Layers of fine silk curtains shielded the light of day from Guanghua Palace. The bedchamber was dim, with fragrant incense wafting from the censer. The phoenix-shaped gilt candelabra held pearls in its beak, glowing like misty clouds. Inside the luxurious canopy bed, the beautiful woman’s jade hairpins had fallen askew on the cloud-soft pillow, her hair disheveled, her skin as white as snow.
“…Manman, should I go faster or slower for you?” the emperor asked, restraining his burning desire. He slowed down slightly, kissing her closed eyelids.
The beauty beneath him had rosy cheeks, her eyelashes fluttering.
“Like this?”
“Or like this?”
“Tell me…”
“Mmm… however you want, my love…”
The beauty finally spoke. The emperor was delighted and captured her lips in a deep kiss. As he thrust forcefully, the soft tinkling of jade ornaments accompanied the woman’s intermittent, seductive moans.
As the saying goes, “Such joy and glory, what is there to suffer? Only that the sun races to the southwest.” While our wise and mighty emperor was rolling around on the dragon bed with his beautiful empress, lost in ecstasy and indescribable pleasure, suddenly there came the sound of palace maids talking outside the bedchamber.
The cat from Jiade Palace had somehow gotten out and fallen into the Ganquan Pool in the imperial garden.
The cat was getting old and didn’t move around much during the day, mostly napping in the sun. Today, the palace staff hadn’t paid much attention to it. By the time they found it and fished it out of the pool, it seemed to be nearly drowned.
The Grand Empress Dowager had kept this cat for many years. It was seven or eight years old now, plump and snow-white like a rolling embroidery ball. It had always been by her side, and Princess Feifei especially loved it, playing with it every day. It was only left behind in the palace this time because it was inconvenient to bring along to the temple visit.
Unexpectedly, an accident had occurred.
The palace maids were extremely anxious. Seeing that the cat was in critical condition, they didn’t dare conceal it and hurriedly came to report to the empress and beg for forgiveness. Naturally, they were stopped by the maids guarding outside Guanghua Palace.
The palace was usually quiet, and this afternoon was particularly silent. When they spoke outside the hall, their voices faintly carried inside.
Xiao Qiao, entangled by Wei Shao like an octopus, couldn’t hear clearly what was being said outside. She only vaguely heard the maids’ voices filled with anxiety and tears, as if something had happened. Curious, she opened her eyes and pushed him.
Wei Shao interrupted at the height of his passion and was naturally displeased. He mumbled “Don’t worry about it,” but she kept pushing him. Reluctantly, he stopped, though he didn’t get off the bed. He reached out with one hand to lift the curtain and poked his head out, shouting irritably, “What’s all this fuss about?”
The maids guarding outside didn’t dare disturb the emperor and empress with this matter and were quietly telling the messenger to wait. Suddenly hearing the emperor’s roar, they were startled. Though they couldn’t see him, they hurriedly knelt and reported loudly.
Xiao Qiao heard now and was shocked.
That cat had not only accompanied the Grand Empress Dowager for many years, but their daughter loved it, and Xiao Qiao herself was very fond of it. They had kept it for many years and had deep feelings for it. It was only because Wei Shao had always been allergic to cats that it was never allowed to enter Guanghua Palace.
She couldn’t believe it had fallen into the pool and drowned!
Xiao Qiao exclaimed in surprise and anxiety. She immediately pushed Wei Shao away, sat up, and hurriedly started to dress. Wei Shao frowned and forcefully pushed her back onto the pillow.
“The cat is in trouble!” Xiao Qiao pushed him.
“Let me finish first…”
Wei Shao’s expression was tense as he pressed her down, gritting his teeth and hastening his movements. Finally, with a heavy thrust, he let out a long breath and collapsed on top of her, completely relaxed.
“…I’ll come back early tonight, wait for me… I still want to…”
Even though they were done, he still held her, his face showing disappointment at having their good time interrupted.
He had never liked that cat, and probably wouldn’t care if it died.
Xiao Qiao gave him a reproachful look, complaining about his cold-bloodedness. She pushed him away, got out of bed, and hurriedly dressed.
Wei Shao leaped out of bed and got up with her, grinning at her. “I’ll go with you to take a look!”
Xiao Qiao quickly tidied herself and came out. Outside the hall, a row of palace maids was already kneeling.
Seeing the emperor and empress appear, the maids from Jiade Palace were terrified, repeatedly begging for forgiveness.
When they had closed the doors at noon, the weather was still fine. Now, coming out, the sky had turned overcast, with dense clouds. In the distance, at the edge of the sky, lightning flickered between the cloud layers.
It looked like a thunderstorm was about to break.
Xiao Qiao glanced up at the sky and hurried towards Ganquan Pool.
Wei Shao followed her step by step down the palace steps.
A drop of rain hit his face, feeling cool and damp.
…
In a pavilion by the pool, the cat was wrapped in cloth. The surrounding maids, seeing the emperor and empress arrive, all knelt in unison.
Xiao Qiao ran to the cat’s side, took it in her arms, and called to it several times. She pressed its belly and saw its ears drooping lifelessly, its four plump paws motionless. It seemed dead. Both heartbroken and anxious, she turned to Wei Shao and asked, “What should we do? What should we do?”
Seeing she was about to cry, Wei Shao felt distressed. He sternly rebuked the maids for not watching the cat properly.
The maids, already trembling with fear as they knelt there, became even more terrified when they saw the emperor’s anger. They all pressed their foreheads to the ground, not daring to look up.
“Where are the imperial physicians? Go call them at once!” the emperor commanded.
Several imperial physicians arrived out of breath, rushing over. Seeing the situation, they said with difficulty, “Your Majesty… we only know how to treat humans… this… this animal, how can we handle it…”
Wei Shao said, “Treat it the same way you would treat a person! Hurry!”
The physicians knew that this cat’s status was even more precious than a person’s. They dared not disobey and reluctantly took over, gathering around to work busily for a while.
Whether it was because the cat wasn’t dead or because it was truly revived by the physicians, after a moment, it let out a weak “meow.”
“It’s alive, it’s alive!”
The physicians were overjoyed, the maids were elated, and Xiao Qiao was overjoyed. She rushed over and indeed saw the cat’s paws move slightly. She was so happy she almost jumped up, grabbing Wei Shao’s arm and saying, “It’s alive, it’s alive! That’s wonderful!”
Wei Shao glanced at it and said, “It’s good that it’s alive.” He turned to the physicians and said, “Well done, you shall be rewarded!”
The physicians wiped their sweat and hurriedly thanked the emperor for his grace.
Xiao Qiao was extremely happy. Seeing that the cat was rescued but soaking wet and shivering, looking very weak, she felt very sorry for it. She quickly wrapped it in cloth again, wanting to carry it back first. Wei Shao had already rushed over, saying, “Let me help you carry it back!”
Xiao Qiao hurriedly said, “No need. Don’t touch it.”
Wei Shao said, “It’s wrapped in cloth, it’s fine! The cat is quite heavy, you can’t carry it…”
As he was arguing with Xiao Qiao and his hand touched the cat, suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed overhead, followed by a deafening clap of thunder that seemed to crash down on their heads, causing a painful ringing in everyone’s ears. Some of the more timid maids nearby had already cried out in shock, covering their ears.
Xiao Qiao’s heart raced with the thunder, and she instinctively hid in Wei Shao’s embrace, holding him tightly and closing her eyes.
After the thunderclap passed.
Xiao Qiao opened her eyes and was surprised to find that the cat, which had been on the brink of death just moments ago, seemed to have suddenly regained some strength. It had crawled out of the cloth it was wrapped in, stood up shakily, and was staring at her with its large, glass-like cat eyes. She was overjoyed and didn’t notice that the emperor was staring at her with a bewildered gaze. Worried that the cat might catch a cold, she quickly let go of the emperor, covered the cat’s entire body, picked it up, and turned to the emperor, saying, “It’s about to rain! Let’s go back!”
Palace maids had already opened umbrellas.
Xiao Qiao held the constantly struggling cat tightly in her arms, preventing it from jumping out. She quickly stepped out of the pavilion and walked a few steps. Seeing that the emperor wasn’t following, she stopped and turned her head: “Your Majesty, it’s about to rain. Why are you still standing there?”
But the emperor seemed to be in a trance, still standing motionless in his original spot, his eyes fixed on Xiao Qiao’s face for a long time, his expression extremely strange.
“My love?”
Xiao Qiao finally realized that something seemed off about him and looked at him puzzled.
The emperor seemed to suddenly come back to his senses. He didn’t dare to meet her gaze anymore and hastily averted his eyes, mumbling, “I suddenly remembered that I have some unfinished state affairs. I’ll go deal with them first. Empress, please carry on.”
The rain had started to fall overhead. He hurriedly stepped down from the platform, not even letting the palace maids hold an umbrella for him. After speaking, he strode away in the rain towards the direction of the imperial study.
The palace maids hurriedly opened umbrellas and chased after him.
Xiao Qiao felt a bit surprised. She stared blankly at his figure disappearing at the end of the palace path, feeling as if Wei Shao had suddenly become estranged from her.
He had never used “Zhen” to refer to himself in front of her before, and in private, he rarely addressed her as “Empress” like this.
What was wrong with him?
The cat in her arms seemed agitated, meowing incessantly and squirming non-stop.
Xiao Qiao came back to her senses, shook her head, and turned to return to Guanghua Palace first.
…
In Wei Shao’s mind, a herd of ten thousand wild horses was galloping chaotically.
Everything had been going so well today until that damned cat came to cause trouble. Then, with a clap of thunder, he inexplicably found himself turned into a cat!
No, no, to be precise, his soul had entered the cat’s body, while his own physical body had been taken over by another soul at the same moment!
He didn’t know what was going on, but in that split second of the takeover, he caught a thought from the other party.
The one who had taken over his body was none other than himself—his past life self!
Wei Shao was forcibly wrapped in cloth by Xiao Qiao and taken back. He was frantic, trying every means to make her understand that the emperor was no longer himself, to warn her not to treat that person as him to avoid being deceived. But no matter how hard he tried, all he could produce were “Meow—” “Meow—” “Meow—” sounds.
Damn! Damn! Damn!
This cursed cat! It clashed with him. Usually just eating and sleeping, fat and lazy, and now after just a few struggles, he felt the cat’s body go weak and unable to jump anymore. In the end, he could only lie on his back on Xiao Qiao’s lap, panting with his tongue out.
“Empress, this poor cat has had such a big shock today. It seems quite different from usual,” said a palace maid.
Xiao Qiao sighed, “Yes, the little one must have been frightened.”
She picked up the emperor cat and lovingly stroked its head.
“I’m your husband—” Wei Shao meowed with a dejected face.
Author’s note: The Chen Eunuch side story has been canceled. I’ll write the last one directly, about the funny incidents that occur after Wei Shao accidentally turns into a cat and his body is taken over by his past life self who was shot dead with an arrow…
In the end, they will switch back, and the past Wei Shao will also return.