TMWTGD CH84

The Panda Marshal’s current residence was a garden specifically reserved for keeping pets, known among the bustling attendants as the “Lesser Beast Menagerie.” The name was quite literal: only adorably diminutive little creatures were housed there.

Compared to those tiny fluffballs, the Panda Marshal stood out like a sore thumb.

He was undeniably charming and remarkably cute, but his bulk—easily reaching the mid-thigh of an adult human—was completely severed from anything that could be considered “diminutive.” In fact, he showed every sign of developing into a full-blown apex predator.

The original giant panda had pitifully tried to diet, refusing bamboo and drinking nothing but milk for days on end. But for a species capable of packing on pounds merely by breathing, drinking milk was like pumping air into a balloon—completely useless.

Once Lu Li arrived, he refused to mistreat himself. He specifically selected the tenderest bamboo shoots. He had never realized how delicious they were in the past, but now he found them heavenly, tasting an endless array of gourmet flavors in every bite.

As he munched away without pause, the little animals nearby convened another emergency meeting.

“Has he completely given up on himself?”

“How utterly spineless. He couldn’t even last two days on milk.”

“Eat, eat, eat! When he turns into a literal mountain, let’s see if His Majesty spares him a single glance.”

“If he keeps eating like this, he might get thrown out of the Menagerie altogether…”

Although the little animals loved to gossip, they were kind-hearted at their core. Contemplating his fate, their tone grew wistful: “There’s nothing to be done. Who told him to grow bigger by the day?”

To their shallow observations, the Panda Marshal merely turned up his nose.

What did they know? Could a man afford not to be big? How else was he supposed to satisfy his spouse?

After the Lord Marshal gained two more rings of fat in the Menagerie, someone finally made an appearance.

It was an old acquaintance: Yan Ke, dropping in for a guest role. Judging by the groveling obsequiousness of the handlers, he was evidently the most favored figure before His Majesty at court.

Handler A gushed, “Lord Yan’s arrival truly brings light to our humble Menagerie.”

Before strangers, Yan Ke had always maintained an icy, aloof facade. He possessed delicate, refined features and attractive, albeit thin lips; when he didn’t smile, he radiated an aura that firmly warned others to keep their distance.

While Handler A prattled on without pause, Yan Ke merely nodded slightly, offering barely enough words to count on one hand.

The real Yan Ke inside Lu Li’s mind, meanwhile, was hopelessly entranced by the fluffy black-and-white sphere, remarking with curiosity, “This period attire is quite intriguing.”

His avatar wore a sash-cinched robe in moon-white, embroidered with delicate silver threading. The wide sleeves draped elegantly, lending him an ethereal, flowing grace with every step.

After discerning the world’s setting, Lu Li was certain this dream was not Xie Jianwei’s creation. Xie Jianwei knew next to nothing about pre-technological ancient eras, making it impossible for him to imagine such a backdrop.

“It,” on the other hand, certainly knew.

Whether giant pandas or ancient imperial robes, the entity understood them all too well.

After heaping flattery upon Yan Ke, Handler A began introducing the little beasts under his care.

Seeing a prospective master arrive, the little creatures puffed up their spirits, wagging tails, fluttering eyes, and doing their utmost to look utterly adorable. Lu Li had no idea how the dream’s Yan Ke felt, but the real Yan Ke residing in his mind was already hyperventilating, completely overwhelmed by the barrage of cuteness.

The dream Yan Ke seemed genuinely tempted as well. Looking between one and another, his stoic face held firm while his eyes betrayed everything; he clearly wished he could bundle them all home.

Yet he could only take one, and the one he truly sought…

After touring most of the Menagerie, Yan Ke finally spotted Lu Li, who had traded his Marshal’s baton for a steady diet of bamboo.

Yan Ke’s eyes lit up distinctly as he declared, “That one!”

Handler A and the flock of miniature beasts froze: Lord Yan, have you gone blind?!

Curving his lips into a radiant smile, Yan Ke said, “I have finally found him.”

The handler hesitated. “Lord Yan, this… you can see for yourself, he doesn’t quite fit the criteria for a lap pet. If he keeps growing like this…”

Yan Ke said, “It matters not. My manor is spacious.”

The handler remained conflicted. “Well, although His Majesty hasn’t summoned him lately, his breed is exceedingly rare. He was particularly enchanting as a cub, and His Majesty doted on him dearly. If you take him away now…”

“Rest assured,” Yan Ke replied. “I have already spoken with His Majesty.” In truth, he hadn’t said a word.

Hearing this, the handler relaxed. Yan Ke was the emperor’s closest confidant; an out-of-favor beast was naturally secondary to Lord Yan.

Just like that, the Panda Marshal inexplicably boarded Yan Ke’s carriage, journeying back to the Yan residence.

Along the way, Lu Li couldn’t resist a bout of sour jealousy.

If His Majesty was A-Wei, hadn’t he been ruthlessly abandoned? Pampered, hugged, and held high when small, only to be cast into a pen to fend for himself once grown?

What an unfaithful emperor.

Engaging in his daily routine of self-torment, Lu Li was as proficient as ever.

Once aboard the carriage, Yan Ke’s dignified facade peeled away entirely. He beamed at the giant panda beside him, dying to touch yet not daring, itching to pet yet holding back, sitting there with an utterly besotted grin.

Lu Li: “…”

The real Yan Ke hurriedly defended himself: “Um… My Lord, that is not me.”

Not you, my foot. The entity constructed dreams based on Xie Jianwei’s perceptions, resulting in uncanny fidelity; this was essentially the genuine article on stage.

Unable to resist any longer, Yan Ke tentatively reached out a hand…

Lu Li shot him a sharp glare. Yan Ke retracted his paw instantly, chuckling awkwardly, “I won’t touch, won’t touch… I’ll just look.”

Then he proceeded to stare intently.

Real Yan Ke concluded, “This version of me is definitely somewhat unhinged.”

Lu Li: “…”

The dream Yan Ke was indeed rather abnormal.

Upon entering the Yan manor, Lu Li’s standard of living skyrocketed: fine lodging, gourmet meals, and an entourage of attendants hovering wherever he went. If not for wearing the skin of a bear, onlookers might have mistaken him for an honored young noble of the house.

Whenever Yan Ke returned to the estate, he would come by just to spectate. He didn’t touch or pet him, merely hovering nearby with a goofy, captivated expression.

Lu Li thoroughly agreed with Yan Ke’s assessment: this Doctor Yan in the dream was eight parts out of ten insane.

Several days drifted by. On this particular evening, Yan Ke returned reeking of alcohol, earning even deeper disdain from Lu Li.

Noticing the creature’s aversion, Yan Ke said, “I shall bathe.”

Emerging in fresh robes, the smell of wine had faded considerably, though he remained visibly tipsy.

Counting on him to arrange a meeting with Xie Jianwei, Lu Li tolerated his presence for the moment.

Yan Ke followed his usual routine, sitting nearby and staring at Lu Li.

Lu Li cast him a sideways glance. Yan Ke paused, a sudden wave of sorrow washing over his features, his vitality draining until he appeared profoundly weary.

After so many days, he finally spoke a coherent sentence: “Do you wish to return to His Majesty’s side?”

Lu Li’s eyes brightened.

Yan Ke sighed, murmuring softly, “Very well… I will help you.”

Finally getting around to serious business, Doctor Yan.

The following day marked the sixtieth birthday of Yan Ke’s mother. She was the late emperor’s only full sister; during the late emperor’s reign, their sibling bond had been exceptionally close. Following his passing, the reigning monarch naturally treated this beloved aunt with immense deference.

Reaching a milestone birthday, propriety dictated that His Majesty attend in person.

Lu Li waited with bated breath, eager for his spouse to take him home.

Yet he waited all morning. The sun grew hot enough to roast a bear, yet his spouse was nowhere to be seen.

Lu Li: “Doctor Yan, are you dependable or not?”

Real Yan Ke: “My Lord! I am exceedingly dependable, but whether that Lord Yan is dependable remains beyond my knowledge.”

Lu Li sneered.

Yan Ke wept internally: QAQ! How I miss the days of partnering with the Military Advisor!

After a long while, around the time the midday feast had ended, the Panda Marshal continued waiting on an empty stomach, his heart aching with longing.

Fortunately, Yan Ke had not forgotten him. As the sun slanted westward and the swelter subsided, a party approached from afar, strolling into the refreshing bamboo grove.

The man walking in the lead wore pitch-black imperial robes, perfectly contouring a tall, slender silhouette of peerless poise. His skin was fair as jade, his features breathtakingly handsome, radiating sovereign majesty beneath the effortless grace of an extraordinary nobleman.

A single glance was enough to render Lu Li unable to look away.

Had he not entered his life, the Xie Jianwei who stood at the absolute zenith of the Milky Way Empire would likely have looked precisely like this: commanding reverence, yet inspiring helpless adoration.

He held the power to govern all under heaven, paired with an unmatched demeanor and cultivation. Nurtured in prestige yet never lacking in resolve, he seemed born to stand above tens of thousands, receiving boundless veneration.

Lu Li’s gaze dimmed. He had always felt that he had eclipsed Xie Jianwei’s brilliance. Even if Xie Jianwei claimed it was entirely voluntary, had he never crossed his path…

Lu Li shook his head, banishing those stray thoughts. Life could never be without him; destiny was defined by their encounter.

Beside Xie Jianwei walked an elderly noblewoman bearing a faint resemblance to Yan Ke—presumably his mother, the Grand Princess Tianhe.

The Grand Princess was impeccably preserved; at sixty, she appeared barely in her early fifties. Draped in deep purple, the most prestigious hue for imperial women, her magnificent robes were embroidered with breathtaking craftsmanship, exuding regal dignity.

Xie Jianwei genuinely adored this aunt of his, supporting her arm as they strolled, chatting and laughing warmly.

The Grand Princess doted on him deeply in return. Having watched this child grow up, even as he ascended the throne, in her eyes he remained the lonely boy who had lost his mother young and grown up in the cold isolation of the inner palace.

During his youth, Xie Jianwei had often been invited to reside in the princess’s manor, forging a close bond with Yan Ke and sharing deep affection with the Grand Princess.

As they chatted along the stone path, the Grand Princess couldn’t help venturing, “Even if Your Majesty has yet to settle on a suitable Empress, you ought to keep a few maidens by your side to attend to your needs.”

Evidently, this was far from the first time the aunt and nephew had broached the topic. While the Grand Princess urged him with earnest dedication, Xie Jianwei merely listened with a gentle smile, showing no impatience, yet giving no ground either.

The Grand Princess sighed. “Your Majesty excels in all things, save for being terribly stubborn.”

Xie Jianwei smiled. “It is your nephew’s lack of filial piety that continually burdens Imperial Aunt with such trivial matters.”

The Grand Princess retorted, “How is this a trivial matter? This is the paramount event of one’s lifetime! If Your Majesty can wed soon, this old woman can depart to the netherworld with a clear conscience before my imperial brother.”

Xie Jianwei said, “Imperial Aunt enjoys robust health and will live to a hundred. You must never utter such words.”

The Grand Princess held genuine affection for him, so despite her anxiety, she refused to press him into distress: “Very well, I shall say no more. Those ministers surely pester you daily anyway; I won’t add to your headaches.”

Xie Jianwei offered a soft chuckle, murmuring a few gentle reassurances that had the Grand Princess beaming with delight.

They were walking at a considerable distance, their voices theoretically beyond the hearing of a panda tucked inside a bamboo grove. Yet heaven only knew why this panda possessed such acute hearing; Lu Li caught every single syllable with absolute clarity.

The joy of seeing his spouse was doused by half, replaced by burning resentment toward “it.”

This dream world was riddle-strewn with treacherous pitfalls.

First, he was turned into a bear, an anatomy thoroughly incompatible with romance.

Xie Jianwei’s status was equally fraught. As the sovereign of a nation within a feudal society, if he refused to take an empress, ministers would form delegations to stage death-protests every few days. Even taking an empress wouldn’t suffice; an heir had to be sired to preserve the succession, if only to prevent the throne room’s pillars from being smashed apart by stubborn officials’ heads.

It was an absolute trap.

Contemplating it made Lu Li’s heart, liver, and soul ache with pure jealousy. Seeing Xie Jianwei in ancient robes had seemed wonderful at first; now, it felt entirely cursed.

At the Grand Princess’s age, her foremost preoccupation was the marital affairs of the younger generation. Daring not badger Xie Jianwei further, she redirected her sights toward her own unfilial son.

The topic shifted without warning, landing squarely on Yan Ke: “You rebellious child! You are already twenty-five, yet refuse to take a wife! You will be the death of me!”

Knowing he had no leg to stand on, Yan Ke kept his head low and stayed silent.

Fuming, the Grand Princess snapped, “You are the sole heir of the Yan bloodline! Your father passed early; if you… if you… alas, how will I ever have the face to face your ancestors below!”

Turning to Xie Jianwei, she pleaded, “Your Majesty, please issue an imperial decree and arrange a marriage for him! As long as the command comes from you, this brat will obey without a word!”

Xie Jianwei glanced at Yan Ke, who looked on the verge of tears.

Xie Jianwei smiled. “Imperial Aunt, please do not rush. It is best to wait until A-Ke meets someone he truly loves.”

The Grand Princess muttered in exasperation, “You two brothers have clearly conspired beforehand.”

With Xie Jianwei coaxing her, she had no choice but to let the matter drop.

Yan Ke, however, spaced out for a moment. Someone he loved… even if he met him, what of it? He could never be with him, for it was forbidden by the world.

The entourage finally neared the bamboo grove. Pulling himself together, Yan Ke said, “Your Majesty, let us rest in the grove. It is shaded and cool inside.”

The Grand Princess happened to be an avid admirer of fluffy creatures. She said cheerfully, “A-Ke took in a little beast recently; it is exceedingly lovely. It wandered off for a time, but returned lately. Your Majesty must take a look, it is most amusing.”

Then she mumbled an aside, “Though it has grown a bit plump.”

Lu Li, hearing every word: “…”

What kind of aesthetic standards are these? How can a man not be built sturdy? Yet the Panda Marshal felt a flicker of insecurity: his spouse wouldn’t mind him being plump… er, sturdy, would he?

Lu Li finally laid eyes on Xie Jianwei. When their gazes locked, Xie Jianwei paused, then whispered, “A-Li?”

Lu Li’s emotions were intensely conflicted.

Surprised, the Grand Princess asked, “Your Majesty recognizes this little creature?”

Xie Jianwei knitted his brows, and Yan Ke explained, “I visited the Menagerie a short while ago. Seeing him looking so pitiful, I brought him back.”

“Pitiful?” Xie Jianwei’s brow furrowed tightly. “Did they mistreat him?”

Yan Ke said, “That was not the case; the handlers were dutiful. However, A-Li’s spirits were low, believing he had been abandoned there for growing too fat. Depressed and refusing food or water, he starved to skin and bones, leaving the handlers completely at their wits’ end.”

Xie Jianwei froze, his eyes instantly brimming with heartache.

Seeing this golden opportunity, Lu Li launched into an Oscar-worthy performance: staring unblinkingly at Xie Jianwei, his dark eyes flooded with tender yearning, looking utterly pitiful, desperate to approach yet not daring to move.

He was inherently unfair in cuteness, and paired with such an expression, everyone present drew in a silent breath.

The Grand Princess was deeply touched, delivering a god-tier assist: “Your Majesty, look! He still remembers you!”

Gazing into those dark eyes, Xie Jianwei felt his heart clench. He murmuring softly, “I feared the palace would constrain him, and intended to let him adjust before returning him to the wild…”

Hearing this, Lu Li panicked, his acting skills escalating by another ten points. The look of shattered grief and devastation on his face was enough to move anyone to tears.

The Grand Princess gasped, “Heavens, Your Majesty! He is merely a little creature! Sending him into the wild would be handing him a death sentence! Look how pitiful he is: soft, cute, and remarkably well-behaved. He breaks one’s heart just looking at him.”

Soft and cute, certainly, but where on earth did ‘well-behaved’ come from? Her Highness’s imaginative vision was truly astonishing.

Sighing, the Grand Princess added, “Even if Your Majesty does not want him, there is no need to wound his heart so. Look how sorrowful he is; he is still young, a little darling, do not hurt him like this.”

Lu Li’s fur shivered at those descriptions, and the attendants behind them broke out in goosebumps. Sorrowful, yes, but small? A little darling? If this beast grew any larger, he could march straight onto a battlefield!

Yet through an elder’s eyes, everything was endearing. Embarrassing as her praise was, the Lord Marshal was thoroughly pleased with the resulting effect.

Xie Jianwei stepped toward Lu Li, sighing softly: “Do you… wish to return with me?”

Lu Li put on a calculated display of petulance, wearing a face that screamed: I want to go back so badly, so badly, so badly, but I refuse to say it!

The Grand Princess translated on his behalf: “He does! But he fears you will cast him aside again, terrified that returning will only lead to another abandonment… How desolate that must feel!”

One had to admit, the Grand Princess possessed an exceptional imagination.

Xie Jianwei’s resolve melted completely. “I only feared wronging you. Since you wish to return to the palace, I shall have an enclosure constructed for you.”

Lu Li thought inwardly: Construct what enclosure? I just want to climb into your bed.

Yet contemplating his current bulk… best not; he feared crushing the imperial dragon bed.

When Xie Jianwei returned to the palace, a giant panda accompanied his entourage.

Yan Ke watched them depart from afar, letting out a long sigh, his features steeped once more in quiet desolation.

Upon entering the palace, Lu Li was displeased to discover two permanent residents inside the imperial study.

A white cat and a black cat, both boasting sleek, glossy coats, meowing with insufferable affectation.

The moment Xie Jianwei stepped inside, they leaped down, nuzzling their heads affectionately against his boots.

Clearly fond of them, Xie Jianwei bent down to scoop them up, scratching beneath their chins, prompting them to purr with shameless coyness.

Never had the Lord Marshal imagined that a day would come when he would be jealous of two domestic felines.

Truly, the older he got, the more childish he became. The Marshal told himself to maintain his composure, yet listening to the cats’ inner thoughts made composure impossible.

White Cat: “A-Wei smells so wonderful, I want to be held by him forever!”

Black Cat: “A-Wei’s fingers are so fair and delicate, I want to lick them.”

White Cat: “A-Wei’s body is so warm, sleeping on his lap is the best.”

Black Cat: “A-Wei’s lips are so lovely, I want to give him a kiss.”

These two lecherous beasts! The Panda Marshal was ready to detonate with fury!

Worse still, Xie Jianwei was clearly enchanted by them, teasing them with smiling eyes.

Emboldened, as the shameless black cat moved to nuzzle Xie Jianwei’s cheek, Lu Li could endure it no longer. Letting out a muffled grunt, he collapsed onto the floor with a heavy thud.

Given his weight, that tumble carried considerable impact.

The two cats finally noticed the behemoth, exchanging wide-eyed looks of horror: Where did this massive black-and-white ball come from?!

Xie Jianwei froze. Seeing the fallen panda, his heart seized with alarm. Dropping the cats, he rushed over, asking frantically, “What happened? Are you hurt?”

Lu Li said nothing, simply faking agonizing distress.

Panicking, Xie Jianwei barked, “Summon the physicians!”

A flurry of chaos ensued. The imperial physicians arrived in a scramble, intensely nervous: they were skilled in human medicine, but taking the pulse of a giant panda was entirely outside their wheelhouse—who knew what a bear’s pulse was supposed to feel like!

Yet Xie Jianwei demanded coldly, “Examine him and find out what is wrong!”

Their sovereign was normally mild-tempered, acting with unfailing elegance and grace, rarely displaying anger even over severe matters. Yet he was unmistakably furious now.

When such gentle individuals lost their temper, it was terrifying.

Daring not be careless, the physicians studied the black-and-white beast with grave scrutiny.

Setting aside the fact that Lu Li was faking illness, even if he weren’t, the physicians wouldn’t be able to diagnose a thing.

The chief physician ventured timidly, “Your Majesty, perhaps we should summon the handlers from the Menagerie?”

Unexpectedly, that suggestion stoked Xie Jianwei’s fury further: “What do they know besides mistreating him? I instructed them to care for him meticulously before finding an opportune time to release him into the wild, yet what did they do? They neglected him, a pack of duplicitous scoundrels!”

Neglected? The physicians truly couldn’t see how a beast as round as a sphere with lustrous, gleaming fur had suffered the slightest mistreatment…

Yet the Emperor’s words were absolute truth. They had to nod obediently while mentally convincing themselves that this creature had endured unspeakable hardships, leaving it frail and spent. Suddenly, a physician had an epiphany, blurting out, “Perhaps it is malnutrition! With peaceful rest and some… fresh bamboo shoots, he is bound to recover swiftly!”

Hearing this sounding structured, Xie Jianwei accepted it for the moment: “Very well, out, all of you!”

The physicians bowed and retreated in haste.

Though harsh with his staff, Xie Jianwei looked upon the beast with immense gentleness: “A-Li, does it hurt anywhere?”

Lu Li was thoroughly comforted, unable to bear causing Xie Jianwei genuine worry. Just as he prepared to stir and signal recovery, his treacherous stomach let out a resounding rumble.

Xie Jianwei asked immediately, “Are you hungry?”

Lu Li: How utterly mortifying.

Xie Jianwei said, “Wait here, I will have food brought for you.”

Another round of flurry followed. A delegation of eunuchs rushed into the study carrying bundles of fresh bamboo shoots, moving with such urgency that an onlooker might have thought they were carrying urgent military dispatches.

Inside the imperial study, the Panda Marshal munched on bamboo with measured elegance—he had to be refined; he could never lose face before his spouse.

The two cats sat in the corner, dumbfounded: Where did this sphere come from? Why does it feel like he’s about to be crowned Empress?

Xie Jianwei watched him eat for a while, asking softly, “Are you full?”

Lu Li looked up at him.

Meeting his gaze, Xie Jianwei paused and murmured, “You have grown quite a lot.”

Unable to speak, Lu Li could only emit soft grunts.

Xie Jianwei fell silent as well. He extended a hand as if to touch him, yet hesitated and pulled back just before making contact.

Noticing this, Lu Li felt somewhat surprised.

Seeing that Xie Jianwei wanted to touch him, he nudged forward on his own.

A real adult panda’s fur was rather coarse, but Lu Li was currently in an adolescent phase, and due to unique factors, his coat was exceptionally soft and fluffy: the white was pristine, and the black shone like silk. Merely looking at it made one’s palm itch with the desire to stroke it.

As he nestled against him, Xie Jianwei finally made contact. The touch was divine, soft and silky, as if drawing one’s palm inward.

Stroking him gently, Xie Jianwei’s voice was infinitely tender: “I thought I would never see you again.”

Lu Li cast him a glance, thinking inwardly: Don’t even dream of escaping me in this lifetime.

Xie Jianwei’s mood seemed to brighten considerably, his lips curving into a soft smile, watching him in peaceful stillness.

This beast’s physiology was peculiar: sleepy after eating, and hungry upon waking, as though existing solely to alternate between meals and naps.

Seeing him drift off, Xie Jianwei’s gaze softened further, pressing a feather-light kiss against his furry head.

—It is so wonderful to have you back.

Even in sleep, the panda remained pressed against him. Xie Jianwei was happy to lean against him, though a stack of memorials awaited his review, leaving no room to shirk duty.

Waiting until the creature slept soundly, he rose gently, sat at the desk, and began attending to state affairs.

Lu Li slept for a stretch, waking just as Xie Jianwei concluded his work.

Coming to, Xie Jianwei asked him, “Hungry?”

Lu Li didn’t need to speak; his stomach answered for him.

Xie Jianwei’s eyes crinkled with laughter: “I am hungry too. Let us eat together.”

He summoned attendants to bring pastries and tender bamboo shoots, man and bear sharing a late-night meal atop the couch.

Munching on bamboo while watching Xie Jianwei, Lu Li found him breathtaking beneath the warm lamplight: his eyes, his nose, and his lips were mesmerizing, and with a crumb of cherry pastry dusting his mouth, he looked so lovely it made Lu Li’s heart itch.

Sadly, kissing him was impossible right now; leaning in looking like a bear would likely earn him an execution at the palace gates.

What a troublesome body.

Lu Li was waiting for a breakthrough. He couldn’t remain a bear forever; even if “it” designed this dream, Xie Jianwei’s subconscious remained active, and Xie Jianwei would never let him remain an animal indefinitely.

Though he suspected his spouse rather enjoyed this fluffy quadruped—a mildly depressing thought.

After the snack, Lu Li felt drowsy again.

It was time for Xie Jianwei to retire as well. He went to bathe, emerging in a loose, moon-white robe.

His handsome features, paired with such flowing silk, gave him an ethereal, celestial air, breathtakingly exquisite.

Lu Li didn’t want to leave, but climbing onto the imperial dragon bed as a bear seemed improper. Reasoning that there would be plenty of time ahead, he prepared to step out.

As he turned to leave, Xie Jianwei asked, “Do you want to sleep outside?”

Lu Li’s four paws halted.

Xie Jianwei smiled somewhat unnaturally: “I can have the attendants arrange a spot for you.”

Lu Li figured there was an opening, tentatively ambling back.

Xie Jianwei said nothing.

The Panda Marshal was roly-poly and slow-footed; if Xie Jianwei wished to stop him, he had ample opportunity.

Yet Xie Jianwei didn’t. Even when Lu Li rested a thick, furry paw onto the imperial bed, Xie Jianwei remained silent, even looking somewhat expectant.

Lu Li leaped onto the mattress with practiced agility. Xie Jianwei curved his eyes into a smile: “Come here.”

Lu Li shuffled closer. Patting his large head gently, Xie Jianwei whispered, “Sleep.”

He was truly letting him sleep here?

Lu Li was thrilled, yet couldn’t help bubbling with sour jealousy.

In this beastly form, did Xie Jianwei recognize him?

If he didn’t… did Xie Jianwei simply harbor an immense fondness for giant pandas?

Pitiably, giant pandas were extinct in the interstellar era, or the Marshal feared his domestic standing would plunge to rock bottom.

Pondering endlessly, his peculiar physiology took over, and before long he drifted to sleep once more.

Xie Jianwei, however, found sleep elusive. Leaning against the headboard, he stared unblinkingly at the large, curled-up sphere of fur.

How long had they been together?

From age six to twenty-six.

Twenty years.

Back then, only he could see him. The creature was merely the size of a palm, yet possessed a pair of tiny, lovely wings.

When he stood in the freezing, deserted palace gazing upon the cold corpse of his empress mother, the creature had nuzzled its head against his palm, comforting him with faint, tiny chirps.

His mother was gone, but he still had him.

His imperial father was a magnificent emperor, but never a good father, nor even a good husband.

Though he took only his mother in his lifetime, he rarely returned to her side.

Following his birth, his mother’s health declined steadily, showing no improvement despite endless remedies. Xie Jianwei knew that had his father visited her more often, she would surely have recovered.

Yet his father couldn’t. His heart was crammed with state affairs, with the realm, with the populace—perhaps packed so full that it left no room for mother and son.

His mother died of melancholy when Xie Jianwei was only six years old.

He was the empire’s sole heir, the future sovereign carrying immense expectations.

It seemed he would inherit the entire world in the future, yet in the present, he possessed nothing at all.

His only shred of warmth came from his married imperial aunt.

Yet an aunt was wed into another house; no matter how she wished to dote on him, decorum drew strict boundaries.

Xie Jianwei was utterly alone, especially after his mother’s passing.

Fortunately, he had him.

No one else could see him; only Xie Jianwei could behold him, and the creature belonged solely to him.

He could not speak, yet kept him company without fail.

Xie Jianwei regarded him as a heaven-sent treasure.

Yet as Xie Jianwei grew, the creature grew as well, until one day, others could suddenly see him.

Xie Jianwei was sixteen, having just ascended the throne. The creature tumbled to his feet: tiny, curled up, unable to fly because its wings had vanished.

Xie Jianwei scooped him up, the warm touch melting his heart, accepting his existence completely.

He even thought: How wonderful. He is real; over the past ten years, I was never truly alone.

Xie Jianwei had asked him, “Do you wish to stay with me?”

The tiny fluffball nodded, nuzzling its head into his palm.

Xie Jianwei’s eyes curved: “Thank you.”

The little creature licked his palm in response.

Its tongue was tiny and soft, like a feather drifting across his skin, brushing his palm, yet seeming to kiss his very heartstrings.

Xie Jianwei laughed, “That tickles.”

The creature licked him again.

Xie Jianwei laughed with radiant joy, finally displaying the lively spirit a sixteen-year-old youth ought to have.

The little creature seemed delighted as well, treating his palm like a newfound toy, licking it ceaselessly.

From that day on, Xie Jianwei became inseparable from him.

A-Li was tiny, easily tucked inside his robes without anyone noticing.

Xie Jianwei initially didn’t want to bring him to court, fearing others might accuse him of neglecting affairs for idle play, which would endanger A-Li.

Yet A-Li refused. When angry, he would nibble Xie Jianwei’s fingers with tiny teeth, which didn’t hurt at all, but tickled delightfully.

Xie Jianwei coaxed, “Stay here obediently; I will return shortly, alright?”

A-Li bit his pinky finger.

Xie Jianwei bartered, “When I return, I’ll bring you the freshest bamboo shoots.”

The little creature paused, but resisted the temptation, switching to bite his ring finger—a clear sign that his anger had escalated.

As Xie Jianwei hesitated, the eunuchs outside urged him softly.

Steeling his resolve, Xie Jianwei said, “Be good, wait for me…”

Before the words left his mouth, the little creature leaped into his robes.

Xie Jianwei: “…”

The little creature began biting him through his clothing…

Xie Jianwei surrendered: “Alright, alright, I will take you, take you with me.”

The fluffball finally settled, blinking up at Xie Jianwei as if reassuring him.

Xie Jianwei felt deeply assured; with him by his side, peace settled over him.

Court sessions dragged on endlessly, the ministers’ memorials verbose and convoluted, turning simple matters into epic recitations.

Little A-Li remained impeccably well-behaved, staying motionless and silent, so still that no one noticed a thing.

Xie Jianwei felt warmth in his chest, yet immense heartache as well.

Little A-Li needed to eat; enduring hours without nourishment, he had to be starving.

Though slightly distracted, Xie Jianwei inherited his father’s innate statecraft, handling his maiden court session with flawless grace, leaving no flaw for anyone to criticize.

The moment court was dismissed, Xie Jianwei peeked inside his robes, only to find the poor little creature had starved straight into unconsciousness.