Ultimately, Jing-wang really did get injured. After getting treatment and resting his head on Li Yu’s knee, he sank into sleep.
Li Yu shamelessly enjoyed the full view of the tyrant’s extremely envious and handsome face. But his back and leg really couldn’t handle being a pillow like this for too long. Afraid of waking up the person who finally managed to fall asleep, however, Li Yu didn’t dare to move.
Plus, exhaustion was only a side issue. According to his calculations, the duration of his time as a human was almost up. If he gave a live transformation back into a fish right on the couch– Li Yu suddenly had a thought. If he changed into a fish while Jing-wang was using him as a pillow, wouldn’t Jing-wang crush him? What if he got squished flat……
Li Yu quickly shook his head. He needed to slip away before he changed back. However, Jing-wang was still sleeping……
Between a rock and hard place, suddenly the side hall’s door opened slightly. Wang-gonggong stuck half his body inside to look around.
What opportune timing! He was just thinking about being rescued and here comes the rescuer!
Li Yu immediately blinked his eyes frantically at Wang Xi. Wang Xi also saw that there was an additional person inside the side hall. His highness was even laying his head on this person’s leg. Wang-gonggong was stunned briefly and then jogged over.
“You are…… Li-Gongzi?” Suppressing his voice, Wang Xi asked quickly.
Jing-wang made a lot of efforts to swindle the human form Xiao Yu into the Jing Estate. Naturally he specifically made Wang Xi aware of this matter. However, Jing-wang didn’t actually reveal Xiao Yu’s real name. Wang Xi finally figured out clearly that the “male concubine from some family” was a beautiful misunderstanding. This young man, with the surname Li, was part of Prince’s Estate right now and worked specifically by Jing-wang’s side. This was the only information divulged by Jing-wang, nothing else. In addition, Jing-wang didn’t permit anyone to investigate this Li-gongzi and even set down rules. No matter who encountered Li-gongzi, they had to be respectful and courteous, serving Li-gongzi the same as if they were serving him.
Regular people normally couldn’t enter Jing-wang’s room anyways, so it was rare for them to meet with this Li-gongzi of legends. However, as the trusted aide, Wang Xi has caught glimpses of Li-gongzi before. According to his observations, this Li-gongzi should be living in his highness’s room and his whereabouts fluctuated constantly.
Because Jing-wang gave the order, Wang Xi never suspected anything. He only wondered if his highness and this Li-gongzi had something going on between them. Li-gongzi was the person that his highness liked. Wang-gonggong had a good memory. He remembered seeing Li-gongzi and his highness physically entangled together several times before. Now that Li-gongzi was working beside his highness and always entering his room without leaving; his highness even wanted them to serve him carefully. Most likely, it was that kind of liking.
Presently, Li-gongzi appeared by Jing-wang’s side again. Jing-wang was even sleeping on that person’s leg. Wang Xi was even more certain of the two people’s relationship. However, he didn’t reveal anything outwardly. His highness repeatedly instructed that if he met Li-gongzi, he must not fluster the youth and speak nonsense. He needed to be extremely calm and unperturbed. Wang Xi engraved this to memory and also did as such.
Li Yu gave Wang Xi a slight nod. Wang Xi quietly asked about the condition of Jing-wang’s injury. Li Yu imparted what he knew. Then Wang Xi made to leave so as to allow the two to continue as they were. However, Li Yu quickly called him.
“Wang-gonggong, please wait. I… I still have important business. Can you lend me some aid?” Li Yu pleaded quietly. Wang Xi immediately understood what he meant. Cooperating together, they gently lifted Jing-wang back onto the couch. Li Yu then covered Jing-wang up with the blanket personally. Then, the system started its countdown……
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Li Yi didn’t have time to speak more with Wang-gonggong. He anxiously rushed towards the door and quickly hid behind a cabinet near the door. He placed the crystal bottle in an area not very far away. Li Yu was quite experienced in changing back to a fish by now. Other than calculating the time well, he also knew how to place the crystal bottle or fish bowl in a place that had cover. When the time limit was reached, he only needed to hide to finish the transformation, then jump into the crystal bottle or fish tank to complete the process. This time was the same.
Ol Te tegglfvis mtjcufv yjmx lcab j ilaaif mjgq jcv ujatfgfv ragfcuat lcab atf alq bo tlr ajli. Aewqlcu jgbecv jii bnfg mgfjafv delaf atf cblrf. Snfg rlcmf Ol Te vlrmbnfgfv atja tlr ajli kjr ragbcu fcbeut ab reqqbga jcv tbiv eq tlr ybvs, tf’r yffc erlcu atf ajli jr j rwjii rxjafybjgv. Qlat j ktbbrt, tf rilv lc ogbca bo atf mgsraji ybaaif jcv ifjqfv lcrlvf.
Fish completed this series of thrilling movements; Wang-gonggong didn’t even notice at all. Letting out a breath of relief, Li Yu started to swim around inside the crystal bottle, extremely pleased with himself.
Over here, Wang Xi settled Jing-wang down well. He turned his head to search for Li-gongzi, however, the person had already disappeared. Therefore Wang Xi concluded that Li-gongzi had left again. His highness didn’t allow them to show interest in Li-Gongzi’s whereabouts. Of course Wang Xi listened to his highness’s instruction.
However, while passing by the door of the hall, Wang Xi discovered the crystal bottle that was placed on the floor for some unknown reason. Master Xiao Yu was currently wagging its tail at him. With a smile, Wang Xi picked up the crystal bottle with both hands and placed it back in front of the couch. When his highness woke up, he definitely would want to see the fish first.
Inside the side hall of Ganqing Palace, Jing-wang was resting. Meanwhile, just a room away, inside the main hall, everyone knelt on the floor.
The monks that the 6th Prince brought into the palace were fake. The Emperor felt that these fake monks and the nursery rhyme were both equally suspicious and ordered a thorough investigation. However, investigating the nursery rhyme involved interacting with the common people, which needed some time. The fake monks who dared to enter Ganqing Palace became the first to be interrogated. These monks were only thugs. Unable to endure torture, they quickly confessed that they were bribed by the 3rd Prince.
The Emperor scolded the 3rd Prince who thought his position as the crown prince was steady. The small transparent 6th Prince who had the rare chance to show face in front of the Emperor for once also got reprimanded severely by the Emperor.
Ever since he was little, Mu TianXiao(6) knew very well what to do to make the best of the situation. Seeing the situation turn sour, he immediately knelt down and acknowledged the error of his ways sincerely: “Father, this son was wrong. However, I didn’t hold any ill intent. I heard the nursery rhyme being sung by the common people and felt it was suspicious. That’s why I remembered it to inform you. And these monks. I didn’t know they were real or fake either. I never imagined people could impersonate monks as well. This son has made an error in judgement. In the future, I definitely won’t believe everything I hear.”
Very crafty, Mu TianXiao(6) has been hiding behind Mu TianMing(3) as always. Furthermore, the monks and nursery rhyme were not arranged under his name; instead, it was under the 3rd Prince’s name. Mu TianXiao(6) never showed face himself. He was confident that no matter how the Emperor investigated, it wouldn’t reach him. Since the Emperor saw through his scheme right now, to him, acknowledging a mistake wasn’t anything. In comparison, Mu TianMing(3) reacted a bit slower. Mu TianXiao(6) had already explained himself earnestly and said everything that needed to be said. Finally, Mu TianMing(3) also knelt down.
“Father, it wasn’t me! I just think…… there’s something wrong with Jing-wang’s fish.” The 3rd Prince still remained in the shock of seeing the fish fly out and attack the fake monk’s hat. Even though Jing-wang already stated that he discovered issues with the monk and purposely threw the crystal bottle over, the 3rd Prince thought about it carefully and wasn’t too certain. Did Jing-wang’s hand bleed first or did the fish attack first…
…… it seemed… to have been the fish.
Mu TianMing(3) felt this fish was very suspicious. If he let the Emperor know about this, then who cares about these monks.
“TianMing(3), you still won’t admit your wrongs?” With the monks’ testimonies, the Emperor didn’t want to hear anything from the 3rd Prince at all. The 6th Prince had already admitted his mistake; yet the 3rd Prince still dared to attempt to mislead him?!
The Emperor was very clear that the 6th Prince often followed the 3rd Prince and helped the 3rd Prince do things. Although the nursery rhyme and fake monks were both brought up by the 6th Prince, the monks testified against the 3rd Prince. The 6th Prince’s words also mentioned the 3rd Prince several times……
At the very least, the 3rd Prince knew the situation behind the 6th Prince’s actions. The 6th Prince was willing to apologize, but the 3rd Prince wasn’t. These completely different attitudes also indicated that the 3rd Prince was the head instigator here!
The Emperor also recalled back then when he first ordered the astronomy department to divinate for Jing-wang’s fish, Mu TianMing(3) ended up jumping out to question the astronomy department and got refuted by Head Divinator Sun. The nursery rhyme and fake monks that the 6th prince brought out afterwards, weren’t these actually also attempts to overthrow the results of the astronomy department’s divination?
The Emperor abruptly remembered one thing. A few days ago, he heard from Luo RuiSheng that the 3rd Prince went to Jing Estate to buy fish, but was thrown out by Jing-wang. The Emperor originally looked at this in amusement. However, thinking about it again right now… Didn’t the 3rd Prince also believe that Jing-wang’s fish was auspicious? That’s why he’d want to buy fish. Why would his attitude change in such a few short days? The nursery rhyme and fake monks, which one wasn’t an attempt to use the fish as an excuse to make him, the Emperor, suspicious of Jing-wang?
But why would the 3rd Prince do this?
According to his understanding of the 3rd prince, perhaps, it’s because he treated Jing-wang’s fish as special. Therefore, it made the 3rd Prince jealous. The 3rd Prince didn’t manage to buy the fish from Jing-wang and felt Jing-wang wasn’t being tactful. Therefore, he ordered the 6th Prince to collaborate with him to pour dirty water on Jing-wang……
The Emperor had quite a headache.
Actually, he’s been paying attention to Mu TianMing(3) all this time. In his memories, this son always expressed the opposite view with Mu TianZhao(2). But in terms of abilities, Mu TianMing(3) didn’t actually match Mu TianZhao(2). Nevertheless, he still had areas worthy of praise. For a while, the Emperor even appreciated this son quite a bit, but it never reached the same level of importance as Mu TianZhao(2).
Ultimately, the Emperor had a responsibility in Mu TianZhao(2)’s tragedy because of his premature reveal of the potential crown prince candidate. The 2nd Prince was no longer fit. The Emperor felt like he learned from his past mistakes. At least currently, he temporarily didn’t have any desire to make anyone crown prince. He thought at least he could endure for a few more years and examine the rest of the princes. He could wait until the young 7th and 8th prince grew up a little more before making his choice.
However, even though the Emperor didn’t have any intent to make anyone crown prince, it didn’t represent the same for other people.
Before Mu TianMing(3) seemed very humble. Now that there was no one suppressing him from above, his ambition was very quickly exposed.
It’s not that the Emperor didn’t know clearly about the things that Mu TianMing(3) was doing in court these last few days. Where did the government officials that had good relations with Mu TianZhao(2) go now? Also that concubine Qian. On the matter of dealing with Qiu-shi, she cut into the decision making several times.
These were all behaviors of unrest. However, the Emperor can still tolerate it.
He didn’t have many sons who were fully grown after all. Therefore, he didn’t actively restrict the 3rd Prince. Fully grown princes should have their power and sphere of influence. Perhaps the 3rd prince and concubine Qian didn’t have any intention to act recklessly?
Such an erroneous thought. If he really believed the nursery rhyme and words of the monk today and had a misunderstanding towards Jing-wang, what would he have done to Jing-wang?
In reality, he had already started to doubt Jing-wang……
Towards this, the Emperor felt both angry and guilty. Unable to criticize himself for almost falling into the trap, the Emperor can only vent his fury on the two princes who plotted all of this– mainly on the 3rd Prince.
The 2nd Prince was already rendered useless. The Emperor didn’t want to rashly punish the rest of his grown up sons right now. Therefore, he also did the same to the 3rd Prince as he did to the 2nd Prince– deprive him of his official post.
However, the 3rd Prince was more fortunate than the 2nd Prince. Mu TianZhao(2) received a completely disgraced Marquis position. Mu TianMing(3) still kept the rank of a prince. He wasn’t hit in the face like that– yet it wasn’t really much better.
Jing-wang’s hand was injured. So the Emperor ordered the guards to give the 3rd Prince and 6th Prince 100 paddles individually. The Emperor watched the proceeding himself to prevent people from going soft on them. Following this, the 6th Prince was to be sent to solitary confinement. The 3rd Prince was told not to come to court anymore from now on. Instead, he had to go to the Imperial Study and attend school with his two smaller brothers, the 7th Prince and 8th Prince.
And this was merely the punishment regarding the fake monks. If investigations later showed that the nursery rhyme business was also a plot by the 3rd Prince, the Emperor would have let the 3rd Prince “figure it out himself”.
As Princes who received the corporal punishment, the 3rd Prince and 6th prince had neither predecessors nor successors. The scene was very spectacular.
The Emperor ordered the guards to carry out the punishment right inside Ganqing Palace. The two princes were made to take off their pants in front of the crowd. They were pressed on the benches to receive their beatings. The 6th prince endured and didn’t make any noises of pain. The 3rd Prince would let out a miserable scream with every hit, voice traveling to the side hall. Inside the crystal bottle, Li Yu listened in contentment. The Emperor was making a grandiose gesture here, punishing the 3rd Prince and 6th Prince in order to get revenge for Jing-wang. Li Yu also felt like his hatred was avenged.
Because he was worried about Jing-wang, even after changing back to a fish, Li Yu didn’t bother entering the System. Just now when he was causing a commotion in Ganqing Palace, he seemed to have heard a sound from the System. Who knows how the missions were. But first, he was going to wait until Jing-wang woke up and then worry about the tasks.
Not long later, the 3rd Prince’s hair-raising shrieks eventually woke up Jing-wang with the noise. As soon as Jing-wang opened his eyes, he saw the small carp inside the crystal bottle peering at himself.
Jing-wang: Did he not have enough time to absorb essence and end up transforming back?
There’s ample time. No need to rush. Jing-wang smiled. Knowing that Xiao Yu was worried about him, he also wanted to give Xiao Yu some comfort. He was just about to stroke the fish, but unexpectedly, before he had a chance to extend his hand, the carp demon promptly stretched out its tail and directly entered the “meditative state.”
Jing-wang: “…….”
The tyrant master finally woke up!
Li Yu impatiently entered the System to see his missions. He discovered the koi branch mission that had been placed to the side all this time has updated!
thanks for the chapter!
A little too quick there, Li Yu…
Thank You for the chapter (｡’▽’｡)♡
Frozen fish face—🤣🤣🤣🤣🐟
Thanks for the chapter ☺️.
I dont see it said often, but i really do like wang xi :’D i hope he stays nice