Xia Niangniang - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

After being nursed for several days, The Blind Concubine was already able to leave his sickbed, also he was already able to eat a little bit of fish.

Xiao Bao was extremely happy: “Master has become more and more better. Given another ten days or half a month you will be restored back to health.”

The Blind Concubine laughed weakly: “Mm.”

Jue Yu came to the Capital this time, not merely coming alone, but he also brought the Blind Concubine’s cat, Yu Li, which was left behind in the Pear Flowers Garden. He temporarily resided in the General’s official residence.

Xiao Bao said: “Young Master Jue Yu’s medical skill is very brilliant. Also he has a beautiful appearance. Even if his temper is strange, he is exquisitely bright and clever, truly I don’t know what the cause of his interest is.”

From outside the door, there was a high pitched voice announcing: “His Majesty arrives---”

Xiao Bao knelt down with haste. The Blind Concubine also lifted his quilt, struggling to climb down off of the bed.

The Emperor took a large step and strode to enter. Quickly he helped to support him: “Don’t move, just lay down properly.” His hand was barely in contact with The Blind Concubine, he came to realize that the body under his touch was shaking and shivering as if cold.

The Emperor spoke: “Why is it, upon meeting me you are afraid to this point?”

The Blind Concubine stiffened his body, faced the other side.

The Emperor’s face color slightly shifted. “You still bear grudges towards me?”

The Blind Concubine blinked his eyes, “I dare not.”

The Emperor stared at him for a long time, toning down his manner of speaking: “I never had the intention to hurt you.”

The Blind Concubine lowered his eyes, not even saying anything.

The Emperor did not say anything anymore. The two people held back their voices and the atmosphere became quiet. Each of them had their own various thoughts. Both remained silent. Quietly sitting face to face.

Roughly some times after nine in the evening, Xiao Bao put down the curtain and told him: “Master, just now, His Majesty has just left.”

The Blind Concubine answered him lightly. Lying on the bed as if all over his body from head to toe felt exhausted.  His sleeves were rolled up to his upper arms, revealing the many small bits of the scars.

Xiao Bao pulled and tugged the quilt for him, “Master, you can’t keep this up. You are torturing yourself for nothing. Please just relax yourself.”

The Blind Concubine did not make any sound.

Xiao Bao told him: “I will go to deliver a letter tomorrow. To ask for the servant from the General’s residence to bring Yu Li here. Once Master sees Yu Li, your mood will be better for sure.”

The Blind Concubine thought about his beloved cat, his face leaked out a hard to come by smile, “Very well.”

Five years ago in the winter, he picked Yu Li up from the little yard’s gate at the Cold Palace.

At that time, Yu Li was still a small kitten. Very small. Its fur was withered and yellowish, still couldn’t open its eyes.

He took the small kitten and embraced it in his bosom, using his own body temperature to warm it. For a very long time. After a very long while, the thin and frail body in his bosom little by little starting to show some reaction. It emitted a very low crying sound.

The sound was very mild, seemed like a delicate thread of silk and satin. He almost couldn’t hear the voice.

Xiao Bao was searching inside and outside the yard for its nest, but still couldn’t find the cat’s mother.

It was still a very small kitten but already abandoned by its mother. Xiao Bao was afraid that it couldn’t make it alone.

But The Blind Concubine couldn’t let it be. Whatever it was, it was still a living being.

It still hadn’t opened its eyes yet, still hadn’t seen the new sprouts of spring, the full bloom flowers of different colors in summer. How could it go away just like that before it even had the chance to see all of this?

Xiao Bao used up all his tricks to bring back some goat’s milk. The Blind Concubine held the kitten, propping up his head. Xiao Bao fed him with a small ginkgo spoon, drop by drop he delivered the milk into the kitten’s mouth.

It was just their first time feeding it, they were still inexperienced. The little kitten’s head was set too high, resulting in the goat’s milk choking the kitten to its lung. Making it almost lose its life. Afterwards, little by little they tried to figure out a way to feed it. At intervals of every four hours, they fed it its milk. The Blind Concubine wrapped it under his own inner garments tightly, embraced it next to his skin. Afraid that the room’s temperature would make it drop its own temperature so if the little kitten fell asleep, it wouldn’t be able to awaken anymore.

Now, when thinking back, that kind of small kitten, without its mother’s milk, in the freezing cold winter, could survive and live, it was truly given from heaven’s generosity.

Yu Li was raised and fed personally by his own hands. He lived in the Cold Palace for many years, without anyone to accompany him.  Happiness, anger, sorrow and joy, these whole emotions were poured on Yu Li.

------

The next day, Yu Li was brought back to the Palace.

Yu Li while staying in the General’s residence was doing very good. Its whole body was snowy white. Soft to the touch to the point of moving people’s heart. Its smooth and glossy back looked like a rouge jade. Adhering to its softness, once coming into contact with it, it would make people unable to stop.

The Blind Concubine embraced Yu Li in his bosom, without restrain, he kissed it dearly.

The cat in his embrace had a warm feeling that would make people feel relieved.

Yu Li quietly and peacefully lied prone. Its pupils were glistening, clean, clear and flawless. More beautiful than any glorious place in the world.

The Blind Concubine hugged her firmly, pressing against the tip of the cat’s small and delicately tender nose.

He was sincere. He loved Yu Li to the core of his bones.

From the gate, a loud voice announced: “The Prince has arrived---”

The sound hadn’t disappeared yet, Rui Ze’s small figure had already come running in. He was carrying a carved food box. His small face was moist with sweat.

Xiao Bao asked him: “Why do you come here?”

“Of course to give His Grace delicious food.”

Xiao Bao made a despising face: “You only care about eating.”

The Blind Concubine pleasantly laughed, “The Prince is still a little child, naturally he would love to eat.”

Rui Ze, for once felt that there was someone backing him up, he proudly lifted his chin towards Xiao Bao.

Xiao Bao opened the carved box. From inside, he took a crisp apple and sweet-scented Osmanthus cake as well as several snacks. He sliced the cake and handed over a small piece to The Blind Concubine’s hand, also giving a piece to the Little Prince.

The Blind Concubine was about to put the sweet-scented Osmanthus into his mouth, Yu Li suddenly meowed loudly. It was beyond people’s expectations when it suddenly leaped and bit the sweet-scented Osmanthus cake, at lightning speed, it gulped down the cake.

Xiao Bao couldn’t help but reprimand that cat: “Ai ya. Look at you. You are indeed capable of doing this fine thing!”

His words hadn’t sunk in yet, Yu Li abruptly shrieked severely. Its small body twitched violently. Its front claw waved wildly in the air. Its body abruptly lost its center of gravity, tumbling down from the bed. At the time when everybody lowered their heads to look at it, it had already ceased to move. Its huge cat’s eyes were opened blankly. The limpid and clear pupils were still as penetrating as ever. However, there wasn’t any trace of lively light anymore.

The Little Prince widened his eyes in fear. The cake in his hand fell and dropped, breaking into pieces on the ground.

The Blind Concubine was unable to see, he didn’t know what exactly had happened. Anxiously he asked: “Where is Yu Li? What happened to Yu Li?”

Xiao Bao was gaping and dumbstruck. For a moment he completely failed to react. Distracted for several seconds, like a madman, he seized Rui Ze’s front robe. Severely interrogating him: “You tell me, what is this all about? What was in that cake? The cake you gave to Master!”

The Little Prince was still a little child. Strictly being questioned, he was afraid to the point of crying, “I don’t know! I was playing at the Empress Dowager’s Palace, the Empress Dowager gave me that box with the cake and snacks, told me to bring it and give it to The Blind Concubine to have a taste. Also especially warned me not to secretly eat it. I don’t know why it could be like this.  I really don’t know!!”

He was talking while crying, choked several times and coughed to the point that his whole face became very red.

Xiao Bao loosened his grip on Rui Ze’s front robe. Seized with terror, he retreated a couple steps, tumbled and sat on the chair.

The Blind Concubine was extremely anxious: “You all quick tell me! What actually happened to Yu Li?!”

Xiao Bao’s mouth was quivering, “Master. Yu Li is dead.”

End of The Blind Concubine Chapter 22.