Chapter 21: The Matter of Appointing a Consort

Since the morning court session, the mood of Xuanyuan Yu had been sour. Those old geezers were at it again, harping on about the need to fill the imperial harem. In the council hall, his brows knit tighter and tighter. He gripped a memorial so hard he nearly flung it across the room. Piled high on his desk were countless similar documents, all urging him to take a consort.

The little fox watched him, puzzled by his sudden outburst. Seeing the memorial in his hand, her eyes began to sparkle. So, this was the legendary imperial memorial! It looked so incredibly impressive. I want to see it! I want to see it!

The little fox pounced, biting onto a memorial and trying to flip it open with her tiny paws. Alas, lacking fingers, she couldn't manage it. Frustrated and restless, she scratched frantically at the parchment, but to no avail. Giving up, she tugged on the hem of Xuanyuan Yu’s robe, fixating her bewitching purple eyes on him with a pitiful, pleading look.

Xuanyuan Yu picked her up and held out the memorial she had been sitting on earlier, asking, "You want to see? Can you even read it?"

The little fox haughtily turned her head away and smacked a paw onto the memorial, chirping, "Squeak, squeak, squeak!" *Are you joking? How could I not read? You must understand that I am a fox of noble bloodline, a creature that has cultivated for a thousand years, all-knowing and all-powerful.*

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" *Let me tell you, even though you are my master, I will not tolerate such an insult. My knowledge, accumulated over so many years of cultivation, is not something you can look down upon. Do you understand?* The little fox held her head high, her small white tail swishing incessantly behind her.

Xuanyuan Yu listened to her chirping, unaware of what she was saying. Yet, from the look of disdain in her eyes, he knew she was looking down on him, her provider. The little fox seemed intent on continuing her lecture, trying to instill in him the idea of her own greatness, but Xuanyuan Yu hadn't the faintest idea what she was jabbering about.

Xuanyuan Yu opened the memorial and laid it on the table, leaving her to fuss over it. The little fox patted his chest, leaped from his arms, and thought, *Master, not bad, you really know how to play along!*

That cunning and prideful expression amused him. "Do you really understand it? How about I read it to you?" Xuanyuan Yu asked, never having imagined that a little fox could actually be literate.

The little fox’s fur stood on end. "Squeak, squeak, squeak!" *What do you mean by that? Don't look down on foxes! Foxes need to be literate too; otherwise, after cultivating for so long, it would be a total disgrace not to recognize a few words!*

Xuanyuan Yu wisely held his tongue; he feared that saying another word might only anger her further.

The little fox focused her gaze, carefully reading word by word. She recognized the characters: they were all urging Xuanyuan Yu to prioritize the greater good and take a consort. She licked her lips, unimpressed. But then, the term "take a consort" suddenly registered in her mind. *Take a consort = marry = wife = she would have a mistress.* She suddenly recalled the princess from the other day who had threatened to kill her and turn her into a fur scarf. The little fox sprang back into Xuanyuan Yu’s arms like a coiled spring.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" *You absolutely cannot take a consort! The women here are vicious and cruel, their hearts as black as ink. You must hold firm to your will as my master; you cannot abandon your duty to protect me just for those women! If they become my mistresses, it would be no surprise if they stewed me into a beauty tonic! Oh, my master!*

Xuanyuan Yu helplessly stroked the little fox, wondering what on earth she had read to cause such a reaction. He picked up the memorial and read it—it was indeed another petition for him to take a consort. He set the paper down, finally understanding why she was so agitated; she was fiercely protective of her master. Still, he had never expected her to be literate. It was an unexpected and delightful surprise.