The Prisoner of Beauty - Chapter 168

Chapter 168

Layer upon layer of patterned silk curtains blocked the daylight from entering the Guanghua Palace.

The bedchamber was dim. The Boshan incense burner exhaled wisps of fragrance, while the luminous pearls held in the beaks of the phoenix-shaped gilded candle holders shimmered like trapped clouds and mist. Inside the Fringed Acacia Treasure Bed, the brocade quilts were radiant. The phoenix hairpins with kingfisher feathers that had adorned the beauty's head lay scattered, one to the east and one to the west, fallen upon the cloud-patterned pillow. Her hair was in disarray, and her jade-like skin was as delicate as melting snow.

"...Does Manman want me to go faster or slower..."

The Emperor endured the burning fire consuming his body, slowed his pace slightly, kissed her closed eyelids, and asked with a low, humming voice.

The beauty beneath him had flushed pink cheeks, and her feathered eyelashes trembled slightly.

"Like this?"

"Or this?"

"I want you to tell me..."

"Ying ying ying... Husband, whatever you do is fine..."

The beauty finally spoke, and the Emperor’s heart was filled with joy. He extended his tongue to entwine with her small, sandalwood-scented lips. His dragon-root surged, and amidst the soft clinking sound of gold and jade ornaments trembling and colliding, the jade-like beauty cried out in broken, delicate sounds that seemed to melt one's bones.

As the saying goes, "Why worry about anything when there is such joy? Just pity the sun as it hastens southwest." Our wise and martial Emperor was rolling on the dragon bed with his beautiful Empress. Just as they were lost in the bliss—their pores wide open, feeling a sweetness that words could not describe—a sudden sound of palace attendants speaking came from outside the bedchamber.

That cat from the Jiade Palace, for some unknown reason, had run out and fallen into the Ganquan Pond in the Imperial Garden.

The cat was getting on in years; it didn't do much during the day, preferring to bask in the sun and sleep. The palace attendants hadn't paid much attention to it today, and when they finally noticed it and pulled it from the pond, it appeared as though it were on the verge of drowning.

The Empress Dowager had raised this cat for many years. It was seven or eight years old, fat-headed and big-eared, with white fur like a rolling embroidery ball. It had always accompanied her, and the little Princess Feifei was particularly fond of it, playing with it every day. It was only left in the palace this time because it was inconvenient to bring along to the temple.

No one expected an accident to occur.

The attendants were terrified. Seeing that the cat was failing, they didn't dare to hide the truth. Flustered, they rushed to the Empress’s quarters to report the news and beg for mercy, only to be stopped by the attendants guarding the Guanghua Palace.

The palace was usually quiet, and in the stillness of the afternoon, the voices from outside drifted vaguely into the hall.

Xiao Qiao, entangled by Wei Shao like an octopus, did not hear clearly what was being said outside. She only vaguely heard the anxious, weeping tone of the attendant and sensed something was wrong. Feeling suspicious, she opened her eyes and pushed at him.

Wei Shao was unhappy at being interrupted at the height of his pleasure. He mumbled "Don't worry about it," but because she kept pushing him, he stopped helplessly. Without getting off the dragon bed, he parted the curtains with one hand, poked his head out, and barked irritably, "What is the meaning of this recklessness?"

The attendants guarding outside originally dared not use such a matter to disturb the Emperor and Empress. They had been whispering to the messenger to wait, but upon hearing the Emperor’s roar, they were startled. Though they couldn't see him, they hurriedly knelt and shouted their report once more.

Xiao Qiao heard it clearly and was shocked.

That cat had not only accompanied the Empress Dowager for years, but her daughter loved it, and she herself was quite fond of it. Having raised it for so long, she had deep feelings for it. It was only because Wei Shao was always allergic to cats that it had never been allowed to step foot into the Guanghua Palace.

To think it had fallen into the pond and drowned!

Xiao Qiao let out a cry of alarm. Anxious, she immediately pushed Wei Shao away and sat up, hurriedly trying to put on her clothes. Wei Shao frowned and forcibly pressed her back onto the pillow.

"The cat is in trouble!" Xiao Qiao pushed him.

"I'll finish this first..."

Wei Shao’s expression was tight. He pressed her down, teeth gritted, and with a final, forceful exertion, he let out a long breath and collapsed onto her, completely relaxed.

"...I'll be back early tonight. You wait for me... I want more..."

Though it was over, he still held her, wearing a disappointed expression as if he were annoyed that his good fun had been interrupted.

He had never liked that cat; he likely wouldn't care if it died.

Xiao Qiao rolled her eyes at him, complaining that he was cold-blooded. Pushing him away, she got out of bed and dressed in a rush.

Wei Shao leaped off the bed, got up with her, and bared his teeth in a grin. "I'll go take a look with you!"

Xiao Qiao finished dressing and hurried out. A line of attendants was already kneeling outside the hall.

When the attendants from the Jiade Palace saw the Emperor and Empress appear, they were terrified, repeatedly begging for mercy.

At noon, when they had closed the doors, the weather had been sunny. Now, as they stepped out, the sky had turned overcast. Dark clouds filled the air, and in the distance, lightning flickered among the clouds.

It looked like a thunderstorm was about to break.

Xiao Qiao looked up at the sky and hurried toward the Ganquan Pond.

Wei Shao followed her step by step down the palace stairs.

A drop of rain hit his face, feeling cold and damp.

...

In a waterside pavilion by the pond, the cat was wrapped in cloth. The surrounding attendants knelt down in a flurry as the Emperor and Empress arrived.

Xiao Qiao ran to the cat's side, held it in her arms, and called its name several times. She pressed on its belly and saw its two ears drooping weakly and its four fleshy paws motionless. It truly looked dead. Feeling both heartache and anxiety, she turned to Wei Shao and said, "What do I do? What do I do?"

Seeing she was about to cry, Wei Shao felt a pang in his heart and sternly scolded the attendants for not looking after the cat properly.

The attendants were already trembling; seeing the Emperor’s rage, they were even more terrified, touching their foreheads to the ground and daring not to look up.

"Where are the imperial physicians! Go call them at once!" the Emperor commanded.

Several physicians ran over, breathless and hurried. Upon seeing the situation, they said with difficulty, "Your Majesty... we only know how to treat humans... this... this animal, how are we to proceed..."

Wei Shao replied, "Treat it just as you would treat a person! Hurry!"

The physicians knew this cat’s status was more precious than a person's, so they didn't dare to resist. They braced themselves, gathered around, and set to work.

Whether it was because the cat wasn't dead to begin with or was truly saved by the physicians, after a moment, it let out a weak "meow."

"It’s alive! It’s alive!"

The physicians were overjoyed, the attendants were overjoyed, and Xiao Qiao was incredibly happy. She rushed forward and sure enough, saw the cat’s fleshy paw move. She was so happy she almost jumped up, grabbed Wei Shao’s arm, and said, "It’s alive, it’s alive! That’s wonderful!"

Wei Shao glanced at it and said, "As long as it’s alive." He turned to the physicians and said, "Not bad. I shall reward you!"

The physicians wiped their sweat and hurriedly thanked the Emperor.

Xiao Qiao was filled with joy. Seeing the cat was saved, but soaked to the bone and perhaps cold, it kept shivering and looked very weak. Her heart ached for it. She quickly wrapped it in the cloth again and wanted to pick it up to take it back. Wei Shao had already stepped in and said, "Let me carry it back for you!"

Xiao Qiao hurriedly said, "No need. Don't touch it."

Wei Shao replied, "It’s wrapped in cloth, it’s fine! The cat is a bit heavy, you won't be able to carry it..."

Just as he was arguing with Xiao Qiao, the moment his hand touched the cat, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky above. Following it, a crack of thunder struck as if right on top of their heads, so loud it made their eardrums sting. Nearby, the timid attendants screamed and covered their ears.

Xiao Qiao’s heart trembled with the thunder. Subconsciously, she hid in Wei Shao’s embrace, hugged him tightly, and closed her eyes.

The thunder passed.

Xiao Qiao opened her eyes and was surprised to find that the cat, which had been dying just moments ago, seemed to have suddenly regained some strength. It scrambled out of the cloth, stood up shakily, and opened its glass-ball-like cat eyes, staring fixedly at her. It was so happy that it didn't notice the Emperor was staring at it with an expression of sheer astonishment. Fearing the cat would get cold, she quickly let go of the Emperor, covered the cat entirely with the cloth, picked it up, and turned to the Emperor. "It’s going to rain! We’re heading back!"

Attendants had already opened umbrellas.

Xiao Qiao hugged the struggling cat tightly, stopping its attempts to jump out, and walked quickly out of the pavilion. After a few steps, seeing the Emperor hadn't followed, she stopped and looked back. "Your Majesty, it’s about to rain, why are you still standing there?"

The Emperor, however, seemed entranced. He stood rooted to the spot, his eyes fixed on Xiao Qiao’s face for a long time, his expression incredibly strange.

"Husband?"

Xiao Qiao finally realized something was off and looked at him in confusion.

The Emperor seemed to suddenly snap back to reality. He didn't dare to meet her gaze, withdrew his eyes in a somewhat hurried manner, and mumbled, "I suddenly remembered that I have state affairs yet to attend to. I will go deal with them first. The Empress may do as she pleases."

Rain had already begun to fall overhead. He walked with hurried steps, not even asking for an umbrella. After speaking, he strode down the steps and turned to head toward the Xuan Room in the rain.

The attendants hurriedly opened their umbrellas and chased after him.

Xiao Qiao felt a bit surprised, staring blankly at his back as it disappeared at the end of the palace walkway. In her heart, she felt as if Wei Shao had suddenly become distant.

He had never referred to himself as "Zhen" (I, the Emperor) in front of her, and in private, he rarely called her "Empress."

What had come over him?

The cat in her arms seemed agitated, meowing incessantly and twisting about.

Xiao Qiao snapped out of it, shook her head, and turned to return to the Guanghua Palace first.

...

Inside Wei Shao’s heart, ten thousand muddy horses were galloping and roaring.

Everything had been very satisfying today, until that damnable cat came out to ruin things. Then, after that thunder strike, he discovered—for no rhyme or reason—that he had become the cat!

No, no, to be precise, his soul had entered the body of that cat, while his own flesh and blood had been possessed by another soul at the very same moment!

He didn't know how this had happened, but in the flash of light during that soul-swapping moment, he clearly captured a thought from the other party.

The one who had possessed his body was none other than himself—the version of himself from his past life!

Wei Shao was being carried back, forcibly wrapped in a cloth by Xiao Qiao. He was going crazy, trying every possible way to make her understand that the Emperor was no longer himself, warning her never to treat that person as him to avoid being taken advantage of or tricked. But no matter how hard he tried, the only sound he could produce was "Meow—" "Meow—" "Meow—"

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

This damnable cat! It really was at odds with him. Usually, it just ate until full and slept until rested, fat-headed and meaty all over. He had only thrashed about a little, and he already felt his feline body go weak and unable to jump. In the end, he could only lie on his back with a fat belly, sprawled on Xiao Qiao’s lap, panting with his tongue hanging out.

"Empress, this cat is truly pitiful. After such a scare today, the servant thinks it looks completely different from its usual self."

An attendant said.

Xiao Qiao sighed. "Yes, the little thing must have been frightened."

She picked up the Emperor-cat and stroked its head lovingly.

"I'm your man—"

Wei Shao wore a mournful face and let out a "meow."