usatvline Chapter 136 Cat Master
Chapter 136 Cat Master
"Are you so happy?"
"Of course! My sister-in-law hasn't been confined by the capital for too long, so she naturally doesn't understand my excitement about leaving the palace. Let me put it this way, let alone going to the imperial palace, just stepping out of the capital makes me feel like I can breathe easily and feel at ease!"
Upon hearing her words, He Lingyi made a teasing remark.
"If you ask me, you should be born a free bird, spreading your wings and soaring high in the sky. Wouldn't that make things much smoother?"
"Alright, I'll take your kind words, sister-in-law. In my next life, I'll beg the King of Hell to give me a terrible fate! I don't want to be some damn princess!"
The two women, aunt and sister-in-law, both laughed, and outsiders would have thought it was a very harmonious scene.
Not long after getting off the car, He Lingyi saw her second cousin, Haiyu, walking over. He was dressed in full armor, which was the first time He Lingyi had ever seen him, so her eyes lit up.
"Your subordinate greets the Crown Princess!"
"Second Brother, you look quite dashing! This attire suits you much better than your usual noble demeanor!"
He Lingyi's words were true, and Hai Yu accepted them readily, then added a sentence.
"The Crown Princess is right. His Highness has a report to review today, so he sent me to fetch the Crown Princess and the Third Princess. Everything at the palace is ready. Please come in."
He Lingyi was not surprised that the Crown Prince had a report to review.
He was the one overseeing the country, and when he was in the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince spent most of his time reviewing reports. However, He Lingyi felt that the report had arrived at this time, which was a bit early, so he simply asked a question.
"It's only the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, and there are already reports to be processed. It must be something urgent."
Hai Yu's expression was somewhat grave, but he did not answer directly. Instead, he glanced at the Third Princess, who had an "I understand" look on her face and quickly walked forward, leaving He Lingyi alone. Only then did Hai Yu speak.
"Several princes who opposed His Highness's new policies have started a disturbance. They have now gathered an army of 200,000 men by the Huai River, saying that they are going to march north to cleanse the court of corrupt officials. They are saying that His Highness is ruining the country and that His Majesty should depose the Crown Prince and establish a new emperor."
"Is it that serious? Is the news true?"
Hai Yu nodded silently, and He Lingyi's heart also tightened upon seeing this.
In her previous life, she had never heard of such internal strife, but ultimately it was because she hadn't paid attention to anything related to the royal family and the Crown Prince's palace. Now that the couple were one, if the Crown Prince fell, she would also be in trouble.
Therefore, the minor friction between the two at the beginning of the year instantly disappeared, leaving only He Lingyi's worry, and then she said to Haiyu.
"Is Your Highness available to see anyone right now? I would like to go and see him."
“It’s convenient. His Highness said that the Crown Princess can move around freely in his study.”
This sudden trust left He Lingyi unsure whether to avoid it, but she decided to go and see for herself, so she found the Third Princess and spoke to her.
"Your Highness is not feeling well. I'll go check on you first. Princess, please go back to your palace to rest. We'll have dinner together later."
"Sister-in-law, don't worry, I have my own plans."
The Third Princess appeared very composed, but forgot about the kinship of the imperial family. Upon hearing that the Crown Prince was unwell, she did not ask any questions. As a result, although He Lingyi smiled on the surface, his inner fear grew stronger.
After she and Haiyu left quickly, she saw the Third Princess head straight for Tuanzi Cat's location.
These cats truly live a life of bliss.
If no master comes to the palace, she is the number one "person" who relies on her master's power. Therefore, everyone in the palace will jokingly call her "Little Master Cat" to show her noble status.
They drank fine wine and played with golden silk balls.
Its food, lodging, transportation, and sleep are all taken care of by dedicated staff, and it only needs to be cared for. When the Third Princess arrived, she happened to see the cat stretching. The warm pavilion was filled with its climbing frames, all made of nanmu wood, which were quite valuable.
"Duango."
At his shout, all the servants turned around.
"We, your servants, greet the Third Princess."
It was just a cat, yet it was attended to by four or five maids. One of the maids was older, and when she saw the princess arrive, she immediately called out to the little cat. The cat nimbly leaped into the maid's arms, and the maid immediately carried it to the Third Princess and said respectfully.
"This old servant, along with Tuanzi, greets the Third Princess."
"Get up. It's been a while since I last saw you. Tuanzi has grown quite a bit rounder. It's all thanks to the careful care you've given her. Yunshang, remember to reward her with a hundred taels of silver."
"Yes, Third Princess."
Consort Qin only had this one daughter alive, so she was never stingy with her. Therefore, the Third Princess was well-off and was exceptionally generous in rewarding others.
Everyone smiled happily upon hearing that there would be a reward.
The cat was unusually docile upon the arrival of the third princess, nestling obediently in her arms.
"It's been a long time since I've seen Tuanzi. I need to play with it for a few days. You can stay with me, everyone else may leave."
"Yes."
Soon, the palace maids left the warm pavilion. Once most of them had left, Yunshang went out to guard the door, leaving only the Third Princess and the nanny inside. They would occasionally tease the cat, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
In the study of the imperial palace.
The Crown Prince and He Lingyi remained calm as they listened to Hai Yu's report.
"It was just playing with the cat, nothing else happened?"
"Indeed, it was just playing with the cat, but the Third Princess rewarded the old woman with a hundred taels of silver, saying that she took excellent care of the cat."
Hearing this, He Lingyi sneered.
"It's a joke that a cat lives a more luxurious life than ten ordinary households outside."
"Has the background of that old woman been thoroughly investigated?"
"Your Highness, we have investigated thoroughly. She entered the palace in the fourteenth year of the Chengzhi reign, and it has been thirty years since then. She should have been retired by now, but because she knew how to raise cats, she was unexpectedly favored by the Third Princess and has been staying in the palace ever since. She has no children or other relatives. It is said that a palace maid was favored by her in her early years and has been taking care of her as her goddaughter. She was originally going to take over her position, but she died unexpectedly fourteen years ago."
"Fourteen years ago? The Third Princess is thirteen years old now."
He Lingyi's words pinpointed the crux of the matter, but how easy is it for a palace maid to impersonate a princess, especially one so much older?!
After thinking it over and over, He Lingyi couldn't come up with any special connection.
Instead, the Crown Prince pondered for a moment and then said, "I remember that the Third Princess had an aunt who served her, but she passed away a few years ago. Investigate and find out what her relationship was with this old nanny."
"Yes, Your Highness."
After Haiyu left to carry out his orders, He Lingyi thought about it for a while but couldn't figure it out, so he asked.
"Does Your Highness mean that the old woman's goddaughter is not dead, but has changed her identity to serve the Third Princess, and that her death a few years ago was fake, and that she is very likely hiding in the shadows?"