Chapter 140 Little Fish Fry

That evening, Fubao mentioned to Meng Yun that the imperial examination candidates were on their way to the capital.

"I know, your grandmother sent a letter quite a while ago. Chenshen set off a month ago," Meng Yun said, gently patting Fubao's head.

"That's wonderful!" Fubao was overjoyed. Although they had been keeping in touch through letters, it had been many years since they last met. She truly missed those older cousins who used to take her everywhere to play.

"Heh, don't worry, you'll see them soon enough," Meng Yun said, setting the clothes she was holding onto the side.

"Oh? New clothes?" Fubao's sharp eyes immediately noticed the fresh garments her mother had put aside.

"Your aunt came over today. Tomorrow is Noble Consort Shu's birthday, and the palace is holding a special little banquet. She wants to take you into the palace with her."

"Is my aunt coming to pick me up tomorrow?" Fubao looked up and asked.

"That's right, your aunt will be here bright and early tomorrow morning, so wake up early and don't make me yell at you," Meng Yun said, poking Fubao's forehead with a fierce expression.

"Oh."

The next day, Fubao was once again dragged out of bed by Meng Yun and subjected to a thorough session of styling and dressing up.

"Mother, it's just a banquet, there's no need to lay it on this thick," Fubao muttered, looking at the person in the mirror. She could barely recognize herself, though she had to admit her mother's craftsmanship was quite good.

"What do you know? You'll be of age to discuss marriage in a couple of years. This time in the palace, keep your eyes open and see if anyone catches your eye. Your mother will go propose on your behalf, settle the match right away, get married within three years at best, have a baby within five years, and within seven years..." Meng Yun went on and on, laying out her grand blueprint for her daughter's future in vivid detail.

Fubao was speechless. *I'm only thirteen! And proposing is something the boys are supposed to do.*

"I say, Mother, aren't you getting a bit too carried away? Your daughter is still a long way from getting married, and you've already got babies in the picture? Good heavens!"

Fubao covered her eyes, utterly speechless.

"It's not early at all. Look early, settle it early, otherwise I'm afraid you won't be able to marry off."

"Heh," Fubao smiled with a stiff, deadpan face.

...

Inside the carriage, Fubao flung herself into Bai Yulan's arms and began acting spoiled. "Auntie, I haven't seen you in ages! I've missed you so much!"

"You little ingrate, you never come to visit your auntie," Bai Yulan said with a smile as she pinched Fubao's cheek.

"I'm weighed down by heavy lessons every single day, it's just too hard!" Fubao wailed pitifully.

"Oh, save it. Ziyu saw you riding a little donkey out of the city just a few days ago." A couple of days back, Bai Yulan had dragged Bai Xiaoyu back home by the ear after he snuck out of the manor, and during his interrogation, the boy mentioned seeing Fubao.

"Oh, come on, didn't they say the little princess fell ill a few days ago and was recovering at the royal villa? I went to see her," Fubao said, lifting her head to explain.

"You're full of tricks. Still, I hear the little princess has recovered quite a bit and has started stirring up trouble again these past few days," Bai Yulan remarked.

"As long as she's better, let's just hope she doesn't fall ill again," Fubao mumbled.

Bai Yulan chuckled softly.

After paying her respects to Noble Consort Shu, Fubao was quickly whisked away by the little princess. The few little fish that had been given to the princess back then had grown. Although they were grown, they were still no longer than an adult woman's palm. They were golden in color, with tiny little wings pressed tightly against the sides of their bodies—so subtle that one wouldn't notice them unless looking very closely.

"Fubao, not long ago, a few more of the little golden fish in the Imperial Garden went missing," the little princess said, pouting as she pressed against the fish tank.

"Again? Why do you have to use the word 'again'?" Fubao asked in puzzlement.

"Because this is the second time they've vanished! They've gone missing twice in total. The first time was the day before Consort Li's pet bird was found, and the second time was just a few days ago."

"How many went missing?"

"A whole bunch! My imperial father sent people to catch the thief, but after all this time, they still haven't caught anyone."

Fubao furrowed her brow, thinking to herself that this sounded suspiciously like one of Yaya's old habits acting up again. But on second thought, she decided it couldn't be—Yaya had been staying strictly inside the Bai residence under the watchful eye of her great-uncle, so there was no way it could have found the time to go out and commit crimes.

"Well, let's go take a look at the Imperial Garden," Fubao said, pulling the little princess along as they hurried outside.

"Just scatter some fish food and they'll come right out. I'll do it!" The little princess ran over carrying a large bowl filled with fish feed.

After staring at the surface of the water for a long time, Fubao noticed not a single fish was coming out; they were all hiding beneath the lotus leaves, cautiously peeking out.

...

"Hmm? Are they scared?" Fubao stared at the water's surface and muttered under her breath.

"Why aren't they coming out? Honestly, even with food right here, they won't show themselves," the little princess pouted, watching the fish feed sink into the water.

"Come out quickly, I have a question to ask," Fubao flicked the surface of the water and chanted silently in her heart.

A moment later, a pitifully small baby fish swam over, drifting toward them.

"What's going on here? What's wrong with the school of fish?" Fubao dipped two fingers into the water, and the tiny fish swam in circles around her fingertips.

"Great Ancestor, save us! There's a pervert in the water!" the little fish wailed tearfully.

Fubao was taken aback. "A pervert? What kind of pervert? Where?"

"At the bottom of the water! It's an old turtle. Every day it catches some of the big fish, rips open their bellies, and eats them!"

"What? Where did some old bastard get the nerve to mess with my little fish?" Fubao was hopping mad. How could that old turtle be so cruel?

"Where is it right now?" Fubao asked again.

"Sleeping under a rock at the bottom of the pond. It only comes out at night."

Fubao rubbed her chin and thought for a moment before declaring, "Alright, I understand. Leave this matter to me."

"Yes!"

After the little fish swam away, Fubao looked at the little princess, who was still frantically scattering fish food, and hatched a plan.