"How strange! How strange!"
Imperial Physician Xue looked at the black lotus seed, which had a crack in the wooden bucket, and shook his head, marveling.
Listening to Imperial Physician Xue's exclamations of surprise, Li Xuan was also speechless.
Earlier, when he said, "Just watch," so calmly, Li Xuan thought he had anticipated the current result, but it turned out he was just as shocked.
"Imperial Physician Xue, is this very unusual?"
Zhao Feng asked from the side.
"It's not unusual; in fact, it makes some sense."
"Originally, it's common knowledge that heavenly materials and earthly treasures are cultivated in environments with homologous power."
"But if explained by the principle of Yin producing Yang at its extreme, and Yang producing Yin at its extreme, then it also makes sense."
"It's just that such heavenly materials and earthly treasures are extremely rare, but the Noon Twin Lotus itself is a mutation, so it does conform to the principle."
Imperial Physician Xue was calm earlier only because he was conducting an experiment.
His purpose was simply to observe the results of the experiment; even if the lotus seed was cooked in the wooden bucket, it would still be a result, and Imperial Physician Xue would simply record it as such.
However, the current result was completely beyond Imperial Physician Xue's expectations.
But Imperial Physician Xue was experienced and quickly found a reasonable explanation.
And while they were talking, a hint of green slowly emerged from the crack that had opened on the lotus seed.
But this hint of green only emerged about a finger's length, then stopped, showing no further change.
"Oh, has it reached its limit?"
Imperial Physician Xue muttered to himself, then, he didn't know where he got a ladle from, scooped some water from the Sun Flame Pond and added it to the wooden bucket.
As water was added, the green sprout on the black lotus seed in the wooden bucket grew slightly, almost imperceptibly.
No matter how much water Imperial Physician Xue added later, the black lotus seed no longer reacted as intensely as before.
"It seems it still needs time to settle."
Imperial Physician Xue scooped the lotus seed out of the wooden bucket with the ladle, observed it carefully, then sat directly on the ground with crossed legs, and recorded something in his small notebook.
Li Xuan and Zhao Feng watched from the side, unable to help.
It was clear that Imperial Physician Xue was very serious when researching, completely ignoring the presence of the man and the Cat beside him.
After a long time, Imperial Physician Xue finally stood up from the ground, holding the ladle with the black lotus seed.
"Chief Zhao, I have some ideas now."
"For the next cultivation, I'm afraid we'll need to use the water from the Sun Moon Yin Yang Pond to draw out two Lotus Ponds. I wonder if that's feasible?"
Regarding Imperial Physician Xue's request, Zhao Feng immediately replied, "This matter needs to be reported to His Majesty. Perhaps Imperial Physician Xue will have an answer tomorrow."
"Good, then I'll trouble you."
The two old men spoke politely, finalizing the next steps.
It seemed Imperial Physician Xue already had a plan for cultivating the Noon Twin Lotus; he appeared confident and in good spirits.
Today's experiment concluded here, and Zhao Feng saw Li Xuan and Imperial Physician Xue out of the Yuqing Pond.
The subsequent cultivation would require specially designated Lotus Ponds, so Li Xuan and Imperial Physician Xue agreed to return to Yuqing Pond for the next stage of the experiment when the time came.
After arranging the next experiment, Imperial Physician Xue returned to the Imperial Hospital on his own, while Li Xuan climbed onto Zhao Feng's shoulder and wandered around the palace with him.
Li Xuan still had something he wanted to ask Zhao Feng.
"What exactly is the formation at the bottom of that pond?"
Li Xuan wrote on Zhao Feng's raised palm with his tail.
"I can only say that it is the key to creating the special nature of the Sun Moon Yin Yang Pond."
"Li Xuan, you have already cultivated Yin Yang True Qi; you should know more than I do."
Zhao Feng gave Li Xuan a profound look and did not elaborate on this topic.
It seemed that the formation beneath the Sun Moon Yin Yang Pond was not a topic to be discussed casually.
Even with Zhao Feng's status, he could not reveal it to Li Xuan.
Li Xuan frowned immediately upon hearing this.
Zhao Feng did not completely withhold information from Li Xuan but pointed out a key detail to him.
"I, who have cultivated Yin Yang True Qi, should know more than Old Zhao?"
Li Xuan repeatedly chewed on this sentence, vaguely forming a guess:
"Emperor Yongyuan sent me here; he is guiding me to explore the secret of the Sun Moon Yin Yang Pond."
When Imperial Physician Xue first proposed to conduct the Noon Twin Lotus cultivation experiment in the Sun Moon Yin Yang Pond, Emperor Yongyuan's condition was that Li Xuan had to accompany the experiment throughout.
Originally, such matters were not Li Xuan's specialty; as a Little Cat, he could eat those heavenly materials and earthly treasures, but how would he understand cultivation?
Emperor Yongyuan had his reasons for having Li Xuan accompany the experiment throughout.
From the current results, Li Xuan was extremely curious about the formation beneath the pond and had developed a desire to explore it.
"But why didn't Emperor Yongyuan say it directly?"
"Or perhaps, he doesn't know much either?"
Li Xuan blinked, lost in thought.
Zhao Feng watched Li Xuan on his shoulder fall into contemplation and said nothing more, walking towards the Internal Affairs Bureau on his own.
"Li Xuan, I need to go back to work."
"What about you?"
"Do you need me to escort you out of the palace?"
Zhao Feng asked Li Xuan.
Li Xuan shook his head; it was a rare trip back to the palace, and he wanted to wander around a bit longer before returning, plus he had things to do.
"Where's the carriage?"
Li Xuan looked around and found that the carriage was not nearby.
"It's parked at the Internal Affairs Bureau. When you go back later, just tell me at the Internal Affairs Bureau, and I'll send someone to drive the carriage to take you back."
Although Li Xuan could drive the carriage back himself, it would inevitably cause a sensation and stir up trouble on the way out of the palace.
Such trouble should be avoided as much as possible.
After Li Xuan said he would come find Zhao Feng later, he jumped from his shoulder onto the wall, then scurried away in a flash.
Zhao Feng watched Li Xuan's small retreating figure and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.
…
Li Xuan first returned to Jingyang Palace and found that it was undergoing extensive construction, with many craftsmen busy at work.
The general framework of Jingyang Palace hadn't changed much, but every part was undergoing large-scale renovation.
All the belongings in Jingyang Palace had already been hidden inside Li Xuan's di hong bone ring, so nothing was left behind.
It was fortunate that the di hong bone ring had enough space; as long as it belonged to the Three Little Ones, whether it was clothes, bedding, or pots and pans, it was put in first.
As for the materials currently stockpiled in Jingyang Palace, they were first transferred to the Internal Affairs Bureau for temporary storage, and would be moved back once Jingyang Palace was renovated.
Moreover, Princess Ankang had already told the craftsmen that she hoped a large enough warehouse could be built during this renovation to store these materials.
The child had been poor for so long that she was afraid of running out of food again one day, and unconsciously developed a hoarding habit.
Li Xuan, for his part, could understand this very well.
Watching the busy scene inside Jingyang Palace, Li Xuan nodded with satisfaction.
When they returned, Jingyang Palace would undoubtedly be completely new.
"I just wonder if Jingyang Palace will still be considered the Cold Palace then?"
After Li Xuan learned why Consort Xiao and Princess Ankang had entered Jingyang Palace in the first place, he couldn't help but start thinking about this question.
On one hand, Li Xuan hated Emperor Yongyuan's incompetence, but on the other hand, he could also understand that it was the best way Emperor Yongyuan could protect Consort Xiao and Princess Ankang at the time.
"But to live like that, never to meet again, can that be considered protection…?"
Li Xuan was picked up by Princess Ankang in a downpour in the summer, and Consort Xiao passed away from illness before winter.
Although Li Xuan spent a very short time with Consort Xiao, he was deeply impressed by her.
She was the gentlest woman in the world; although her demeanor was always a bit melancholic, she always smiled in front of Princess Ankang and Li Xuan, speaking to them in a doting tone.
Li Xuan recalled Consort Xiao entrusting Princess Ankang to him on her deathbed, and couldn't help but also show a gentle smile.
"There's no logic in entrusting a daughter to a little kitten."
"Consort Xiao, you truly are a strange person."
Even emperors have their weak and strong points.
Li Xuan estimated that, given Emperor Yongyuan's initial circumstances, his ability to persevere until now, besides having a loyal group of old servants, owed more to his uncle, the Prince Regent, who cared about his reputation.
If that all-powerful Prince Regent had been a little more shameless, Emperor Yongyuan would have been driven off the throne long ago.
Li Xuan watched the renovated Jingyang Palace for a while, recalling many past memories.
He was about to go to the next place when he saw a sneaky eunuch crouching in a dark corner.
The eunuch had a large, bulging sack on his back, and he didn't know what was inside.
But judging by the eunuch's nervous expression, it was probably nothing good.
"An unfamiliar face?"
Jingyang Palace was already in a remote area, with few people nearby, so Li Xuan could naturally tell at a glance that this eunuch was visiting this vicinity for the first time.
Although Jingyang Palace was undergoing renovation, this eunuch was clearly not there to work.
"What's going on?"
"No one's home, and someone's still causing trouble?"
Li Xuan saw that this eunuch didn't look like a good person, so he immediately went to the wall near the fellow, wanting to see what he was up to.
The eunuch with the sack crouched in the corner for a while, then headed deeper into the alley, and then climbed over the wall at the end of the alley, where it met the wall.
This was an unrenovated corner of Jingyang Palace, and at this time, it was also deserted, so no one noticed the intruding eunuch.
Li Xuan followed for a while, and also heard rustling sounds from the sack, knowing that it contained small living creatures.
"Meow, why do these guys always like to play this trick?"
Li Xuan twitched his mouth, showing an annoyed expression.
The eunuch crept all the way to the well in the courtyard, where Yuer used to wash dishes and clothes, and Li Xuan always bathed there too.
Once the eunuch reached his destination, he finally relaxed a little and began to untie the sack he had carried.
How could Li Xuan, who had followed him all the way, let him have his way?
The moment the eunuch opened the sack, Li Xuan descended like a divine Cat, his tail infused with True Qi, transforming into a hard club, directly knocking the man unconscious, then smoothly stuffing him into the sack, and thoughtfully tying the sack's opening shut.
Li Xuan only glanced inside the sack and saw many familiar friends: the classic combination of the four brothers—snakes, insects, rats, and ants.
"Does someone in the palace buy these in bulk?"
"These little critters are packed tightly in a whole sack; how long would it take to catch them all myself?"
Li Xuan shook his head disdainfully, effortlessly lifting the sack with his tail.
He held it high enough so it wouldn't drag on the ground.
Otherwise, if the sack tore, it would be troublesome.
"Should I give these to my brothers as an extra meal?"
As soon as this thought arose, Li Xuan shook his head.
"Forget it, life's better now, we can't always eat these to improve our diet."
Snakes and rats were fine, they could be Cat Overlord's snacks, but insects and ants were difficult to deal with, a waste.
Moreover, Cat Overlord and the others had been eating meat lately, so they might not even be interested in these.
After some consideration, Li Xuan decided to take them to Zhao Feng and let him handle this small problem.
He also wanted to see who was so restless as to cause trouble for their Jingyang Palace.
Upon reaching Jingyang Palace, Li Xuan quickly found Zhao Feng.
Seeing Li Xuan return so quickly, Zhao Feng was curious, but even more curious about the sack he brought.
Li Xuan briefly recounted what had happened earlier, and Zhao Feng immediately understood.
"I know, Li Xuan."
"I also have an idea of who did it."
Zhao Feng's expression seemed a bit helpless.
"Oh? What's going on?"
Li Xuan pressed on.
"A few days ago, Consort Zhang visited Wu Ning Palace, which is the Empress's sleeping quarters."
"But I heard that when Consort Zhang returned to Qingshu Hall, she brought back a belly full of anger and smashed quite a few things."
"According to my information, the Empress seems to have rejected one of Consort Zhang's proposals."
"But I'm not clear about the specific content of the proposal."
"However, I imagine it has something to do with your Jingyang Palace."
Zhao Feng's words stirred Li Xuan's heart, but he said nothing aloud.
"I'm afraid this current matter is also Consort Zhang's doing."
Zhao Feng looked at the sack and added:
"Most likely, she personally ordered it."
The methods were simply too clumsy, making it hard for Zhao Feng to believe that the Fourth Prince had done it.
Moreover, he had warned the Fourth Prince before.
Zhao Feng didn't believe the Fourth Prince would make such a move, which was almost a provocation to the Internal Affairs Bureau.
Zhao Feng felt that Consort Zhang acting impulsively was the most probable scenario.
Even the Fourth Prince probably couldn't stop her in time.
Zhao Feng sighed; since the person was here, he would soon know the truth.
But even before questioning, he already had a rough theory in his mind.
And at that moment, a terrified scream came from the sack, clearly indicating that the person inside had awakened.
Li Xuan had held back a lot of strength earlier, afraid of killing the person.
Moreover, the eunuch inside the sack also had cultivation, but he was powerless against Li Xuan, who had cultivated Yin Yang True Qi.
Hearing the commotion in the sack, Zhao Feng gently raised his hand, and the screaming inside the sack immediately stopped, but the rustling sounds continued, indicating that the little creatures were still active.
"Li Xuan, leave this matter to me."
"At least, it will keep Qingshu Hall quiet for a while."
"If Consort Zhang continues to be irrational, the Zhang family will be the ones to pay the price."
Zhao Feng smiled slightly, seemingly pleased with this outcome.
As for Consort Zhang, that madwoman, Li Xuan was now accustomed to her antics.
Li Xuan sometimes couldn't understand how Consort Zhang, with such an abnormal mind, managed to raise the First Prince and his two siblings.
Setting aside their differing stances, the three siblings were quite decent people, and their sibling bond was deep, making them extremely united.
"I can't figure it out, I really can't."
Li Xuan shook his head, left the Internal Affairs Bureau, and hoped to go to the Imperial Garden.
After leaving the palace, he hadn't seen Cat Overlord and the others for a long time, so he decided to check on them this time.
But upon arriving at the Imperial Garden, Li Xuan was surprised to find that these three fellows were actually babysitting.
Three Cats were gathered around a kitten whose eyes hadn't even opened yet. The kitten was entirely orange, with a few vertical stripes on its forehead, looking like tiny furrowed brows, and a large white bib around its neck.
Looking at this little fellow, Li Xuan didn't even have time to greet them, immediately exclaiming:
"Meow? (Fat Orange, you have a child?)"