Chapter 183

Chapter 183

"Your Majesty?!" Liang Jiugong heard and hurried in.

He saw His Majesty and Pot Lid, a man and a cat, staring at each other.

Isn’t that Pot Lid?

They were just saying the cat was missing and wondering where it had gone, but it turns out it had come to His Majesty.

"How did Pot Lid end up here?" Liang Jiugong was also surprised. When did it sneak in without anyone noticing?

"Get off!" Kangxi reached out to grab it, planning to toss it off the bed.

But at this moment, Pot Lid showed off its flexibility despite being a fat cat.

Despite its chubby and clumsy appearance, it could still be quite agile.

Kangxi failed to grab it, and Pot Lid jumped to another spot.

After dodging, Pot Lid gave him a smug look, as if saying, 'You can't catch me~'

It looked downright cheeky.

Liang Jiugong: "..." He didn’t mean to say it, but Rong Noble Consort's cat really knew how to provoke.

Kangxi was both amused and annoyed.

He was dead set on catching this cheeky fat cat and dismissed Liang Jiugong’s suggestion to have the maids come in to help. He decided to do it himself, refusing to believe he couldn’t catch it.

But Pot Lid was indeed agile. Kangxi kept missing, and it kept slipping away. Kangxi’s expression turned increasingly menacing.

Finally, by using a feint, he managed to catch it. Kangxi’s expression had become increasingly unhinged during the chase, almost maniacal.

When Pot Lid was caught, it let out a pitiful wail, yes, a wail, not a meow.

It looked like Kangxi had mistreated it.

Kangxi was thoroughly annoyed by its noise and said sternly, "Quiet!"

Knowing when to quit, Pot Lid shut up, looking utterly pitiful and helpless.

It really knew how to change expressions and read people's moods.

No wonder it's the cat of that little rascal, just as mischievous.

Kangxi pinched Pot Lid's big cheeks, "You're quite the runner, huh? Even though you're this fat, you're still quite agile." It sounded like a compliment but not quite.

Liang Jiugong thought His Majesty wasn’t exaggerating at all. Pot Lid is fat, but it’s really not ordinary in its agility. If it were up to him, he wouldn’t know when he could catch it.

Pot Lid's thick cheeks were pinched up, and its eyes looked even more innocent and pitiful.

It really knows how to read people's moods. Knowing the situation wasn't favorable, it acted pitiful, occasionally letting out a pitiful meow.

Compared to its earlier arrogant behavior of jumping around on Kangxi's bed, it was like two different cats.

It was so bold in provoking Kangxi earlier, but now that it was caught, it acted all submissive and unresisting.

"Why did it wander over here for no reason?" Kangxi asked Liang Jiugong. Didn’t they prepare a cat bed for it? Why didn't it stay there and had to come over?

What a spoiled creature!

The Palace of Heavenly Purity is huge, and yet Guogaitou somehow managed to sneak over here.

If it hadn't been pressing on his chest, the maids might have assumed it was elsewhere, constantly searching but never finding it.

Liang Jiugong thought for a moment and replied, "I suspect, Your Majesty, that Guogaitou might be shy and not used to this place, so it came running to you."

Even though Guogaitou and Your Majesty don't get along, it often sees you.

Where it's surrounded by strangers, it's natural for Guogaitou to run to the person it knows best.

After hearing this, Kangxi glanced at the chubby creature he was holding down and teased it mercilessly, "So timid, I thought your courage would be as big as you are."

Guogaitou hissed twice in defiance, trying to look tougher, with its ears flattened. It looked both fierce and scared.

"Get rid of it," Kangxi said, intending to hand Guogaitou to Liang Jiugong to take the cat away. He didn't have time to keep messing with this fat cat.

Liang Jiugong took Guogaitou and was about to carry it away when the previously calm Guogaitou suddenly jumped out of his arms.

Liang Jiugong hadn't yet realized how cunning Guogaitou was.

Guogaitou's favorite trick is to take advantage of the moment when people aren't paying attention or are relaxed, suddenly surprising you.

When Kangxi was holding it, he was always ready for it to slip away and cause trouble.

But Liang Jiugong was deceived by its temporary calmness and let his guard down.

And just like that, it leaped out again.

It jumped back onto Kangxi's bed. This time, it didn't run around but simply crouched in a corner, burying its head and curling into a ball, not moving.

As if hiding its head would hide its whole body, and the humans wouldn't be able to find it.

Kangxi looked at the large white lump curled up motionless: "... Not only fat but also dumb."

Liang Jiugong hurried forward to try to make amends by carrying Guogaitou away. This time, he definitely wouldn't relax!

But as soon as he touched it, "Meow~!" Guogaitou let out a pitiful cry, as if it had been wronged.

Startled, Liang Jiugong quickly explained, "Your Majesty, I didn't use any force just now!"

Kangxi waved his hand, signaling him to hurry up and not dawdle. How long was this going to take?

Seeing that Kangxi's patience was running out, Liang Jiugong didn't dare to delay any longer and directly picked it up.

But then another problem arose: Guogaitou's claws were firmly hooked onto the quilt, refusing to let go.

Guogaitou was using all its strength, clinging to the quilt and not releasing it.

But in the end, Liang Jiugong managed to carry it down from the bed, sweating profusely and utterly exhausted.

This Rong Noble Consort's cat is truly not an ordinary handful.

And the Guogaitou, having been carried down from the bed, was unhappy, feeling extremely wronged.

It started wailing as if it had lost its beloved fish, utterly heartbroken.

No tricks, just pure feeling.

Liang Jiugong noticed the cat was wailing pitifully, though its cries were far from quiet. Worried that the emperor might get even more annoyed, and fearing that if he got too irritated, the cat might suffer, Liang Jiugong quickened his pace to take the cat away. To keep it from constantly bothering the emperor.

The cat seldom yowled this loudly, so soon its voice became a bit hoarse, sounding even more heart-wrenching.

"Hold on," Kangxi suddenly said.

Liang Jiugong halted and turned back, hesitantly asking, "Your Majesty?"

"Never mind," Kangxi sighed, massaging his forehead, "Let it stay."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Liang Jiugong paused briefly but swiftly returned the cat.

The moment the cat hit the bed, it stopped wailing, as if aware it wouldn't be removed now. It pranced around in graceful circles, then approached Kangxi, rubbing against him, tilting its head, and meowing adorably to win him over.

It appeared genuinely docile and charming, plus, it was plump and cuddly, looking utterly endearing.

Kangxi, expressionless, nudged it away, "Keep your distance."

Who’s really being inconvenienced by bringing this chubby cat back?

The cat, shoved into a corner by this smelly human, stopped making a scene, lazily settled down, tucked its paws, and dozed off, silent and rather endearing.

It seemed very composed, apparently not intending to scamper over and use him as a pillow like earlier.

Despite its plumpness, this little creature was genuinely adorable. The maids who typically tended to it brushed its fur daily and fed it with great care, so its coat was glossy and sleek, with a superb feel.

Kangxi extended his hand to pet the cat’s head, then swiftly pulled it back, his face still icy and controlled, as though it wasn’t him who had just petted the cat.

The cat didn’t bat an eye, remaining utterly serene and collected. Truly a hypocritical human—it was the human who initiated the contact, not the cat offering itself.

Kangxi was too trusting too early.

Until he felt the familiar heaviness again while sleeping, Kangxi seemed to realize that the fat cat was probably using him as a cushion again, too lazy to open his eyes and push it away.

It might just take advantage of his deep sleep to climb up again.

When Liang Jiugong came to wake Kangxi at the usual time, even though Kangxi had just opened his eyes and wasn't fully awake, he wasn't as startled as last night when he saw the black furry head in front of him.

He knew this fat cat was not honest at all, very good at taking advantage.

Kangxi expressionlessly pushed the still deeply sleeping cat aside, and as the cat rolled off Kangxi's elevated cushion, it rolled a couple of times on the quilt, waking up and grumbling a few times in dissatisfaction.

But seeing the unfriendly face of the stinky human, the cat wisely quieted down.

After Kangxi got up, the cat didn't continue sleeping; instead, it started rolling around on the imperial bed, jumping about, diving under the covers and then popping out again. Having slept all night, it was full of energy and started playing around.

Liang Jiugong watched the cat jumping around, his eyelids twitching, as if it wasn't the bed it was jumping on, but within the emperor's tolerance range.

"Change everything on the bed," Kangxi coldly ordered.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

In fact, new ones are replaced every day, but today it's evident how much His Majesty is suffering from a headache. Given the extent of the cat's shedding and His Majesty's slight obsession with cleanliness, it's truly not easy for him to endure until morning.

Who would have thought that without Rong Noble Consort around, her cat would also be so troublesome.

——

She had originally planned to leave with Rong Noble Consort, but something happened along the way that caused Rong Noble Consort to leave angrily, and the Emperor did not go to Yonghe Palace but returned to Qianqing Palace instead.

This news instantly energized the concubines who had been quietly frustrated yesterday.

They sensed an opportunity!

The exact cause of the conflict is unclear, but any conflict is good news!

This lifted the spirits of the concubines who had been scolded by the Imperial Noble Consort earlier.

The higher-ranking concubines are more level-headed; this isn't the first time, and it wasn't just a bluff before, so it's wiser to wait and see. Given their current status, they no longer need to lower themselves as eagerly as the lower-ranking concubines.

Let the lower-ranking concubines test the waters first.

Meanwhile, Consort Hui is more concerned about how yesterday, the Grand Empress Dowager and the Emperor appeared with the Crown Prince, and they openly displayed the close relationship between the Crown Prince and Rong Noble Consort. What could this mean? Could they really be planning to have Rong Noble Consort take care of the Crown Prince?

And to make it official?!

If so, Rong Noble Consort would officially become the Crown Prince's foster mother.

Just the thought of this possibility makes Consort Hui uneasy.

Wouldn't this indirectly give the Crown Prince a powerful ally?

Even if it's just a conjecture, Consort Hui is still worried that it might be true.

She must inform Mingzhu to prevent the Hesheli and Niohuru families from joining forces.

With Xiao Hesheli about to enter the palace, it's hard to believe that Suo'etu would be willing to let the Crown Prince be shared with the Niohuru family.

——

Kangxi did not visit Yonghe Palace for several days in a row, and there was no activity from Yonghe Palace either, seemingly confirming that the two had a falling out.

Finally, at a moment of great attention from everyone, Kangxi went to the Imperial Noble Consort.