Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Truly a Stray Cat The Emperor took two steps forward. His black boots crunched softly in the snow. Sun Miaoqing, unaware that the Emperor was not heading toward her, followed the script and called out to stop him: "Don't come any closer. My shoes and socks are wet, and I'm changing them." 【Don't come any closer. My shoes and socks are wet, and I'm changing them.】 Nian Shilan deliberately mimicked the words, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Even without seeing her face, one could tell she was rolling her eyes. The Emperor: "..." 【Just moments ago, she was a maid from Yimei Yuan, and now she's not referring to herself as a servant?】 【Arrest her! Have Cuiguo slap her mouth until it's swollen!】 【Let's see how she'll still have the nerve to give me trouble with her sharp tongue in the future!】 Cuiguo? Why isn't it Songzhi? The Empress pondered for a moment and understood: this was an attempt to frame Consort Qi. In this harem, the only one who could fall for such a scheme was probably Consort Qi, right? The corner of the Empress's lips curved slightly. In her past life, when Zhen Huan said her shoes and socks were wet, it was a genuine attempt to delay and buy time to leave. But Sun Miaoqing did not leave. She knew that, given the Emperor's temperament, if she waited a little longer, he would come over. So, even though she said the same words, she stayed put, waiting for the Emperor to approach. The Emperor's mind was currently occupied with the newcomer by the bridge, but he did not want to be watched by Consort Hua. Therefore, he did not head toward the bridge but instead pricked up his ears and followed the sound of Nian Shilan's voice, moving toward her. 【Is his sense of direction this poor as he gets older? His beloved is over by the bridge, so why is he coming this way?】 The Empress also heard the sound of the Emperor's approaching footsteps. They couldn't straighten up and flee immediately now. What should they do? As she was thinking of a plan, she heard Nian Shilan again: 【Better the friend die than the poor Taoist.】 Nian Shilan couldn't remember which scene she had seen this line from a certain master. 【Should I push the Empress out?】 As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she felt her arm tighten— The Empress grabbed Nian Shilan's arm tightly: if we die, we die together! 【This old woman is quite alert.】 The dark shadow drew closer. They had no time to hesitate. Without a word, both of them hunched over and stealthily retreated backward. As they retreated, Nian Shilan chanted inwardly: 【Pick up wife's brother, pick up wife's brother, pick up wife's brother, pick up wife's brother, pick up wife's brother, pick up wife's brother...】 The Empress was so irritated by her chanting that her headache was about to flare up. She wanted to cover Nian Shilan's mouth but couldn't. Just as she considered kicking her out to end it all— Unexpectedly, Prince Guo was actually summoned by her chanting. "The plum blossoms this year are as beautiful as ever." "Run!" Nian Shilan whispered and seized the opportunity to grab the Empress's hand, pulling her along as they fled quickly. "Who's there?!" The Emperor shouted loudly. The plum branches trembled, and snowflakes scattered. Two figures in red, one deep and one light, vanished into the night. The plum garden after the snowfall was quiet. Prince Guo believed that the Emperor had also heard the "maid's" wish, especially the line, "If the contrary wind understands my heart, let it not destroy me easily." It was a poem his sister-in-law used to recite often. Prince Guo couldn't hear Consort Hua's Xinsheng, so he naturally assumed that the Emperor had been conversing with the "understanding maid" all along. And from the maid's tone, she did not wish to reveal herself. Prince Guo glanced at where the snow had fallen and remarked casually: "Perhaps it was a stray cat." As if afraid the Emperor wouldn't believe him, he added specifically, "Stray cats often appear in winter." A stray cat? For someone who had been drinking, hearing was different from usual. Xinsheng was already difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion. Coupled with the distance, the Emperor tried to recall the words just spoken and found himself momentarily unable to tell which side had spoken them. Had Consort Hua come? Had I heard too much of Consort Hua's inner thoughts, thinking of her at such an inappropriate time? But this is Yimei Yuan—shouldn't the one on my mind be Rouze? Has time diluted the past, or has Consort Hua’s weight in my heart grown heavier? Those who drink often overthink. Sun Miaoqing was still thinking of seizing this chance to slip away when Su Peisheng, who had accompanied Prince Guo, heard the Emperor’s loud shout and hurried over with his men. “Protect His Majesty!” The synchronized footsteps of the guards echoed as they encircled the Emperor. The glint of drawn blades flashed, startling Sun Miaoqing so much that she slipped and landed hard on the ground. Pain spread through her, and it took a long moment for her to catch her breath. Prince Guo defused the tension, saying, “It’s nothing—just two stray cats passing by startled the snow-laden branches.” Su Peisheng breathed a sigh of relief, raised his hand, and the guards sheathed their blades, repositioning themselves behind the Emperor. A human wall now blocked the path between the Emperor and Sun Miaoqing. The Emperor glanced at Su Peisheng and remarked teasingly, “You didn’t realize there was someone behind you.” Prince Guo chuckled lightly, “My attention was solely on Your Majesty, I was careless.” This time, the Emperor did not immediately order Su Peisheng to search Yimei Yuan for the palace maid. Instead, he asked, “Did you see anyone on your way here?” Yimei Yuan had more than one entrance, and Nian Shilan naturally would not take the Empress through the gate guarded by Su Peisheng. Having arrived earlier, Su Peisheng had no way of knowing the Empress and Consort Hua had also come: “Your Majesty, I only saw two stray cats leap over the courtyard wall on my way. I did not see anyone else.” So it really was stray cats after all. To buy time for the “maiden of the portrait” to escape, Prince Guo deliberately diverted the Emperor’s attention: “The plum blossoms’ fragrance is intoxicating—I find myself craving a drink now.” As he spoke, he subtly guided the Emperor away from the garden. The Emperor, lost in memories of his past love, was in need of a drink himself. “Such a delightful notion—I shall join you.” Prince Guo, thinking the Emperor had forgotten about the “understanding palace maid,” was pleased. “Treading through snow in search of plum blossoms, returning in high spirits—we must drink three cups to celebrate!” He visited the palace often; he would return to Yimei Yuan later to find her. The Emperor added, “There is another reason to celebrate.” Prince Guo’s heart tightened. “I never expected to find such talent among the palace maids—a pleasant surprise indeed.” His hopeful heart sank. The Emperor clearly still cared about that maid—no, he cared about anything connected to Rouze. No matter how tenuous the connection. “Then congratulations, Your Majesty.” Prince Guo struggled to conceal his disappointment. The Emperor entrusted the task of finding the maid to Su Peisheng once more. Nian Shilan and the Empress had already exited through another gate. The moment they stepped into the light, they released each other’s arms. The tacit understanding of their clandestine eavesdropping dissipated in the cold wind. Neither mentioned what had just happened, as if it had never occurred. They were once again the lofty Empress and Consort Hua. Songzhi and Jian Qiu hurried to their respective mistresses, brushing the snow from their hair and robes. When the Empress returned to the banquet, her eyes scanned the room for Sun Miaoqing—she was absent. It was her after all! She truly took Zhen Huan’s place in every way. Much later, Sun Miaoqing, having taken a hard fall, limped slowly back to her seat. “Sister, are you alright?” Chun'er quietly pushed an empty bowl toward her, pretending she hadn’t helped herself to Sun Miaoqing’s share of the dishes. Sun Miaoqing’s mind was not on food. “It’s nothing, I slipped outside and strained a muscle.” Chun'er said innocently, “The snow makes the paths slippery, sister. You must be careful.” The Empress observed everything. Even without Consort Hua's Xinsheng, her understanding of the Emperor alone told her that he would inevitably go in search of the palace maid who had recited the wrong poem. "Jian Qiu." "Your servant is here." The Empress raised a hand to cover her lips and instructed Jian Qiu: "At first light tomorrow, go to Yimei Yuan..." The next day, at Yimei Yuan. Su Peisheng appeared at Yimei Yuan at the same time as in the previous life, claiming that to celebrate the festival, the Emperor had composed a couplet. Whether eunuchs or palace maids, anyone who could match it would be richly rewarded by the Emperor. But this time, he returned more slowly than in his previous life. Not because there was no gain, but because the gains were plentiful.