Yun Jinnian turned around upon hearing this and looked at Shaoyao with a slight smile, "Not yet, Sister Shaoyao, have you not slept either?"
"To answer the Fourth Miss, I had already gone to sleep, but I woke up and saw that the light was still on in your quarters and the door was open, so I came to check!" Shaoyao said.
She took a deep breath.
The air carried the scent of alcohol, dishes, and a faint aroma of chrysanthemums.
Then she saw that Yun Jinnian was holding a cat in her arms, which took her aback for a moment, but she didn’t voice her surprise.
"Oh, then you go back to sleep, I will sit up a little longer!" Yun Jinnian said lightly, caressing the kitten in her arms.
"Fourth Miss, is that a cat in your arms?" Shaoyao asked tentatively.
"Was it given by someone else, or did you find it in the palace?"
Shaoyao remembered that when Yun Jinnian had entered the palace, she had not brought a cat with her.
"It was given by someone else!" Yun Jinnian said, looking at Shaoyao, "However, I hope Sister Shaoyao can help me conceal it and say the cat ran into Weiyang Palace on its own, and I felt pity for it and decided to take it in. Would you be willing to do that, Sister Shaoyao?!"
"If the Fourth Miss says the cat was found, then it was found!"
Shaoyao said and bowed slightly.
The person who could send a cat into Weiyang Palace without anyone noticing must either have impressive martial arts skills, or there were not many Hidden Guards in this section of the palace.
If a fuss was made, the Empress too would be questioned.
Yun Jinnian laughed softly, "Sister Shaoyao seems anxious, the cat actually ran to the corner of Weiyang Palace wall on its own, and I picked it up after hearing its cries. But, I do need to trouble Sister Shaoyao to find out if the cat has an owner!"
Truth and lies, lies interwoven with truth.
Shaoyao was somewhat unsure whether the cat was really picked up or given as a gift.
However, she guessed it was the latter.
But if Yun Jinnian says it was found, then it was found.
Yet, the defense of this section of the palace was a concern, and she would have to speak to the Empress about possibly adding more personnel, right?
"Yes, the Fourth Miss should rest early, this servant will take her leave!"
Shaoyao said, then stepped out of the reception room, closing the door behind her.
Yun Jinnian sat for a while, then put the cat in the basket, washed her hands, and went to bed.
Yun Jinnian woke to a stinky smell, sniffed, and saw the little kitten had climbed out of the basket and pooped in a corner, scratching at the floor with its paws.
She had never raised cats or dogs before, not even the Spiritual Poisonous Insect which only needed a few drops of blood every other day and never seemed to poop or pee.
She pinched her nose, got out of bed, and opened the door, "Hemei, Henuan..."
Hemei and Henuan were taken aback.
They entered the reception room and searched around, then went into the bedroom and saw a snow-white kitten digging on the ground, with a cat turd beside it.
"Wow, where did this cat come from?"
Hemei and Henuan, who had never raised animals, were very curious and their hearts softened.
Cradling the cat, they stepped out of the room, leaving the cat poop unattended.
Fortunately, one of the Palace Maids in the side hall had raised a cat before and brought over a basin with some ash to clean up the poop and placed it in a corner.
She held the cat over to it, let it sniff around, and then set it down on the floor.
"Fourth Miss, if you call it now, it will come to this basin to do its business next time!"
"Is it that smart?" Yun Jinnian asked.
"Yes, indeed, it has a very keen sense of smell!"
After having breakfast, when Yun Jinnian went to pay respects to the Empress, the Empress asked, "I heard you found a cat?"
"Yes, a snow-white kitten!"
"In this imperial harem, there indeed are quite a few cats, but this one’s fortune is good!"
The other cats were only there to catch mice, and their food would not be as fine as what Yun Jinnian’s cat was getting, not to mention having someone to take care of it.