Chapter 35: What Kind of Low-Tier Kitty Are You!

Chapter 35: What Class of Little Kitten Do You Think You Are?!

Yuanbao often even wondered if the emperor had some childhood trauma that made her so stingy now.

"Your Majesty?"

Yun Ran snapped out of it and explained,

"This is a rose arrangement, just for decoration in the hall. It's nice to enjoy the flowers every day."

"Did Shen Shining make this herself?"

Yu Guiwan felt a sour pang of jealousy, staring at her.

Shen Shining lifted her handkerchief to hide the smile curling at her lips.

"His Majesty bestowed this upon me."

"They're actually famille rose porcelain roses!"

Huang Shuyi's eyes went wide.

The others stared at Shen Shining with even sourer looks.

"Your Majesty's playing favorites! How come I don't get one?"

Yu Guiwan plopped herself down on Yun Ran's lap.

This bold move caught young Debiao off guard. He barely kept his face from showing it, quickly turning his head away and silently stepping back a few paces.

Jeez, this woman is terrifying. I never want a wife in the future—all clingy and gabby, how annoying.

Fourteen-year-old Debiao innocently made this decision.

"You'll all get some. They're just flowers. If my beloved consort likes them, you can come pick them every day."

Yun Ran made a grand gesture. Yu Guiwan beamed, laughing as she hopped up and called her maid Cuitao to go pick flowers with her.

Huang Shuyi watched longingly from the side, but her rank was low, and she didn't dare ask the emperor for anything.

"Shuyi, you get some too. Go ahead, pick whatever you like."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The two left, leaving only Shen Shining and the delicate-looking Song Wanqin.

Yun Ran could tell at a glance that these two also wanted to go pick flowers.

"Go on, you two as well."

Both women clapped their hands over their mouths, thanked her, and left joyfully.

The imperial consorts wouldn't return for a while, so Yun Ran took this time to sketch out the layout of the flower shop and the design for the flower stands.

Flowers were a luxury item, so she couldn't price them too low.

Yun Ran had already thought of a great way to drum up hype for the flower shop, and she chuckled to herself.

The moment Debiao saw that smile, he knew—

Trouble was brewing. The master was about to con someone again.

There was so much to build lately—the restaurant, the flower shop, the palace, and even the ministers' office blueprints. Yun Ran had started drawing them all.

They were running low on craftsmen. She wondered if the upcoming recruitment drive would attract any talented artisans from the common folk.

Yun Ran set down the blueprints, looking a little worried.

By the time she finished drawing the whole layout, the sky had darkened.

Lanterns were lit in the imperial garden. In the glow of the lanterns, snow began to fall softly from the sky once again.

By the time the consorts returned, the sky was awash in the colors of sunset.

Yun Ran had already prepared a table full of dishes in the imperial garden, with a huge copper pot placed in the center.

"Your Majesty, you're still here?"

Yun Ran saw the eunuchs behind the four women each carrying a full basket of flowers, and the women all beaming. She waved them over.

"Come, it's time for the evening meal. Come eat with me."

"Evening meal? There are only two meals a day. Since when is there an evening meal?"

The outspoken Shen Shining blurted out her thoughts again.

No evening meal?

Yun Ran was taken aback.

Ever since she'd transmigrated into this world, she had required three meals a day.

Eating only two meals a day—how could anyone have the energy to run the country? Being the emperor was hard work.

"Yuanbao, what's going on! Didn't I order the entire palace, everyone from the masters to the servants, to have three meals a day like me?"

Eating more would give the servants energy to work, and the masters would stay healthy and in good spirits.

Yun Ran didn't want everyone going to bed hungry and early.

Yuanbao stepped forward looking miserable.

Why does bad luck always land on me?

"I gave the order, but most likely Fugui'er didn't listen. That good-for-nothing—I'll go find him and give him a piece of my mind right now."

"Go on, then."

The consorts took their seats one by one, all dazzled by the spread on the table.

"Your Majesty, I've never seen this kind of food before. Why is it all raw?"

On the table were slices of mutton and beef with streaks of red and white fat, translucent fish fillets, and vegetables—all raw. This was the copper pot hotpot that Yun Ran had the imperial kitchen specially prepare.

In the coldest depths of winter, you gotta have a bite of hotpot dipped in sesame paste—that's what makes it all worth it.

Of course, nobody had ever seen anything like this before.

This was a dish Yun Ran had a sudden craving for today, so she jotted down the recipe and had the imperial kitchen whip up the sesame paste fresh.

"This is instant-boiled mutton. Beloved Consort, just try it and you'll see."

At that moment, the clear broth in the copper pot was rolling and bubbling away, its rich aroma drifting out of the pavilion and spreading far and wide.

"Meow~"

Yun Ran looked down—the smell had even lured over the big fat orange cat from the imperial garden.

"You little rascal, go on, eat up."

Yun Ran picked up a slice of raw beef, and the chubby orange cat couldn't help scrambling up her leg, meowing nonstop, trying to grab the meat.

Its fat belly jiggled as it stretched up on its two snow-white furry paws, and the sight had the imperial consorts cracking up.

Yun Ran deliberately held the slice up high, and after a while of failing to reach it, the fat cat let out an annoyed meow, then hopped straight up and landed right on Yun Ran's leg.

Off in the distance, Debiao clenched his fists.

You little cat! What do you think you are? How dare you step on His Majesty's dragon robe!

He charged over to snatch the cat and toss it aside, but Yun Ran quickly stopped him.

"Hey, Debiao, what are you doing? It's just a cat. You've never had a cat, have you?"

The moment she said it, Yun Ran realized she'd misspoken.

Debiao had been sold as a kid, living under a slave trader's thumb, barely able to fill his belly—how could he have ever kept a cat?

Having suffered his whole life, he wouldn't have any sympathy for a cat either. That just wouldn't do.

"Debiao, come here."

Yun Ran stood up and abruptly shoved the big fat orange cat into Debiao's arms.

"Your Majesty, I'll go get rid of it right away."

"Hey!"

The consorts all gasped—they'd taken a shine to this adorable chubby cat too.

Yun Ran quickly stopped him.

"No, that won't work. I'm telling you to go feed it over there."

She pressed another plate of beef into Debiao's hands.

Faced with this sudden warm, furry lump in his arms, Debiao was clearly at a loss.

He didn't dare toss it—the emperor had entrusted it to him.

So Debiao held his breath, carried the fat cat off to the side, and carefully set it down.

He crouched down, picked up a slice of beef, and the fat cat immediately latched onto his leg, wolfing it down.

The way it wolfed down the food reminded Debiao of his old self. He blinked, then fed it another slice.

"Munch, munch, munch..."

Debiao fed it the whole plate of meat like that.

The fat cat was full, nuzzling up against Debiao's calloused palm, purring away contentedly.

"What are you doing?"

Debiao looked at the suddenly affectionate fat cat, took a step back, and didn't know what to do.

It actually nuzzled me!

Growing up, aside from the emperor who took him in and Eunuch Yuanbao who bought him, nobody—human or animal—had ever shown him any kindness.

Today, he'd been nuzzled by a cat.