My Imperial Consort Is a Cat

[The next book I'll be starting is "Plucking Every Jade Pearl from the Golden Tree." Blurb at the very bottom.]

Finicky, mischievous little cat × grumpy but honest big dog.

Yu Zhen has one fatal flaw: when the midnight watch sounds, she turns into a white cat. The only way she can turn human again is by rubbing up against the emperor's dragon aura.

To avoid being executed as a demon, Yu Zhen has no choice but to do everything she can to get close to the emperor.

When Pei Xun makes a decision with his imperial brush, she approaches with a food box, swaying gracefully. "Your Majesty, please try the peach blossom pastries I made."

(Go on, take a bite! I need to rub against your sleeve and soak up that dragon aura!)

When Pei Xun admires paintings, she presents him with her copybook, sporting a pair of bruised eyes. "Please give me your guidance, Your Majesty."

In truth, she's secretly rubbing her fingertip along the edge of his imperial inkstone. Dragon aura +1 +1 +1.

When Pei Xun takes a nighttime stroll by Taiye Lake, she dresses in bright colors and "happens" to meet him on a white jade bridge, nearly becoming the first imperial consort in the dynasty's history to die by accidentally falling into the water.

No matter how many times Yu Zhen tries to get close, the emperor, renowned for hating her, always leaves with a cold face and a sweep of his sleeve.

The palace attendants laugh at her. "The Noble Consort is shamelessly clinging to His Majesty. It won't be long before he banishes her to the Cold Palace!"

But no one notices the peach blossom pastry Pei Xun has hidden in his sleeve, unable to bring himself to take a bite.

Everyone in the palace is used to Yu Zhen rushing to the Yiyuan Hall every day to make a fool of herself.

As Pei Xun reviews memorials, he appears nonchalant, though in his heart he wonders what Yu Zhen will do to please him today.

But he waits and waits, and the memorials pile up like a mountain, yet Yu Zhen never shows!

When the sun sets, Pei Xun snaps his brush with a dark expression.

On a dark and windy night, Pei Xun finally can't resist going to Yu Zhen's bedchamber.

Red candles flicker, and a beautiful figure appears and disappears behind the curtains.

Pei De Song, who'd been worried Yu Zhen was ill, breathes a sigh of relief. Then he frowns and angrily strides over to pull the curtains aside.

So the Noble Consort Yu is perfectly well, yet she dares to leave him waiting.

The curtains part. A burst of white mist billows from the brocade canopy, and the beauty who had been lying there vanishes. All that remains is a cry:

"Meow~"

A little ball of white fur cowers in the quilt, amber eyes reflecting the emperor's astonished face.

At court the next morning, the ministers are horrified to discover that

His Majesty insists on keeping a white cat in his arms while reviewing memorials, and even wears a catnip sachet at his waist.

He even strokes the cat's head affectionately while listening to his ministers' reports.

The ministers stammer, too shocked to speak.

Meanwhile, Yu Zhen looks at her increasingly sparse hair in the mirror and prepares to pack her belongings and sneak out of the palace overnight.

Damn that dog emperor! He pets her head every day. He's going to make her go bald!

But before she can take two steps, a black dragon-embroidered cloak suddenly drops over her head. "Zhenzhen, where are you going? I've just obtained a secret medicine from the South Sea tribute, specially made to treat hair loss..."

P.S. A sweet 1v1 romance. No harem!

Divider

Preorder: "Plucking Every Jade Pearl from the Golden Tree"

Blurb:

Noble beauty × young general.

Cui Yuzhu, the third daughter of the Cui family, was born the brightest pearl amid a life of luxury. Her father was the chancellor, her maternal grandfather the fabulously wealthy Prince of Qi'an, and even her betrothed was a refined young nobleman, bright as the moon and famous throughout the capital.

She lived a charmed life for eighteen years. Then, after they'd been married for a year, her cold-hearted husband brought home a woman as delicate as a flower, with timid eyes and a pitiful expression.

Her husband's tone was cool and left no room for argument. "Li'er saved my life. She'll be staying at our home, so I hope you will be magnanimous and manage the household with virtue."

Cui Yuzhu believed him, diligently managing the household affairs, until Li'er, heavily pregnant, knelt before her and begged her to give her blessing.

Her husband neither agreed nor objected. "Li'er won't be a concubine. She'll be my co-wife. The Gu family has abandoned wives, but no divorces."

Even the elders of the Cui clan said she was being unreasonable.

Life in the Gu household became a constant ordeal. Her mother-in-law made things difficult, her husband despised her, and his favored concubine threw her weight around.

Cui Yuzhu's smile faded. She left a letter of divorce and went alone to the northern frontier.

Xie Changyu had always treasured his childhood sweetheart, the priceless jewel the Cui family cherished like a pearl in their palm.

Unfortunately, she was already promised to someone else, so he could only hide his feelings.

Then, at last, the woman he loved came to the northern frontier. The figure he'd dreamed of day and night stumbled toward him.

Soft jade in his arms.

Xie Changyu stiffened, joy surging through his heart.

When he saw Yuzhu again, he realized his suppressed longing had never faded. Only by making her his alone could he resolve the knot in his heart.

*

On Cui Yuzhu's first night there, Xie Changyu noticed her frown.

She frowned when he drank. She frowned when he made noise while eating.

He awkwardly rubbed his nose and asked his strategist, "Does A Bao dislike me?"

The strategist fought back a laugh. "Miss Cui is a young lady from the capital. The men around her are all refined young nobles."

After that, Xie Changyu paid careful attention to his manners every day. He stopped making noise while eating and only sipped his wine.

Half a month later, Cui Yuzhu finally relaxed her brow.

Xie Changyu leaned close and asked jealously, "Compared to the man you were with before, who's better?"

Cui Yuzhu pressed close to his ear, her breath sweet as an orchid.

"Of course, you are."

Short Scene

After a great victory on the frontier, the heir to the Marquis of Weiyuan returned in triumph with his wife and daughter.

Everyone in the capital sang their praises. The heir and his wife had been childhood sweethearts, and now they had achieved success and stayed together, deeply devoted to each other. They were the envy of the entire city.

In the Golden Hall, the heir took the woman's hand and stood beside her to receive their reward.

With his military achievements and glorious record, he asked the emperor to bestow on her a wedding procession stretching ten li, a fortune in betrothal gifts, and an official title, granting her unparalleled glory.

The court was filled with envy.

Only Gu Yanchu, dressed in plain clothes in a corner and holding a memorial tablet for his deceased wife, recognized the face of the heir's wife.

He staggered a few steps and fell to his knees with a crash, each word drenched in blood.

"Your Majesty, she is my wife."

Theme: Love can overcome anything.