Lose My Heart to the Lovely Kitten Princess - Chapter 55
Chapter 55 Sneak into the palace
How could Chu Yunshen threaten to cage Cheng Xiaoxiao?
“Behave.”
Chu Yunshen’s dark eyes looked at Cheng Xiaoxiao’s contrasting eyes as he stroked her back.
“If you do, I won’t put you in a cage.”
His voice sounded determined.
Cheng Xiaoxiao knew that her attempts to resist Chu Yunshen seemed futile to him.
She inhaled deeply and suppressed her anger before she nodded to Chu Yunshen obediently.
“Meow.”
Fine.
She won’t go anywhere… As if!
Chu Yunshen naturally didn’t know how the cat’s mind worked.
Despite her unwillingness, she nodded rather obediently.
“Good girl,” said Chu Yunshen as he rubbed Cheng Xiaoxiao’s little head.
Cheng Xiaoxiao curled back into Chu Yunshen’s arms dispiritedly. She was wondering how she should dodge the servants and sneak into Chu Yunshen’s carriage tomorrow.
Since there were too many people at the main door, she was bound to get caught if she went out that way.
It was still better to use the dog hole.
Then she would improvise and sneak into Chu Yunshen’s horse carriage.
Cheng Xiaoxiao fell into a deep sleep in Chu Yunshen’s arms as she mulled.
She dreamt that she became human and finally got to have the feast of her life at the victory banquet.
Chu Yunshen’s lips curved up gently when he saw the little fellow sleeping in his arms. He got up and went inside the room.
The little fellow was just throwing a temper at him, but she fell asleep in his arms in no time.
The next day, Cheng Xiaoxiao woke up shortly after Chu Yunshen.
However, she pretended she was still asleep.
The door creaked open after a while.
Chu Yunshen said softly, “Leave it there.”
“Yes, Master!” replied the maid softly too.
Then Cheng Xiaoxiao sensed a pair of familiar large hands carrying her gently as he dressed her.
Cheng Xiaoxiao held her breath in disbelief. The person who had been dressing her all along was…
The large hands were in front of her belly now. He was gently tying the garment straps together as he smoothened the fur on her stomach.
After the man finished putting the bell on her paw, he covered her gently with a blanket. Then he patted her head and said by her ear, “Wait for me.”
Cheng Xiaoxiao hastily jumped out from under the blanket after Chu Yunshen’s footsteps had gone far.
Her face went a little red as she looked at her blue outfit.
Didn’t Chu Yunshen have anything better to do?
He could’ve left this to the maids. Did he have to dress her personally?
Didn’t Chu Yunshen know it was against the law to flirt with a cat?
Sigh.
Cheng Xiaoxiao sighed at the thought of that.
Chu Yunshen was a man from ancient times, so he knew nothing about rules.
Since this was ancient times, he could do anything he liked, and his word was the law.
Also, wasn’t the victory banquet happening at night?
Why was Chu Yunshen going to the palace so early?
Cheng Xiaoxiao had already removed the bell from her paw as she pondered. She jumped onto the table and threw the bell into the baby bird’s cage.
She walked beneath the window and pricked her ears after the baby bird happily picked up the bell.
Xiaowu’s voice came from outside.
“Keep a close eye on the cat. If she…” Xiaowu hastily paused.
Both he and the prince knew how cunning and unpredictable the little fellow was. However, if word got out that servants were punished because she snuck out, people would start spreading gossip about how ruthless the prince was.
So he swallowed the rest of his sentence about punishing the servants. Instead, he patted the servant on his shoulder and repeated, “Stay sharp and listen out for her bell. You need to check once you can’t hear it.”
“Yes, Sir!” replied the servant as he bowed.
Cheng Xiaoxiao could hear footsteps coming towards the room after Xiaowu left.
Cheng Xiaoxiao instantly jumped onto the table and retrieved the bell. Then she jumped into the bed and wriggled under the blankets, and feigned sleep.
The door first opened with a creak.
Then it closed with a creak.
Cheng Xiaoxiao climbed out of the blanket cautiously after the servant’s footsteps had gone afar. She tossed the bell back into the baby bird’s cage.
She was all set.
Cheng Xiaoxiao leaped up the window and darted out the room so swiftly it was impossible for anyone to see.
She steadied herself as she craned her head out from the corner and looked at the room.
The servant stood guard at the door and was staring at the sky in a daze.
Cheng Xiaoxiao could empathize with why this servant loved staring at the sky.
If she had to supervise a cat all day, she would probably do the same.
Before long, Cheng Xiaoxiao had already wriggled out the dog hole.
The stray dogs gathered around her immediately when they heard the commotion.
Cheng Xiaoxiao shook her head at them.
“Meow.”
Sorry, she left in a hurry and didn’t prepare any food for them.
The stray dogs looked at the white cat as she shook her head at them. Since she had no food, they hung their heads before giving way dejectedly.
Cheng Xiaoxiao was worried that Chu Yunshen’s horse carriage might have already left, so she darted past them without bothering to comfort those dogs.
Cheng Xiaoxiao cautiously reached her head out when she got to the turn outside the residence.
Chu Yunshen had boarded the horse carriage. The housekeeper and the servants were at the door seeing the prince off.
Cheng Xiaoxiao stayed there and waited for Chu Yunshen’s horse carriage.
The sound of the horse carriage rolling off the bluestone tiles sounded like the pitter-patter of the raindrops. When the sun shone on the white marble decoration on the horse carriage roof, it was so bright that Cheng Xiaoxiao couldn’t open her eyes.
The horse carriage was covered with silk on all sides. Blue silk covered the windows, which were inlaid with gold and jewels.
Cheng Xiaoxiao vaguely caught sight of Chu Yunshen frowning through the blue silk when a gentle breeze blew.
Cheng Xiaoxiao suddenly snapped out of her daze when the carriage was about to leave.
Cheng Xiaoxiao instantly chased after the horse carriage.
She ran over at top speed!
Cheng Xiaoxiao swiftly jumped onto the back of the carriage. Then she pulled up the silk fabric on the carriage and hid behind it.
Fortunately, she was tiny enough. People would probably think that the silk didn’t get spread out evenly when they looked at it from outside.
Cheng Xiaoxiao followed Chu Yunshen and went to the imperial palace.
She could hear Xiaowu say, “Master, we’re here.”
Cheng Xiaoxiao opened a tiny hole in the silk and checked outside with one eye to see if anyone was there.
Other than some patrol guards, there were no other people outside.
She darted into the flower bed beside her and watched as the driver drove the carriage away.
Then Chu Yunshen headed into some palace quarters with Xiaowu.
Cheng Xiaoxiao followed them and took cover as far as she could until she finally reached some quarters with a blue sign hanging at its entrance: Yongan Palace.
A stern middle-aged woman who resembled the evil Aunt Rong from a famous television drama series came down the steps with a few maids behind her and spoke to Chu Yunshen. Then Chu Yunshen and Xiaowu followed her into the palace.
Cheng Xiaoxiao hid behind a pillar in the palace while Chu Yunshen was talking to the old lady.
The instant the palace doors opened, Cheng Xiaoxiao dashed in.
After entering the palace, Cheng Xiaoxiao immediately concealed herself behind some curtains.
Hmm? Why did her paws feel so cool?
She hastily looked down and saw large square bluestone tiles that were three-foot-wide beneath her paws. They were seamlessly installed onto the ground and were as bright as mirrors.
Cheng Xiaoxiao craned her head out and studied the palace. It was large and spacious. All the walls, pillars, and columns were adorned with cloud patterns.
“Greetings, Mother.”
Chu Yunshen’s voice suddenly came from the center of the hall, so Cheng Xiaoxiao looked over.
A dignified looking woman sat on the main seat in the hall.
She wore a phoenix hairpiece on her head. Her exquisite crimson outfit was paired with matching gold jewelry that was embedded with gems, and she seemed magnificent and gorgeous.
Since Chu Yunshen called her mother, she must be the empress of Chu.
“Prince Jing, you’re excused. Let him have a seat.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Thank you, Mother.”
Chu Yunshen lifted his robe slightly and sat down on the chair the servant brought.
“You have come back to the capital for a while, but I haven’t had the time to organize a banquet to welcome you. I was completely caught up with palace affairs. Now we get to celebrate two happy events together. We can welcome you and congratulate you for cracking the case at the same time.”
“Thank you, Mother.”
Chu Yunshen stood up and bowed to the woman before taking his seat again.
“After all the years you spent at the frontier, do you have problems acclimating to the capital?”
Cheng Xiaoxiao watched as the woman on the main seat chatted with Chu Yunshen like an elder from a regular family.
She huddled behind the door as she listened to them chit chat. Most of their conversation revolved around Chu Yunshen’s life at the frontier like whether things were tough or checking if he ate regularly.
Cheng Xiaoxiao already knew Chu Yunshen’s mother had died ages ago. Or else, she might have thought the woman was Chu Yunshen’s biological mother.
After all, the woman kept displaying a mother’s concern towards her child.
Time slipped by before they knew it.
Cheng Xiaoxiao was starting to get drowsy but instantly felt recharged when she heard Chu Yunshen bidding farewell.
They were finally done chatting!
“Mother, allow me to take my leave.”
“Take care, Your Highness. This is a gift from Her Majesty.”
The stern older woman who resembled the villain, Aunt Rong, walked over to Chu Yunshen with a fine box.
Chu Yunshen took the box and knelt to the empress. “Thank you, Mother.”
“Sure.” The empress nodded to Chu Yunshen.
Chu Yunshen strode out of the palace with Xiaowu. Then Cheng Xiaoxiao darted out when no one was looking before the door closed.
After they left the palace, she swiftly ducked behind a pillar.
“Master.” Xiaowu stepped forward and bowed to Chu Yunshen shortly after they left the palace. “I will get the driver to bring the carriage over.”
“No, let’s go to Linde Hall,” said Chu Yunshen calmly as he looked in the direction of the hall.
“Yes, Master!”
Xiaowu bowed before going back behind Chu Yunshen.
Cheng Xiaoxiao hid as she followed behind Chu Yunshen.
A eunuch standing guard outside the hall told Chu Yunshen and Xiaowu to wait outside the hall when they got there before immediately going in to announce their arrival.
Cheng Xiaoxiao took cover behind a tree as she looked at the hall. It was surrounded by tall luxuriant ancient trees and constructed with red walls and yellow tiles and looked splendid.
Hanging at its entrance was a blue plaque which read: Linde Hall.
Cheng Xiaoxiao scoured its entrance briefly and noticed two palace guards standing guard there.
Sneaking through the main entrance was out of the question.
Just as Cheng Xiaoxiao was starting to get anxious, she raised her head and looked at the tree beside her. Perhaps…
Then she darted up the tree.
Cheng Xiaoxiao jumped onto the tree. She discovered another massive tree inside the hall, which was as wide as three adults, so she leaped onto it to go down the wall. Then she dove into a flower bed before anyone noticed her.
“Your Highness, His Majesty invites you to enter.”
Cheng Xiaoxiao saw an old eunuch bowing to Chu Yunshen as he gestured for him to enter.
Chu Yunshen nodded at the old eunuch before he strode into the hall.
Oh my! How was Cheng Xiaoxiao going to get in this time?
Cheng Xiaoxiao spotted guards standing on both sides of the entrance, so she shrank into the flower bed and patiently waited for the opportunity to jump into the hall.
