The Well-Behaved Little Green Tea

Jiang Zhuoying is the legitimate daughter of the second branch of the Duke of Rui's household in the Rong Kingdom. Her father, Jiang Zheng, serves as the Commandant of the Capital Guard and was appointed General of Agile Cavalry three years prior to the story's beginning. During a campaign against the Western Cliffs, he disappeared without a trace, and his body was never recovered. Following this loss, her mother fell into a deep depression and eventually died after an accidental fall into water, an event that Jiang Zhuoying initially accepted as a tragic accident. Devastated by the deaths of her parents and the disappearance of her father and younger brother, she retreated to a secluded estate in the eastern suburbs of the capital, where she lived in isolation with her two maids, Xiangyue and Xiangxing, for three years.

The narrative begins at dusk when Jiang Zhuoying, feeling unwell and missing her mother, collapses in the courtyard. When she regains consciousness, she finds herself in a state of extreme disorientation. Her vision is hazy, and her body feels submerged in water with a buoyant sensation. She attempts to speak but can only produce bubbling sounds. Looking down, she discovers she has pectoral fins and a caudal fin. She is no longer human but has transformed into a large, fiery red carp named Zhuozhuo. She is trapped in a porcelain tank within a private estate, observed by a palace veterinarian named Wang Yue and a man identified as the Second Prince, Qi Fan. Qi Fan is tall, slender, and possesses a cold, composed demeanor. He treats the carp with a mixture of reverence and scrutiny, revealing that Zhuozhuo was a beloved pet of his late mother, Consort Wan.

As Jiang Zhuoying acclimates to her new existence, she observes the dynamics between Qi Fan and his subordinates. She learns that Qi Fan is not the incompetent and unfavored prince that court rumors suggest. Instead, he is shrewd, calculating, and deeply involved in political maneuvering. He runs a highly profitable jewelry business under the guise of modesty and maintains a network of spies, including one codenamed Fei Ying, who infiltrates the Duke of Rui's household. Jiang Zhuoying realizes that her transformation is inextricably linked to the secrets surrounding her family and the royal court. She becomes determined to uncover the truth behind her mother's suspicious death, which Qi Fan hints may not have been an accident.

A significant turning point occurs when Jiang Zhuoying overhears a conversation revealing that the Third Prince and the Imperial Concubine intend to marry Jiang Ying, the legitimate daughter of the main branch of the Duke's household. This marriage would secure the Third Prince's political alliance with the powerful Duke. Jiang Zhuoying also learns that her own body, left behind at the eastern estate, has contracted the pox disease. Her maid Xiangyue flees to the Second Prince's estate for help, revealing that the main household has quarantined the estate, preventing medical aid from reaching her. Qi Fan, despite his initial detachment, orders imperial physicians to treat Jiang Zhuoying's human body, revealing a complex layer of interest in her survival beyond mere political utility.

The story progresses with Jiang Zhuoying navigating her dual existence. She must maintain the appearance of a pet carp while subtly gathering information and influencing events. Her interactions with Qi Fan become increasingly complex; he tests her intelligence, suspecting she may possess some form of spirit or awareness. In one instance, he uses night-shining pearls and a floating wooden mandarin duck ornament to communicate with her, establishing a unique bond. Meanwhile, the threat to her human body intensifies as the pox disease worsens, and political schemes within the capital threaten to alter the succession and the fate of the Duke's household. Jiang Zhuoying is caught in a web of royal intrigue, familial tragedy, and supernatural transformation, forcing her to rely on the enigmatic Second Prince to survive and reclaim her life.

As the narrative unfolds, the stakes rise with the approach of the mother's death anniversary. Qi Fan plans to take Zhuozhuo to the Osmanthus forest for a retreat, a decision that coincides with critical developments regarding the pox diagnosis. It is revealed that the symptoms may not be genuine pox, suggesting a deeper conspiracy involving poisoning or deliberate harm within the Duke's household. Jiang Zhuoying, now fully aware of the dangers, must balance her role as a fish with her human consciousness, using her position to gather evidence and protect her family's legacy. The story sets the stage for a confrontation with the forces that destroyed her family, with Qi Fan serving as both an ally and a manipulator whose true intentions remain unclear. Jiang Zhuoying's journey is one of survival, investigation, and the quest for justice in a court where power is wielded through secrecy and cunning.