"who?"
Shuanzi rubbed his eyes, yawned, and walked out of the gatehouse.
Upon seeing Jiang Shuyue and Nangong Zeyue, Shuanzi pointed to the door in a daze, "Miss, it sounds like someone is knocking on the door."
Jiang Shuyue nodded slightly to Shuanzi, signaling him to open the door.
Recently, not many people have come to visit the Jiang family, let alone now that it's dark, who else would come?
Shuanzi, still uneasy, asked again, "Who's outside? Quickly identify yourself, or I won't open the door."
A man's voice replied, "From the palace."
"The palace, the palace!" Shuanzi was jolted awake and all sleepiness vanished.
Jiang Shuyue and Nangong Zeyue exchanged a glance, and Nangong Zeyue whispered, "Perhaps it's the Emperor. I'll excuse myself."
"There's no need to avoid it; he came for Sui Sui too."
Upon hearing Jiang Shuyue's words, a smile appeared on Nangong Zeyue's lips.
He was overjoyed; Yue Niang cared about him.
Shuanzi hurriedly opened the door, and Xiao Jingzhao, dressed in a black cloak, stepped in.
"Welcome, Your Majesty!"
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Shuanzi kowtowed, and Jiang Shuyue and Nangong Zeyue also bowed.
Jiang Shuyue asked with a slight smile, "Your Majesty, are you here at this time to see Sui Sui?"
Xiao Jingzhao turned around and gave Xiang Yang a wink.
Xiangyang understood and patted Shuanzi on the shoulder, "The Emperor wants you to get up."
Xiao Jingzhao never expected to see Jiang Shuyue and Nangong Zeyue at the gate.
He glanced at the two of them indifferently and said expressionlessly, "Sui Sui should be asleep by now. Let's go inside and talk."
Seeing Xiao Jingzhao walk straight towards the hanging flower gate, Nangong Zeyue looked at Jiang Shuyue and asked, "Your Majesty knows the way well, is this alright?"
Jiang Shuyue raised an eyebrow slightly, "Let's go in and take a look together."
She didn't mind being alone with a man and a woman in a room, but since Nangong Zeyue was there, it was better to be together.
The flickering lamplight cast long shadows of the people in front of her. Nangong Zeyue looked down at the shadows at her feet and stepped on them without hesitation.
The figure moved too fast, and Nangong Zeyue missed her step.
After walking through the corridor, the figures in front had disappeared without a trace.
"He's really not polite at all. If you didn't know better, you'd think he was the host and we were the guests."
Nangong Zeyue muttered to herself as she walked.
Seeing him acting like a wronged woman, Jiang Shuyue couldn't help but tease him, "Don't you all believe in the saying, 'Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the emperor's land'? My Jiang residence is also on the emperor's land, so the emperor can come and go as he pleases."
Nangong Zeyue stopped in her tracks. "Why does Yue Niang distinguish between 'you' and 'us'? It should be 'us'."
"It's not us, I don't agree with that viewpoint."
"Whatever Yue Niang's opinion is, that's my opinion too. I'll listen to you. Humph! Bullshit, all land belongs to the king."
Xiangyang, walking behind the two, listened to their conversation and quickly interjected:
“Miss Jiang has misunderstood the Emperor. He is not such a domineering and unreasonable person.”
Jiang Shuyue: "..." I didn't say he was unreasonable.
After passing through the corridor and heading towards the backyard, Xiao Jingzhao went straight to the warm pavilion.
He untied his cloak and placed the cat in his arms on the soft couch.
After the cat steadied itself, it stretched, yawned, glanced around, and then leaned against Xiao Jingzhao and fell asleep.
Its lazy and carefree demeanor made it seem as if it had returned to its familiar home.
Xiao Jingzhao stroked its silky long fur and said, "This is your home now. I will come to see you often in the future."
Jiang Shuyue and Nangong Zeyue arrived at the warm pavilion and saw a very harmonious scene of a person and a cat.
"What a beautiful doll!"
Jiang Shuyue was captivated by the cat's stunning beauty and gasped softly.
Seeing Jiang Shuyue's eyes light up, Xiao Jingzhao thought to himself, "Just as I thought, no woman can resist this soft and cute little thing."
How do you know it's called a ragdoll?
Jiang Shuyue completely ignored Xiao Jingzhao's question and went straight to the soft couch and squatted down.
"Ragdoll is the breed name of a cat. It has a gentle and affectionate personality, just like a child. Seeing it makes you happy. It is as cute as an angel."
Xiao Jingzhao seemed to understand but not quite. He lowered his eyes, looking at the stunningly beautiful face so close to his.
He said calmly, "I acquired this doll by chance. I am busy with state affairs all day long and have no energy to take good care of it, so I entrust it to you."
Jiang Shuyue had always loved cats, and she stroked the soft cat's head without even lifting her eyelids before agreeing.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I am skilled in medicine and naturally know how to raise cats. Ragdoll cats have sensitive stomachs and cannot be fed random foods."
As the kitten with its symmetrical and even face and silky fur looked up to enjoy her petting, Jiang Shuyue almost forgot about the presence of anyone else in the room.
Nangong Zeyue stood a zhang away, secretly grumbling to herself:
This fellow is too cunning. What kind of ridiculous excuse is this? There are so many palace maids and eunuchs in the palace who have taken good care of him, making him even fairer and more delicate than before. How could he not take good care of a cat?
Xiang Yang stepped forward and patted Nangong Zeyue on the shoulder, whispering, "Cat is naturally timid, young master, please come with me to the corridor."
Before Nangong Zeyue could respond, Xiang Yang grabbed her arm and pulled her away.
"Is the deputy commander's eye not working properly? Which eye of yours saw that the cat was timid?" Nangong Zeyue forcefully shook off Xiangyang's hand, rubbed her arm, and asked irritably.
Xiangyang chuckled, "That cat just curled up there without moving; it's just timid."
"The deputy commander probably has some misunderstanding about cowardice. If a cat is really scared, it will keep meowing. That cat looks like it has no temper."
"It's not that it doesn't have a temper. When Grandpa Ma was feeding it, it scratched him. This cat just takes a liking to Miss Jiang, which is why it's so docile." Xiang Yang simply made it up.
It's true that Grandpa Ma was scratched by the cat, but the cat was eating when Grandpa Ma reached out to move the plate containing the fish.
Cats only use their claws when they are possessive of their food and in a moment of desperation.
He glanced out the window of the sunny, warm pavilion, then turned to ask Nangong Zeyue, "Where was Young Master Nangong planning to take Miss Jiang just now?"
Nangong Zeyue's lips curled slightly, and she answered vaguely, "Go back next door."
"Young Master Nangong lives next door to the Jiang family. Miss Jiang is, after all, a woman. I urge Young Master Nangong to be mindful of his words and actions in the future, lest he tarnish her reputation."
"I am not married and she is not married, so who can say anything? Besides, I am not an official and I am not afraid of criticism. We are in love and others are envious. You are overthinking things, Deputy Commander."
Nangong Zeyue's words were ambiguous, and under the lamplight, only a sweet smile could be seen in her eyes.
Xiang Yang secretly thought to himself that something was wrong.
Oh no, did this guy beat me to it?!
Inside the house, Jiang Shuyue stroked the cat with obvious affection.
She asked, "Has His Majesty named this cat?"
Under the soft glow of the lamplight, Xiao Jingzhao lowered his eyes. The beautiful woman before him was breathtaking. Her butterfly-like eyelashes cast a shadow under her eyes, and her small, crimson lips opened and closed, making one want to kiss her.
Xiao Jingzhao's Adam's apple bobbed, and he looked away, saying calmly, "I'll leave the naming to Yue Niang."
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