eager, his calm, "If it's about the Third Prince, you need not mention it again."

The situation of the Third Prince with the Empress Dowager, Kangxi had actually been keeping an eye on.

The Third Prince often cried and was somewhat frail, even though he was already three years old, he still couldn't walk steadily, needing to be carried by the wet nurse all the time, needing constant soothing, easily frightened, and requiring long periods of comforting.

By the time Baocheng was three years old, he had already stopped crying and fussing, and even when he was sick and uncomfortable, he wouldn't throw tantrums or refuse to take medicine. In comparison, the Third Prince's behavior was overly pampered. How could a prince be so weak?

Even the eldest prince, who had been raised away from Consort Hui at the Nala residence, was doing well. Kangxi would take time to review his studies and pay attention to his growth, especially his outstanding achievements in archery and horsemanship.

But the Third Prince was different.

Kangxi was still considering whether to let Rongpin continue to raise the Third Prince, but her constant crying and complaining only made Kangxi more dissatisfied. If Rongpin continued to raise the Third Prince, he might end up mediocre due to her excessive indulgence.

Perhaps Kangxi was being too harsh on a child.

But Kangxi had always been strict with himself since childhood, and he was the same with Baocheng. Even though he doted on Baocheng in daily life, when it came to studies, Kangxi was a strict father who wouldn't allow Baocheng to slack off or play too much.

Now, the Third Prince was only one year younger than Baocheng, but he was still a pampered child who couldn't leave his mother's side. How could Kangxi be satisfied with this?

The more Kangxi thought about it, the more his displeasure showed, even though his expression remained calm.

Rongpin, who had been putting on a show earlier, now couldn't stop her tears from flowing like rain. "Your Majesty, this concubine is just worried as a mother. The Third Prince has never been away from me for so long. He won't be used to it. I'm truly worried. I really, truly only have the Third Prince left."

Su Yi, hearing this, thought to herself, how could she always forget there was also a princess? Hmm?

But at this moment, she just silently watched, not wanting to get involved. She was just a tool, after all.

Then Rongpin suddenly turned her gaze to Su Yi, who quickly looked away. Don't look at me, I know nothing.

"Sister," Rongpin began, but Su Yi, anticipating her move, immediately started coughing, covering Rongpin's voice.

Rongpin, undeterred, tried again, "Sis—" "Cough! Cough! Cough!" Su Yi coughed several times in a row, feigning weakness, "Oh, this concubine's body is really not well. I should go back to the inner chamber to rest, so as not to disturb you all."

Su Yi's coughing was so obviously deliberate that even a fool could see she was faking it.

You think you can drag me into this? Let's see who's faster, your words or my cough!

Then she tried to get up and leave. Rongpin's affairs had nothing to do with her; why should she get involved?

If it were three years ago, when Rongpin still had some charm, she might not have been able to leave Rongpin to deal with it alone. But now, she had no shortage of beauties around her.

"Consort Rong, sit down," Kangxi said coldly, his mood complicated.

He had just managed to shake off the thought that Consort Rong might have a preference for women, only to be hit again by her inner thoughts.

Su Yi pretended not to hear and still got up, thinking he wasn't calling her.

Kangxi directly grabbed her arm, and now she couldn't pretend to be oblivious and slip away. Su Yi turned back awkwardly, feigning surprise, "Oh, Your Majesty was calling this concubine? There are two Consort Rongs here, so I thought you weren't calling me." After finishing her sentence smoothly, she remembered she was supposed to be coughing and quickly added a few more coughs.

At least she was putting on a show since Rongpin was present.

Liang Jiugong gasped in shock. Consort Rong was really daring!

Ever since both Consort Rong of Yonghe Palace and Rongpin of Zhongcui Palace were present, he had anticipated this awkward situation. What if the Emperor called out and the two ladies responded incorrectly?

It had been going smoothly, with Consort Rong staying quiet on the side, and Liang Jiugong thought he could relax. But of course, he had relaxed too soon.

The one causing trouble turned out to be Consort Rong.

Ah, so why hadn't His Majesty foreseen this day?

Consort Rong's expression was too exaggerated for Kangxi to pretend he didn't notice. He took a deep breath and said, "Please sit down first."

He was at fault in this matter.

Su Yi pursed her lips slightly and sat back down, somewhat impatient. She hugged her bangs in frustration, thinking, *Why is this man dragging his feet? Either return the son to her or just say no directly. This hanging around without a clear response is like tiring out an eagle.*

As soon as Su Yi sat back down, Rongpin, who had been interrupted repeatedly, wasn’t about to give up. She spoke rapidly, "Sister, I know your health isn’t good, but just now when I was talking to you, you seemed perfectly fine. Now you’re coughing nonstop, worrying both His Majesty and me. I know I shouldn’t, but didn’t you say you’d speak up for me in front of His Majesty? I’ve already admitted my mistake to you. Are you going back on your word now?"

She spoke almost without pausing, clearly triggered by Su Yi’s repeated coughing interruptions, fearing that any pause would give Su Yi another chance to cut her off.

Despite the brief moment, Rongpin’s resentment was unstoppable, determined to drag Su Yi into this. She even hinted that Su Yi was faking her coughs, as she had been perfectly fine earlier but now coincidentally interrupted her every time. Rongpin didn’t believe it was just a coincidence.

After hearing Rongpin’s rapid-fire speech, Su Yi fell silent for a moment, her expression seemingly confused and troubled, as if Rongpin’s words had left her in a dilemma—whether to explain or not.

Only Kangxi knew the truth wasn’t as it seemed.

Su Yi had just sneered inwardly, knowing this was about to blow up.

Su Yi then smiled gently, speaking softly, but her words were anything but gentle, "Huh? What you just said—was that even human speech? I couldn’t understand a word of it."

Rongpin, seeing Su Yi smile, hadn’t yet realized the severity of the situation, as she had forgotten how Su Yi had undermined her earlier.

Perhaps it was some misplaced confidence.

Rongpin thought that even though concubines might engage in verbal battles and schemes behind the scenes, in front of the Emperor, they would maintain a facade of harmony, pretending to be close sisters, masking all their jealousy and quarrels under a veneer of gentleness and magnanimity.

This was how they could leave a good impression on the Emperor, avoiding the label of being petty or jealous. Even if they secretly wished ill upon each other, as long as the Emperor was present, they would at least maintain surface-level civility. Even if they wanted to provoke, they would do so subtly.

So Rongpin believed Su Yi wouldn’t dare to humiliate her so blatantly in front of the Emperor. Even if Su Yi retaliated, it would be in a more veiled manner, not as directly as she had just done.

But Rongpin’s smugness didn’t last long before Su Yi’s words struck her like a blade.

Did Su Yi just say she wasn’t speaking human language?!

How dare she?!

"What are you looking at? Do you see flowers on my face?" The gentler Su Yi’s smile, the more cutting her words became.

It was a proven fact that when women get angry, even little kittens get scared.

The bangs, frightened, shrank back, even moving closer to Kangxi’s arm. The bangs, which usually disliked this two-legged creature, were too scared to care now, timidly huddling by Kangxi’s arm, pawing at him, its head already buried.

Kangxi felt the cat moving closer to him and glanced down. It really was that cowardly cat. *Pathetic,* he thought with slight disdain but didn’t push it away.

Having been on the receiving end of Su Yi’s sharp tongue, Kangxi actually felt a sense of balance now, as if he wasn’t the only one being infuriated by Su Yi.

"I’ve been tolerating you for a long time. You’ve been rambling on, and I’ve listened patiently. Are you still not satisfied? Do you want to ascend to heaven? You speak so freely, yet your boasts haven’t even reached the sky. Even the cows wouldn’t believe you."

She had heard that kind of talk so many times it was making her ears bleed.

"I’ve been sitting here quietly, neither driving you away nor stopping you, yet you’re getting more and more carried away. How wonderful. You even want to drag me into this. Do you think I’m an idiot?"