Chapter 185

Chapter 185

Liang Jiugong followed with a sheepish grin, but he was already sweating profusely. He also found it hard to believe—how could such a coincidence happen? What were the maids in the Qianqing Palace doing?

Kangxi gestured for him to come closer, signaling him to approach. Liang Jiugong complied with a sheepish grin, inching forward—not even half a footstep.

"Do I look like a fool to you?" Kangxi chuckled lightly.

This was a loaded question.

Terrified, Liang Jiugong immediately knelt down, his heart nearly stopping. "Your Majesty, please forgive me."

How could he dare to treat the Emperor as a fool? This was truly the situation.

"Tell me exactly what happened."

Kangxi marched ahead, his face stern. How could it be such a coincidence? He had been in the Qianqing Palace these past few days and hadn’t ‘coincidentally’ run into anyone.

Why did she come neither earlier nor later, but just when he had gone to the Jingren Palace for a short while? Quite impressive, the Imperial Noble Consort really knows how to pick the right time. If it weren’t for knowing better, one might think someone in the Qianqing Palace had tipped off this rascal.

This time, Liang Jiugong dared not omit any details. He quickly got up and followed behind Kangxi, detailing the events.

When Kangxi heard that the fat cat, Guogaitou, had bolted out and none of the maids could keep up, he wasn’t too surprised.

After all, when he had caught the cat earlier, Kangxi had noticed that its hind legs were incredibly powerful. When catching it, one had to be careful to avoid being kicked by its hind legs. It also had a tendency to suddenly lash out, catching you off guard. If Kangxi hadn’t been paying attention, he might have been kicked several times by those hind legs.

Catching it required not only lightning-fast reflexes but also a bit of strategy.

It was no surprise that Guogaitou could outrun the maids, and that they couldn’t catch it.

But, "It actually had the nerve to act wronged?"

This was something Kangxi couldn’t tolerate. How could that fat cat have the audacity to act wronged?!

Liang Jiugong nodded, confirming, "Your Majesty, according to the maids, this was the situation when they arrived."

The cat was in the arms of the Imperial Noble Consort, meowing pitifully, as if it had suffered some great injustice. It was almost enough to make one think something terrible had happened to it.

Good heavens!

In the few days the cat had been in the Qianqing Palace, it had not only grown rounder but had also become utterly unruly, almost lawless, as if it were running wild.

Except for the first night when it had just arrived and was still shy, behaving like a well-behaved cat.

But the very next day it had immediately adapted and began causing chaos in the Qianqing Palace, acting quite insolently.

And when caught in the act, its attitude was downright insolent.

Despite its furry face, one could still see its arrogance and defiance. Its eyes were particularly punchable.

In the past few days, no one in the Qianqing Palace had lived as comfortably as that cat. The maids in the Qianqing Palace had probably lost weight and looked haggard, while the cat had grown even more robust than when it was with the Imperial Noble Consort!

But that Guogaitou was absolutely outrageous. When it saw the Imperial Noble Consort, it even had the audacity to act wronged, as if it had suffered some great injustice.

Even though Liang Jiugong hadn’t been there to witness it, hearing the maids describe it made him feel quite angry.

"She even told me not to worry. How could she say such a thing?"

This little troublemaker really knows how to infuriate people. As Kangxi spoke, it was clear he was gritting his teeth.

She even found time to come and pick up the cat. If she’s brave enough to take the cat, why not do it in front of him?

Isn’t she always so bold?

Why is she too scared to come now?!

Liang Jiugong silently nodded in agreement.

As soon as he nodded, he felt the Emperor’s gaze on him.

"Why are you nodding?" Kangxi said with a stern look.

Liang Jiugong trembled and quickly shook his head, almost wanting to cry.

Wasn’t he just agreeing with His Majesty?!

"Fine, you go and make her come here to speak to me directly." Kangxi immediately threw a difficult task at Liang Jiugong.

Liang Jiugong: "!?" He looked like he’d just heard something terrifying. What did I say? I didn’t say anything!

The barely contained surprise in his eyes, Liang Jiugong barely managed to control his expression, his eyes wide with shock.

"Your Majesty, I..." Liang Jiugong gradually fell silent under Kangxi's unyielding gaze, stiffening before saying, "Yes, Your Majesty."

This was too much. He wasn’t sure he could bring the Imperial Noble Consort here.

Your Majesty, if even you can’t solve this, how can I?

Liang Jiugong’s role as chief eunuch was once again on the line.

Truly, when gods fight, mortals pay the price—and that was him.

Liang Jiugong set off for Yonghe Palace with a heavy heart.

"Wait." Kangxi suddenly called him back.

Liang Jiugong turned around eagerly, smiling, hoping the Emperor had changed his mind.

However.

Kangxi frowned and said, "Make a list of everything Guogaitou has wrecked in Qianqing Palace lately and take it with you. Let her see exactly what kind of destructive cat she’s raised."

That fat cat is such a troublemaker that selling it by the pound wouldn’t even cover the damage.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Liang Jiugong’s hope was dashed.

What a mess this is!

Yonghe Palace

Su Yi scanned the list of Guogaitou’s recent ‘accomplishments,’ then glanced at the cat sitting primly beside her. When their eyes met, it tilted its head cutely, looking completely innocent.

That innocent look, which Liang Jiugong had seen countless times, still made his heart sink. It was hard to believe that the Emperor had tolerated it for so many days.

The frustration was almost as bad as dealing with the Imperial Noble Consort herself. Liang Jiugong felt for his Emperor.

Su Yi also felt a bit guilty, pinched its chubby cheeks, and whispered, "You’ve gone too far."

And you specifically chose the expensive things to destroy, you've really outdone yourself. It seems that in Yonghe Palace, you suppressed your nature, but in Qianqing Palace, you completely let loose.

"Meow~" Guogaitou meowed coquettishly, with a look of feigned ignorance.

Guogaitou: Meow, I know nothing at all.

If the situation weren't so inappropriate, Liang Jiugong really wanted to say, "Your Highness, see how innocent your cat looks after causing trouble?"

If we hadn't caught the cat in the act, you might think the cat was being framed!!!

Su Yi folded the list and set it aside, thought for a moment before saying, "Luckily, I brought Guogaitou back today."

Liang Jiugong was stunned.

Under Liang Jiugong's incredulous gaze, Su Yi, though not entirely in the right, spoke confidently, "Otherwise, if it stayed in the Qianqing Palace, the list you brought, Eunuch Liang, would have been much longer."

Don’t you think she’s right?

"Isn’t this just cutting our losses?" Su Yi retorted.

Liang Jiugong: "..." It sounded reasonable, but something felt off.

"In Yonghe Palace, Guogaitou wouldn’t dare misbehave, I assure you," Su Yi said with a comforting expression.

Liang Jiugong was about to nod, but then he stopped!

But that wasn’t the point. Seeing the Imperial Noble Consort steer the conversation elsewhere, Liang Jiugong remembered his purpose and quickly brought the topic back.

Whether Guogaitou causes trouble or not isn’t the issue.

What's important is...

"Oh, I’m not going," Su Yi immediately refused.

Liang Jiugong: !!

"Imperial Noble Consort, forgive this humble servant for speaking out of turn..." Liang Jiugong was about to appeal to her emotions and reason, using his silver tongue to try to persuade her to change her mind, when he heard,

"Since it’s out of turn, Eunuch Liang, you’d best not say it," Su Yi gently interrupted Liang Jiugong's impending speech.

In simple terms, she wasn’t listening.

The words Liang Jiugong had been preparing were stifled by the Imperial Noble Consort's statement.

This feeling of helplessness before the Imperial Noble Consort had finally struck Liang Jiugong.

"I remember a few days ago he shouted at me, and today he wants me to go over. If I go just because he says so, wouldn’t I lose my dignity? I won’t go," Su Yi said, picking up Guogaitou and pouting with a strong attitude.

Liang Jiugong listened, breaking into a sweat. He knew it wouldn't be easy to persuade the Imperial Noble Consort to back down.

"If he’s brave enough, let him come here and tell me himself," Su Yi threw the words back at Liang Jiugong, just like Kangxi, tossing a difficult problem his way.

The tone was identical.

In moments like these, they were particularly in sync.

Liang Jiugong: "!?" This, this is what both you and His Majesty say, how am I supposed to respond?

Heavens, this is really too much for me to handle.

Qianqing Palace

"What?! Asking me to go and speak to her face to face, she really has the audacity." Kangxi was so angry that he paced back and forth twice, his expression clearly displeased.

Liang Jiugong dared only to reply softly, "The Imperial Noble Consort said that if you summon her, it would make her lose face."

"She still cares about her dignity," Kangxi retorted coldly.

Now she cares about dignity, but this impudent one doesn't know how to give me any.

"Yes, so the Imperial Noble Consort wants you to go, she won't come," Liang Jiugong replied, almost sighing. The Imperial Noble Consort's willful reply was beyond any embellishment.

It was obvious from the start that these were the Imperial Noble Consort's words.

"I summon her, and she refuses to come, even asks me to go, do I not have any dignity?!"

She really is a shrewd little thing.

Should I 'commend' her for such a face-saving scheme?

This remark Liang Jiugong dared not respond to, freezing in place and shrinking back. The Imperial Noble Consort was really pushing the Emperor's buttons.

Whether the Imperial Noble Consort was frightened or not, Liang Jiugong didn't know, but his heart was certainly frightened; he was not one to handle shocks well.

"If she refuses to come, then I won’t go either!" Kangxi grew angrier as he spoke, his voice filled with rage.

Liang Jiugong trembled under the Emperor's wrath, fearing it might fall on him.

In front of Yonghe Palace

"Your Majesty, we've arrived," Liang Jiugong timidly informed.

Kangxi, sitting in the sedan, rubbed his temples and sighed deeply, then stepped down with a stern expression, exuding an air of cold ruthlessness, saying, "I want to see what games she can play in front of me."

With these words, he maintained his regal and detached demeanor, fully embodying the Emperor's authority.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Liang Jiugong replied deferentially.

Understood, Your Majesty, there’s no need to be so stern now.