Li Yu awakens to find himself floating in freezing water, initially disoriented and confused.

He gradually realizes that he is surrounded by water and cannot swim, which terrifies him.

Li Yu discovers that his legs have transformed into a fish tail, making him a mermaid or something similar.

As he tries to understand his situation, he notices that his hands have turned into fins and his body is covered in fish scales.

Li Yu comes to the shocking realization that he has fully transformed into a carp, not just a mermaid.

In a state of panic, he tries to swim but starts sinking when he stops moving his tail.

Li Yu hears voices above the water, discussing the need for a live fish for a noble consort’s soup, and realizes he might be in danger.

A large hand reaches into the water and grabs Li Yu, who struggles in pain as he is lifted out.

Li Yu is held by a palace servant named Gao-gonggong, who plans to use him for fish soup, much to Li Yu's horror.

In a desperate attempt to escape being cooked, Li Yu struggles free from Gao-gonggong’s grip and flings himself into the air.

As Li Yu is about to hit the ground, a large white cat catches him in its mouth, further terrifying him.

The cat, which is recognized as belonging to the noble consort, runs off with Li Yu, while the servants chase after it, concerned that the cat might choke on his bones.

Li Yu, realizing the danger he is in, tries to escape the cat’s mouth but fails as the cat holds him firmly.

The chapter ends with the cat stopping abruptly, growling at a young man in luxurious robes who blocks its path.

Li Yu, now a fish, finds himself in the mouth of a large white cat, which tries to pounce on a young man standing in its way.

The cat’s attack is ineffective, and Li Yu manages to roll out of its mouth, landing on the floor with minimal impact.

The cat, undeterred, attempts to recapture Li Yu, but in his desperation to escape, Li Yu accidentally slaps the cat in the face with his tail.

Angered, the cat pins Li Yu down with its paw, causing him intense pain, but he continues to struggle, unwilling to accept his fate.

The young man, dressed in luxurious robes, approaches, and Li Yu notices the youth’s handsome and cold appearance.

As the cat prepares to recapture Li Yu, the young man suddenly lifts the cat by the scruff of its neck, saving Li Yu from further harm.

The young man, identified as Prince Jing, holds the cat without any regard for its status as the noble consort’s pet.

A palace servant, Xiaolinzi, rushes in and pleads for mercy on behalf of the cat, fearing repercussions from the noble consort.

Another servant, Wang Xi, arrives and sides with Prince Jing, dismissing the cat’s importance and berating Xiaolinzi for his concern.

Despite the cat’s pitiful meowing, Prince Jing remains indifferent, eventually tossing the cat back to Xiaolinzi.

Li Yu, now weak and barely able to move, hopes for someone to return him to water, but Prince Jing and Wang Xi initially leave without noticing him.

As Li Yu loses consciousness, Prince Jing suddenly returns, feeling a strange pull, and finds the injured fish on the ground.

Prince Jing gently picks up the fish, and Wang Xi, puzzled by his actions, offers to assist, but Prince Jing insists on holding the fish himself.

Prince Jing heads towards the nearest garden with Li Yu, who feels a sense of warmth and comfort, as if wrapped in blankets.

Li Yu hears the system announce the completion of the first part of the "Moe Pet System" quest, signaling his first meeting with the "tyrant."

Li Yu realizes he has not turned back into a human and discovers he has entered a system called the "Moe Pet System."

The system prompts Li Yu to choose between a main quest and side quests. Li Yu selects the main quest "Tyrant’s Priceless Pet Fish."

Li Yu learns that his main quest involves becoming the beloved pet fish of Prince Jing, who is revealed to be the tyrant mentioned in the quest.

The system informs Li Yu that Prince Jing, whose real name is Mu Tianchi, is the fifth son of the emperor and was born with a speech impediment.

Li Yu recognizes that he has transmigrated into a webnovel he had read, where Mu Tianchi is the male lead, known for his ruthless and cold demeanor.

Li Yu feels reluctant about the quest but realizes that he must complete it to have any chance of turning back into a human.

The system informs him that completing quests will offer rewards, such as increasing the strength of his fish tail and gaining an inventory.

After accepting his fate, Li Yu loses consciousness and wakes up to find himself in a blue and white porcelain tank filled with water.

Li Yu observes his surroundings, noting the clean and comfortable environment of the tank, which is a significant upgrade from the fish basket he was in earlier.

He tries to interact with the aquatic plants in the tank but struggles due to his fish form. Eventually, he uses his tail to knock a leaf down, covering himself with it as a makeshift blanket.

While resting, Li Yu hears someone enter the room and soon sees Prince Jing’s face appear above the tank.

Li Yu realizes that Prince Jing, the target of his quests, is the one who saved him and placed him in the tank.

Overjoyed by this development, Li Yu decides to act like a good pet fish and tries to please Prince Jing by blowing a bubble toward him, hoping to avoid any harm.

Li Yu is determined to win over Prince Jing, knowing that Mu Tianchi, the future tyrant, hasn't fully developed his ruthless nature yet.

He understands that now is the best time to influence Prince Jing’s character and prevent his eventual transformation into a feared dictator.

To gain Prince Jing’s favor, Li Yu tries to appear as a devoted pet fish by blowing bubbles, but his efforts are met with indifference from Prince Jing and confusion from Wang Xi.

Wang Xi misinterprets Li Yu's bubble-blowing as sneezing or choking, causing Li Yu to become frustrated, but Prince Jing eventually shows a faint smile.

Desperate to complete the second task of interacting with the tyrant, Li Yu attempts a "seaweed dance," but Wang Xi believes the fish has pulled a muscle.

The system finally provides a hint, revealing that "interaction" requires a back-and-forth exchange, making Li Yu realize he needs to elicit a response from Prince Jing.

As Li Yu ponders how to create this interaction, Wang Xi observes Prince Jing’s interest in the fish and suggests feeding it, believing that Prince Jing has taken a liking to the little carp.

Prince Jing agrees, and Wang Xi feeds Li Yu with red and green fish food, which Li Yu eagerly devours despite feeling embarrassed about eating like a fish in front of Prince Jing.

Li Yu discovers that the red fish food tastes better than the green, with a flavor reminiscent of fish-flavored shredded pork.

Hyperaware of Prince Jing’s scrutiny, Li Yu cautiously eats one piece of fish food at a time, making sure not to appear too human-like in his behavior.

Prince Jing, watching closely, briefly wonders if the fish’s movements seemed almost human, but dismisses the thought as it was too fleeting to be certain.

Wang Xi hands Prince Jing the boxes of fish food and encourages him to feed the fish, explaining the two types of feed: red (fish-flavored shredded pork) and green (mushroom and greens).

Mu Tianchi hesitates but eventually accepts the red-feed box and awkwardly throws a handful of pellets into the water, nearly overwhelming Li Yu with the sudden downpour.

Li Yu is surprised and excited that Prince Jing personally fed him, realizing that this was the "interaction" needed to complete the second part of his main quest.

After eating the food, Li Yu feels full and tries to nap on the white rocks in the tank, but Prince Jing taps the tank to wake him up.

Prince Jing then reaches into the tank and gently nudges Li Yu, causing him to swim around the tank. Initially frightened, Li Yu soon realizes the prince only intends to push him around, not harm him.

As Li Yu swims, his fin occasionally brushes against Prince Jing's finger, but the prince, who would have punished a person for such impudence, merely smirks.

After making several laps around the tank, Li Yu's bloated feeling subsides, and he realizes Prince Jing might have made him swim to help digest the food.

Prince Jing leaves the tank but doesn't immediately exit the room, puzzling Li Yu.

Li Yu, wanting to collect his system reward and confirm Prince Jing is gone, tests his tail, finding it has healed enough to leap into the air.

During his leap, Li Yu sees Prince Jing in a state of undress, startling both him and the prince. Embarrassed, Li Yu quickly dives back into the tank and hides under his leaf blanket.

Prince Jing, now dressed, approaches the tank, making Li Yu nervous. However, before the prince can act, Wang Xi announces that the emperor has sent someone, and Prince Jing leaves to receive the imperial edict.

With Prince Jing gone, Li Yu finally collects his reward from the system: a small inventory space about the size of an adult's palm.

Disappointed by the limited space, Li Yu learns that side quests can increase inventory slots. He notices one of his scales has turned jade-colored, marking the activation of his inventory slot.

The system informs Li Yu about using his inventory by tapping the jade scale three times and explains that anything within his field of vision can be stored if it fits.

Li Yu checks his main quest and discovers the third task: "Get Along with the Tyrant," with a three-day time limit. He realizes the timer has already started, forcing him to act quickly.

As he returns to the real world, Li Yu overhears Wang Xi discussing with Prince Jing the emperor’s sudden summons, hinting that it may have been influenced by the noble consort.

Prince Jing decides to attend the summons alone, without Wang Xi, despite the servant's concern for the prince’s safety.

Wang Xi retrieves a small jade bowl, preparing to take Li Yu with Prince Jing to see the emperor. Li Yu panics, knowing the risks of being taken out of his tank and exposed to potential dangers.

In a desperate move, Li Yu uses his inventory to store water from the tank, preparing for any emergencies.

Wang Xi hands the cramped jade bowl with Li Yu inside to Prince Jing. Seeing the fish's discomfort, Prince Jing insists on transferring Li Yu to a larger bowl, which is more comfortable for the fish.

Li Yu happily swims around in the larger bowl, feeling relieved and appreciating Prince Jing’s consideration.

Prince Jing feeds Li Yu some red fish pellets, ensuring the fish is content before their journey to the palace.

As Prince Jing carefully carries the large bowl, covering it to prevent Li Yu from jumping out, the warmth from his hand reassures the little carp.

Li Yu’s initial anxiety subsides as he relaxes into the rhythm of Prince Jing’s footsteps, feeling unexpectedly safe and cozy in the prince's care.

Prince Jing brings Li Yu, the little carp, to Qianqing Palace. On the way, the system offers Li Yu a side quest called "Clear, Bright Pearl," with a reward of temporary transformation into a human for two hours.

Despite his initial hesitation, Li Yu accepts the side quest, which requires him to obtain a luminous pearl.

As Prince Jing arrives at Qianqing Palace, Li Yu observes the opulent surroundings and deduces that this side quest might be connected to meeting the emperor.

Li Yu recalls the complicated relationship between the emperor and Prince Jing, rooted in the emperor’s love for Prince Jing’s late mother, Empress Xiaohui. The emperor’s distant behavior towards his son is out of a desire to protect him.

When Prince Jing enters the main hall, the emperor mistakes the large bowl for soup, thinking Prince Jing is bringing an offering to apologize. However, when the head eunuch, Luo Ruisheng, inspects the bowl, he discovers the lively little carp instead of soup.

Startled, Luo-gonggong nearly drops the bowl, and the emperor, curious about what Prince Jing brought, calls him over.

Prince Jing silently brings the bowl before the emperor, revealing the little carp swimming inside. The emperor, confused, asks for an explanation.

Prince Jing dips his hand into the water and plays with Li Yu in front of the emperor, who is surprised by his son's uncharacteristically gentle behavior.

The emperor, recalling that Prince Jing had never shown interest in pets before, is astonished to see him taking care of a fish.

After realizing that Prince Jing has decided to raise the little carp as a pet, the emperor acknowledges it, albeit with some amusement and confusion, since the fish is just a common carp.

Li Yu feels proud to be officially recognized as Prince Jing’s pet, but the system does not consider this as completing the main quest yet.

The meeting is interrupted by the arrival of the noble consort and the second prince, reminding the emperor of the original reason for summoning Prince Jing. The emperor permits them to enter as Prince Jing continues to play with his fish.

Li Yu, curious about Noble Consort Qiu, tries to get a view of her as she enters Qianqing Palace, but his position blocks his sight. Prince Jing moves the bowl, seemingly noticing Li Yu’s efforts and giving him a clear view of the entrance.

Noble Consort Qiu enters with her son, the second prince Mu Tianzhao, radiating confidence and beauty. Li Yu admires her appearance, understanding why she was favored by the emperor.

Noble Consort Qiu, now confident in her son’s future as the crown prince, subtly flaunts her position, sharing a knowing glance with her son. Prince Jing remains indifferent, focused only on Li Yu, playing with him in the bowl.

Li Yu, sensing Prince Jing’s frustration, tries to comfort him by nuzzling against his finger, enduring the prince’s rough handling.

The emperor observes Prince Jing’s unusual behavior of playing with a fish, finding it surprising and uncharacteristic.

Noble Consort Qiu, noticing the attention on Prince Jing and the fish, attempts to divert it by bringing in her white cat, Piaoxue. The cat, recognizing Li Yu, tries to pounce on him, but Prince Jing quickly intervenes, flinging the cat away.

Noble Consort Qiu feigns distress, scolding the cat and subtly implying that Prince Jing disrespects her as his shu mother. The second prince, Mu Tianzhao, supports her, painting Prince Jing’s actions as mischievous but harmless, subtly accusing him of wrongdoing.

Li Yu, angry at the noble consort and her son for manipulating the situation against Prince Jing, blows a large bubble and turns his tail in disdain toward Mu Tianzhao.

The emperor, recalling Noble Consort Qiu’s previous complaints, questions Prince Jing about the incident where he threw her cat on her birthday. The emperor is concerned about maintaining harmony between Prince Jing and the future crown prince.

Prince Jing, however, remains silent and dismissive, continuing to play with Li Yu. He notices that the little fish seems to be puffing its cheeks in anger, amused that the fish might be aware of the situation’s underlying tensions.

The emperor questions Prince Jing about the incident involving Noble Consort Qiu's cat. The second prince, Mu Tianzhao, tries to pressure Prince Jing into responding.

Prince Jing, unable to speak, writes "It deserved it" on paper, asserting his actions were justified. The emperor, trusting his son's honesty, orders an investigation into the event, causing Noble Consort Qiu to panic slightly.

Noble Consort Qiu had bribed a servant, Xiaolinzi, who falsely testifies against Prince Jing. The emperor, fatigued by the situation, asks Prince Jing for an explanation.

Prince Jing contemplates resorting to violence to get the truth from Xiaolinzi but hesitates, knowing it would play into Noble Consort Qiu's trap.

Li Yu, the fish, recalls seeing a bruise on Prince Jing's leg, possibly caused by the cat, which could serve as evidence. He decides to draw attention to this by splashing water on Prince Jing.

Li Yu executes his plan, drenching Prince Jing with water. Instead of retaliating, Prince Jing calmly excuses himself to change his clothes, buying time and bringing Wang Xi into the room to assist.

As Prince Jing leaves, Noble Consort Qiu and Mu Tianzhao mock Prince Jing's taste in pets, insulting the fish. Li Yu, feeling indignant, prepares to retaliate.

Li Yu notices a golden phoenix hairpin with a large pearl on Noble Consort Qiu's head and realizes this is the "luminous pearl" from his side quest. He decides to take action.

Li Yu plays dead by flipping belly-up in the water, causing panic in the second prince and Noble Consort Qiu. The noble consort, suspicious and paranoid, begins to believe Prince Jing might have set her up with this "dead" fish, fearing she would be blamed for its death.

Noble Consort Qiu panics at the thought of the emperor's anger and devises a plan to hide Prince Jing's "dead" fish and replace it with a live one to avoid repercussions.

As Noble Consort Qiu attempts to wrap Li Yu in her handkerchief, the fish begins to struggle and escapes her grasp.

Li Yu, with a powerful flip, lands on Noble Consort Qiu’s face, causing chaos and panic.

Li Yu’s tail repeatedly slaps Noble Consort Qiu’s face, sending her into a terrified frenzy, while the second prince, Mu Tianzhao, is too stunned to help.

During the chaos, Li Yu manages to slap the luminous pearl from Noble Consort Qiu's hairpin onto the floor.

Desperate to retrieve the pearl, Li Yu lunges for it but is interrupted when Prince Jing returns and picks him up.

Prince Jing notices the commotion, places Li Yu back in his bowl, and subtly conceals what happened.

Noble Consort Qiu tries to explain the bizarre situation to the emperor, but her claims that a fish attacked her seem absurd.

The emperor, confused by the situation, orders an investigation.

Wang Xi defends Prince Jing by revealing that the prince has a bruise, possibly caused by the noble consort’s cat, explaining why Prince Jing might have acted against the cat.

The emperor is convinced and orders an investigation into the events.

The investigation reveals the noble consort’s scheming, leading to her being confined to her palace, losing favor with the emperor.

While the palace is in chaos, Li Yu remembers his side quest to obtain the luminous pearl but is taken away by Wang Xi and Prince Jing before he can retrieve it.

Prince Jing notices Li Yu’s fixation on the pearl, orders a servant to retrieve it, and realizes that the fish seems interested in the jewel.

Prince Jing keeps the pearl hidden, smiling to himself as he still has unresolved issues with the little carp.

Li Yu follows Prince Jing and his servants back to Jingtai Hall, trying to get the prince’s attention, but Prince Jing ignores him, frustrating Li Yu.

Li Yu contemplates how to communicate his desire for the luminous pearl and attempts to mimic the shape of a pearl while swimming, but Prince Jing remains unresponsive.

Wang Xi notices Li Yu’s behavior and assumes the fish wants to stay with Prince Jing, commenting on the fish's intelligence and clinginess.

Despite Wang Xi’s attempts to help, Prince Jing takes the bowl and the fish to his private quarters, feeling possessive over the little carp.

Li Yu realizes he’s now in Prince Jing’s room, which is a privilege not granted to others, and tries to adapt to his new surroundings.

Wang Xi arranges for the porcelain fish tank to be brought to the room and ensures that everything is set up for Li Yu’s comfort.

Li Yu enters the system to check on his quests, feeling discouraged by his lack of progress and resolves to continue his efforts.

Upon exiting the system, Li Yu discovers he is being held in Prince Jing’s hand, and he panics, trying to act cute to gain favor.

Prince Jing, slightly annoyed by the fish’s behavior, taps its head, and Li Yu realizes the prince has the luminous pearl hidden in his sleeve.

Li Yu attempts to wriggle his way into Prince Jing’s sleeve to retrieve the pearl, managing to slip down the prince’s arm and into his sleeve with the help of water.

Inside the sleeve, Li Yu is embarrassed by the close contact with Prince Jing’s bare skin and struggles to move toward a glowing object he assumes to be the pearl.

Li Yu clamps down on what he believes to be the pearl, only to realize in horror that it’s not a pearl but something else entirely.

As Prince Jing removes his clothing to free himself from the fish’s struggle, Li Yu discovers he’s on the prince’s chest, having mistakenly bitten something inappropriate.

Wang Xi enters the room, shocked by the scene of a flushed Prince Jing holding the fish, and expresses his concern, misunderstanding the situation entirely.

The chapter ends with Li Yu feeling utterly humiliated by the series of events, wishing for the ground to swallow him whole.

Li Yu realizes he’s made a serious mistake by accidentally biting Prince Jing and causing trouble. He feels anxious and guilty, knowing the prince must be angry.

Unable to sleep, Li Yu tosses and turns all night, feeling humiliated and uncertain about how to make amends.

He decides to focus on completing the main quest instead of the side quest “Clear, Bright Pearl,” convinced there will be other opportunities to transform back into a human.

Li Yu starts avoiding Prince Jing, feeling uncomfortable around him due to the recent incident.

Wang Xi notices Li Yu’s behavior and tries to care for him, feeding him red-colored fish food and making him swim laps for better digestion.

Li Yu feels grateful but increasingly guilty as he realizes Prince Jing has been kind to him despite everything.

Determined to apologize, Li Yu struggles to find a way to show his sincerity. He decides to offer Prince Jing the pieces of fish food he’s been given, seeing it as the only thing he owns.

Li Yu waits eagerly for Prince Jing’s return to present the fish food as an apology, but the prince doesn’t come back that night, leaving him disappointed.

Prince Jing returns early the next morning and notices the fish food lined up in the tank. Li Yu wakes up and excitedly presents the food to him, trying to apologize.

Prince Jing is surprised by Li Yu’s gesture and contemplates whether the fish is trying to ask for forgiveness or something else.

Wang Xi informs Prince Jing that the luminous pearl has been sealed in a bottle as requested, ready to be placed in the tank as punishment for Li Yu.

Prince Jing hesitates and decides not to punish the fish. Instead, he opens the bottle and drops the pearl into the tank, surprising Li Yu.

Overjoyed, Li Yu catches the pearl, realizing that Prince Jing is willing to take care of him despite everything.

Li Yu successfully completes the “Clear, Bright Pearl” quest and receives a transformation medicine as a reward but decides to store it for later use, realizing he needs to plan its use carefully.

To maintain appearances, Li Yu pretends to enjoy playing with the luminous pearl in front of Prince Jing and Wang Xi, despite his mouth hurting from holding it.

Li Yu enters the system and decides to postpone accepting the transformation medicine, realizing he needs to plan how and when to use it without causing chaos or getting caught.

Li Yu returns to reality and notices the time left for the “getting along” main quest is running out. Determined to interact with Prince Jing, he devises a plan to grab the prince’s attention.

Li Yu tries jumping out of his tank to catch Prince Jing’s attention but struggles to stay on the tank’s edge. After several failed attempts, Prince Jing notices and lifts him out, placing him in a shallow tea bowl to observe his surroundings.

Li Yu is excited to see Prince Jing’s room, which is simple and cold, reflecting the prince’s personality. He tries to act cute and show his affection by curling his tail around Prince Jing’s finger.

Prince Jing starts drawing a portrait of the little carp, and Li Yu is thrilled to be the subject of the prince’s artwork. He poses in what he thinks is a majestic pose, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Their quiet, shared moment is interrupted by Wang Xi, who announces that the emperor has sent gifts, including a pair of rare koi in a large crystal tank, as an attempt to comfort Prince Jing after the incident with Noble Consort Qiu.

Li Yu is shocked and feels threatened by the presence of the beautiful koi, fearing they might steal Prince Jing’s affection. He resolves to guard his position and prepare to “fight” for Prince Jing’s love.

To Li Yu’s relief, Prince Jing ultimately does not accept the koi and instead returns to his room with Li Yu, placing him in a new, larger crystal tank. Li Yu is delighted, feeling he has successfully maintained his place by Prince Jing’s side.

Li Yu moves into a new, larger crystal fish tank, which Prince Jing has prepared with care, adding his familiar white rock bed, water plants, an ornamental mountain, and various jewels to play with.

Li Yu doesn’t realize the value of the crystal and jewels, thinking they are just colorful regular rocks. He spends time playing with the jewels, pushing them around and creating piles.

As the deadline for the “getting along” quest approaches, Li Yu panics, realizing he has spent too much time playing instead of focusing on completing his quest.

Li Yu contemplates using the transformation medicine to say goodbye to Prince Jing as a human, but he hesitates, unsure of the consequences.

Prince Jing notices Li Yu lingering by the tank wall and attempts to play with him through the crystal, which cheers Li Yu up and distracts him from his earlier thoughts of revenge on society.

As the countdown for the quest ends, Li Yu enters the system, fearing he has failed, but is relieved to learn he has succeeded, earning the reward of heightened healing powers.

Li Yu returns to reality and finds himself in Prince Jing’s hand. Overwhelmed with gratitude for the prince’s care and love, he tries to express his emotions by nuzzling Prince Jing’s face.

Li Yu accidentally ends up rubbing his fish lips against Prince Jing’s lips, causing both surprise and embarrassment. Prince Jing is amused but remains calm.

Li Yu feels a deep sense of self-reflection after the incident, preparing another round of apology fish food for Prince Jing.

The system announces the next step of the main quest, “Share a Bed with the Tyrant,” leaving Li Yu bewildered and anxious about how to accomplish this as a fish.

Li Yu reflects on his past quests and concludes that while the system's titles are clickbaity, the tasks themselves are relatively straightforward. He assumes that the current quest, “Share a Bed with the Tyrant,” simply requires him to be in the same bed as Prince Jing, even if only briefly.

He begins practicing jumping out of his fish tank to reach Prince Jing’s bed, but finds it challenging due to the distance and the noise his tail makes on the floor. He considers using the transformation medicine to complete the task as a human, but hesitates, wanting to save it for a more meaningful moment.

Wang Xi notices puddles on the floor from Li Yu's practice jumps and informs Prince Jing. Instead of being angry, Prince Jing orders tea bowls filled with water to be placed around the room, allowing the fish to "take walks" without risk of drying out.

With the tea bowls strategically placed and a new water-absorbent carpet laid down, Li Yu prepares to complete his quest by sneaking into Prince Jing’s bed while he sleeps.

That night, Li Yu waits until Prince Jing is asleep and jumps onto the bed, landing on a cushion he placed to avoid wetting the pillow. However, the system doesn’t acknowledge his completion of the task.

As he tries to figure out why, Li Yu realizes the person in the bed is not Prince Jing, but a woman who is likely an assassin. She has a knife hidden under the blanket.

Prince Jing enters the room, sees the woman in his bed, and quickly realizes she has malicious intent. He approaches her, feigning interest, before suddenly choking her and stabbing her in the chest with a sword.

The woman, surprised by the sudden attack, reaches for the knife under the blanket but is bitten by Li Yu, who is hiding there. Distracted and unable to defend herself, she is killed by Prince Jing.

After the assassin is dead, Prince Jing flips over the blanket and finds Li Yu trembling inside. He reaches out to pick up the fish, but Li Yu, still in shock and fear, recoils from his touch.

Prince Jing attempts to reach out to the trembling Li Yu, but the fish flinches away, terrified by the violence he just witnessed. Despite knowing Prince Jing killed the assassin in self-defense, Li Yu is deeply shaken by the bloodshed and now fears the prince, wondering if he too might be killed when he turns back into a human.

Sensing Li Yu's fear, Prince Jing tries to comfort him, but the fish continues to avoid his touch. Realizing that the fish may be frightened by the scent of blood, Prince Jing washes up, changes into clean clothes, and even orders his bloodstained clothes to be burned.

Despite Prince Jing's efforts to cleanse himself of the blood, Li Yu remains fearful and hides in the ornamental mountain within his fish tank. This confuses and frustrates Prince Jing, who then scoops Li Yu out of the tank and places him in a flower petal-shaped tea bowl by his pillow.

Li Yu is shocked by Prince Jing’s actions, thinking he might be in danger, but he soon realizes that Prince Jing simply wants him nearby while he sleeps. Li Yu is torn between his fear and the desire to complete his quest.

Eventually, Li Yu touches the jade pillow, triggering the system’s notification that the “Share a Bed” quest is complete. Despite his success, he remains anxious, particularly when he accidentally bites Prince Jing’s finger.

Prince Jing, however, remains calm and even pushes the jade pillow closer to Li Yu before going to sleep, leaving the fish confused but somewhat comforted. Li Yu eventually reflects on his fear, realizing that Prince Jing’s ruthlessness and kindness are two sides of the same person. He resolves to trust Prince Jing and not let his fear overshadow the kindness the prince has shown him.

Exhausted, Li Yu falls asleep next to Prince Jing, feeling more at ease. The next morning, Prince Jing wakes up to find the little carp nuzzling his hand, which lifts his spirits.

Meanwhile, the emperor, enraged by the news of the assassin, orders a thorough investigation and commands Prince Jing to return to his manor outside the palace to rest. Prince Jing wastes no time in packing up, including arranging for his newly acquired crystal fish tank to be transported.

The spectacle of the eight servants carrying the extravagant fish tank with a small, grayish carp inside attracts the attention of many in the palace, leaving them stunned by the prince’s unusual attachment to the fish.

Li Yu wakes up in Prince Jing Manor, unconcerned about being judged by others. He feels comfortable in his new surroundings, especially since his tank is still in Prince Jing's bedroom. His fear of Prince Jing has dissipated, and he is back to being playful and trusting.

Li Yu reflects on his life as a fish, realizing that he’s been focused on his duties as a pet and completing quests, with little concern for the book’s original plot. However, Prince Jing’s recent assassination attempt brings the plot back to his mind.

The second prince, Mu Tianzhao, sends a letter inviting Prince Jing to a banquet, but Prince Jing dismisses it. Mu Tianzhao then persuades the emperor to intervene, leading to an imperial edict ordering Prince Jing to host the banquet at his manor. All the princes are expected to attend, with Prince Jing as the host.

Li Yu deduces that this banquet might be the same one from the book where Prince Jing meets the "delicate concubine," a key character who is destined to become his love interest. Li Yu worries that this means the plot is moving forward, potentially leading to Prince Jing’s romantic entanglement with the concubine.

Li Yu recalls how the book depicted Prince Jing’s deep but unreciprocated love for the concubine, causing the prince much suffering. Now, knowing Prince Jing as a real person, Li Yu feels protective and angry at the thought of him being tormented by love.

Feeling powerless as just a pet fish, Li Yu takes out his frustration on the jewels in his tank, contemplating the possibility of Prince Jing losing interest in him once the concubine enters the picture.

Li Yu decides that if the plot is inevitable and Prince Jing is going to follow it, he should take advantage of the upcoming banquet. With many visitors and distractions, he plans to transform into a human and act freely, avoiding the concubine and taking matters into his own hands.

Li Yu decides to use the transformation medicine on the day of the banquet held at Prince Jing’s manor. To avoid suspicion, he plans to use a fish plushie reward from a previous quest, which looks like a replica of his fish form, to take his place in the tank while he is transformed.

The next step in Li Yu’s quest is “Gain a Deep Understanding of the Tyrant,” but the system provides no clear instructions, leaving Li Yu to focus on his immediate plan of transforming into a human.

Li Yu meticulously plans his activities for the two hours he will have as a human. He wants to eat human food, explore Prince Jing’s manor, and enjoy the banquet’s entertainment without being noticed.

On the day of the banquet, Prince Jing and Wang Xi leave early to greet guests, and Li Yu positions the fish plushie in the tank, covering it with a leaf blanket to make it look like he is sleeping.

Li Yu then takes the transformation medicine, which causes him to lose consciousness temporarily.

Meanwhile, at the banquet, the third prince, Mu Tianming, tries to impress Prince Jing by offering a toast and arranging for a dance performance, but Prince Jing is not interested. The third prince’s attempts to win Prince Jing’s favor are thwarted by the second prince, Mu Tianzhao, who tries to reconcile with Prince Jing and asks for the return of a luminous pearl that belonged to his mother, Lady Qiu.

Prince Jing agrees to return the pearl, and Wang Xi leads Mu Tianzhao to the room where the crystal fish tank is located. Mu Tianzhao is horrified to find that the pearl is at the bottom of the tank, among many other jewels, and that he will have to retrieve it himself.

To make matters worse, Mu Tianzhao notices that Prince Jing’s beloved pet fish seems to be lying still, covered by a leaf, and he suspects the fish might be dead, which alarms him greatly.

The second prince, Mu Tianzhao, arrives at Prince Jing's room to retrieve the luminous pearl, but he becomes anxious when he notices Prince Jing's pet fish lying motionless in the tank. Knowing the fish's troublesome history, he fears it might be a trick.

Mu Tianzhao decides to leave, but Wang Xi insists that he stay until Prince Jing arrives, making the second prince increasingly nervous. A servant then notices that the fish isn't moving, raising suspicions.

Wang Xi leaves to fetch Prince Jing, leaving Mu Tianzhao in an uncomfortable situation, as he becomes the prime suspect in any mishap related to the fish. Prince Jing arrives and checks the fish tank, quickly realizing the fish is fake.

Prince Jing, now suspecting foul play, draws his sword and threatens the second prince, who vehemently denies any involvement. Wang Xi eventually confirms that the fish has been replaced with a fake one, and the window to the garden has been left open, suggesting the fish was stolen.

A thorough search of the room reveals that a set of Prince Jing’s inner robes and underwear are also missing, leaving Prince Jing puzzled and concerned about the motives behind the theft.

Meanwhile, Li Yu, who had used the transformation medicine, wakes up as a human in Prince Jing's room. To his shock, he realizes he is naked and quickly finds and wears a set of Prince Jing’s inner robes and underwear.

Li Yu prepares a tea bowl with water and fish food in case he needs to revert to his fish form quickly. He also positions the fish plushie in his place in the tank, hoping it will deceive anyone who checks on it.

Li Yu opens a window facing the garden as a decoy and then escapes through another window leading to an ornamental mountain, successfully avoiding detection while he explores the manor in his human form.

Li Yu, having transformed back into a human, finds it difficult to adjust to walking on legs but eventually gets used to it. Without suitable shoes, he walks barefoot through Prince Jing’s manor, drawing attention due to his unusual appearance.

A kind servant, Auntie Xu, notices him and, after a brief conversation, guides him to the kitchens, where Li Yu finally gets to enjoy human food. Auntie Xu, taking pity on him, gives him a set of clothes and shoes that belonged to her son.

After eating, Li Yu decides to explore the manor, avoiding the main banquet area where Prince Jing and the other guests are gathered. He plans to watch an opera performance but is stopped by guards who mistake him for a servant due to his attire.

Just as he turns to leave, Li Yu encounters Wang Xi, who, suspecting him to be the thief who stole Prince Jing’s fish and clothes, orders the guards to capture him. Li Yu, panicked and knowing his time as a human is limited, throws fish food to distract them and runs away, finding a room to hide in.

Prince Jing, informed of the situation, quickly joins Wang Xi and the guards to confront the intruder. They surround the room where Li Yu is hiding, but Li Yu, desperate and running out of time, yells a challenge to buy himself a few moments.

Prince Jing doesn’t hesitate and breaks down the door. He catches a glimpse of the fleeing Li Yu, noticing something oddly familiar about him. Despite his efforts, Prince Jing only manages to grab the corner of Li Yu’s robe as he jumps out of the window.

The guards, expecting to catch Li Yu outside, report that they haven’t seen anyone. Prince Jing finds only a pile of discarded clothes and a tea bowl with his fish inside, swimming happily.

Li Yu, having transformed back into a fish, realizes that his plan to make it seem like he escaped out the window was foiled by Prince Jing's quick actions. Prince Jing and his guards couldn't find any trace of the "thief" outside, and they were left puzzled by the pile of clothes and the fish left behind.

To distract Prince Jing from examining the clothes too closely, Li Yu starts swishing his tail in a way that seems like he's "selling himself" to gain the prince's attention. Prince Jing, initially angry, softens when Li Yu curls his tail around his finger and acts cute, temporarily forgetting the pile of clothes.

The guards theorize that the thief might have escaped by swimming away in a nearby pond, which Prince Jing considers but is interrupted by Li Yu's antics, preventing him from investigating further.

Wang Xi confirms that the clothes left behind include Prince Jing’s inner robes and underwear, along with a simple old robe and cloth shoes identified by Auntie Xu as belonging to the youth she helped. Auntie Xu feels guilty for unknowingly aiding a thief, but thanks to Li Yu's intervention, she's spared from being thrown out of the manor and only receives a light punishment.

Prince Jing is puzzled by the discovery of a silver scale on the thief’s sleeve, which indicates that the thief had touched the fish. He orders a thorough investigation but remains calm, holding Li Yu in a tea bowl as they return to Ninghui Hall where the banquet is still ongoing.

At the banquet, Li Yu finds himself the center of attention as guests praise the little carp. While Li Yu basks in the compliments, his attention is drawn to a beautiful young man in white dance robes, whom he recognizes as Chu Yanyu, the bottom protagonist of the original story.

Despite Chu Yanyu's alluring presence, Prince Jing remains indifferent and only gives a slight nod of approval to his dance performance, much to the surprise and disappointment of the third and sixth princes, who had orchestrated the entire performance.

Li Yu is confused by Prince Jing’s lack of interest in Chu Yanyu, wondering what happened to the love at first sight described in the original book. He feels a mix of relief and puzzlement as the night ends without the expected romantic development between Prince Jing and Chu Yanyu.

Prince Jing watches the dance performance without showing interest, leaving the third prince, Mu Tianming, disheartened. Despite offering Chu Yanyu as a gift to Prince Jing, the prince declines with a simple "no," confusing and frustrating the third prince.

Chu Yanyu, prideful and taken aback by Prince Jing’s indifference, questions the prince's lack of interest. Wang Xi, interpreting for Prince Jing, clarifies that it’s not a matter of Chu Yanyu’s worth but that it’s irrelevant to Prince Jing.

Li Yu, observing Prince Jing’s reaction, is relieved and pleased that the prince shows no romantic interest in Chu Yanyu, contrary to the original book’s plot.

Back in Prince Jing’s room, Li Yu notices that the plush fish decoy he had used is gone, but he’s confident that the prince hasn’t figured out his secret. When Prince Jing drops the plush back into the tank, Li Yu pretends to play with it, hoping to keep his cover.

Prince Jing starts painting again, but this time, instead of a fish, he paints a portrait of a youth in green robes, which Li Yu recognizes as his human form. Li Yu is puzzled by Prince Jing’s focus on this portrait.

Wang Xi arrives, and after a whispered conversation, it becomes clear that Prince Jing is intent on finding the person in the portrait, not realizing it’s actually Li Yu. Wang Xi is ordered to search the area around the pond for the mysterious youth.

After the banquet, the third prince, Mu Tianming, delivers Chu Yanyu and a female dancer to Prince Jing’s manor, despite the prince’s lack of interest. This gesture is noted by the emperor, who rewards the third prince with a tea set, signaling his approval of the third prince’s efforts to connect with Prince Jing.

The emperor’s actions cause tension among the other princes, particularly the second prince, who feels slighted. Meanwhile, the third prince and the sixth prince, Mu Tianxiao, see this as a sign to continue their strategy.

In response to the third prince’s gift, Wang Xi prepares to sequester Chu Yanyu and the female dancer in a courtyard where previous unwanted guests have been kept, understanding that Prince Jing has no intention of accepting them into his close circle.

Li Yu reflects on how Prince Jing's disinterest in Chu Yanyu might alter the original plot. The system assures him that as long as he completes his missions, the plot changes won't prevent Prince Jing from becoming emperor.

Li Yu wonders what "attaining a deep understanding of the tyrant" means, but the system goes silent. He recalls a saying about understanding someone by bathing with them and decides to try this with Prince Jing.

Li Yu acts excited and playful, leading Wang Xi to suggest to Prince Jing that the fish join him in his bath. Prince Jing agrees, and the fish is placed in a wooden ladle floating in the bath.

As Li Yu tries to get closer to Prince Jing, he accidentally tips over the ladle and falls into the tub, discovering the water is cool, not hot. Prince Jing had replaced the hot water to accommodate his fish.

Li Yu and Prince Jing play in the water, with Li Yu biting and splashing, making Prince Jing smile—a rare sight. After the bath, Li Yu is happy to receive an update on his mission progress.

Later, Li Yu tries out his mission reward, a skill that allows him to turn into a human for an hour each day. He is excited but disappointed that the skill is time-limited.

The next part of his mission involves "intimate contact with the tyrant," which Li Yu interprets as possibly involving a kiss. He attempts to kiss Prince Jing while he sleeps but fails as the prince wakes up and gently places him back in his bowl.

The next day, Ye Qinghuan, the heir of the House of Cheng’en and Prince Jing’s cousin, visits the manor with his pet dog. Ye Qinghuan hopes to bond with Prince Jing over their shared interest in pets.

Ye Qinghuan, Prince Jing’s cousin, excitedly visits the prince's manor to see the famed pet fish, without waiting for formalities. He brings along his large black dog, Xiongfeng, adorned with a gold collar.

Instead of his usual dismissive attitude, Prince Jing has the crystal fish tank brought out for Ye Qinghuan to see, flaunting the luxurious setup. Ye Qinghuan is stunned by the lavish display and feels overshadowed by the opulence of the fish tank compared to his dog’s collar.

Ye Qinghuan tries to provoke a response by showing off his dog’s tricks. To his surprise, the fish, Li Yu, jumps into Prince Jing’s palm on command, demonstrating a level of intelligence and connection that leaves Ye Qinghuan speechless.

Ye Qinghuan asks about the fish's name, and Prince Jing realizes he hasn’t named his pet yet. After some thought, he decides to name the fish "Xiaoyu," meaning "little fish." Li Yu is delighted with the name, as it coincides with a nickname he had in the modern world.

Ye Qinghuan’s dog, Xiongfeng, becomes curious about the fish and runs towards it. Li Yu panics, but Prince Jing intervenes, blocking the dog. Despite Ye Qinghuan’s assurances that Xiongfeng is friendly, Prince Jing remains cold and orders Wang Xi to remove Ye Qinghuan and his dog from the manor.

Li Yu recalls a plotline from the original book involving Ye Qinghuan and the political machinations of the princes. He realizes that if Prince Jing doesn’t align with Chu Yanyu, the course of events may change, potentially sparing Ye Qinghuan from his tragic fate.

The system activates a side quest titled "Impenetrable Defense," prompting Li Yu to protect Ye Qinghuan from his doomed fate. The mission requires him to prevent Ye Qinghuan's death within a certain time frame, and Li Yu is determined to succeed.

Li Yu decides to write a letter to warn Ye Qinghuan about the second prince’s plot. However, he struggles with writing in traditional Chinese characters and realizes he’ll need to copy from books in Prince Jing’s study.

Li Yu accompanies Prince Jing to the study, where he tries to peek at the prince's book to learn the characters. Prince Jing notices the fish’s odd behavior and moves the tea bowl closer, allowing Li Yu to see better. Despite his efforts, Li Yu eventually falls asleep on the book, missing the chance to practice writing.

While Prince Jing is out, Li Yu uses his transformation skill to turn into a young man. He quickly dresses in underclothes from the closet, as he has limited time in human form.

Li Yu finds suitable tools to write a letter, avoiding Prince Jing’s usual brush and ink to prevent leaving any trace. He improvises by using a tea bowl as an inkstone.

Li Yu writes several drafts of the letter to Ye Qinghuan, aiming to warn him about potential dangers. He eventually finalizes the letter, stores it in his inventory, and cleans up all evidence of his actions.

Prince Jing returns and immediately senses something is off. He notices the incense burner has been used, but the smell of incense is absent. Upon investigation, Wang Xi discovers a used brush, missing paper, and ink stains on Prince Jing's inner robe, leading them to suspect a thief.

Wang Xi also notices that Li Yu, the fish, has ink on his body, and a tea bowl filled with ink is found. This confuses Prince Jing, but he concludes that the fish was playing around.

Li Yu, realizing he made a mistake by leaving ink traces, tries to cover up his actions by jumping into the ink-filled tea bowl, pretending to be playful.

Prince Jing remains perplexed by the series of events but dismisses them as the fish’s playful behavior.

Li Yu decides to deliver the letter to Ye Qinghuan directly during one of his visits. He waits for the right moment to pass the letter discreetly.

Ye Qinghuan visits again, bringing his dog, Xiongfeng, and a golden ball. He tries to show off his dog’s tricks, but Prince Jing’s fish outshines the dog by skillfully stacking jewels and playing in the fish tank.

Xiongfeng becomes excited by the fish’s tricks, and Li Yu sees an opportunity. He secretly places the letter in Xiongfeng’s mouth, hoping the dog will deliver it to Ye Qinghuan.

When Ye Qinghuan returns, he finds Xiongfeng wet and holding a white envelope. Shocked, Ye Qinghuan retrieves the letter from his dog’s mouth.

Ye Qinghuan reads the mysterious letter and is visibly shocked by its contents. He shows the letter to Prince Jing, who is equally surprised.

The letter contains a warning that the second prince plans to frame Ye Qinghuan for the murder of the Princess of Jinjue and advises him not to trust the sixth prince.

The letter’s poor handwriting and alarming message make both Ye Qinghuan and Prince Jing skeptical, but they decide it's better to be cautious.

Prince Jing advises Ye Qinghuan to be prepared and to keep an eye on the second and sixth princes. They agree to stay vigilant and see what happens next.

Ye Qinghuan wonders who could have sent the letter, suspecting it might be someone familiar with his habits.

Prince Jing suspects the letter was written by the same person who had previously intruded into his room and stolen his clothes, recalling a frayed brush found recently.

Ye Qinghuan attempts to negotiate with Prince Jing, asking for the identity of the assassin who attacked him in exchange for finding out who sent the letter. However, Prince Jing rebuffs him.

Ye Qinghuan then reveals his plan to use his dog, Xiongfeng, to track down the letter’s sender, as Xiongfeng had delivered the letter.

Meanwhile, Li Yu, in his human form, had fed Xiongfeng some fish food and had given the letter to the dog to deliver. He stayed in the room, waiting for Xiongfeng’s return, and ended up eating peach blossom-shaped pastries from the table.

Li Yu rearranged the pastries to hide the missing ones he had eaten, but in the process, made the entire stack smaller.

Xiongfeng returns, leading Prince Jing and Ye Qinghuan to the room where Li Yu is hiding. Li Yu panics, realizing he's been caught again.

Li Yu, now able to transform into a human for an hour at a time, finds himself trapped in Prince Jing's room with nowhere to hide as Xiongfeng leads Prince Jing and Ye Qinghuan towards him.

Desperately trying to escape, Li Yu attempts to open the window, only to find it sealed shut. He realizes he's trapped with no way out.

As Xiongfeng changes direction and runs towards the bamboo forest, Li Yu is relieved, as it buys him time to revert to his fish form before Prince Jing arrives.

In the bamboo forest, Xiongfeng leads Prince Jing and Ye Qinghuan to Chu Yanyu, who attempts to use a trick to lure Xiongfeng to him. Chu Yanyu tries to impress Prince Jing with his calligraphy skills but is dismissed harshly, sent back to Qingxi Garden, and punished.

Back in the room, Li Yu manages to revert to his fish form just in time, though he worries about leaving traces of his human presence.

Prince Jing and Ye Qinghuan, led by Xiongfeng, return to the room, but find no sign of the intruder. Prince Jing inspects the room, discovering that the clothes in his closet have been disturbed, leading him to suspect the thief's continued presence.

Prince Jing notices Li Yu playing with his tail and is briefly distracted by the fish's antics. He then finds a piece of peach blossom pastry stuck to Li Yu, realizing someone has been eating the pastries.

Concluding that the fish might have jumped to the pastries, Prince Jing feeds Li Yu the leftover pastries, amused by the fish's antics.

Despite the increasing defenses, Prince Jing decides to carry Li Yu with him wherever he goes, using a specially designed crystal bottle with holes for air.

Ye Qinghuan, astonished by Prince Jing's decision, realizes that there's no point in asking for the fish, as Prince Jing plans to keep it close at all times. Prince Jing picks up the crystal bottle with Li Yu inside and leaves, determined to protect his unusual pet.

Prince Jing decided to keep Li Yu in a crystal bottle and carry him everywhere for safety, which made Li Yu feel both fortunate and trapped. While it allowed Li Yu to see the outside world, it also prevented him from transforming into a human or completing his missions.

At first, Li Yu enjoyed the attention and sights, but after a few days, he grew frustrated with being confined in the bottle. He realized that he needed to find a way to communicate his discomfort to Prince Jing.

Li Yu initially considered scaring Prince Jing by pretending to be sick, but when he saw how much effort Prince Jing put into carrying the bottle, he decided against it. Instead, he chose to act listless, hoping Prince Jing would notice.

Prince Jing, concerned for his fish, called a servant who had experience with pets. The servant suggested that the fish might be unhappy being confined in a small space. Understanding this, Prince Jing devised a solution: he placed fish tanks and larger tea bowls in various locations around his residence, allowing Li Yu to move out of the bottle when they arrived at their destination.

Li Yu, after only a couple of hours of pretending, was relieved to find himself in a fish tank again. He expressed his gratitude by swimming around joyfully, though he soon realized that being constantly with Prince Jing still prevented him from transforming.

Meanwhile, Prince Jing learned from Wang Xi that the House of Cheng’en had begun to monitor the second and sixth princes, indicating that Li Yu’s warning had been heeded. However, the side quest "Impenetrable Defense" was not yet completed, indicating more needed to be done to protect Ye Qinghuan.

Li Yu’s main concern was stopping Ye Qinghuan from entering the palace during the critical period around the Dragon Boat Festival, where the original book’s events placed him in danger. Despite Prince Jing’s warning, Ye Qinghuan refused to avoid the palace, citing his duty to obey imperial orders.

Prince Jing decided to accompany Ye Qinghuan to the palace, ensuring they could watch out for each other. Li Yu, still in fish form, planned to go along as well.

As the Dragon Boat Festival approached, the King of Jinjue arrived in the imperial city, accompanied by his youngest princess. Prince Jing and Ye Qinghuan, upon seeing the princess, realized the letter’s warning was coming true.

The emperor entrusted Ye Qinghuan with the safety of the King of Jinjue and the princess, causing Ye Qinghuan to feel a deep sense of unease.

During the banquet in Taihe Hall, Prince Jing brought out the crystal bottle containing Li Yu, much to the surprise of those around him. The second prince, Mu Tianzhao, turned pale upon seeing the fish, realizing that his plans might once again be thwarted by Li Yu.

During an imperial banquet, Prince Jing brought out his crystal bottle with Li Yu inside and transferred him to a small fish tank placed on the table. Prince Jing fed the fish a combination of fish food and a peach blossom pastry, causing surprise and confusion among the onlookers.

Prince Jing, noticing how much Li Yu enjoyed the peach blossom pastry but disliked another type of dessert, instructed Wang Xi not to prepare that dessert anymore, further baffling those around him.

The second prince, Mu Tianzhao, led the toasts to King Jinjue and attempted to impress the princess by offering her a butterfly pastry. However, the princess seemed more interested in watching Prince Jing feed his fish.

Mu Tianzhao, feeling frustrated by his recent setbacks and eager to secure his position, planned to marry the Princess of Jinjue to gain the support of her country. However, his plans were disrupted as the princess showed no interest in him and focused on the fish instead.

In an attempt to subtly express his frustration, Mu Tianzhao ordered carp soup, which drew attention from those around him, including his brother, Mu Tianming, who questioned the odd request. This led to an uncomfortable situation where everyone’s attention was drawn to Prince Jing’s fish.

The emperor noticed this and felt displeased with Mu Tianzhao’s behavior, as it appeared disrespectful to both Prince Jing and the princess.

The Princess of Jinjue, unimpressed with Mu Tianzhao's advances and his request for carp soup, stood up and publicly criticized him, further embarrassing him.

The emperor, observing the situation, realized that the princess had no interest in the second prince and decided to explore the idea of marrying her to Ye Qinghuan, whom he viewed as more suitable.

Mu Tianzhao, feeling humiliated and sensing that the emperor was now considering Ye Qinghuan for the marriage, became increasingly resentful and began to plan his next move.

Ye Qinghuan presented Prince Jing with a stack of secret reports. The reports confirmed that the second prince was plotting against Ye Qinghuan by framing him for the murder of the Princess of Jinjue, just as described in the mysterious letter.

The second prince planned to lure the princess to Yanyu Pavilion, kill her with Ye Qinghuan's sword, and then frame Ye Qinghuan by catching him at the scene.

Despite the letter's warning, Ye Qinghuan found no evidence of the sixth prince's involvement, making him skeptical of the letter’s complete accuracy. However, he and Prince Jing decided to keep an eye on the sixth prince just in case.

The second prince also secretly acquired arsenic, suggesting another plot to poison someone, though the target was unclear.

Ye Qinghuan's marriage to the Princess of Jinjue was decided by the emperor, but Ye Qinghuan was more focused on preventing the second prince's plot.

On the day Ye Qinghuan was due to enter the palace to thank the emperor for his engagement, Prince Jing prepared to accompany him, armed with both a sword and a concealed dagger, ready for a potential confrontation.

Li Yu, realizing he might not be taken along to the palace, made several attempts to get Prince Jing's attention by jumping from his tank and even onto Prince Jing's shoulder. His determination paid off when Prince Jing decided to bring him along in a crystal bottle.

Upon arriving at the palace, Ye Qinghuan brought his dog, Xiongfeng, intending for the pets to keep each other company. Prince Jing left Li Yu in a white-and-blue porcelain fish tank.

Prince Jing and Ye Qinghuan had preemptively warned the Princess of Jinjue about the plot against her through an anonymous letter. This led the King of Jinjue to heavily guard the princess, making the second prince’s plan difficult to execute.

As Prince Jing and Ye Qinghuan prepared to confront the second prince at Yanyu Pavilion, Li Yu remained in Jingtai Hall, concerned about the sixth prince’s potential involvement.

While waiting in the hall, a black-clad figure broke in, but Xiongfeng’s barking alerted Wang Xi and the guards, forcing the intruder to flee.

Wang Xi, relieved that both the fish and dog were unharmed, fed them as a reward. However, Li Yu, suspecting foul play, knocked over the fish food plate. Wang Xi tested the food with a silver needle and discovered it was poisoned, confirming an assassination attempt against Li Yu.

Wang Xi took immediate action, moving Li Yu and Xiongfeng to a secure room without windows and personally standing guard to ensure their safety.

Ye Qinghuan encountered the person sent by the second prince to lure him into Yanyu Pavilion, with Prince Jing and his aides following discreetly.

Upon arrival, they discovered a woman dressed in Jinjue attire, seemingly killed by Ye Qinghuan’s sword. The second prince and his imperial guards arrived shortly after, accusing Ye Qinghuan of murdering the princess.

The emperor, who had been informed by the second prince, arrived at the scene. The situation escalated as the second prince accused Ye Qinghuan of the crime, but when the body was examined, it was revealed to be a Jinjue servant, not the princess.

Ye Qinghuan presented his actual sword, showing that the sword found at the scene was a fake, part of the second prince’s plot to frame him.

The emperor, realizing the second prince’s deception, ordered Mu Tianzhao to be placed under house arrest. Although the emperor didn’t punish him further, the second prince’s plot had been thwarted.

Prince Jing, seeking justice for his mother and the House of Cheng’en, presented Empress Xiaohui’s memorial tablet to the emperor, urging him to take action against the second prince.

King Jinjue learned of the second prince’s plot and was furious. The emperor summoned Ye Qinghuan to manage the situation, while Prince Jing returned to Jingtai Hall.

On the way back, Prince Jing was attacked by a masked man, likely sent by the second prince for revenge. Despite being injured by a powder attack, Prince Jing managed to fend off the assailant.

Prince Jing returned to Jingtai Hall with his vision impaired by the powder. As he struggled to clean his eyes, Li Yu, realizing the danger of using water to wash away the lime powder, transformed into his human form and stopped him just in time.

Li Yu, still adjusting to his sudden transformation and nakedness, quickly wrapped himself in a curtain. He urged Prince Jing to allow him to help, aware that the situation required careful handling to avoid further harm to the prince’s eyes.

Li Yu, in his human form, tried to help Prince Jing with his eye injury caused by lime powder. Despite Prince Jing's initial hesitation, Li Yu managed to convince him to let him clean the powder from his eyes, saving him from further harm.

As Li Yu carefully removed the powder, he realized the danger of using water to wash it away, which could cause blindness. He worked quickly to ensure the prince's eyes were safe.

Prince Jing, curious about the young man who saved him, began questioning Li Yu, but Li Yu pretended not to understand or answer, fearing he might reveal too much.

Prince Jing became more intrigued by the mysterious young man, noting his peculiar attire and behavior. Despite his curiosity, he allowed the imperial physician to treat him while keeping an eye on Li Yu.

When the imperial physician arrived, Prince Jing stepped outside to receive treatment, but left the door ajar, signaling his intent to return quickly. Li Yu, realizing he was running out of time before his transformation ended, grew anxious.

Wang Xi informed Prince Jing that someone had tried to poison the fish food in Jingtai Hall. This news further angered the prince, as he realized the threat was likely from the second prince's men.

Prince Jing returned to the room, but Li Yu had already transformed back into his fish form, leaving no trace of the young man behind. The room appeared empty except for Xiongfeng and the fish tank.

Prince Jing noticed small details, such as wet footprints and a puddle of water under Xiongfeng, that hinted at the young man's recent presence. He recalled the strange occurrences and began piecing together the possibility that the young man and the fish might be connected.

Prince Jing found fish scales on the cloth left behind, reinforcing his suspicions. He began to realize the truth, that the mysterious young man and his fish might indeed be the same being.

Li Yu, feeling relieved after narrowly escaping exposure, slept peacefully in his tank, while Prince Jing spent the night piecing together clues about the mysterious young man and his fish, Xiaoyu.

Prince Jing realized that the young man and his fish might be the same being, a carp spirit or yao, based on the evidence of fish scales and the young man's mysterious appearances and disappearances.

Unsure of how to proceed, Prince Jing ordered a comparison of Xiaoyu with similar fish from the kitchen, confirming that Xiaoyu was indeed special, with a unique spirit.

Prince Jing struggled with the realization, considering how Xiaoyu had saved him and his relatives, and decided to keep observing Xiaoyu without revealing his suspicions.

Ye Qinghuan, exhausted from dealing with King Jinjue, visited Prince Jing and was startled by the prince's unusual demeanor and questions about yao. Prince Jing subtly inquired about raising a yao and learned that they could potentially drain a person’s essence, which worried him but also intrigued him.

Despite his concerns, Prince Jing decided to return to his manor with Xiaoyu, continuing to observe the fish spirit without revealing his knowledge.

On the way back, Li Yu noticed that he was losing scales and became anxious about the possibility of turning into a bald fish. Prince Jing, noticing the fallen scales, ordered Wang Xi to summon an imperial physician to check on Xiaoyu, further indicating his deep concern for the fish.

The chapter ends with Prince Jing determined to care for Xiaoyu, even if he was no longer just an ordinary fish, while Li Yu anxiously contemplates his situation.

Wang Xi, under Prince Jing's orders, summoned an imperial physician named Xu to examine Master Fish Xiaoyu, who had been losing scales. Despite the unusual request, Imperial Physician Xu remained calm.

Imperial Physician Xu examined Xiaoyu and concluded that the scale loss was likely due to external factors rather than illness, possibly from bumping into things in a small space.

Li Yu, while initially relieved that he wasn't sick, knew the physician's suggestion wasn't the real reason for his scale loss. He began to worry about the impact of losing his scales and whether it would affect his cuteness.

Prince Jing, who had realized Xiaoyu was a carp spirit, took Imperial Physician Xu's advice to heart and ordered a new, more spacious fish tank for Xiaoyu, hoping to prevent further scale loss.

Prince Jing became more hesitant in touching Xiaoyu, realizing that his fish was actually a carp spirit, which led to some awkwardness in their interactions.

Meanwhile, the emperor issued a series of decrees that demoted the second prince, promoted Ye Qinghuan, and further solidified the alliance between the House of Cheng’en and King Jinjue. This marked a significant shift in court politics.

Li Yu's "Impenetrable Defense" side quest was updated and completed, earning him a reward of new, stronger fish scales. He chose gold-colored scales, which began to grow in place of his old ones.

As his new scales started to come in, Li Yu became a mix of black and gold, a unique and distinguished look that Prince Jing accepted without suspicion. Prince Jing even ordered Wang Xi to ensure everyone in the residence believed Xiaoyu was descended from koi to prevent gossip.

Prince Jing began reading books about yao (spirits) and their interactions with humans, including stories about a white snake and a fox spirit. These stories involved the spirits absorbing the essence of humans, which intrigued Prince Jing but also made him curious and anxious about Xiaoyu’s intentions.

Li Yu, determined to complete his main quest, waited for Prince Jing to fall asleep before jumping onto the prince’s pillow and giving him a quick kiss on the lips in his fish form. Unbeknownst to Li Yu, Prince Jing was awake and fully aware of the kiss, which left the prince in a state of surprise and confusion, especially as he recalled the stories he had been reading about spirits and their interactions with humans.

Prince Jing, puzzled by the brief kiss and the lack of any further action from the carp spirit, was left wondering about Xiaoyu's true intentions and the significance of the kiss.

After Li Yu kissed Prince Jing’s lips, he realized the mission “Intimate Contact with the Tyrant” wasn’t marked as complete because the action had been repeated.

Frustrated with the fish-scamming system for not informing him earlier, Li Yu spent the night pondering how to achieve proper “intimate contact” that would count toward the mission.

The next morning, Ye Qinghuan arrived at Prince Jing’s residence with two jars of green plum wine brewed by his grandfather, one for Prince Jing and one for Empress Xiaohui.

Prince Jing accepted the wedding invitation and the wine, and Ye Qinghuan noticed construction work at Prince Jing’s residence. It was revealed that Prince Jing was building a new fish tank for Li Yu.

Li Yu was thrilled to learn about the new fish tank and expressed his happiness by interacting with Prince Jing. Prince Jing, realizing how much the fish enjoyed the attention, began to pet him again.

During their time together, Ye Qinghuan noticed that Li Yu’s scales had changed color to gold and was surprised, but Wang Xi explained it away, likening it to a dog shedding fur.

Over a meal, Ye Qinghuan drank too much and began rambling, expressing doubts about his upcoming marriage. Prince Jing decided to take care of him and had him sent back to Cheng’en Manor.

Prince Jing noticed Li Yu’s interest in the green plum wine and brought a plate of green plums back to his room. When he was called away, he left the plums behind, suspecting that Li Yu might transform into a human in his absence.

Li Yu, taking advantage of Prince Jing’s departure, transformed into a human and ate the green plums, getting drunk in the process.

Prince Jing returned to find Li Yu in his human form, drunk and holding a plate with only one plum left. Delighted that Li Yu had finally transformed, Prince Jing was unsure how to handle the situation.

Li Yu, in his drunken state, mistook Prince Jing for his master and tried to feed him the last plum. He nuzzled against Prince Jing, who gently held him.

As Li Yu grew sleepy, Prince Jing helped him to bed. Li Yu, still thinking he was a fish, demanded his “leaf blanket,” which Prince Jing replaced with a green brocade blanket.

Just as Li Yu was about to fall asleep, he suddenly remembered his mission and, in a drunken daze, kissed Prince Jing’s throat, surprising him completely.

Li Yu woke up in his fish tank, covered by his leaf blanket, and remembered his drunken escapade with the green plums. He was relieved to be back in his fish form and assumed he must have transformed back into a fish before Prince Jing saw him.

Despite his relief, Li Yu was still anxious about completing the “Intimate Contact” mission, but when he entered the system, he discovered that the mission was already completed. The system informed him that he had completed the mission while he was drunk, by nibbling on Prince Jing’s Adam’s apple.

Li Yu collected his reward, which doubled all of his stats, including his inventory space, transformation time, tail strength, and healing abilities. He was ecstatic about his newfound abilities and began playing around in his fish tank, only to realize that his body had also doubled in size, causing him to get stuck in a narrow cave within the tank.

Prince Jing woke up, noticed Li Yu was missing, and found him stuck in the cave. After ordering the servants to move the ornamental mountain and free Li Yu, Prince Jing examined the fish and noticed his sudden growth. He speculated that Li Yu might be going through some sort of tribulation.

Prince Jing ordered a remodel of the ornamental mountain and other items in the fish tank to accommodate Li Yu’s new size. He also ordered new clothes and accessories that were much smaller than his own size, leaving Wang Xi puzzled.

Wang Xi speculated that Prince Jing might be hiding a male concubine in the manor, as he had seen a disheveled young man with Prince Jing before and now noticed a red mark on Prince Jing’s throat. Wang Xi obediently followed Prince Jing’s orders, delivering the clothes to the designated wardrobe.

Li Yu noticed the red mark on Prince Jing’s throat and realized he had nibbled him while drunk. Feeling guilty, he offered Prince Jing a peach blossom pastry as an apology, but then ate it himself out of hunger.

Prince Jing continued to spoil Li Yu, leaving out snacks that Li Yu couldn’t resist. With his increased transformation time, Li Yu took advantage of Prince Jing’s absences to transform into a human, eat the snacks, and explore the room. He discovered new robes and enjoyed dressing up and eating snacks, unaware that Prince Jing was secretly watching him from the next room through a hidden mirror.

Prince Jing, now fully aware of Li Yu’s ability to transform, watched him with fascination but was torn about what to do next. He was drawn to the fish spirit but unsure of how to proceed, especially after Li Yu’s drunken nibbling.

Prince Jing reflected on his growing affection for Xiaoyu, realizing that despite only meeting in human form a few times, Xiaoyu's sincerity touched him deeply, both as a fish and a human. Prince Jing observed Xiaoyu’s behaviors and habits, noting that the fish could only transform into a human for about two hours each day.

Prince Jing decided to keep his knowledge of Xiaoyu’s true identity a secret for now, fearing that revealing it might cause Xiaoyu to run away. He began studying books on supernatural beings and Taoism, hoping to learn more about carp spirits and how to protect Xiaoyu.

Li Yu, noticing that Prince Jing was engrossed in reading, became curious and attempted to see what the prince was studying. Prince Jing indulged his curiosity by placing Li Yu’s lotus bowl closer to the book. However, when Li Yu realized Prince Jing was reading a book on cultivating immortality, he became worried that the prince might be considering this path.

Concerned that Prince Jing might abandon his emperor path for immortality, Li Yu splashed water on the book, hoping to deter him from such thoughts. In response, Prince Jing switched to a book on concocting pills of immortality, which prompted Li Yu to splash even more water to prevent him from considering dangerous alchemy.

Finally, Prince Jing pulled out a book on dual cultivation, which left Li Yu conflicted. He knew what dual cultivation meant and was both intrigued and embarrassed by the idea. Li Yu's reaction convinced Prince Jing that Xiaoyu might want to dual cultivate with him.

Just as the situation became more intense, Wang Xi interrupted, informing Prince Jing that there had been a fire in Zhongcui Palace, and Concubine Qiu was injured. The little carp quickly retreated back to his lotus bowl, leaving the situation unresolved.

Li Yu initially struggled to remember who Concubine Qiu was, but Prince Jing recognized her as the former Noble Consort Qiu, now demoted. Concubine Qiu was the mother of the second prince, now known as the Marquis of An, who had lost his chance at inheriting the throne. Despite her demotion, Concubine Qiu seemed unwilling to give up her ambitions.

Wang Xi explained that a fire had broken out in Zhongcui Palace, injuring Concubine Qiu, though the cause of the fire was unclear. Li Yu recalled a plot from the original book where Concubine Qiu had set herself on fire to gain the emperor's sympathy, but this time, the fire was more extensive, raising suspicions.

Prince Jing decided to visit the emperor after the incident. Li Yu, eager to go along, was placed in a large crystal bottle by Prince Jing, who filled it with snacks for the journey.

At Qianqing Palace, the emperor was reminded of Concubine Qiu's past beauty and her dedication to pleasing him, which made him momentarily sympathetic. However, when the results of the fire investigation revealed suspicious details, the emperor became wary of Concubine Qiu's intentions.

The emperor was informed that a servant named Huanhua, who lived in the room where the fire started, was missing, adding to the mystery. The emperor grew suspicious of Concubine Qiu, especially after Consort Qian hinted at the implausibility of Concubine Qiu's selective injury.

The emperor decided to visit Concubine Qiu in person, accompanied by the other concubines and princes. Upon arrival, the emperor noticed that Concubine Qiu had prepared herself to evoke his pity, which only increased his suspicion.

While waiting outside the room, Li Yu, aware of the plot's changes, tried to think of a way to inform Prince Jing of Concubine Qiu's deceit. Lost in thought, he accidentally flipped over his crystal bottle. Prince Jing quickly scooped him up, and Wang Xi covered the situation by announcing that Prince Jing needed to change.

Prince Jing carried Li Yu into a warm room within the side hall after the fish had accidentally tipped over the crystal bottle, soaking the prince's clothes. While Wang Xi prepared a change of clothes for Prince Jing, the prince asked him to stand guard outside, leaving them alone in the room.

Prince Jing placed Li Yu into another crystal bottle and began changing his clothes. He wondered if Li Yu was trying to tell him something, similar to a previous incident where the fish's actions had led him to leave and encounter Noble Consort Qiu and her son. However, Li Yu was simply anxious and unsure how to communicate as a fish.

When Prince Jing turned his back to change, Li Yu, out of curiosity, stopped swimming and stared at the prince, only to be caught in the act. Prince Jing playfully turned the fish around, making Li Yu feel both embarrassed and fascinated.

Li Yu realized he needed to transform into a human to warn Prince Jing about Concubine Qiu's plot. After Prince Jing left the room, ostensibly to drink tea, Li Yu transformed and quickly dressed in a servant's outfit he found in the room.

Stepping outside, Li Yu was startled to find Prince Jing waiting for him. He quickly tried to explain that Concubine Qiu had burned herself with a cypress branch to fake her injury and manipulate the emperor. Li Yu detailed the plot, including the location of the cypress branch and the key witness, Huanhua.

To prove his credibility, Li Yu recited the contents of the letter he had previously sent to Ye Qinghuan, which had helped the House of Cheng’en. This convinced Prince Jing of his identity.

Prince Jing, still holding onto Li Yu's arm, called Wang Xi and had Li Yu repeat the information to him. Prince Jing then decided to let the third prince handle the situation, avoiding direct involvement himself.

After Wang Xi left, Prince Jing sat down with Li Yu, asking him several questions about his identity and reasons for being there. Li Yu reluctantly answered, revealing his name, age, and his uncertainty about why he had turned into a fish.

Prince Jing records the carp spirit's name, "Li Yu," and reflects on how fitting it is. He notes that Li Yu, at eighteen, is much younger than spirits typically found in stories, making him suspect that the carp spirit's cultivation level is low.

Prince Jing inquires about why Li Yu saved him, leading Li Yu to mistakenly believe the prince is asking about the incident involving the House of Cheng’en. Li Yu downplays his role, attributing the success to Prince Jing and Ye Qinghuan's plans.

Prince Jing is pleased with Li Yu's modesty and grows more fond of him.

When asked about his current residence, Li Yu lies, claiming he has no fixed home and wanders about, to avoid suspicion.

Prince Jing, though suspicious of Li Yu's audacity, decides to protect him and invites him to stay at his manor, under the pretext of taking care of his fish.

Li Yu is both surprised and relieved by the offer, realizing it would allow him to stay close to Prince Jing without raising further suspicions.

As they discuss, Prince Jing is summoned by the emperor, who is inquiring after him. Before leaving, Prince Jing reassures Li Yu, who is touched by his kindness.

Outside, the emperor interacts with his concubines, including Concubine Qiu, who is uneasy when the emperor mentions Prince Jing's fish, recalling a past traumatic experience with it.

The emperor considers the fish auspicious, a sign of good fortune, and asks to see it, causing Prince Jing to delay, as he worries about Li Yu’s current state.

Prince Jing eventually brings the fish to the emperor, with Concubine Qiu forced to approach despite her deep-seated fear and hatred of the fish.

Li Yu, sensing an opportunity, deliberately spits out bubbles, causing a scene. Wang Xi explains to the emperor that the fish is sneezing due to a strong scent, deflecting any further suspicion.

Concubine Qiu becomes angry and defensive when the fish appears to sneeze in her presence, suspecting that it is mocking her.

Consort Qian seizes the opportunity to suggest that Concubine Qiu's injury be reexamined, leading the emperor to summon the imperial physician.

The imperial physician discovers the scent of cypress on Concubine Qiu's injury, raising suspicion since no cypress trees are found in her residence.

The third prince, Mu Tianming, reports that a servant named Huanhua has been found dead, and evidence points to Concubine Qiu being involved in a plot, including setting fire to Zhongcui Palace.

Concubine Qiu is accused of ordering the fire and trying to cover up her involvement, leading to her demotion to commoner status and banishment to the cold palace.

Prince Jing, who had orchestrated the exposure of Concubine Qiu’s crimes, quietly leaves the palace, knowing that his plan to remove her from power was successful.

After returning to his manor, Prince Jing reveals that a large, luxurious fish tank has been constructed for Li Yu. The tank is expansive, almost like a pond, with intricate details and jade carvings replicating scenes from the outside world.

Li Yu is deeply touched by Prince Jing's thoughtful gesture and eagerly explores his new home, finding joy in the meticulously crafted underwater world.

The chapter concludes with Li Yu feeling both grateful and emotionally moved by Prince Jing's gift, further deepening the bond between them.

Prince Jing waits by the fishpond, worried that Li Yu might prefer his new luxurious pond to staying with him. However, Li Yu returns to Prince Jing, showing that he still values their bond.

Prince Jing takes Li Yu back to his room, placing him in the fish tank, and feels reassured when Li Yu continues to stay close to him, signaling his affection and loyalty.

Li Yu, pretending to sleep, sneaks out of the tank and, after some humorous mishaps, gives Prince Jing a gentle "kiss" on the nose as a gesture of gratitude and affection before hurriedly returning to his tank.

The next day, Ye Qinghuan visits Prince Jing’s manor to see the new fishpond and brings his dog, Xiongfeng, along. Xiongfeng plays with Li Yu in the pond, and they have a playful interaction.

Ye Qinghuan is impressed by the size of the pond and teases Prince Jing about the possibility of losing the fish in such a large pond, but Prince Jing confidently dismisses the concern.

Later, the third prince, Mu Tianming, visits Prince Jing with the intention of buying the fish, offering large sums of gold and silver. He sees the fish as a good omen that could help him secure the position of crown prince.

Prince Jing, deeply angered by the offer, has Wang Xi reject the third prince’s proposal, emphasizing that the fish is his beloved pet and not for sale, no matter the price.

Li Yu is touched by Prince Jing’s refusal to sell him, feeling valued and cherished.

In response to the third prince’s attempt to buy the fish, Prince Jing orders the workers to replace Li Yu's bedding with rounded silver stones and a gold silk handkerchief, further demonstrating his affection and care for the fish.

The chapter ends with Li Yu overjoyed by the luxurious upgrades to his bed, feeling even more grateful and connected to Prince Jing.

Li Yu is informed by the system that his assessment for the main mission has been completed, allowing him to enter the next main mission called "Tyrant’s Pet Fish for Revitalizing the Family."

The first step of the new mission is "Indulge with the tyrant," which confuses Li Yu as he contemplates how to accomplish this task.

After unsuccessfully trying to negotiate the mission requirements with the system, Li Yu decides to go along with it, focusing on finding wine to fulfill the mission.

That night, thieves attempt to break into Prince Jing's manor, presumably sent by the third prince to steal Li Yu. The thieves are caught by the guards, and Prince Jing decides to handle the situation discreetly by sending them to the government office for interrogation.

Prince Jing learns that the third prince is planning to use the Imperial Astrological Bureau to claim that Li Yu is showing signs of transforming into a dragon, which would threaten the emperor's authority and put Prince Jing in danger.

Prince Jing takes precautions to protect Li Yu, anticipating the upcoming political storm.

Returning to his room, Prince Jing finds Li Yu in his human form, humming a tune and tidying the bed. Prince Jing is captivated by Li Yu’s appearance and demeanor.

Li Yu, nervous but trying to be obedient, prepares himself to answer Prince Jing's questions. Instead, Prince Jing hands him a brush and paper, asking him to grind ink and then teaching him how to write.

Prince Jing guides Li Yu closely, helping him write the character for "fish." Li Yu is flustered by the intimate proximity but focuses on learning.

Despite the close and somewhat awkward interaction, Li Yu becomes engrossed in the writing lesson, forgetting to ask for a reward, and later realizes that Prince Jing had subtly prevented him from completing his mission to "indulge" by keeping him occupied with writing.

The emperor summons Prince Jing to the palace, specifically asking him to bring his fish, Li Yu.

Li Yu is nervous about the summons but cooperates, jumping into the crystal bottle as Prince Jing prepares to enter the palace.

Upon arriving, they find the emperor with several officials, including the third and sixth princes, who seem to be plotting something.

The emperor reveals that the Imperial Astrological Bureau has confirmed that the fish’s golden scales are an auspicious sign for the empire.

The third prince, Mu Tianming, tries to undermine this by questioning the Imperial Astrological Bureau’s assessment, suggesting that an alternative reading might be necessary.

Director Sun Simiao of the Imperial Astrological Bureau defends the assessment, and the emperor scolds the third prince for his immaturity.

The sixth prince, Mu Tianxiao, then introduces a nursery rhyme that hints at a fish transforming into a dragon, a veiled accusation against Prince Jing.

The emperor becomes suspicious after reading the rhyme, but Prince Jing, through Wang Xi, suggests investigating when and where the rhyme first appeared.

The emperor orders an investigation into the nursery rhyme, but the third and sixth princes have already summoned monks to further implicate Prince Jing.

Li Yu recognizes that the monks might be impostors, as in the original novel, and observes one monk scratching his head, indicating an uncomfortable, freshly shaven scalp.

Li Yu decides to act, breaking out of the crystal bottle and knocking off the lead monk’s hat, revealing that the monk has no precept scars, proving he is a fake.

Prince Jing, realizing Li Yu’s intent, injures his hand with a crystal shard to create a diversion, allowing him to expose the fake monk.

The emperor, seeing the evidence and realizing the plot, orders the arrest of the fake monks and feels regret for doubting Prince Jing.

The chapter ends with the emperor ordering Prince Jing to receive medical attention, while the third and sixth princes are left to face the emperor’s wrath.

The imperial physicians arrive to treat Prince Jing’s injured hand, but he insists they check on the fish, Li Yu, first.

After confirming that the fish is unharmed, the physicians remove the crystal shards from Prince Jing’s hand and bandage the wound.

Wang Xi tries to take the crystal bottle away to prevent Prince Jing from playing with the fish, but Prince Jing orders him to leave and keeps the bottle close.

Li Yu feels guilty for causing Prince Jing’s injury and wishes he could thank him properly.

Prince Jing opens the crystal bottle, and Li Yu swims over to comfort him by rubbing against his fingers.

After confirming that Li Yu is fine, Prince Jing, weakened from blood loss, tries to rest but remains concerned about his fish.

Li Yu transforms into his human form, changes into clothes from his inventory, and checks on Prince Jing’s bandaged hand.

Worried about Prince Jing’s condition, Li Yu drapes a blanket over him and sits by his side.

Prince Jing, secretly waiting for Li Yu to transform, pretends to sleep to get closer to him.

Li Yu tries to comfort Prince Jing by offering him food and tending to his needs, but he is overcome with guilt and begins to cry.

Prince Jing, unable to communicate verbally due to his injury, hands Li Yu a cloth to wipe his tears and pats his hand to comfort him.

Li Yu, still worried, offers to fetch water, but Prince Jing pulls him back and rests his head on Li Yu’s thighs, pretending to be cold.

Li Yu, flustered but resigned, hugs Prince Jing to keep him warm, fulfilling the prince’s desire for closeness.

Prince Jing pretends to shiver again, hinting at a desire for more intimacy, but Li Yu innocently complies by hugging him tighter, unaware of the prince's true intentions.

Prince Jing falls asleep on Li Yu's lap after taking his medicine, leaving Li Yu worried about transforming back into a fish while Prince Jing is still lying on him.

Li Yu becomes concerned that if he transforms while Prince Jing is on his lap, he might be crushed or flattened.

Wang Xi enters the room, and Li Yu signals him for help.

Wang Xi, recognizing Li Yu as Li-gongzi, helps him gently move Prince Jing onto the daybed and covers him with a blanket.

Li Yu, aware that he’s about to transform back into a fish, quickly hides behind a cabinet where he had placed a crystal bottle beforehand.

After transforming back into a fish, Li Yu uses his tail to jump into the crystal bottle, completing his transformation unnoticed by Wang Xi.

Wang Xi, seeing the crystal bottle with the fish in it on the ground, places it in front of the bed for when Prince Jing wakes up.

Meanwhile, the emperor, angry at the third and sixth princes for bringing fake monks to the palace, orders an investigation into the suspicious nursery rhyme.

The fake monks are tortured and confess that they were bribed by the third prince, leading to the emperor scolding both the third and sixth princes.

The sixth prince quickly admits his mistakes, distancing himself from the third prince, who continues to argue that Prince Jing's fish is suspicious.

The emperor, remembering the third prince's previous attempt to buy Prince Jing's fish, becomes angry and orders the third prince to be relieved of his duties and punished.

The third and sixth princes are publicly punished with a beating of one hundred planks each in Qianqing Palace.

Li Yu, satisfied with the emperor's punishment, listens to the third prince's screams while floating in his crystal bottle.

Prince Jing wakes up to see Li Yu in his crystal bottle, but before he can reach out to pet him, Li Yu starts to "meditate."

Li Yu checks his system and discovers that the koi side mission has been updated, leaving him curious about the changes.

Li Yu checks the koi mission in the system and notices that the prompt has changed to: "To become a koi, one must experience being a koi first."

The system explains that when Li Yu becomes protective and risks his life for the tyrant, he exhibits the characteristics of a koi, which is about protection rather than just good fortune.

Li Yu is confused and nervous when the system prompts him to "experience being a koi" and find a target.

He finds himself in an illusion within the imperial palace and encounters two children: a taller, older prince, and a younger, chubbier prince.

The two children are fighting, and the older prince eventually runs away after the younger prince bites him.

Li Yu realizes that the chubby boy is a young Prince Jing, and the servant with him resembles Wang Xi.

Li Yu watches as the young Prince Jing is pushed into a pond by the older prince, who then runs away. Since no one else is around to help, Li Yu jumps into the pond to save Prince Jing.

In the water, Li Yu finds that he can interact with the boy and, after growing in size, manages to push him to safety.

The young Prince Jing is initially startled by the fish but soon begins to pet Li Yu under his guidance, smiling and enjoying the interaction.

Voices approach, and Li Yu hides among the aquatic plants in the pond as the emperor and imperial physicians arrive to check on Prince Jing.

The emperor, worried, orders the imperial physicians to treat the feverish Prince Jing immediately.

The system congratulates Li Yu on completing the "Becoming a Koi" mission, revealing that the mission was to make Li Yu experience the feeling of protecting someone.

Li Yu learns that the young Prince Jing recovers after a few days but decides to delay collecting the reward to avoid causing suspicion with another sudden scale change.

Li Yu exits the system and returns to reality, where he finds Prince Jing wrapping him in a golden blanket.

Despite knowing it was an illusion, Li Yu feels touched by meeting the chubby child version of Prince Jing.

Li Yu becomes anxious when he hears that Zen Master Liao Kong has been summoned to the palace. He worries that Prince Jing might want to become a monk or pursue cultivation seriously.

Head eunuch Luo arrives with a message from the emperor, asking Prince Jing to meet with Liao Kong. Li Yu decides to accompany Prince Jing to the palace, hiding in a crystal bottle.

At Qianqing Palace, Prince Jing meets the emperor and Liao Kong. Li Yu, hiding in the crystal bottle, feels nervous when Liao Kong notices him and glances at the bottle.

The emperor recounts how, as a child, Prince Jing had fallen into a pond and developed a high fever. Liao Kong had been called to help, and it was he who suggested changing Prince Jing's name from Tianjing to Tianchi.

Li Yu realizes that the illusion he experienced in the system may have been a real event from Prince Jing's past, and he reflects on the emperor’s story.

Liao Kong examines the fish in the crystal bottle and remarks that it is extraordinary, claiming it to be the descendant of a koi. He reassures the emperor that the fish is auspicious.

The emperor is relieved by Liao Kong's words, and Li Yu is pleased that he has been accepted as a koi by both the emperor and Prince Jing.

After the meeting, Prince Jing stays behind to speak privately with Liao Kong. He entrusts Wang Xi with taking the crystal bottle back to his room.

In their private conversation, it is revealed that Prince Jing had planned the meeting with Liao Kong to ensure the emperor’s doubts were dispelled. Liao Kong has a longstanding connection with Prince Jing’s family, having been a friend of Prince Jing’s grandfather, the former Duke of Cheng’en.

Liao Kong warns Prince Jing about the potential danger of keeping the fish around, but Prince Jing assures him that the fish would never harm him.

Liao Kong then reveals that, many years ago, when Prince Jing fell into the pond, he saw a black and gold fish that looked just like Li Yu. This fish had helped save Prince Jing by pushing him to the shore.

Prince Jing realizes that Li Yu might have been with him even back then, which deeply moves him. He reflects on how his instinct to save the fish when they first met was likely a remnant of their earlier connection.

After being confirmed as a koi by Zen Master Liao Kong in front of the emperor, Li Yu completes the koi mission but decides to delay accepting the reward to avoid drawing attention to his transformation.

Once Prince Jing recovers from his injury and returns to the manor, Li Yu picks a sunny day to accept the reward from the system.

Li Yu is given two options: choose a new scale color and receive increased luck for three random statistics. He chooses silver scales to look cool, and his luck increases in "slapping villains in the face," "well-fed and well-clothed," and "one-shot-and-done" stats.

After accepting the reward, Li Yu exits the system and is shocked to see that his entire fish body has turned silver with golden streaks, making him look like a true koi. He becomes worried about how Prince Jing will react to the drastic change.

Li Yu hides in his cave, only leaving his mouth visible, and plans to slowly reveal himself to Prince Jing. When Wang Xi comes to feed him, he notices something strange but doesn't investigate further.

When Prince Jing notices that Li Yu is hiding, he tries to pull him out but finds him stuck due to a growth spurt. Prince Jing orders his servants to move the ornamental mountain to free Li Yu, revealing his new silver appearance.

Prince Jing is initially surprised but quickly accepts the change, recognizing that this is still his beloved fish. He measures Li Yu's new size, realizing he's now as long as his forearm.

Prince Jing moves Li Yu to a larger tea bowl, which he had prepared in advance, and warns everyone in the manor that Li Yu will continue to change, reassuring them that it’s a natural koi transformation.

Three days later, Prince Jing writes to the emperor about the koi transformation, slightly altering the details to make it more believable.

With his koi mission completed, Li Yu focuses on his "Revitalizing the Family" mission, which requires him to indulge in wine.

Li Yu turns into a human and hides Prince Jing's cultivation books before seeking out Wang Xi to ask about wine.

Li Yu presents Wang Xi with a gift box containing his favorite desserts and asks for wine that’s not too strong. Wang Xi takes him to the wine cellar and gives him a jar of "Amber Light," a mild wine.

Prince Jing becomes concerned when he hears that Li Yu wants to drink wine, knowing his low alcohol tolerance, and decides to stay with him to prevent any accidents.

Prince Jing sees the handmade gift box Li Yu gave to Wang Xi and expressionlessly takes it, while Wang Xi holds the money Prince Jing gave him in exchange, feeling amused.

Li Yu receives the wine he wanted and plans to complete his "Indulge" mission by getting Prince Jing to drink a diluted version of it. He believes just a sip would suffice to complete the mission.

To ensure Prince Jing doesn’t get drunk due to his recent injury, Li Yu dilutes the wine significantly by mixing it with several cups of cooled tea.

Li Yu realizes that Prince Jing’s food is usually tested by a servant before serving, so he decides to serve the wine himself using his human form.

To create an opportunity to serve the wine, Li Yu decides to invite Prince Jing to dinner and cooks a simple cucumber and egg dish.

Li Yu attempts to cook but quickly realizes he is terrible at it, making a mess in the kitchen. He eventually decides to make a simple cucumber salad instead.

Auntie Xu, a kitchen staff member, suggests Li Yu make fish soup, but Li Yu is horrified at the idea and declines. He sticks to preparing the cucumber salad.

Prince Jing, aware that Li Yu is in the kitchen, watches him struggle and feels warm-hearted knowing that Li Yu is working hard to cook for him.

Li Yu brings the cucumber salad and the diluted wine to Prince Jing, inviting him to have a meal together. Prince Jing agrees, and Li Yu excitedly serves the wine and salad.

Prince Jing eats the overly seasoned cucumber salad without complaint and then drinks the diluted wine. However, Li Yu’s mission doesn’t update, leaving him confused and frustrated.

Prince Jing becomes silent after drinking the wine and appears to be affected by it, even though it was heavily diluted. Concerned, Li Yu tries to help him to bed but struggles due to the weight difference.

While attempting to assist Prince Jing, Li Yu ends up falling onto him. As he tries to make sense of the situation, Prince Jing unexpectedly opens his eyes.

Li Yu falls on top of Prince Jing accidentally, apologizing quickly, but Prince Jing doesn’t seem upset and instead stares at him intensely.

Prince Jing pulls Li Yu into his arms, making Li Yu uncomfortable. Despite Li Yu’s confusion, Prince Jing doesn’t let go and begins to touch him gently.

Li Yu tries to understand Prince Jing’s intentions, but Prince Jing, who can’t speak, doesn’t explain his actions.

Prince Jing, influenced by his belief that Li Yu, as a carp spirit, is destined to be his, decides to take the first step in claiming him, despite Li Yu’s resistance.

Li Yu, feeling increasingly uncomfortable and panicked, asks Prince Jing to let him go, but Prince Jing continues to hold and tease him.

As Prince Jing attempts to kiss him, Li Yu bites his tongue and struggles to escape, eventually managing to get free and accusing Prince Jing of having the wrong person.

Realizing Prince Jing wasn’t actually drunk, Li Yu feels betrayed and panicked, especially as the system warns him that he’s about to transform back into a fish.

Li Yu runs away, transforming into a fish just as Prince Jing catches up. Prince Jing, confused by Li Yu’s strong reaction, picks up the fish and returns it to the tank.

The upset fish hides in the tank, avoiding Prince Jing. Despite Prince Jing’s attempts to appease him with food, Li Yu refuses to come out, expressing his anger and betrayal.

Prince Jing, realizing the seriousness of the situation, becomes concerned as days pass and Li Yu continues to ignore him, refusing to transform or eat.

Li Yu stubbornly refuses to eat for two days, growing weaker and feeling like he might float to the surface.

Prince Jing, troubled by Li Yu’s behavior, asks Wang Xi for help. Wang Xi, unaware of Li Yu's true identity, believes both Li-gongzi and the fish are upset, not knowing they are the same.

Wang Xi suggests Prince Jing gather all of the fish's favorite foods near the ornamental mountain cave, hoping the fish might eat eventually.

Li Yu, starving and struggling with his pride, finally decides to eat when Prince Jing offers him food directly. He reluctantly accepts, realizing that starving himself won’t solve anything.

After eating, Li Yu’s anger fades, and he enters the Moe Pet System to understand why the mission was completed after Prince Jing’s advances, realizing the system had been pushing him towards a deeper relationship with Prince Jing.

The system reveals that Li Yu’s choices have shaped the relationship, and while he can reset his memory, it wouldn’t affect Prince Jing.

Li Yu, feeling defeated by both the system and Prince Jing, decides not to reset and accepts the fish plush reward, vowing to delay future missions.

As he tries to sleep, Li Yu overhears two voices discussing Prince Jing’s attempts to leave a message for Li-gongzi, which piques his curiosity.

Li Yu sees the message on the walls of Prince Jing’s manor: “There are no other lovers. I adore you.”

Li Yu is shocked and embarrassed by Prince Jing's public display of affection, writing "There are no other lovers. I adore you" on the walls of the manor.

He reflects on the significance of Prince Jing’s confession and realizes that Prince Jing’s feelings are genuine, but struggles with his own feelings, knowing he is just a fish and unable to reciprocate.

Li Yu decides not to give Prince Jing any hope and contemplates staying in his fish form to avoid further misunderstandings.

While Li Yu is pondering, he overhears servants discussing that Prince Jing had ordered the confession to be permanently carved into the wall, leaving Li Yu feeling more conflicted.

Li Yu’s internal struggle is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Chu Yanyu, who sneaks into Prince Jing's room.

Chu Yanyu, a concubine from the original novel, is jealous of Li-gongzi’s position and wants to replace him by taking care of Prince Jing’s fish.

Chu Yanyu, determined to win Prince Jing’s favor, attempts to feed Li Yu but becomes frustrated when the fish refuses to eat.

Desperate to gain control, Chu Yanyu mixes a brown herbal powder into a tea bowl, intending to drug Prince Jing, unaware that the bowl is for Li Yu’s use and not for drinking.

Li Yu is confused and alarmed as he watches Chu Yanyu secretly drug all the tea bowls in Prince Jing’s room with a mysterious brown powder.

Chu Yanyu takes the final packet of the medicine himself, further alarming Li Yu, who suspects the medicine is an aphrodisiac.

Prince Jing enters the room, and Chu Yanyu pretends to feed the fish while nervously offering Prince Jing a cup of drugged tea.

Li Yu, realizing the danger, decides to transform into a human to stop Prince Jing from drinking the tea.

Just as Prince Jing is about to drink, Li Yu interrupts by jumping out of the fish tank and warning him about the drug.

Chu Yanyu is shocked and tries to maintain his composure, but Wang Xi and the guards arrive and arrest him after removing all the tea bowls.

It’s revealed that Prince Jing had known about Chu Yanyu’s plot all along and had used it to lure Li Yu out of hiding.

Li Yu, realizing that Prince Jing had deceived him again, becomes furious and accuses him of lying.

Overcome with anger and hurt, Li Yu punches Prince Jing in the chest and runs out of the room without looking back.

Li Yu rushes out of the room, angry and hurt by Prince Jing’s deception.

Wang Xi and the servants spot Li Yu, but Prince Jing gestures to let him go.

Prince Jing chases Li Yu to a garden, where Li Yu dives into a pond to escape, planning to stay hidden until he transforms back into a fish.

Prince Jing anxiously waits by another pool, hoping to find Li Yu, but he doesn't appear. Prince Jing realizes that Li Yu must be hiding in the water.

Li Yu eventually transforms back into a fish and hides at the bottom of the pool, avoiding Prince Jing.

Feeling frustrated and angry, Li Yu attempts to destroy the miniature buildings Prince Jing built for him underwater but can’t bring himself to do it.

Exhausted, Li Yu falls asleep on a statue of Prince Jing in the underwater model of the manor.

Worried about Li Yu’s prolonged absence, Prince Jing enters the pool alone to search for him, eventually finding him asleep on the statue.

Prince Jing gently retrieves the unconscious fish and returns to his quarters, where Wang Xi mistakenly assumes that Li-gongzi had left and that Prince Jing was searching for the fish all along.

Prince Jing places the fish back in the tank, but Li Yu doesn’t wake up, causing Prince Jing to worry.

Despite reassurances from the servants, Prince Jing fears something is wrong with Li Yu’s “cultivation” and decides to seek help from Liao Kong.

Li Yu, barely conscious, realizes he’s sick from staying in the water too long in his human form.

The Moe Pet System informs him that he is critically ill and should turn into a human to seek help.

Li Yu painfully transforms back into his human form and collapses on the floor, barely able to move.

Prince Jing, returning to fetch the fish, finds Li Yu in his human form, burning with fever.

Li Yu, weak and vulnerable, tearfully admits he feels terrible.

Prince Jing, realizing the severity of Li Yu's condition, rushes him to see the imperial physician.

Li Yu, weak and feverish, is carried by Prince Jing to see the imperial physician, feeling both touched and surprised by the care.

Despite being uncomfortable with the situation, Li Yu eventually relaxes and leans into Prince Jing's embrace, feeling reassured.

The imperial physician diagnoses Li Yu with a severe cold from staying in the water too long but assures them that his life isn’t in danger.

Prince Jing insists on carrying Li Yu back to his room, where he wraps him in a green quilt to keep him warm.

Wang Xi prepares the medicine, and Prince Jing personally feeds Li Yu, who reluctantly accepts the care, taking the bitter medicine and following it up with peach blossom pastry offered by Prince Jing.

As Prince Jing continues to care for him, Li Yu’s anger and resentment begin to dissipate. He starts reflecting on his emotions and realizes that he may have been too harsh and unfair toward Prince Jing.

Li Yu opens a note from Prince Jing that simply says, "Rest and recover well," which touches him deeply.

Li Yu asks Prince Jing to leave the room as his transformation time is nearing, but before Prince Jing leaves, Li Yu awkwardly asks him to come see him again the next day.

Prince Jing, pleased and surprised by Li Yu’s request, leaves the room with a smile, while Li Yu reflects on how he prefers getting along with Prince Jing rather than being angry.

After transforming back into a fish, Li Yu finds his fever has improved, and his mind is clearer. He notices that his fish plush has fallen from the silver rock bed, possibly due to his haste in transforming earlier. He realizes that Prince Jing might have noticed something off but reassures himself that it’s probably fine.

Li Yu becomes paranoid, wondering if Prince Jing has figured out that Li-gongzi and the fish are the same. He worries about the consequences if Prince Jing finds out, particularly about failing the Moe Pet System’s quests and losing his human form.

When Prince Jing enters the room, Li Yu tries to act as an energetic and lively fish to avoid suspicion. However, Prince Jing doesn’t pet him as usual, making Li Yu anxious. Instead, Prince Jing carefully places the fish on the silver stone bed and covers it with a leaf blanket, similar to how he had covered Li-gongzi earlier. This behavior increases Li Yu’s fear that Prince Jing might have discovered the truth.

Wang-gonggong informs Prince Jing that the carriage is ready to go to the palace, but Prince Jing decides not to go since Li Yu's condition has improved. Li Yu feels relieved, thinking that his act of greeting Prince Jing energetically has convinced him that the fish isn’t sick.

The next day, after transforming back into a human, Li Yu takes the bitter medicine without hesitation, impressing Prince Jing. He realizes that Prince Jing wanted to feed him the medicine, so he tries to make up for it by eating the peach blossom pastries that Prince Jing offers.

Prince Jing sits on the edge of the bed, making Li Yu uneasy due to their previous interactions. However, Prince Jing’s continued care and gentle demeanor slowly ease Li Yu’s discomfort. Prince Jing even presents him with a dish of smashed cucumber, a savory snack Li Yu had made before, which delights him.

Feeling sleepy after eating, Li Yu asks Prince Jing to wake him up after an hour. Prince Jing agrees without hesitation, further endearing himself to Li Yu.

While Li Yu sleeps, Wang Xi reports to Prince Jing that Chu Yanyu is awaiting punishment in Qingxi Garden. Prince Jing gives Wang Xi some medicine, which turns out to be an aphrodisiac.

Chu Yanyu, already beaten and humiliated, is forcefully given the aphrodisiac and left tied up, alone in his room to suffer. Wang Xi coldly informs him that this is Prince Jing’s punishment for his earlier actions.

Chu Yanyu is left in a state of unbearable suffering, with no one to help him, as Wang Xi leaves him to endure the effects of the aphrodisiac in the dark.

Li Yu quickly recovers from his cold and spends two hours daily with Prince Jing in his human form, drinking medicine, eating pastries, and observing the prince. He enjoys being taken care of and reflects on how Prince Jing has treated him kindly since they first met.

After being declared fully recovered by Imperial Physician Xu, Li Yu thanks Prince Jing for taking care of him. However, he feels a strange disappointment, knowing he will no longer need the prince's attention.

Li Yu inquires about Chu Yanyu's fate and learns from Wang-gonggong that Chu-gongzi made a big mistake and is reflecting on his actions in his room. Li Yu concludes that Prince Jing and Chu Yanyu’s relationship is likely over, and he feels relieved.

Wang-gonggong mentions a new market in the city, organized by the emperor and the King of Jinjue. Hearing about the market and the trinkets being sold there, Li Yu eagerly asks Prince Jing if he can go, and Prince Jing agrees.

As they prepare for the outing, Li Yu realizes that the clothes Prince Jing provided for him are not old but were specially made for him. He feels touched by Prince Jing's thoughtfulness.

On the day of the market visit, Li Yu wears a rose-red robe with silver lotuses, a string of pearls around his waist, and a gold chain attached to the crystal bottle containing the fish plush. Prince Jing wraps the gold chain around his own hand, further deepening Li Yu’s emotions.

The journey to the market is cramped, and Li Yu becomes flustered by the constant close contact with Prince Jing. Despite his embarrassment, he allows Prince Jing to help him down from the carriage.

At the market, Li Yu overhears the commoners gossiping about him, assuming he is either Prince Jing’s consort or concubine. Before Li Yu can clarify, Prince Jing signals Wang Xi, who speaks to the commoners, leading them to cheerfully greet Li Yu as the "consort."

Li Yu is taken aback by the misunderstanding but resigns himself to it, reflecting on how many times he’s had to comfort himself since becoming a fish.

After the crowd at the market began calling Li Yu “consort,” Prince Jing’s expression relaxed, and he did not correct the misunderstanding. Li Yu, although uncomfortable, could not bring himself to deny the title either.

Wang Xi had previously scouted the market and provided a simple map to Li Yu, who decided to explore the main road, stopping at a restaurant known for its Jinjue cuisine and acrobatic performances.

Prince Jing handed the map to Li Yu, allowing him to lead the way, and Wang Xi arranged for a private room at the restaurant and started the preparation of a whole lamb for their meal.

As they explored the market, Li Yu was fascinated by the various Jinjue goods, particularly the sparkly gold accessories. He stopped at a quieter stall selling bracelets and masks, where he tried on a thick gold bracelet.

The merchant, noticing Li Yu’s fine clothing, tried to force him into buying the bracelet, claiming that once it was worn, it was “fated” to the buyer. He demanded fifty taels, but Li Yu, realizing it was a scam, calmly refused.

Despite the merchant’s persistent attempts to haggle, Li Yu maintained that he had no money with him. The merchant grew increasingly frustrated but was deterred from causing a scene by the presence of Prince Jing, who had been watching from a distance.

Li Yu, unaware of Prince Jing’s observation, played along with the merchant’s “spirit” story, pretending to “recharge” the bracelet before returning it. The merchant, realizing he had lost the sale, begrudgingly let Li Yu go.

As Li Yu turned to leave, he was surprised to find Prince Jing standing right behind him. Embarrassed that the prince had seen his antics, Li Yu hesitated, but Prince Jing merely smiled and patted his head.

Prince Jing then presented Li Yu with a white jade hairpin shaped like a fish, carefully placing it in Li Yu’s hair. This gesture left Li Yu both touched and flustered, realizing the prince’s fondness for him.

Li Yu, pondering the significance of the fish-shaped hairpin, began to wonder if he should start paying more attention to his appearance, particularly how he wore his hair.

Li Yu’s enthusiasm for shopping waned after his encounter with a con artist merchant, but he remained curious as he continued exploring the market with Prince Jing.

When they arrived at the restaurant "Dream of a Spring Breeze," Li Yu was excited by the rich smell of barbecued lamb. Prince Jing, showing his affection, held Li Yu’s hand and guided him to the head seat in the private room.

Li Yu hesitated to sit beside Prince Jing, realizing that this position was typically reserved for a consort, but his hesitation faded when Prince Jing placed a leg of barbecued lamb in front of him.

Overwhelmed by the delicious smell, Li Yu quickly got lost in the food, mixing his own dipping sauce and enjoying the variety of flavors offered by the restaurant.

Noticing that Prince Jing hadn’t prepared any sauce for himself, Li Yu offered to help, carefully crafting a dipping sauce based on Prince Jing’s preferences.

As they were eating, Ye-shizi (Ye Qinghuan) arrived with a young, feminine-looking gongzi. Li Yu was puzzled by the presence of the young man, especially given Ye Qinghuan's engagement to the princess, but soon realized that the "gongzi" was the princess in disguise.

The Princess of Jinjue greeted them warmly, and though Li Yu tried to show respect by standing, Prince Jing held him in place. Ye Qinghuan hinted that they would soon be family.

The princess expressed her excitement about meeting Prince Jing’s fish again, but Wang Xi, following Prince Jing’s silent command, lied that the fish had not been brought along.

The princess, undeterred by Prince Jing’s cold demeanor, asked to see the fish next time, but Prince Jing firmly refused.

The meal continued with the princess and Ye Qinghuan joining in. The princess impressively devoured a lamb leg with speed and elegance, while Li Yu also enjoyed his food with great enthusiasm.

When Li Yu had sauce on his lips, Prince Jing leaned in to clean it off, leaving Li Yu blushing and his lips noticeably redder. Ye Qinghuan, observing this intimate moment, felt outmatched in terms of shamelessness by Prince Jing.

Li Yu was embarrassed and annoyed after Prince Jing unexpectedly kissed him during their meal, especially with Ye Qinghuan and the Princess of Jinjue present. He struggled to maintain his composure and not lash out, as he knew he was no match for Prince Jing physically.

To ease the tension, Ye Qinghuan asked Li Yu to introduce himself. Upon learning that Li Yu’s name literally meant "fish," Ye Qinghuan realized just how deep Prince Jing's fondness for fish went.

The Princess of Jinjue expressed her desire to see Prince Jing's fish, but Li Yu awkwardly dodged the request, not wanting to bring his true form to the princess’s manor.

The conversation shifted when the princess and Ye Qinghuan learned that Li Yu had encountered a con artist at the market. Angered, they insisted on taking revenge on the merchant. Despite Li Yu’s reluctance, the princess ordered her guards to teach the scammer a lesson.

The guards soon reported back, revealing that the merchant had already been severely beaten by someone else, leaving him unable to speak or scam others anymore. This news satisfied Ye Qinghuan, though the princess was confused about who had carried out the beating.

Li Yu felt embarrassed for having thanked the princess and Ye Qinghuan instead of Prince Jing, who had orchestrated the market trip. Prince Jing, showing his possessiveness, pulled Li Yu’s hands down when he thanked the others.

As they prepared to leave, the Princess of Jinjue invited Li Yu to her upcoming wedding with Ye Qinghuan. Li Yu agreed, but was reminded of the princess’s tragic fate in the original story, feeling proud that he might have altered it by being there.

On the carriage ride back, Li Yu decided to have a serious talk with Prince Jing about their relationship. He expressed his gratitude for Prince Jing's care but admitted that he needed more time to understand his own feelings.

Before Li Yu could finish, Prince Jing suddenly moved closer, pinning Li Yu against the carriage wall. However, instead of another kiss, Prince Jing gently kissed Li Yu’s forehead, leaving him confused and flustered.

In that intimate moment, Li Yu realized that his feelings for Prince Jing were growing stronger. When Prince Jing finally kissed him on the lips, Li Yu felt his heart flutter, acknowledging to himself that he might actually like the prince.

Li Yu and Prince Jing shared their longest kiss, during which Li Yu finally realized and accepted his feelings for Prince Jing. Despite initial hesitations, he couldn’t help but be drawn to Prince Jing’s happiness and warmth.

As the kiss ended, Prince Jing gently kissed Li Yu's fingers and embraced him, deepening their connection. However, the transformation countdown began, signaling that Li Yu needed to leave quickly.

Li Yu hastily pulled away from Prince Jing, using the excuse that he had something urgent to attend to. Prince Jing, understanding that Li Yu was about to transform, left the carriage, leaving the fish to Li Yu.

Li Yu quickly transformed back into a fish inside the crystal bottle, taking with him the hairpin that Prince Jing had gifted him. Reflecting on his feelings, Li Yu realized that despite his earlier doubts and fears, he truly liked Prince Jing.

Back in the crystal bottle, Li Yu pondered the implications of his feelings. He recognized that his initial concerns about their relationship being impossible due to their differences were just obstacles to his emotions. Despite the potential difficulties, the mutual affection they shared was enough to make him want to be with Prince Jing.

After transforming back into a fish, Li Yu reentered the Moe Pet System to check on his progress toward becoming human permanently. The system informed him that completing the “Revitalizing” quest line would allow him to remain human.

The system offered Li Yu a reward for completing the “Indulging” quest, which included learning one of Prince Jing’s secrets. Li Yu chose to learn a secret related to a familiar scene and was shown a memory of Prince Jing at the second prince’s residence.

Li Yu discovered that after they left the second prince’s place, Prince Jing had secretly ordered Wang Xi to push the second prince into a pond after getting him drunk, revealing a darker side of Prince Jing that Li Yu had been shielded from.

This revelation made Li Yu realize that while Prince Jing continued his ruthless ways, he had been careful to hide it from the fish, prioritizing its peace of mind. Li Yu felt conflicted, unsure whether to be angry or touched by Prince Jing’s actions.

Li Yu discovered the next step of the “Revitalize” quest: to be inseparable from the tyrant. He was frustrated and unsure how to proceed, especially since they weren’t officially dating yet. He decided to postpone this quest step for now.

Li Yu returned from the Moe Pet System to find Prince Jing back in the manor, holding the crystal bottle to feed the fish. Embarrassed by his newfound feelings, Li Yu’s heart fluttered, and he hid in the ornamental mountain inside the tank.

While hiding, Li Yu reflected on his deepening feelings for Prince Jing. Now that he recognized his love, he felt a strong desire to be with him, even though the path ahead seemed challenging. He decided that he needed to become human permanently to fully pursue a relationship with Prince Jing.

Li Yu began thinking about the boundaries he needed to set with Prince Jing until he could permanently transform into a human. He considered allowing hand-holding, dates, and kisses but decided against more intimate activities to avoid any awkward situations during his limited human time.

The emperor summoned Prince Jing to the palace. The emperor discovered that the third prince had been behind the nursery rhyme scandal and bribed officials. Furious, the emperor punished the third prince by demoting him further and moving or firing the officials involved.

The emperor, reflecting on the state of his sons, decided to give Prince Jing a position in the Ministry of Works. Despite Prince Jing’s mixed feelings about this new responsibility, he accepted the role.

Upon Prince Jing’s return, Li Yu greeted him excitedly, showing off the hairpin that Prince Jing had given him, symbolizing his acceptance of the prince’s feelings. Blushing, Li Yu asked Prince Jing to join him on the bed, but instead of intimacy, he pulled out a piece of paper, proposing that they lay down some rules for their relationship.

Li Yu confessed his feelings to Prince Jing, expressing that he liked him and wanted to be with him, but only if Prince Jing agreed to a few conditions. He presented these conditions on a carefully written page.

The conditions included: not asking Li Yu to stay the night, not asking where Li Yu was going, and not getting mad at Li Yu. Additionally, Li Yu requested that Prince Jing maintain his commitment to not having concubines.

Prince Jing agreed to all of Li Yu’s conditions without hesitation, and in response, wrote a poem to summarize the agreement, which further solidified their budding relationship.

The two shared a tender moment, exchanging a passionate kiss, and Prince Jing handed Li Yu the emperor’s decree assigning him a position in the Ministry of Works. Li Yu encouraged Prince Jing to take on this new responsibility, offering his support.

Prince Jing began his new role at the Ministry of Works, bringing with him a large lunch prepared by Li Yu and the crystal bottle containing his pet fish, Li Yu.

Deputy Minister Zheng Jing, curious about Prince Jing’s actions, asked about the large pack and the fish. Prince Jing proudly explained that the lunch was made by his “boyfriend” and that the fish was his pet.

Li Yu, in his fish form, realized that being with Prince Jing meant not only dating him in his human form but also accompanying him to work as a fish, making him question his initial enthusiasm for the relationship.

Prince Jing began his work at the Ministry of Works, starting with familiarizing himself with the rules and regulations. He needed to reference the blueprint for Zhongcui Palace, which Zheng Jing provided.

Prince Jing diligently studied the blueprint, making detailed notes. Li Yu, in his fish form, was curious and tried to look at the blueprint as well, but eventually lost interest and fell asleep.

Prince Jing absentmindedly petted the fish while working, which prompted Zheng Jing to awkwardly remind him that petting fish during work hours wasn’t appropriate. Prince Jing glared at Zheng Jing but continued his work without further interaction.

Zheng Jing initially doubted Prince Jing’s commitment to the job, suspecting he wasn’t taking it seriously. However, after seeing the thorough and perceptive questions Prince Jing wrote down, Zheng Jing was impressed by his dedication and reconsidered his initial judgment.

During lunch, Prince Jing brought out a large food pack prepared by Li Yu, which contained three bowls of food: burnt rice, blackened eggplant, and smashed cucumber. Despite the questionable appearance of the dishes, Prince Jing ate everything with satisfaction, leaving Li Yu believing his cooking had improved.

Zheng Jing, witnessing Prince Jing’s affection for his “boyfriend,” began to respect Prince Jing’s work ethic and personal life, although he remained puzzled by Prince Jing’s attachment to the fish.

Meanwhile, the third prince, Mu Tianming, grew increasingly restless upon learning that Prince Jing had been assigned a job by the emperor. Feeling neglected and frustrated by his own lack of responsibilities, he sought advice from the sixth prince, Mu Tianxiao.

The sixth prince advised Mu Tianming to remain patient and avoid making mistakes, reassuring him of his support. Mu Tianming, trusting his brother, handed over significant authority to him, unaware of Mu Tianxiao’s true intentions.

Mu Tianxiao, now in control of a large portion of the third prince’s people, felt confident that his time to rise to power was near.

Mu Tianxiao, now in possession of Mu Tianming’s token, began focusing on his own interests rather than helping the third prince. His injuries had healed, and he paid his respects to the emperor, enduring the emperor's cold treatment.

Mu Tianxiao sought the emperor's approval to give an extravagant gift to Prince Jing as an apology for the fake monk incident. The emperor, recalling similar actions by the second prince, allowed it but cautioned Mu Tianxiao not to disturb Prince Jing if he didn’t wish to see him.

Meanwhile, Li Yu was frustrated with the “inseparable” quest not progressing despite his deepening relationship with Prince Jing. The system informed him that simply being boyfriends wasn’t enough in ancient China, hinting that marriage might be required.

Li Yu reflected on the original novel, where Prince Jing was deeply in love with Chu Yanyu, who didn’t reciprocate his feelings until much later. He felt sympathy for Prince Jing’s loneliness in that story and resolved to ensure Prince Jing wouldn’t be alone in this world.

When Li Yu transformed to see Prince Jing, he was downcast, and Prince Jing quickly noticed. Prince Jing, always observant, tried to comfort Li Yu by holding him close.

Instead of the usual kiss, Prince Jing handed Li Yu a note he had prepared earlier, which simply said, “I like you.” This thoughtful gesture cheered Li Yu up, making him realize how much Prince Jing cared for him.

Curious, Li Yu discovered that Prince Jing had written many notes, each one expressing thoughts or feelings he hadn’t had the chance to convey. These notes reflected Prince Jing’s deep care and affection.

The final note, more tattered than the others, contained a simple yet intimate message: “I want to absorb essence.” This revelation left Li Yu both amused and touched by Prince Jing’s honesty.

Li Yu found a note written by Prince Jing that said, "I want to absorb essence," and questioned him about its meaning. Prince Jing, embarrassed and worried that Li Yu would figure out that he already knew his true identity as the carp spirit, denied knowing anything about it.

Despite Prince Jing's denial, Li Yu teased him about the note, hinting that he knew what "absorbing essence" meant in the context of yao and scholars from the novels they read together.

To divert Li Yu's attention, Prince Jing gave him a small golden fish he had designed himself, which Li Yu adored. However, Li Yu continued to press Prince Jing about the note's meaning.

Wang Xi interrupted to inform Prince Jing that the sixth prince had arrived from the palace to apologize. Relieved to avoid further questioning, Prince Jing prepared to meet the sixth prince.

Li Yu, recalling the sixth prince's treacherous nature from the original book, became anxious and warned Prince Jing to be careful of him. Prince Jing reassured Li Yu by pointing to the rules Li Yu had set, which stated that he wouldn't question anything Li Yu chose not to explain.

Prince Jing met the sixth prince, who tried to probe into Prince Jing's affection for his fish. Wang Xi dismissed the sixth prince's inquiries, stating the fish didn't visit irrelevant people. The sixth prince, realizing Prince Jing's cold attitude, quickly left without further probing.

As the sixth prince left, he was suddenly approached by a disheveled Chu Yanyu, who begged to be taken away from Prince Jing's manor. However, the sixth prince, fearing a trap set by Prince Jing, angrily pushed Chu Yanyu away, pretending they had no connection.

Prince Jing watched the interaction between the sixth prince and Chu Yanyu from a distance. Despite feeling a strange sense of satisfaction when Chu Yanyu was slapped, Prince Jing instructed Wang Xi to continue with his tasks.

Prince Jing returned to his room, expecting Li Yu to have transformed back into a fish, but was delighted to find Li Yu still awake, waiting for him. Li Yu, with a mix of shyness and playfulness, reminded Prince Jing that he still hadn't explained the meaning of "absorbing essence."

Prince Jing felt conflicted as Li Yu playfully teased him about the note mentioning "absorbing essence." Li Yu, noticing Prince Jing's hesitation, decided to push the boundaries by pulling him closer on the bed and showing him books that referenced "absorbing essence" in the context of yao and scholars.

Li Yu read out loud from the book, pointing out how the white snake spirit mentioned "absorbing essence" to Scholar Xu, using the opportunity to playfully tease Prince Jing about the concept. Despite Prince Jing's growing discomfort, he struggled to maintain composure.

Li Yu, determined to seduce Prince Jing, escalated the situation by suggesting they read the explicit parts of the novel together. However, Prince Jing, remembering their agreement, resisted and tried to put the book away.

Realizing that their agreement was hindering his attempts to get closer to Prince Jing, Li Yu reconsidered the terms. He decided that there were ways to be intimate without breaking the agreement, and he took the initiative to seduce Prince Jing further.

After some playful banter and intimate moments, Li Yu and Prince Jing shared a tender and affectionate time together, deepening their relationship. Li Yu expressed his happiness and suggested that Prince Jing should stop taking cold baths after their encounters.

Li Yu then entered the system to check the status of his quest. To his surprise, the quest had progressed, and he was given the option to choose another of Prince Jing's secrets as a reward. He chose a memory involving a woman in a dark palace room who was forced to take a mysterious powder, leaving Li Yu with more questions than answers.

With the "Inseparable" quest completed, Li Yu nervously anticipated the next quest, which was revealed to be "Stay with the Tyrant Through Thick and Thin."

Li Yu anticipated that the next quest, "Stay with the Tyrant Through Thick and Thin," would bring some challenges, but he was confident in his ability to complete it alongside Prince Jing. He exited the system and, after some internal reflection, managed to fall asleep, though not without some lingering embarrassment from their recent intimate moments.

As Ye Qinghuan's wedding approached, Li Yu decided to buy a thoughtful gift for the couple, choosing to bring Prince Jing along on a shopping trip. Despite Prince Jing's confusion over why Li Yu wanted to pick the gift himself, Li Yu insisted on choosing something personally to show sincerity.

The couple visited various antique stores, but Li Yu's inexperience led him to nearly purchase several fakes. Each time, Prince Jing discreetly intervened, revealing the true nature of the items, much to Li Yu's frustration. Eventually, after multiple failed attempts, Li Yu became disheartened by his poor luck in selecting genuine antiques.

To lift Li Yu's spirits, Prince Jing gifted him another little golden fish, similar to the ones he had given before, but in a different pose. This thoughtful gesture cheered Li Yu up, and he decided to follow Prince Jing to a more reputable jewelry store.

At the jewelry store, Li Yu chose several high-quality gifts, including a pair of silver vases, gold ruyi, and jade dolls. He also purchased an oval silver bead, which he strung on a red string and presented to Prince Jing as a token of appreciation.

Back at the manor, Prince Jing had the gift list rewritten to include both of their names together, implying that Li Yu was now considered part of his family, possibly even his consort. Although this realization made Li Yu blush, he did not object to the implication.

On the day of the wedding, Li Yu wore coral red robes that matched Prince Jing's black and crimson attire. They looked striking together, and Prince Jing reassured Li Yu with his presence, even as they prepared to attend the event.

During their journey to Cheng’en Manor, Li Yu noticed the carriage was much larger and more comfortable than before. Prince Jing fed him pastries and handed him a book to read, making the trip enjoyable.

Upon arrival at Cheng’en Manor, the couple was warmly welcomed by Ye-shizi and the Duke of Cheng’en, who was Prince Jing’s uncle. The Duchess of Cheng’en, noticing Li Yu with Prince Jing, sent a servant to give them a pair of jade butterflies, wishing them happiness together, which led Li Yu to realize that Prince Jing might have brought him to the wedding to introduce him to his family. This realization filled Li Yu with joy and excitement.

Ye Qinghuan and the Princess of Jinjue were married in a grand ceremony, with Li Yu feeling emotional and proud that he helped them break through the original plot of the novel. He made a wish for their happiness and glanced at Prince Jing, who was already looking at him, signaling their connection.

During the wedding, Prince Jing was summoned by an older servant, indicating an old acquaintance wanted to see him. Holding Li Yu's hand tightly, Prince Jing led him to the back garden, where they met the old Duke of Cheng’en, Ye Qinghuan’s grandfather and Prince Jing’s.

Li Yu was excited to meet the old Duke, realizing he was truly meeting Prince Jing’s family. The old Duke quickly recognized the bond between Li Yu and Prince Jing, approving of their relationship and offering his support to Prince Jing.

Prince Jing and the old Duke shared a silent agreement over drinks, while Li Yu, unaware of the details, playfully demanded his own share of wine, only for Prince Jing to drink it himself to prevent him from getting drunk.

The old Duke gifted Li Yu a jade pendant and offered to give him more gifts in the future, showing his approval. Li Yu felt a strong sense of responsibility to treat Prince Jing even better after this warm reception from his family.

Prince Jing, aware of the challenges ahead, realized he needed to protect Xiaoyu and would eventually ask the emperor for his hand. For now, they could only continue their relationship without officially confirming it.

Li Yu excused himself, transformed back into his fish form, and returned to the crystal bottle behind Prince Jing, ensuring his absence wouldn’t be noticed.

The old Duke suggested they play Go, and after a brief match, the emperor arrived unexpectedly at the wedding. Prince Jing, still carrying the crystal bottle, greeted the emperor alongside the old Duke. The emperor, surprised by the drastic change in the fish's appearance, remarked on its koi nature before being led to Empress Xiaohui’s old rooms.

In Empress Xiaohui’s room, Prince Jing and the emperor reminisced about her, with the emperor sharing stories while Li Yu, from his vantage point in the crystal bottle, noticed a cloth tiger that resembled one he had seen in a system memory.

Li Yu's discovery led him to realize that the secret he had seen in the system was connected to Empress Xiaohui and Changchun Palace, but he was left wondering what the true nature of this secret could be.

Li Yu tried to learn more about the secret related to Prince Jing, but the emperor only spoke about Empress Xiaohui's hobbies and interests. Realizing it wasn't the right time to uncover the secret, Li Yu decided to stay quiet and listen to the emperor's stories with Prince Jing, hoping it would strengthen their father-son relationship.

The emperor, lost in his memories, asked Prince Jing if he talked too much. Prince Jing, showing his care, patted the emperor's hand, comforting him. The emperor praised Prince Jing for his performance at the Ministry of Works.

The sixth prince, Mu Tianxiao, arrived late at the wedding, raising suspicions about his intentions. The emperor decided to ignore him, but Mu Tianxiao requested to escort the emperor back to the palace. The emperor agreed, taking Prince Jing along.

Li Yu noticed a veiled woman accompanying the sixth prince, suspecting she might be the beauty Mu Tianxiao intended to present to the emperor, just like in the original novel. Li Yu decided to mess up the sixth prince's plan.

Li Yu attempted to tilt himself in the crystal bottle to catch the emperor's attention, hoping to create a distraction. The emperor noticed the fish's unusual behavior and called for imperial physicians, interrupting the sixth prince's scheme.

The physicians determined that Li Yu was fine, just overfed. The emperor, irritated by the sixth prince's poorly timed attempt to present the beauty, used Li Yu's behavior as an excuse to avoid accepting the sixth prince's offer.

The emperor thanked Li Yu for the distraction, recognizing that it helped him evade an awkward situation. Li Yu realized that his luck as a koi, enhanced by the system, played a crucial role in thwarting the sixth prince's plan.

After escorting the emperor back to the palace, Prince Jing returned to Cheng’en Manor, where the sixth prince was still present. The sixth prince tried to engage Prince Jing in conversation, but Prince Jing ignored him, focusing on Li Yu instead.

Sensing the sixth prince's cold gaze, Li Yu hid behind Prince Jing's sleeve, only peeking out when the sixth prince turned away. Prince Jing then covered the crystal bottle, protecting Li Yu from the sixth prince's scrutiny.

Li Yu was concerned about the sixth prince, Mu Tianxiao, as a potential threat in the fight for the throne. He knew that being defensive wasn’t enough and felt the need to convince Prince Jing to take proactive steps against the sixth prince before he gained more power.

Li Yu struggled with how to convince Prince Jing to act, fearing that Prince Jing might think he had ulterior motives or was pushing him toward the throne. Li Yu decided to broach the subject carefully, knowing it would be difficult.

When Li Yu began to discuss the sixth prince with Prince Jing, the prince misunderstood and became jealous, thinking Li Yu was interested in the sixth prince. This led to an intense and rough moment between them, during which Prince Jing’s hidden fierceness surfaced.

After calming down, Prince Jing handed Li Yu a note that read, "Do not look at other men." Realizing the misunderstanding, Li Yu clarified that the sixth prince was an enemy, not a rival in love, and tried to convince Prince Jing to stop him from gaining the throne.

Li Yu decided to use a different tactic, offering himself to Prince Jing to persuade him. After some convincing, Prince Jing agreed to deal with the sixth prince, effectively committing to the fight for the throne.

Li Yu was relieved to have secured Prince Jing’s agreement but realized he needed a way to better manage his transformation time. He requested an hourglass from Wang Xi, who brought him one that matched his needs.

Li Yu also reflected on his poor luck and taste when shopping for gifts, only to learn from Wang Xi that the gems in the fish tank were real and extremely valuable. This revelation made Li Yu question his own judgment.

Unbeknownst to Li Yu, Prince Jing had the hourglass specially crafted by skilled palace artisans to be more accurate, with a small, discreet fish etching, showing Prince Jing’s care and attention to detail in everything related to Li Yu.

Ye Qinghuan and the Princess of Jinjue visited Prince Jing’s manor on their first rest day after the wedding, specifically choosing a day when Prince Jing was home so they could also see Li Yu. Li Yu, excited to see his friends, transformed into his human form just before their arrival.

The Princess of Jinjue was astonished by the grandeur of Prince Jing’s manor, particularly the confession carved into the wall and the interconnected ponds leading to a large fish tank. She was impressed by the luxurious surroundings, while Ye Qinghuan felt a bit self-conscious comparing himself to Prince Jing.

During the visit, the Princess of Jinjue brought a rose quartz fish tank filled with various koi, hoping to impress Li Yu. However, Li Yu teased Ye Qinghuan when he blushed, admitting he liked fish.

The princess expressed disappointment that her fish couldn’t compare to Prince Jing’s, leading her to request to see Prince Jing’s famous fish. However, since Li Yu couldn’t be both the fish and the human at the same time, Prince Jing subtly declined the request.

Li Yu excused himself to transform back into a fish, and Wang Xi brought him out in a newly crafted lapis lazuli tank. The princess was shocked to see how much Li Yu, as a fish, had changed since the last time she saw him.

When the two fish tanks were placed together, Li Yu realized he could communicate with the other fish. They responded to his movements and formed patterns in the water, surprising both the princess and Ye Qinghuan.

Inspired by the interaction, Li Yu devised a plan for the emperor’s upcoming birthday celebration. He suggested arranging the fish to form the word “longevity” as a unique and auspicious gift for the emperor, surpassing the sixth prince’s planned light projection.

Prince Jing, who had already planned his gift of calligraphy and a painting, was intrigued by Li Yu’s idea. However, Li Yu had to use all his charm, including acting spoiled and cute, to convince Prince Jing to let him try the idea.

After some persuasion, Prince Jing finally agreed to let Li Yu take on the responsibility of arranging the fish for the celebration. Li Yu felt triumphant but exhausted, knowing that the success of the plan now rested on his ability to execute it perfectly.

Li Yu decided to use only red carp for the emperor’s birthday celebration. He meticulously trained the fish to form the word “longevity,” closely replicating Prince Jing's calligraphy. Li Yu’s dedication surprised and deeply moved Prince Jing, who supported his efforts by feeding and caring for him.

A spy reported that the sixth prince was preparing a light show using paper lanterns, a plan aligned with the original plot of the book. Li Yu anticipated this and remained cautious, preparing contingency plans in case something went wrong.

On the emperor’s birthday, Li Yu disguised himself as a fish to accompany Prince Jing to the palace. Covered tanks with other fish were brought in as gifts, while the emperor hosted a lavish celebration with numerous priceless gifts from officials and aristocrats.

The second prince, Mu Tianzhao, and the third prince, Mu Tianming, presented their gifts. The emperor was melancholic over the second prince’s condition and unimpressed by the third prince’s relic. The seventh and eighth princes presented sutras, and the sixth prince revealed his light show, projecting the word “longevity” on the floor, which delighted the emperor.

Prince Jing presented his usual calligraphy and a painting by Tang Yin, which pleased the emperor greatly. He then led the emperor to Taiye Pool, where the red carp formed the word “longevity,” stunning the emperor and everyone present.

The sixth prince, feeling threatened, tried to disrupt the carp formation by feeding the fish, causing the word to dissipate. However, Li Yu, in his koi form, swam up with a lotus flower, performing an elegant display that captivated the emperor.

The emperor recognized Li Yu as Prince Jing’s pet fish and was thrilled by the performance. Despite the sixth prince's sabotage attempt, Li Yu's preparation and quick thinking ensured that Prince Jing’s gift remained the highlight of the celebration. Prince Jing felt immense pride and love for Li Yu.

The emperor was very pleased with Prince Jing's performance during the birthday celebration and summoned him for a private conversation after the banquet. Li Yu, who couldn't accompany Prince Jing, waited outside Qianqing Palace with Wang Xi.

While waiting, Wang Xi fed Li Yu, appreciating his efforts in making Prince Jing's gift a success. However, Li Yu's peace was disrupted when the sixth prince, Mu Tianxiao, appeared, showing interest in the fish. Wang Xi firmly protected Li Yu, preventing the sixth prince from getting close.

Prince Jing finally emerged from his meeting with the emperor, and despite Li Yu's initial excitement, he noticed that Prince Jing seemed solemn. They proceeded to Changchun Palace, where Prince Jing paid respects to Empress Xiaohui. Li Yu, as a fish, tried to participate in the ritual by mimicking Prince Jing’s movements.

Upon returning to the manor, Li Yu and Wang Xi learned that the emperor’s "reward" for Prince Jing was an order to leave the city and reside at the western border, a harsh and desolate region. Both were shocked and confused by this development.

Li Yu, feeling responsible for the situation, turned into his human form and apologized to Prince Jing, fearing that the emperor’s displeasure was his fault. However, Prince Jing reassured him that the emperor wasn’t angry. In fact, Prince Jing believed the emperor's decision to send him to the western border might be a test, indicating that the emperor still had hopes for him.

Realizing that the situation might not be as dire as it seemed, Li Yu was relieved and eager to support Prince Jing. Despite Prince Jing's intention to leave Li Yu behind in the city for safety, Li Yu insisted on going with him, determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead together.

Li Yu, determined to stay by Prince Jing's side through thick and thin, expresses his devotion by telling Prince Jing that "home is wherever Your Highness is." However, despite the touching sentiment, Prince Jing refuses to let Li Yu accompany him to the western border.

Desperate to convince Prince Jing, Li Yu pretends to be pregnant with Prince Jing's child. Shocked but not entirely dismissive due to Li Yu’s carp spirit nature, Prince Jing momentarily believes him and becomes concerned.

Li Yu quickly confesses that he was joking and isn’t actually pregnant, expressing his true desire to stay with Prince Jing. Touched by Li Yu's sincerity, Prince Jing finally agrees to let him come along, though he doesn’t confirm it outright.

The system notifies Li Yu that the "Through Thick and Thin" quest is in progress, reinforcing the importance of his journey to the western border with Prince Jing.

Meanwhile, the emperor, pleased with Prince Jing’s gift but wary of his ambition, decides to test him by sending him to the dangerous western border. The emperor reflects on Prince Jing’s potential and the possibility of him ascending to the throne, despite his muteness.

The emperor orders extra troops to secretly protect Prince Jing during his journey and contemplates the future of the throne.

Prince Jing prepares for the journey by making extensive arrangements for Li Yu, including ten crystal bottles and carts of fish food and tanks, ensuring Li Yu’s comfort.

Li Yu realizes the difficulty of maintaining his human form for long periods during the journey and becomes anxious about how to manage his transformations without revealing his true nature.

As the journey begins, Li Yu is surprised to find that Prince Jing has arranged for him to have the carriage to himself, citing concern for his "pregnancy." This arrangement allows Li Yu to avoid detection and maintain his secret, albeit with the humorous pretense of being "pregnant."