The Cat Swapped for the Crown Prince

Yan pressed her hand to her belly. No, she could not. Pan Yueyang was nothing but a coward—how could she bear a child for such a man? She had misjudged him at first, but now that she truly knew what sort of weakling he was, why torment herself further? Yan had said nothing aloud, but her silence did not mean she lacked thought. Pan Yueyang—if not for your weakness, your indecision, would I have ended up like this? Suddenly, an image of Guan Canghai flashed through her mind. Yan shook her head in alarm. Impossible. No matter how much she despised Pan Yueyang, she should not be thinking of Guan Canghai.

Yet that man... there was something about him. His courage and resolve were qualities Pan Yueyang could never possess. If only she had met Guan Canghai first, not Pan Yueyang—perhaps then she might have truly regarded him as she ought.

Yan’s eyes flickered as the memory of that night with Guan Canghai surfaced. It had only been a month since her miscarriage—twenty days, give or take, since that night. If... if she claimed the child was Guan Canghai’s, it would not be unfounded.

Biting her lower lip, Yan looked down at her belly. "Child, this time I will bring you into the world. You have only me—I will be your only kin."

After leaving the imperial city, their little party traveled for another day. As night fell, they came upon a village. The guards reined in their horses, stopping the carriage. "Miss, darkness is coming. Let us rest here for the night," one of the guards said respectfully.

"Very well." Yan pulled back the curtain. The village had seen no snow; the road was clean and dry. She stepped from the carriage and glanced at the inn sign overhead—"Fortune Guesthouse." "A fine name," she remarked, and went inside.

They ate a simple meal. The guards booked three rooms—one for the driver, who would sleep alone; the other guards would take turns watching in pairs. Yan had a room, and Baili Mubai had a room. Aside from the two on watch, the others retired for the night.

Baili Mubai tossed and turned in bed. Though exhausted, sleep would not come. At last, he rose and quietly knocked at Yan’s door. The guard at the door did not block his way.

"Come in," Yan called, pulling a robe over her shoulders.

"Yan, I couldn’t sleep and thought I’d check on you." Baili Mubai cast a glance at her bed—she had clearly been resting.

"It’s nothing, Mubai. In fact, I had something I wanted to discuss with you." Yan sat calmly in a chair.

"You and my senior brother..." Baili Mubai looked at the tranquil Yan, sensing a new distance between them.

"There is nothing between Pan Yueyang and me. Mubai, when we reach the border, I hope you can help me find a secluded place, far from the eyes of the world." Yan was preparing for the child within her.

"Why? Are you afraid Empress Rong and her people will harm you? Don’t worry. While I draw breath, they can do nothing to you." Baili Mubai thumped his chest, vowing his protection.

"No, Mubai. I think... I may be pregnant again. For the sake of this child, I must not face further threats. And... besides you, I want no one else to know anything about this child." Yan kept her true intentions—this child might be her only chance to turn her fortunes—hidden from Baili Mubai. This secret was hers alone.

"Now Guan Canghai controls the whole of Tianfeng, his ambition clear. His greatest threat is the Panlong Kingdom. I do not want him to know I am with child. If he seeks to use me again..." Yan blinked, watching Baili Mubai.

"I understand. You want to protect senior brother’s child." Baili Mubai forced a smile, feeling defeated and sad.

"Mubai, this is not Pan Yueyang’s child. It is mine, not his." Yan disliked having herself and Pan Yueyang spoken of as one.

Baili Mubai’s head snapped up, astonished. "Yan, you have changed."

"Yes, Mubai. I am no longer the foolish, obedient girl I once was. After all I’ve endured, how could I not change? I possess no martial skills, no craft, not even the basic means to survive. If you were not always at my side, I would not know what to do." Yan sighed softly.

"Very well, Yan. I promise you—your concerns are mine, and I once swore to protect you for life!" Baili Mubai stood, gazing at Yan with deep feeling.

"Mubai." Yan threw her arms around him, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. On the side he could not see, her face twisted into a cold, ruthless expression.

Surprised by the sudden embrace, Baili Mubai’s hands hovered awkwardly in the air, unsure whether to hold her or not. His face burned red with embarrassment.

Yan knew this young man before her liked her. She herself had once blossomed with first love for Pan Yueyang. But not every first love brings lifelong happiness—love, after all, is a poison.

Since men were so easily swayed by beauty, she must make use of this gift from the heavens and accomplish something grand. The plan in her heart grew ever clearer: she hoped Guan Canghai would secure his position in Tianfeng, then she would have Baili Mubai bring her close to him. With her pregnancy, she would have reason enough for him to take her as wife or concubine, and then she would slowly rid herself of Pan Yueyang. If this failed, she could use Baili Mubai to get close to Pan Yueyang again—an even simpler task. She would bring the child with her and pay a special visit to Ou Ruolan!

Their journey, with many stops and delays, lasted nearly a month before they finally reached the border—Saizhou—safe and sound.

It was deep winter, with the New Year fast approaching. Yan touched her belly—her monthly cycle had not come. She was now certain she was with child.

"Miss, we have arrived at Saizhou. Soon we’ll report to the yamen, and then my brothers and I will return to the capital. From here on, you must take care of yourself," said the guard, leading her carriage. He had not expected their journey to be so uneventful, and now they could make it home in time for the festivities.

"Understood," Yan replied quietly through the carriage curtain.

Upon entering the yamen, the guards were led to the rear hall, while Yan was brought outside by a woman. "You’re the new slave?" The woman was stout and round-faced, but her skin was fair, and she wore a plain robe of violet-pink.

"I am," Yan replied, keeping her head down and pressing her hand to her face. The false flesh she wore was rotting, clinging to her skin and making it itch unbearably.

"From now on, cover your face with a cloth. That appearance might frighten the children," the fat woman said, glancing at Yan’s face.

Hearing that she could cover her face, Yan at last smiled inwardly. No longer would she have to endure the stinking false flesh. She looked up. "Thank you, sister."

"Oh, you have manners. You’ll be under my care from now on. All the female slaves sent here are my responsibility, though many are sold to brothels or theaters as the lowest of slaves." The fat woman covered her mouth, laughing lightly, as though the fate of these women was as trivial as cracking melon seeds. Clearly, she had sold so many that she no longer felt anything.

At the mention of the brothel, Yan panicked and knelt before her. "Sister, you are a kind woman—please, have mercy and do not sell me to such places. I will work like an ox or a horse for you." With that, Yan kowtowed fervently.

"Oh dear, get up." Whether out of a rare pang of conscience or a sense of kinship, the fat woman relented and helped Yan to her feet. "My name is Su Lan. You can call me Sister Su Lan."

"Sister Su Lan." Yan clung to her hand, terrified she would be sold into degradation.

The woman laughed. "You really are naïve, girl. Only those with beauty are sold to the brothels." Her eyes fixed intently on the left side of Yan’s face.

Yan quickly covered her face, eyes bright with relief. "Thank you, Sister Su Lan!" She knew her ruined face had saved her, and she offered another round of kneeling gratitude.

"From now on, you’ll be feeding the horses. It’s harder than other work, so mind your health. If something happens to you, I won’t take the blame." Su Lan eyed Yan’s slender waist warily.

"Don’t worry, Sister Su Lan—I’ll obey and work hard," Yan promised sweetly.

"Good. Come with me." Su Lan led the way, Yan following close behind. In the shadows, Baili Mubai seethed with rage—if this shameless woman had tried to send Yan to a brothel, he would have rushed out and killed her. Thankfully, the wounds on Yan’s face had spared her.

Su Lan, swaying her ample hips, brought Yan to a remote hollow at the edge of town. She pointed with a plump white finger. "See there? That’s the Saizhou stables. We raise warhorses for Panlong here—they’re cared for with great attention. All the laborers are slaves. I’ll take you over—just do as the foreman says."

Yan said nothing, but glanced back at the town behind her. Though the stables were within Saizhou, they stood at the edge, in a secluded spot—truly a rare place to raise horses. "Sister Su Lan, why is this place set in a hollow?" Yan sensed it was unlike any city she had seen before.

"You don’t know? Saizhou is surrounded on one side by sheer cliffs. Though it’s a border city, it is also the hardest to conquer!" Su Lan clapped her hands in pride.

"A fine place," Yan said, gazing thoughtfully at the cliffs.

Su Lan said no more, but led her to the only large house in the paddock. "Come, let’s see Steward Li."

Yan followed silently, carefully taking note of the stable’s geography, her mind already plotting.

"Steward Li! I’ve brought you a new slave," Su Lan called as she entered, and a stooped old man shuffled out from the inner room.

"Why, if it isn’t Sister Su Lan, bringing me another one today?" Steward Li, a man of about fifty, stooped but lively-eyed, looked Yan up and down.

"Her face is not pleasant to look at. Let her do the rough work, and keep her away from visitors. I’d hate to frighten the others," Su Lan said politely.

Steward Li nodded. Su Lan smiled at Yan and departed. "What’s your name?" Steward Li asked without looking up.

"Yan," she answered honestly.

"Not a good name—pretentious, and not fit for a slave. Clearly, you were a pampered lady once. What did you do to end up here in Saizhou?" He glanced briefly at the left side of her face.

"If you think it unfit, sir, you may give me another," Yan replied, thinking a new name might be for the best.

"Never learned my letters—no good at naming. Come, I’ll show you the stables. From now on, you’ll bathe every horse and feed them. At night, you must feed them again—don’t be lazy," Steward Li instructed as he led her out.

"All the slaves here are like you—either crippled or with some other flaw. Unfit for better tasks, so they end up with me. You’ll work with them. Rise at dawn each day to feed the horses, then clean the stables. Breakfast is in the main house. At midnight, feed the horses again. That’s the rule—understand?"

"I understand," Yan replied, calling herself a servant at once.

"Wildflower, I’ve got a new worker for you—take her under your wing!" Steward Li called into the stables.