Within the Streamdew Courtyard in the depths of the imperial palace, red flowers were dancing amidst the jade-green bamboo and the breeze was caressing the supple willows. Empress Li sat leaning on the parapet, gently stroking the snow-white cat on her lap and seemingly thinking about something. At this point in time, the person, the scenery, and the cat, everything was as beautiful as a painting—but there was something disharmonious about it.

The white cat was struggling constantly in the empress’ hands, its eyes filled with terror. It was as though the animal had just seen something extremely terrifying. It tried to cry out but no sound came out, and no matter how it struggled, it couldn’t escape Empress Li’s gentle caress.

A maid arrived in brisk steps, arriving behind Empress Li as though she were walking on water. “Empress, Steward Liu is back and has obtained the thing you wanted.”

Empress Li’s dark eyebrows moved slightly. “Summon him.”

“Yes.” The maid thus withdrew. All this time, she had kept her head lowered, not looking at the cat even once.

The white feline seemed to have lost all hope...