Chapter 6 How can the carp live? "Yes, yes, yes, we'll go back right away..."
"Yes, yes, yes, we'll go back and tell Steward Yu right away!"
Two servants hurried away, and Jiang Zhuoying heard the eunuch's deliberately lowered, high-pitched voice again: "Master, are you alright?"
"It's alright."
"Thank goodness you discovered it in time, otherwise we would have had to endure it for a while longer."
The man frowned, staring at the small, fiery red figure not far away: "It may be difficult to find peace in the future."
Such tests will only increase today.
"Sir, you have been biding your time for many years, and the opportunity you have been waiting for has finally arrived."
The man pursed his lips tightly: "No matter what happens, we must protect Zhuozhuo."
"Don't worry, sir, we understand."
As Jiang Zhuoying was lost in thought after hearing these pointed words, another person rushed into the backyard.
She had never seen this person before, but based on his greeting and self-address, Jiang Zhuoying remembered him.
It is Yu Ji.
"Sir, according to my investigation, the dogwood in the lunch was secretly placed there by the new kitchen helper who arrived yesterday."
"It is said that...it is said that his nephew heard about it from somewhere and thought that Your Highness was very spicy."
Chu Yixin frowned, her voice sharper than usual as she spoke with agitation: "Where did this kitchen helper come from? How could an outsider come to our courtyard?"
The man named Yu Ji bowed and said, "The original kitchen helper had to take three days off due to an emergency at home, so I temporarily found someone to fill in for him."
"The new kitchen helper's background has been thoroughly investigated. This... this matter is ultimately due to my incompetence. Please punish me, sir."
Only a few close servants knew that their master was allergic to dogwood.
To avoid revealing too much, the dishes served to the master are always light and bland.
However, the spies planted by the Third Prince were ubiquitous and had somehow obtained some hearsay information, which they wanted to use to test him.
Surprisingly, it actually worked perfectly.
The man in the pavilion sat on a stone bench. Hearing this, he remained silent for a moment, then said calmly and indifferently, "Then let's investigate along this path."
"Yes, I understand."
It seems that this second prince cannot tolerate even the slightest bit of spice.
The fiery red carp in the pond clung tightly to the stone wall made of pebbles, trying to hear the conversation of these people more clearly.
“In a few days it will be the anniversary of my mother’s death. I need to take Zhuozhuo to the Osmanthus Forest for a short stay. You two can come with me.”
...
Osmanthus grove?
The Second Prince's mother was Consort Wan. Why did he go to the Osmanthus Grove to stay on the anniversary of Consort Wan's death?
"Master, is Zhuozhuo still the same as usual?"
The man nodded: "Mm."
Jiang Zhuoying: "?"
She quietly lay down by the pool and overheard their entire conversation.
But their words were like riddles, and she had to listen and guess.
What exactly does the phrase "as usual" mean?
Can't you just say it more clearly?
...
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zhuoying had spent five days in this fishpond.
She saw the Second Prince several times a day, and after a while, Jiang Zhuoying got a general idea of his temperament.
This second prince is deep and shrewd, and not at all like the mediocre person he is rumored to be.
His expression was always unreadable, except when he was facing himself, when he would occasionally reveal a barely perceptible serenity.
He doesn't show any sharpness, but his inner strength is unfathomable, and he is definitely not as unworthy of being trusted as the rumors outside suggest.
On this clear morning, the sky was blue and clear.
Jiang Zhuoying was woken up by the noise. Early in the morning, the servants in the courtyard were coming and going, busy with their work.
What are they doing now?
She counted pearls until late last night and was very tired.
In a fit of anger, the little fat carp swung its tail fiercely.
She has been at this fishpond for more than five days, and every day she tries to count the luminous pearls in the pond, but she still hasn't counted them all.
It's not that the number of luminous pearls is countless, but rather that the water in her pool is constantly flowing because of the waterwheel.
The luminous pearls she had painstakingly counted were soon swept away by the current and disappeared without a trace...
"Gurgle gurgle gurgle!"
Jiang Zhuoying originally wanted to scold her, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she started blowing bubbles.
"Come on, be careful!"
It was the eunuch's voice. Jiang Zhuoying listlessly floated to the surface and saw Chu Yixin leading several servants toward the pond.
The servants, just like last time, were carrying earthenware jars on their shoulders as they walked this way.
Jiang Zhuoying had never seen this earthenware jar before; it was not the blue-and-white porcelain jar she had stayed in last time.
The jar was noticeably smaller, probably not much larger than her body length.
"Alright, just leave it here."
Chu Yixin lowered his voice, turned his head and met Jiang Zhuoying's eyes that were just above the water, and he immediately broke into a smile.
"Zhuozhuo, you'll have to suffer later."
Jiang Zhuoying wagged her tail: "?"
She's only been enjoying herself in this pond for a few days, and now they're going to put her back in the vat?
Something's not right...
Jiang Zhuoying suddenly recalled the conversation between the master and servants that she had overheard a few days ago.
Is the osmanthus grove related to Consort Wan?
Perhaps today is the day we set off?
"Eunuch Chu, how should we capture Zhuozhuo this time?" The servant standing to the side asked the burning question, gazing at the fiery red mass in the pond.
Chu Yixin also looked at Jiang Zhuoying, and he cleared his throat slightly: "Wait for Master to come and catch her."
In previous years, at this time every year, the master would personally come to lure Zhuozhuo ashore.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a figure in black appeared at the end of the stone path.
The man strode over, wearing matching black boots.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
"Get up, all of you."
Qi Fan flicked his sleeve and strode straight to the shore. Behind him, Yu Jixuan immediately opened the food box...
Jiang Zhuoying had been lured by a wolf in the water; she had initially thought he would use some strange object to lure her.
Is this all the food you have?
Never mind, let's go have breakfast.
As soon as the fiery red carp in the pond saw the man, it swung its pectoral fins and swished its tail as it came over.
Chu Yixin, who was on the shore, smiled kindly: "Look how much Zhuozhuo likes His Highness. She is so happy to see His Highness."
Jiang Zhuoying stopped abruptly on the water's surface. How could this eunuch not understand such a small thing?
She did this entirely because of the breakfast!
This person's thoughts are unpredictable; she doesn't want to get involved with him unless absolutely necessary.
She doesn't know when she'll find out the cause of her mother's death, and she doesn't even know what her own body looks like now.
Jiang Zhuoying cooperated by being carried into the earthenware jar. To make it easier to move, the jar was not filled with much water, so her range of movement was extremely limited.
Throughout the journey, she listened attentively to the conversations of those around her and carefully observed the changes in the environment above her.
If we're going to the osmanthus grove that the Second Prince mentioned, we can't just carry the vat there like this.
Sure enough, she was soon carried into the carriage.
After she was settled in the carriage, someone came and added a lot of water to her jar so that she could move her muscles and stretch a bit.
Jiang Zhuoying had actually discovered long ago that the Second Prince's subordinates were all extremely capable.
Before long, the eunuch and the second prince stepped into the carriage, and she immediately felt the water swaying.
And so the journey began.
"My lord, news from the palace: the Imperial Concubine has petitioned the Emperor to make Jiang Ying, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Rui, the consort of the Third Prince."
The man pushed open the wooden window and looked at the villa that was getting further and further away from him: "Hmm."
Chu Yixin observed his expression: "From now on, the Third Prince will have gained another great help, Your Highness, perhaps..."
"Chu Yixin".
His full name, spoken with an air of authority, carried no anger; the man's face was ashen, and his tone was as cold as ice.
"It was this servant who overstepped his bounds. Please forgive me, Master." Chu Yixin rose and knelt at Qi Fan's feet.
The carriage was already cramped, and with a huge earthenware jar placed inside, there was hardly any room for him to even kneel.
Qi Fan glanced out the window; he didn't need this help to get that position.
He might not care about others, but he knew his third brother best.
If that person were to learn the true cause of my mother's death...
Jiang Zhuoying always overheard their conversation.
The fiery red carp was curled up slightly, lying quietly at the bottom of the tank.
She made no noise, not wanting to attract the attention of the two men; she wasn't particularly concerned about the Third Prince and Jiang Ying's affairs.
What she wanted to hear them talk about was the Duke's mansion and about her mother.
"Get up. How is Fei Ying doing?" The man's voice softened slightly.
The kneeling eunuch slowly rose to his feet: "My lord, Fei Ying has not yet sent back any definite news. This time interval is too long; it will take some effort."
"Um."
Qi Fan nodded, but his gaze did not shift, continuing to look at the courtyard that was gradually shrinking to the size of a sesame seed.
Jiang Zhuoying flicked her tail. Feiying?
She remembered the name.
The last time I mentioned news about her Duke's mansion, it was this person who delivered the message.
According to this Eunuch Chu, there was still no reply regarding her mother's situation.
Chu Yixin remained silent for a few moments, thinking to herself that if her master brought it up, it meant he cared about it.
A sharp, soft voice suddenly broke the silence of the carriage: "Sir, do you suspect that Madam Jiang Zheng's death is related to the eldest son's family?"
The ginger-flavored fish in the earthenware jar trembled. "Uncle?"
How is that possible?
She pressed herself closer to the tank wall, focusing intently on listening.
"Let's wait for news from Fei Ying before making any plans."
These words came from the Second Prince's voice; he neither admitted nor refuted them.
Jiang Zhuoying was hit hard in the chest.
She excitedly swung her tail violently, and suddenly there was a "smack!"
It sounded like ceramic cracking.
Jiang Zhuoying: "?!!"
What was that sound?
The two people inside the carriage naturally noticed the loud noise.
Chu Yixin immediately stood up, looked up and shouted, "Stop!"
"yes!"
Yu Ji, who was driving the carriage outside, immediately reined in the horses that were moving forward.
The sudden loud shout startled Jiang Zhuoying, and she couldn't help but flick her tail again.
"Crack~" Then came an even more obvious cracking sound.
Yu Ji respectfully inquired from outside the carriage, "Sir, has something happened?"
Jiang Zhuoying curled up into a ball. The one in trouble wasn't the Second Prince, it was clearly her!
Oh no, she's a red carp now!
The earthenware jar is cracked, the water is gone, how can she survive?
How could the ceramic jars in the Second Prince's residence be of such poor quality!
"The cylinder is cracked." The man's cold voice came from above.
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