“Desires are the causes of past lives, and the receivers of this life. Fruits are the results of future lives, and the doers of this life.”
“What are you looking at?” Hearing my murmuring, Ye Yixing approached and looked, “『Dragon Comforts Pure Land Sutra』, a Buddhist scripture…?”
I held my chin in my hand and asked softly, “Do you believe in past lives?”
Ye Yixing smiled and said, “Of course, I must have done many good deeds in my past life to be so happy in this life.”
“I had a dream the night before yesterday…”
“Dreamt of what?”
What did I dream of? I think I dreamt of our past life…
In the previous life, I was a pure white cat, and Ye Yixing was a black cat with emerald green eyes. He wasn’t Xiao Hei or a cat demon; he was the prince of the Cat Kingdom.
In the Cat Kingdom, social status was determined by one’s race, and the hierarchy within a race was determined by fur color.
Black represented the imperial family. Most heirs to the throne were pure black-furred cats. The king had a glossy black fur, his robust physique hidden beneath regal robes. And the prince wore a silver outer robe, his figure slender and agile!
That year, during the coming-of-age ceremony, the prince appeared on the ceremonial platform in the palace for the first time, led by the king and queen—
“I am Moyu, the heir to the throne of the Cat Dynasty. Today, I once again make my oath as a grown cat. I hope my subjects will respect and assist me. I promise to establish a prosperous and peaceful dynasty for you all.”
His black fur, exposed outside the robe in the sunlight, gleamed with a golden hue. His pair of emerald green eyes looked down at the nobles and officials as if they were the most beautiful jade in the world.
From the moment his gaze met mine, I knew my heart had fallen…
I swear, he was the most handsome black cat I had ever seen, no, the most handsome black cat that had ever existed!
“Bairan, wake up!”
Hearing the voice, I rolled over sleepily and lifted my face, “Hmm…?”
“You have the final round of exams today!”
“Ah!” I jumped up, quickly using my paws to wash my face.
Oh no, today I also have an interview with the prince! I overslept!
The guard cat in the dormitory who woke me up looked at me sympathetically, “Are you sure you don’t want to take a shower?”
“No time!” I licked my fur smooth, which was rumpled from sleeping, and rushed out.
Last month, I signed up for the selection of guards in front of the prince. As an orphan of a middle-class noble family, I had the qualification to participate, but my chances were low. Other competitors were mostly from higher-class families, and most had solid dark-colored fur.
White cats used to have a high status in the Cat Kingdom, as white cats were often gentle and beautiful, suitable candidates for queen consorts. However, due to breeding issues, the offspring of white cats were often mixed-colored. Consequently, the status of white cats declined over generations. By now, there were hardly any pure white cats left among the nobility.
My parents were originally a royal scribe and a personal maid to the queen, respectively. Both of them were pure white cats, and I inherited the same fur color. However, I developed a preference for dark colors. I found dark-furred cats to be handsome and robust.
The White Cat family’s constitution had always been weak, and they were prone to illness from slight exertion. Both of my parents loved me dearly, but due to this fragility, they passed away early in my childhood.
The queen took pity on my plight and assigned two maids to take care of my daily life. She frequently wrote letters to inquire about my well-being. I studied hard and trained diligently, growing up as a cat. Now it’s my turn to repay their kindness. I want to become the prince’s guard and protect him for a lifetime!
But, but if I’m not selected, if I’m not selected…
Then I’ll have to find other ways to repay my debts…
Stop overthinking, I hurried to the examination hall. When I arrived, all the cats who had made it to this round were there. There were a total of ten. This final round was the most brutal, eliminating half of them.
I was very nervous. But reaching this point already made me content. After all, it was rare for a white cat to become a guard, and even if I were eliminated, I could still be promoted to Captain Cat, managing the lower-ranking cat soldiers.
The king sat on the throne in the grand hall, kind yet authoritative. The prince would sit there in the future… I happily imagined, searching left and right for the prince’s figure. Finally, he appeared. Today, he wasn’t wearing the silver robe he had worn during the coming-of-age ceremony, but a white knitted vest that revealed more of his black fur. It looked so sleek, shiny, and handsome…
Ugh… If only I could have fur as beautiful as the prince’s! No, wait, the prince was sacred and untouchable. If I could just keep seeing the prince like this, I would be satisfied…
The prince sat down beside the king, looking around at us. It might have been my imagination, but his gaze seemed to linger on me for a few seconds. I kept my head lowered, avoiding eye contact.
“You’ve all received higher education, gone through written exams, physical tests, and the final evaluation, making it through layers of selection as elites…” The king began to speak, “The Cat Kingdom is proud of your presence, and you will be the pillars of the kingdom in the future!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” we all said in unison.
“Gathered here today, there’s one last test remaining. Those who pass will be directly promoted to the royal guards. This position is a hereditary title for life. Your responsibility is to assist in protecting my son, accompany him, be his guiding light, mirror, and loyal friend. Respect him as your king, treasure him as a friend, love him like a son, and he will treat you the same way…”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“For this final test, it will be personally administered and judged by Prince Yuer, and he will make the selection.” The king finished, shifting his gaze to the prince. The prince nodded in return, “Thank you, Father.”
Standing up, he exuded a confident smile and an innate air of royalty, “As Father mentioned earlier, you are the elite of the elites. I’m sure you’ve gone through all the challenges that you should have…”
I greedily observed the prince’s posture, listened to his voice, feeling as if I were bathing in a gentle spring breeze, my heart at ease.
“My challenge is quite simple. You might have prepared answers for this question, of course, I’d like to hear something different…”
The ten cats looked at each other nervously.
“Please state your reasons for participating in the selection of the royal guards one by one. I want your sincere answers, and you have only five seconds each, which means you can only say one sentence… Number one!”
Number one didn’t hesitate, “To serve the country loyally until death!”
“Number five.” The prince continued without pause, pointing to the next person as soon as one finished.
“For the prosperity and strength of the Cat Kingdom!”
“Number three.”
“To prove that my abilities are sufficient to assist the prince in governing the nation!”
“Number nine…”
…
“Number eight.”
Ah! It’s me! I… I… I’m left with nothing to say, oh…
I looked at the prince’s emerald eyes, unable to think anymore. Without thinking, I blurted out, “To, to stay by the prince’s side…”
Oh no, oh no! I can’t believe I said such a silly reason. I’m definitely going to be eliminated, sob…
The prince hesitated for a moment, then smiled lightly and shifted his gaze away, “Number four.”
“To become a source of pride for my family!”
…
A minute later, the prince turned to the scholar beside him, “Have you recorded them?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Wait here, I’ll make my selection and come out to notify you.”
I felt as if my heart had turned to ashes. I didn’t hold much hope for the outcome of the selection. A deep gray cat beside me patted my shoulder, “What’s wrong, Bai? Why so downcast?”
I sighed, “I feel like I’m going to be rejected.”
The gray cat said, “How could that be? You answered quite well.”
He tried to comfort me, and I felt a little better. Still, my head remained lowered, and I asked, “What did you say? I was too nervous to listen to the answers from the others.”
The gray cat chuckled, “Compared to you, I probably have an even higher chance of being rejected. The prince asked so quickly that I didn’t even have time to think. I just blurted out my goal—earning enough money to provide a better life for my younger siblings.”
I was surprised, “Huh, aren’t you from a noble family?”
The gray cat smiled bitterly, “Not anymore. Our ancestors used to be well-off, but by my grandfather’s generation, we were left with a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings. By the time I was born, our family fortune was nearly depleted. We can’t even afford to send my siblings to school. Life is unpredictable; I don’t know if I can revive my family’s standing.”
I held the gray cat’s paw, feeling sympathetic, “As long as you’re determined, I’m sure you can.”
It turns out that there are countless people in this world who have suffered more than I have. While I lost my parents early, I still received the favor of the royal family. On the other hand, the gray cat, despite having parents, carries the hopes of his entire family… The pressure he’s under is something that not just anyone can bear.
Just as we were discussing this, Prince Yuer emerged. He was accompanied by officials who carried a thin scroll. We fell silent, waiting quietly for the prince’s announcement.
“Number one, your performance in the physical test ranked first among everyone. And your dedication to serving the country until death is admirable. I believe you are best suited for the Royal Guard Legion. Starting today, you will apprentice under General Luo. When there’s a suitable opportunity, he will surely promote you.”
This is… an elimination?
Number one looked somewhat disappointed, but this new position wasn’t bad either. He quickly expressed his gratitude and bowed.
“Number three, reaching this stage already proves your abilities. I believe that following me is about proving yourself rather than following me. Given your exceptional performance, I’m sending you to the Royal Statesmen and Educational Research Group. The same goes for number five. The Royal Merchant Consortium needs talents like you. I hope you can achieve something significant in the future.”
The two cats were tearfully grateful as they thanked him with trembling whiskers.
I believe Prince Yuer is quite adept at understanding cats’ hearts. Even if we were eliminated, the arrangements he made seemed to make each cat willingly accept their path…
“Number four, number six.”
The gray cat and another cat immediately stepped forward upon hearing their numbers.
“I appreciate your thoughts, but following me doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll earn a lot of money. On the contrary, you might sometimes experience limitations and be unable to return home or put me before your own family. Comparatively, the Royal Council for Advising and Teaching has more opportunities for rewards. I’ve decided to send both of you there. Both positions are prestigious, and you won’t feel ashamed in your family.”
The gray cat glanced at me with happiness evident in his expression.
I was stunned, only then realizing that Prince Yuer had already announced the destinies of the other five candidates…
“The remaining five, follow me inside.”
I was overjoyed, feeling like my soul had left my body. I couldn’t believe it—I was actually selected like this! I followed them into the inner chamber, so ecstatic that I even forgot to say “goodbye” to the gray cat.
Prince Yuer sat down with a smile, gesturing toward some cushions, “You may also sit.”
I lay down on a jade-colored cushion, enveloped by a subtle fragrance. Beside me was a female cat, and in front of us was the dashing Prince Yuer. The aroma of the mahonia tea wafted around us. Everything felt so dreamlike and unreal.
“Do you know why I selected the five of you?” Prince Yuer asked.
A few of the cats shook their heads in confusion. One timidly asked, “I said earlier that I’m willing to share your joys and sorrows, could it be that you want to confide in us?”
Prince Yuer licked the rim of his teacup, “Not exactly.” He glanced at me and inquired, “What’s your name?”
“Uh?” I had been daydreaming for too long. I hadn’t realized that Prince Yuer was talking to me. Stumbling over my words, I said, “B-Bai, Bai Ran…”
“Bai Bai Ran?” The prince smiled and responded with a question. His smile was enchanting, making my heart race.
“Your Highness, Bai is the most timid among us. If you keep scaring him, he might faint…” Another cat, with fur slightly reddish, spoke up. His name was Tian Hong, and seeing the prince so at ease, he decided to make a joke.
Prince Yuer flicked his tail and joyfully said, “That’s how I want you to be—lively and spirited. Don’t treat me like a prince. From now on, we’re friends. The prince is just a role for the country and its people.”
We exchanged glances, a little perplexed.
Prince Yuer continued, “Being selected like this is already impressive. The questions earlier were just to pick those whom I find congenial, those who I believe can play, learn, and manage the country together with me.” Pointing at me, he added, “Just like him, I want people who genuinely want to be by my side.”
“Understood!” The cat with brownish fur playfully twirled his whiskers and said, “No wonder I said I want to play chess with Your Highness and explore the fun places in Cat Kingdom, and you chose me. Because Your Highness wants to play together with us…”
“Hahaha!” The prince burst into laughter. “Exactly!”
Infected by the prince’s laughter, we all relaxed. I felt as if I was floating, swaying my tail, and gazing sincerely at Prince Yuer, I said, “Your Highness, I can make cat cookies…”
It was my mother’s specialty. I often saw her making them in the kitchen when I was a child. After she passed away, making cat cookies was my way of remembering her.
I was willing to share my most cherished thing with Prince Yuer.
“Cat cookies?” Prince Yuer tilted his head in thought. “I think I’ve had them before.”
“Huh…”
“Are they the ones made by Auntie Xue?”
Auntie Xue… Xue, that was my mother’s name! Ah, I forgot. My mother used to be a maid to the queen, and she must have made cat cookies for him!
Thinking about him having tasted cookies my mother had made, I felt even closer to Prince Yuer.
I nodded enthusiastically.
“Xiao Bai, where are the cookies?” I turned around and realized that Prince Yuer was already rummaging through my package…!
“Oh…” My worn-out vest was still in the package! I was about to snatch it back when Prince Yuer pulled out the box and sniffed, saying, “Auntie Xue’s scent.”
The queen’s expression lit up, and she approached, asking, “Really?”
Prince Yuer opened the box, revealing a full box of roughly made cookies inside… I hung my head, unable to look at them. My cookies weren’t as well-made as my mother’s…
“Oh… tasting these brings back memories of when Xue was still around,” the queen choked up, her eyes moist. I looked up in surprise, and walked over, gently nudging the queen with my head.
Were they remembering my mother?
The queen hugged me and said, “Good child…”
“Mother, you should head back to the palace soon. If Father can’t find you later, he’ll get upset.” Prince Yuer coaxed the queen away. He was sitting on the cushion in my room, munching on cookies. He instructed me to change into new clothes. It turned out that those clothes were his own, ones he had outgrown. I was slightly smaller than him, so they fit me well…
He picked a ruby-red one and said, “This color isn’t suitable for black, but it suits your white coat. Go try it on, let me see.”
After changing, I felt awkward. The outfit was too vibrant. I was used to wearing plain colors, and suddenly wearing something so eye-catching made me feel a bit self-conscious.
Prince Yuer stared at me, seemingly lost in thought for a while. Finally, he said, “You look really beautiful.”
My cheeks flushed, and I walked over to Prince Yuer and lay down beside him, accidentally brushing against his shiny black fur. I whispered, “Prince Yuer, you’re much more handsome than I am.”
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