[Cute pets + history + lighthearted everyday life]
My name is Li Ali, a Chinese tabby cat and the toughest cat on the streets of Bianjing.
My feline creed is simple: dried fish comes first, sunbathing second, and humans are all stupid servants.
Then I picked a fight with a human named Su Shi, and the scratching post of fate started spinning like crazy.
When he gets promoted, I live in a mansion and tour the land.
When he's demoted, I ride in a rickety cart and live on scraps.
I thought he was just a fine servant who could write doggerel about how “dried fish is delicious” and come up with new recipes.
But this man kept writing essays that got him into one scrape after another! It made my whiskers curl with rage.
What can I do? He's my human, so I've got to look after him. With great reluctance, I set off to “inspect my territory,” accompanying him in exile across half the Song Empire.
In Huangzhou, I keep an eye on him while he clears land and farms, and sneak a taste of that legendary “Dongpo pork” to see if it really has no salt.
In Huizhou, I make sure he eats his lychees. Too many will give him heatiness, so I have to catch scorpions to cool him down.
In Danzhou, well… even the rats here are skinny. Never mind, I'll keep him company and gnaw on an oyster.
This is the story of a love-hate relationship between me and Su Dongpo, history's number-one foodie and unlucky man.
Su Shi: Ali, I've been demoted again.
Ali (fur standing on end): Meow meow meow?! (Translation: Could you stop giving me so much to worry about!)
