Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

Chapter 70: 70 ’Cat Slave’ Ye Wanqiu (Fifth Update, Please Subscribe, Please Vote!)

Zhao Ji was someone who knew how to indulge himself. The Imperial Garden was already expansive, but since he took the throne, it has been expanded by more than half.

The entire garden’s ground was inlaid with various colorful pebbles, forming symbolic patterns of fortune, prosperity, and longevity, vibrant and diverse.

There were also exotic flowers and rare herbs, pavilions and terraces, jagged rocks, and stone pathways as roads.

With unique trees twisted into circles, small pavilions for rest, various grotesque statues, and strangely shaped rockeries.

In the center of the Imperial Garden was a lake, with both shallow and deep water areas.

The shallow area was filled with lotus flowers, currently in full bloom, where the consorts of the harem would often come to enjoy the beautiful scenery when they had some free time.

Beside the lake were pavilions surrounded by lush trees, reflecting red walls and golden glazed tiles.

In the center of the lake, there was an artificial mountain surrounded by verdant trees, with stone-carved coiled dragons spewing water.

It exuded royal grandeur.

Today, there weren’t many consorts in the Imperial Garden enjoying the scenery because the Emperor was returning to the palace today. Anyone who heard the news went to the palace gates to greet him, hoping to catch Zhao Ji’s eye and regain favor.

If so, their status in the harem could be elevated.

The harem was also highly competitive.

Of course, there were also those like ”salted fish,” who didn’t participate in vying for favor.

Beneath a pavilion, Ye Wanqiu was personally working on embroidery, stitching roses onto a sachet. Whenever she paused, she would reach out to pet the head of the orange cat curled up in her lap.

And every time Ye Wanqiu went to touch the orange cat, it would slightly lift its head and gently pat Ye Wanqiu’s hand with its chubby paw as if saying, ”Don’t disturb my sleep.”

Ye Wanqiu’s face would then show a perfectly timed smile.

That smile made the lotuses in the lake lose their color.

Behind Ye Wanqiu, a palace maid fanned her mistress, dispelling the summer heat while chatting with her:

”Madam, all the other consorts have gone to greet His Majesty. Why don’t you go? If you could gain His Majesty’s favor, you wouldn’t have to suffer bullying from Consort Yu and others.”

Although at that time, because of the orange cat, Chen Mo had come to her rescue, Consort Yu did not let Ye Wanqiu off because of it.

She couldn’t afford to offend the Empress, so she wouldn’t hesitate to offend Ye Wanqiu.

Not favored and coming from a modest family, Ye Wanqiu had no one to rely on in the palace.

Since the orange cat incident, Consort Yu had almost been a constant presence in Ye Wanqiu’s palace.

Of course, they wouldn’t dare physically harm Ye Wanqiu.

After all, that would lead to complaints.

But finding fault was certainly not a problem.

For instance, keeping a close watch on the orange cat, ready to have it put to death once caught.

Or simply making Ye Wanqiu serve her tea and water, using her like a palace maid.

If you complain, it just makes you seem petty, and as another of the Emperor’s women, the Emperor wouldn’t care to manage.

Taking it to the Empress, she would only mediate superficially, while her heart would harbor uncertain thoughts.

Being the ruler of the empress, what the Empress desired was stability in the harem.

Taking complaints there would be likened to saying she wasn’t managing well.

Thus, unless it was excessive.

The bitterness would need to be endured.

It’s somewhat akin to school bullying.

Like being bullied but not daring to tell the teacher or parents.

One reason being fear of worse retribution after telling.

Sometimes parents and teachers wouldn’t treat it seriously, merely viewing it as children’s play.

Moreover, Ye Wanqiu was gentle by nature, thinking more action led to fewer troubles, enduring everything silently.

Hearing this, Ye Wanqiu smiled and continued sewing. The rose on the sachet was a few stitches away from completion, she said:

”So many sisters have gone, and they’re far more outstanding than I am. Even if I went, I wouldn’t catch His Majesty’s attention.”

Furthermore, Ye Wanqiu’s character was not one for seeking favor.

She typically accepted things as they came.

”Madam, what are you saying? Whether in appearance, figure, or temperament, you’re far superior to the others...” As she said this, Qing Shuang glanced around, noticing no one was watching this side before speaking softly:

”I don’t know what His Majesty is thinking, neglecting you for so long...”

”Hey, Fanqiu...” Ye Wanqiu was listening quietly, and just as she finished the last stitch, cutting the thread on the sachet with scissors, the orange cat in her lap seemed to sniff something, leapt down from her lap, and ran far away, prompting Ye Wanqiu to call out.

But the orange cat didn’t return.

Initially, Ye Wanqiu didn’t pay much heed because every time Fanqiu rested for a while, it needed to bounce around a bit.

However, when she saw a palm-sized carp on the shore not far away, towards which Fanqiu was heading, and a eunuch was hiding behind a nearby tree.

Ye Wanqiu recognized him at once.

That eunuch was from Consort Yu’s palace.

”Fanqiu, come back.” Ye Wanqiu called out, clutching the sachet and rushing over.

But it was too late.

A sudden meow was heard.

The eunuch behind the tree lunged at the orange cat. The cat, sensitive as it was, reacted and was about to run away when its tail was grabbed by the eunuch, who lifted it up.

A series of harrowing cat cries ensued.

”How dare you, release Fanqiu at once.” Qing Shuang scolded, but the eunuch, instead of releasing the cat, clamped his hand around its scruff and lifted it up.

At this moment, Consort Yu and her entourage came out from behind the pavilion.

”Damn fat cat, finally this palace caught you.”

Looking at the captured orange cat, Consort Yu’s face showed an excited smile, and she instructed the eunuch, ”Throw it into the lake for this palace.”

”No!” Ye Wanqiu had run up, shouting, almost on the verge of tears.

To Ye Wanqiu, Fanqiu was not a pet but a companion, a friend, offering solace in the solitude of the deep palace courtyard.

Consort Yu wanted to see Ye Wanqiu in such a state of anxiety yet helplessness, and said, ”Throw it for this palace!”

”Understood.”

The eunuch, without mercy, threw the cat into the lake.

And that area was the deep water zone.

The orange cat was just an ordinary orange cat, and after hitting the water, it splashed a few times with its paws before sinking.

”No...”

Ye Wanqiu was on the brink of collapse, rushing towards the lake’s edge, as if wanting to rescue the orange cat herself.

”Stop her.”

This startled Consort Yu.

Though Consort Yu wasn’t scared of Ye Wanqiu complaining, saying she was bullied.

If through this incident, Consort Jing died.

As the instigator, she certainly wouldn’t escape punishments.

Zhao Ji tacitly approved of palace struggles.

Yet he didn’t fancy his woman killing another of his women.

A few palace maids beside Consort Yu immediately restrained Ye Wanqiu.

And Ye Wanqiu, watching Fanqiu almost disappear in the lake, collapsed directly to the ground.

At that moment, a figure leaped into the lake from the opposite side.