The System notified Li Yu: "If you want to use the interdimensional space in the future, there's no need to enter the System. Host can directly use your fin to poke at the jade scale three times and open it quickly that way. Anything within your view that can fit into the interdimensional space can be placed in there by thinking about it..."
System blabbered onward. Li Yu had a faint smile. Although the size of this space wasn't anything, its function was actually pretty cool. Not bad.
Then, he went to examine the main mission in the System. Just as he thought. The second step of
"The Tyrant's Guppy Pet Fish" was in a completed state. The third step, which had unclear instructions, was now illustrated.
Step Three: Get along with the Tyrant, Time Limit 3 days.
Li Yu: "..."
This shitty system, what kind of mission involved not only interacting, but also getting along with someone?
Anyways, the requirement of interacting was so high already. It didn't even count when he tried to do it himself and needed Jing-Wang to participate. It's hard to imagine what he needed to do to 'get along' with the tyrant. Also, why the heck was there a time limit??
What if he went past the time limit?
System: Exceeding the time limit is also a type of failure. Host will become fish bones and fis..."
Li Yu: "Okay okay, don't say it! I got it! Isn't it just completing the task within 3 days? I'll get a nice rest today, then officially start tomorrow, alright?"
System: "Very sorry, but the countdown has started since the completion of the second step."
Li Yu: ???
Li Yu looked carefully. It's all true. Next to the description of the task was a very small countdown which was currently decreasing nonstop.
System you bastard! It already started and you didn't even warn me! What if he forgot and slept these three days away, then what!
So the time got deducted while he stayed in the System as well. Li Yu couldn't waste more time.
He quickly backed out of the system and returned to the real world.
He just happened to hear Wang Xi's voice at this time. Apparently when he went to receive his reward, Jing-wang and Wang Xi came back and started to converse.
Good thing during this period of time Jing-wang didn't come over to look at him. Li Yu started swimming a bit from his absent-minded state, expressing that he was still very lively.
Li Yu eavesdropped and heard Wang Xi's muffled voice say: "Why would the Emperor suddenly summon your highness to Ganqing Palace for questioning? This old servant heard that the Emperor went to Zhongcui Palace prior. Perhaps Guifei said something to the Emperor. That white cat... was Guifei's favored pet after all."
Jing-wang looked like he thought of something and sneered.
Wang Xi hastily said: "This servant didn't mean anything else. Naturally, you wouldn't care about that. But showing the emperor respect is still something you need to do. This servant will head over with your highness and explain everything clearly to the Emperor. Let's see how Guifei can distort the truth that way."
Jing-wang declined to comment.
Wang Xi said: "Then this servant will follow you..."
Mu Tianchi pondered for a moment, then held up an arm to stop Wang Xi. He shook his head.
Wang Xi was surprised: "You actually don't want this servant... to follow this time?"
As Jing-wang's personal servant, Wang Xi has taken care of him since he was little. With one eye gesture from Jing-wang, Wang Xi can understand what Jing-wang wanted to say. In other words, he can say it for Jing-wang fairly accurately. For the Emperor to summon Jing-wang to Ganqing palace without reason, Wang Xi surmised that it's most likely because the one from Zhongcui Palace did something and convinced the Emperor with pillow talk. In this kind of situation, for Jing-wang to decline his presence, wouldn't he definitely be at a disadvantage?? Jing-wang's emotionless eyes glanced upwards.
Wang Xi suddenly realized: "It was the Emperor who ordered you to head over alone, not permitting you to bring servants?"
Jing-wang nodded.
Wang Xi was speechless. The Emperor was the one who summoned Jing-wang for questioning,yet he made it so Jing-wang 'can't speak'. What was this supposed to mean?
The thing he was afraid of was that the Emperor started favoring the 2nd Prince because of Guifeng's sweet talk throughout these years, and no longer had Jing-wang in his heart anymore.
Instantly, Wang Xi's eyes turned red: "No... This old servant will follow your highness even at the risk of death!"
Seeing his faceful of concern, Jing Wang hesitated and then lightly tapped his shoulder.
Since it was the Emperor's will, to deliberately go against it, wouldn't that give his opponent something to talk about?
And plus, Jing-wang didn't really think that a mere Guifei could do anything to him.
"Then... what does your highness plan to do?" Wang Xi asked as he blew his nose.
Jing-wang's casual gaze landed on the porcelain fish bowl not far behind Wang Xi.
"Youβ¦ Do you plan toβ¦"
Wang Xi was quite surprised. Was it really what he thought?
Jing-wang looked unconcerned, expression calm and at ease, like he was extremely in control of the situation.
Wang Xi grinded his teeth: "Since you have your own plans, this servant will follow and go prepare right now."
So what Li Yu heard was this. Guifei wanted to cause trouble for Jing-wang. Wang Xi and Jing-wang were currently discussing countermeasures. However, Li Yu didn't feel worried for Jing-wang at all. In the book, this Guifei looked like she was favored, but in the end, she wasn't lively for too long. Although the book didn't describe this period of time in detail, he presumed this was only a trivial matter. Nothing terrible happened, or else how could Jing-wang ascend the throne later?
Not to mention, Jing-wang, this person, was very vindictive. An eye for an eye. If Guifeng really dared to strike at Jing-wang, she better watch out for not only failure, but also getting hit by a counterattack!
Li Yu thought that Jing-wang going to see the Emperor would have nothing to do with him. That he only needed to wait quietly in the fishbowl for Jing-wang to return, then resume experimenting the 'get along' task. The time limit of three days wasn't very long, but it wasn't too short either. Seeing how he completed the last two tasks accidentally, perhaps this step will be the same as well. However, what he didn't imagine was that Wang Xi would search around all over and find a small and exquisite jade bowl. Energetically coming over to the fishbowl, he looked at Li Yu with terrible intentions.
Li Yu: "..."
Stop! What are you doing!!
Li Yu screamed as he was captured by a sleeves-rolled-up Wang Xi and placed nimbly into the jade bowl.
This jade bowl was too small. The water in the bowl was extremely shallow. It barely fitted Li Yu who was bent into a circle. Don't even talk about rolling around, even simple splashing wasn't possible. With a slight effort, his fish body would appear at the surface of the water.
Li Yu felt extremely unsafe and could only bend into a circle sulkily.
Wang Xi mumbled to him: "Little one, his highness decided to bring you with him so you'll have to endure temporarily. Be good. Don't make his highness look bad."
Li Yu: ???
What the effing fck? What was Wang Xi saying? Was Jing-wang's head messed up? He can't speak, yet he wanted to bring a fish who also can't speak? There's no way. Li Yu didn't want to see any Emperor or Guifei or whatever ah!
Because Jing-wang was a prince and he had future involvement in the plot as a guarantee, Li Yu didn't think the Emperor would treat his own son badly. But it wasn't the same for him. He was only a fish. What if the Emperor didn't like him and threw him away or cooked him...
Think more clearly. He wasn't in charge of where he's going so his future fish life was uncertain with this upcoming trip. He needed to come up with a plan quickly and give himself an escape route. His interdimensional space was just capable of this!
Li Yu took in a deep breath. While Wang Xi was off guard, he crazily tapped at the jade scale with his fin, thinking in his heart: Save me fresh water, I want fresh water...
As long as he had enough water, he could live, not counting the Emperor directly cutting off his fish head. Although the jade bowl that he was in currently had water, it was too shallow and didn't feel safe at all. If the person holding the bowl shook, he'd run into big trouble. Rather than leaving the fate of his life in some unknown person's hands, it's more appropriate for him to save some water!
Li Yu never stored anything inside the interdimensional space before and he never imagined it would be put to use this quickly. He only heard the System's introduction once before,everything else completely depended on blind luck.
Good thing his memory was pretty good and he remembered most of the System's instructions.
In a flash, the water in the porcelain fishbowl clearly decreased to the naked eye. Meanwhile, Li Yu's interdimensional space was filled with water.
He has water now! Li Yu put away the interdimensional space in contentment.
Wang Xi called a roomful of servants inside. They rushed about all over. No one noticed the change in the porcelain fishbowl. Jing-wang decided to bring the little carp to meet the Emperor.
Over here, Wang Xi arranged everything that was required, preparing another jade bowl about the same size, and also several clean outfits for Jing-wang. All of these were carried along with Jing-wang, to be put to use when needed. Although Wang Xi can't follow Jing-wang to see the Emperor, he could at least take care of him along the way.
Jing-wang indicated, the little carp was a fish who was about to meet the Emperor. So he will carry it himself.
Wang Xi respectfully held forth the jade bowl. Jing-wang gave it a glance.
This bowl was rather small. The fish can't even spread out inside. Wang Xi said, nothing can be done about this. Going to see the Emperor, it's not like you can bring a big bowl to be an eyesore. The little carp will be more comfortable yes, but what would the Emperor think?
Jing-wang didn't care what the Emperor would think. He just felt this bowl was really awkward looking.
Jing-wang looked at Wang Xi, disdain in his eyes.
Wang Xi: "...."
Wang Xi thought he must have imagined it and rubbed his eyes forcibly before saying dryly:
"Your highness, you⦠you're going to see the Emperor. It's better to bring this jade bowl..."
Jing-wang walked around him, and waved a finger at another servant who looked around and pulled out a bigger bowl. This ocean bowl, which was painted with a wave design, was sufficient. It was big enough to contain a pot of soup with space to spare.
Wang Xi: "..."
Jing-wang was a very obstinate person. He always got what he wanted. The ocean bowl was quickly brought over. Jing-wang shot Wang Xi a glance and poured the little carp, along with the water in the jade bowl, into the big ocean bowl. Then, he added plenty of extra fresh water inside.
It was rather constricting inside the jade bowl. Li Yu, who suddenly felt the restriction completely removed: !!!
What's going on, why the switch again? But this new territory was really impressive looking, he liked it!
Li Yu was pumped with fish instinct and swam around majestically in the new territory.
Jing-wang moved him into a bigger bowl. He wanted to correct his previous impression of Jing-wang. Occasionally, the tyrant really knew how to be considerate to his pet!
Seeing this fish's delighted appearance, Jing-wang pressed his lips together. Thinking for a moment, he pulled out the box of red fish food from his sleeve, and put a bit of fish food into the bowl after a brief consideration. Just in case this fish got overly energetic and became hungry along the trip.
With food to eat, Li Yu was extremely thankful. He was completely unaware that now that Jing-wang placed him in this big bowl, with all of these red fish food floating on the surface of the water, looking from afar, this practically looked like a big bowl of wolfberry fish soup.
Jing-wang placed one hand under the bowl and another hand firmly over top of the bowl in order to prevent the fish from slipping out accidentally. His hand didn't directly touch the fish, but Li Yu was still able to feel the warmth from this palm.
A warm feeling, with an unexpected sense of comfort.
Li Yu originally thought that traveling together with someone wasn't necessarily reliable, but with Jing-wang protecting him like this, it should probably be... fairly safe?
The little carp's anxious heart, along with Jing-wang's footsteps, slowly calmed down.
~~~~~~~
The author has something to say:
Little scene
Li Yu: Your highness, I want a transparent, long and comfortable...
Secretly delighted, Jing-wang decided to promptly tell Wang Xi to custom make a lot of silk clothes.
Li Yu: ... fish bowl.
Jing-wang: ...
π²πππππ ππ πππ πΎπππππππ π°πππππ: Xue Shan Fei HuΒ