Zheng Qian still had seven hundred coins left.
Seven hundred coins—enough for an ordinary family to live on for half a month.
For her, that sum was more than enough to order a lavish spread of tea and pastries at the teahouse.
At first, Hongluan was furious. Her mistress spent money so freely—it nearly broke her heart. But when the tea and pastries arrived, Zheng Qian urged her to try some. After all, Hongluan was just a fifteen-year-old girl with a hearty appetite. Once she tasted the food, she couldn't resist.
"Miss, these pastries are even better than the ones at our estate!" Hongluan exclaimed, barely pausing to breathe.
Zheng Qian sampled everything carefully.
Her cat, Achou, sat in her arms, observing her closely. He noticed that the young lady only took half a bite of each snack… except for one—a date paste pastry.
On that plate, she devoured more than half.
"She likes date paste pastries," the cat silently noted, though he had no idea what good it would do him—he was, after all, just a cat.
Before meeting Zheng Qian, he had been in a panic over his feline form, desperately searching for help.
His mother, his friends, even his trusted subordinates—upon seeing this cat—they all exclaimed, "Where did this filthy thing come from? Kill it!"
He remembered his mother loved cats. Perhaps because he was dirty, wounded, and disheveled, he drew no affection.
Xiao Zhan was near despair. He had tried sneaking back to his mansion, climbing onto his own bed.
But the person in his bed lay perfectly still. His old servant wept beside them.
Seeing the cat, the servant panicked and swung a broom at him. He fled from place to place, searching for food.
Day by day, he weakened, his wounds aching and itching. Just as he neared death, unable even to live as a cat, he met Zheng Qian.
This girl was the only one who didn't disdain him.
She cooed softly, applied medicine, fed him, and carried him everywhere.
Xiao Zhan had tried every method, yet could not return to his human body. Now, he could only exist as a cat—and surprisingly, being a cat wasn't so bad.
Someone cared for him.
Now, however, Zheng Qian faced a problem: she was about to spend her last silver coins. He didn't know what she would do next.
Xiao Zhan had been stationed at Baiya Town on the frontier at fifteen—nine years ago. Only occasionally did he return to the capital.
Nine years of warfare, imperial rewards, taxes from his fief, and countless spoils of war—all stored in his treasury. He rarely visited the capital; to him, that wealth was meaningless.
And now, even if he wanted it, he couldn't access it.
He knew where the treasury was, knew the mechanisms of the locks—but his mansion was guarded by his trained bodyguards. As a cat, there was no way he could sneak in with Zheng Qian.
He sighed softly.
"Miss! Your cat is sighing!" Hongluan exclaimed, mouth full of sweet cake, eyes wide.
Zheng Qian smiled. "Don't make a fuss. Achou is almost becoming sentient—what's a little sigh?"
Hongluan: "…."
Xiao Zhan: "…."
"Achou, want some date paste pastry?" Zheng Qian pinched a piece and offered it.
The cat's face held a look of helplessness, yet it seemed indulgent. He took it in one bite.
"Good heavens, it really is becoming sentient," Hongluan muttered.
Zheng Qian pinched his cheeks joyfully. She had no idea how hard it was for this cat to eat date paste—cats do not eat such things!
Besides tea and pastries, the teahouse had a storyteller.
At that moment, he was recounting tales of the great general, Prince Xiao of the current dynasty.
By the time Zheng Qian and Hongluan arrived, much of the story had already been told. She only caught that Prince Xiao, in a fit of rage, killed seven hundred Xiongnu soldiers and slew the Xiongnu chanyu, Hongjiti.
"…Killed seven hundred people by himself?" Zheng Qian scoffed. "Ridiculous! Even if he could, his sword wouldn't survive that!"
Hongluan wished she could cover her mistress's mouth.
"Miss, don't speak recklessly. Prince Xiao is brave and invincible. This is true," Hongluan insisted.
Speaking of Prince Xiao, Hongluan's cheeks flushed slightly, her admiration clear.
"Is he really that powerful?" Zheng Qian asked.
The cat in her arms lifted his gaze, watching her intently.
"Prince Xiao was stationed at Baiya Town at fifteen, personally trained by General Cheng. He was born with immense strength, mastered the Cheng family martial arts, capable of facing a hundred alone, undefeated in every battle," Hongluan explained.
Suddenly, Zheng Qian recalled Prince Xiao from the original owner's memories.
She had inherited all of the original owner's memories, and the original owner had seen Prince Xiao once.
It was on the third day of the third month, a spring outing arranged by the Empress. Noble daughters gathered in the outskirts of the capital, with tents set up for a spring banquet.
Young gentlemen attended as well.
The original owner's fiancé and her admired cousin were fawning over Second Miss Zheng Yutan, leaving her feeling hurt and isolated. She wandered to the riverbank alone, wiping away tears.
A solitary figure stood by the water, leading his horse to drink. He wore a dark robe, tall and straight, with slightly thin eyelids. His gaze was cool, like the river thawing in early spring.
The original owner didn't recognize him at first but composed herself. "I am Miss Zheng Qian of the Jing'an Marquis House. Pleased to meet you, sir."
"I am not a 'sir.' I am Prince Xiao," the man said coldly. "Move along. Don't waste your thoughts."
The original owner froze, embarrassed, and hurriedly withdrew.
But after a few steps, her grievance turned to tears. She spun back, glaring at Prince Xiao: "I am already betrothed! I only came for fresh air, not to flirt with you, Prince Xiao. You're full of aggression—calm down before taking it out on me!"
Her expression was fierce, yet tears streamed down her face.
Prince Xiao watched silently for a long while. Then he said, "I have some sweet-and-sour cheese snacks. Want some? Are you hungry?"
Zheng Qian: "…."
She remembered sitting by the riverbank, eating the tangy-sweet cheese while tears fell. Prince Xiao meticulously groomed his horse while she cried, and when she finished, he saddled the horse and lifted her onto it, holding her safely in his arms.
That day, the wind had been strong. The original owner had been so nervous that she barely remembered the sensation of being in his embrace—and Zheng Qian could not recall it either.
In those memories, Prince Xiao's kindness was clear. The girl had never been treated so gently before.
Through this memory, Zheng Qian saw a young man who appeared cold and imposing, yet whose heart was not truly harsh—not the legendary unstoppable warrior tales described.
Hongluan, still in awe of Prince Xiao, glanced at her mistress.
Zheng Qian smiled meaningfully. "Oh… he is quite impressive, then."
The cat's eyes flickered.