Chapter 1 Jingyang Palace

Daxing Dynasty.

Imperial City, Imperial Garden.

In early spring, everything comes back to life.

The Imperial Garden is full of spring, the cold winter clothes are quietly removed, and a bud has already emerged.

A dozen boys and girls are playing here, they are the princes and princesses of the Daxing royal family.

The young ones are catching butterflies and insects, laughing and joking, it's so lively.

Behind them are a group of flustered palace maids and eunuchs, who are afraid of bumping into these little nobles.

The older ones have the manners of adults, either wielding guns and sticks, or writing, in short, they want to learn something and see who is better.

And their attendants are obviously much more relaxed, just standing by and waiting for orders.

Now that the crown prince of Daxing has not been established, the princes and princesses are still very harmonious, at least on the surface.

Every month, they always get together in the Imperial Garden and have fun.

But among all the nobles, there was also a figure that didn't fit in.

In a corner where no one cared, a pale, thin girl was sitting in a wheelchair, holding a lazy black cat and basking in the sun.

As the weather warmed up, everyone else changed into light spring clothes, but she was still wearing a simple fur coat.

Not far behind her was a pale-faced palace maid, who looked only two or three years older than her master.

And in a pavilion, several people were secretly looking here.

"This Thirteenth Sister is too lonely. She always finds a corner to deal with the whole day by herself."

"Let her be. Ankang has been weak and sick since childhood. You all know that."

"Yes, let her rest well and don't disturb her."

"Ankang is twelve this year, right? According to what Doctor Xue said, she only has less than six years left."

"Alas, Ankang has a short life. We, as brothers and sisters, should take care of her more on weekdays. This is also our duty."

Everyone sighed casually, said no more, and slowly changed the topic.

...

The black cat dozing in the girl's arms moved its ears slightly. The cat ears that were originally standing up towards the pavilion slowly lay down and stuck to the round, furry head.

Li Xuan shrank his body and found a more comfortable posture for himself in the softness.

His eyes were still closed, and he pretended to be asleep in the arms of his little master, but he couldn't help muttering in his heart:

"Can I only live to 18 years old..."

Yes, Li Xuan is a black cat.

Of course, he was once a person.

He was originally an unemployed young man in his thirties, and he had been unemployed at home for two and a half years.

It was a hot summer night. Li Xuan was taking a shower in the bathroom, but he accidentally slipped and hit the back of his head.

When he opened his eyes again, he found that he had turned into a kitten who had just opened his eyes.

At first, Li Xuan didn't have too many complaints, and even felt fortunate.

Being a cat should be easier than being a human.

And his master is a beautiful mother and daughter, living in a big house, and there is a maid to serve, they must be rich or noble.

I thought he could be favored by his master and live a carefree life.

Imagination is beautiful.

A few months later, the mother of the mother and daughter died of illness.

He also learned at this time that the woman was called Concubine Xiao.

She was a concubine who lost her favor and was banished to the cold palace.

No wonder the place they lived in was so big, but so empty.

And her little master was as unfavored as her mother, the famous sick beauty in the palace, Princess Ankang.

Before Concubine Xiao left, she called her daughter to her and told her: "Take good care of it in the future, it will accompany you for me."

Concubine Xiao finally touched the heads of her daughter and the little black cat, leaving the two little cubs to face the cold inner court of the palace.

In winter, Concubine Xiao was buried.

Now it is spring, and Li Xuan is almost one year old.

…

The sun sets in the west.

After the last ray of sunlight shining on Princess Ankang faded, her eyebrows trembled slightly, and she opened her eyelids in a daze, revealing a pair of light blue moving eyes.

She subconsciously tightened her fur coat, and her slightly confused eyes swept across the imperial garden.

The Imperial Garden was deserted at this time, with only a few eunuchs and maids doing the cleanup work.

The princes and princesses had left long ago.

"Your Highness, are you going back?"

Princess Ankang's only maid Yu'er asked softly.

Princess Ankang was weak, and if she stayed outside for too long at night, she would definitely catch a cold, and then she would inevitably suffer a lot.

"Well, Yu'er, let's go back."

Princess Ankang said so, stroking the black cat in her arms who had just woken up, yawning and stretching.

"Ah Xuan, how can you sleep better than me?"

Princess Ankang picked up the black cat lovingly, put it between her legs, kneaded and pinched it, teasing it non-stop, and a silver bell-like laughter rang out.

Li Xuan was no longer surprised by this, and he put on a lazy look familiarly, ready to be picked by the master.

Since he became a cat, he found that he had many little habits.

He slept more late, but usually slept very lightly.

It was also very comfortable to be touched, especially on the head.

Maybe because his cat claws could not reach it, being touched on the head by the owner became his greatest enjoyment now.

Yu'er pushed the wheelchair silently, watching the man and the cat playing happily, and a smile appeared on her face.

Since adopting Ah Xuan, Princess Ankang has had many more smiles on her face.

If it weren't for the black cat left by Concubine Xiao, Princess Ankang might not have survived the winter under the blow of her mother's death.

And this little black cat named Ah Xuan by Concubine Xiao is also the same.

If it wasn't found and brought back by the kind-hearted Princess Ankang on that rainy night, I'm afraid it would have frozen to death long ago.

"Maybe this is fate."

Yu'er looked at Princess Ankang and Ah Xuan in her arms, and always felt that the two people and the cat had many similarities.

Before the night fell completely, Yu'er pushed Princess Ankang back to Jingyang Palace.

This is the residence of their master and servant.

Jingyang Palace is the most remote place among the six palaces in the east and west, which is also called the cold palace by the outside world.

Princess Ankang's mother, Concubine Xiao, was once a noble concubine favored by the emperor.

Therefore, she was naturally envied by other empresses.

In addition, Concubine Xiao has Hu blood. After the current queen was canonized, she immediately started to attack Concubine Xiao.

In the end, Concubine Xiao was forced into the cold palace and never saw the emperor again until her death.

Poor Princess Ankang was also unable to see her father for many years, and grew up in this cold palace like an orphan.

If it weren't for Yu'er's gratitude to Concubine Xiao for saving her life, she would not want to leave Jingyang Palace.

I'm afraid that Princess Ankang would have died long ago.

It's not that Yu'er didn't have the opportunity to leave this place, but she was only fifteen years old after all, and she couldn't bear to leave Princess Ankang alone to fend for herself.

Moreover, over the years, the deep friendship between the master and the servant has long been beyond the imagination of outsiders.

In Jingyang Palace, the princess, the palace maid and the black cat, who were equally lonely and helpless, have long been a family.

The only people they can rely on are each other.

"It's time to eat."

Yu'er called.

In the huge Jingyang Palace, three small figures gathered in front of a dilapidated wooden table.

They closed the door, lit a candle, and cast three long shadows.

There was turbid white rice soup in the three bowls, and sparse rice grains floated in the rice soup.

There was a small plate of pickles in the middle of the table, and Princess Ankang and Yu'er picked up a small piece from time to time.

Everyone ate silently.

They had to eat quickly, otherwise there would not be enough candles this month.

In a moment, Yu'er came out with the bowl and chopsticks and washed them in the basin under the moonlight.

The candlelight in Jingyang Palace also went out.

After dinner, it was time to go to bed.

This was the daily routine in Jingyang Palace.

Day after day.