Little Pink Starfish

What’s our slogan? “Get lost!”

This conversation, in the end, concluded with Emperor Xianzong roaring one last time: “GET LOST!”

“But what about my thirty baskets of soup dumplings?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.

“GET LOST!” Xianzong bellowed again.

“Aren’t your words supposed to be golden?” Her Royal Highness the Princess clenched her fists again.

“Princess, Princess!” Prince Yu rushed over. As the emperor’s brother, he couldn’t just stand there and watch His Majesty get pummeled by his own daughter. “The dumplings are definitely in the Imperial Kitchen. Princess, take as many as you like.”

Yu Xiaoxiao shot Xianzong a side glance and walked out.

Prince Yu followed behind her, calling out, “After you get back, pack up with the prince consort. It’s best to leave early for the birthday celebration.”

“Okay,” Yu Xiaoxiao replied lazily.

Prince Rui looked a little tense. This was the Imperial Palace, not Prince Yu’s manor. Ninth Brother was just casually making decisions for Fourth Brother’s daughter, letting her take food from the Imperial Kitchen like that—wasn’t he worried about Fourth Brother getting ideas?

Xianzong pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “Qinghai, go help the princess pack the dumplings.”

“By your command,” Qinghai accepted the order and ran after Yu Xiaoxiao.

Prince Rui’s expression returned to normal. Since Fourth Brother didn’t care, what was he worrying for?

“And you two,” Xianzong added, “go prepare gifts too. Don’t think I’ll take on all the expenses myself.”

This time, neither prince complained. Since the blood had to be let, there was no point struggling.

Yu Xiaoxiao went to the Imperial Kitchen and took thirty baskets of soup dumplings. She thought the pork looked good, so she grabbed half a side of pork too. Qinghai helped her divide everything into two large bamboo baskets.

Qinghai personally packed the dumplings and pork, carefully covering them with thick cloth.

“Not bad,” Yu Xiaoxiao praised. “You’re better than Jingzhong.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Qinghai immediately bowed. Getting on the good side of the Eldest Princess meant good days ahead. Qinghai had already grasped this principle.

“No need to thank me,” Yu Xiaoxiao said.

The First and Second Princes heard their sister was in the kitchen and came running.

“You’re done with lessons?” she asked.

Yu Ziqing said, “Sister, we’ve been in the study since before sunrise.”

“Don’t be dramatic.” She patted her eldest little brother’s head. “It’s winter. Days are shorter. Sunrise comes late.”

Yu Ziqing didn’t mind being patted. “Sister, are you going home?”

“Yeah, heading home. You two come with me. Xiao Erzi, go to Qian Taiduo. Ziqing, go train with the martial arts masters. Where’s the third one?”

Yu Zibai said, “He went to the countryside estate. Sister, is it really possible to grow greens in winter?”

“We’re researching that,” Yu Xiaoxiao said.

Qinghai quietly asked, “Princess, shall I arrange for someone to deliver these two baskets out of the palace?”

“No need,” she said, hoisting the pork basket onto her shoulder.

“I’ll take this one,” Ziqing reached for the dumpling basket but found it too heavy.

“I’ll help,” Zibai tried too.

“Give it a few more years, boys.” Yu Xiaoxiao picked up a sealed sack of flour, tossed it into the bamboo basket, then lifted the whole thing effortlessly. She told her brothers, “Clear the way up front.”

Yu Ziqing looked on in awe. “Sister, you must be the strongest in the world.”

“Stay humble,” she replied. “We keep a low profile. Now, let’s go home!”

The two princes ran ahead, out of the Imperial Kitchen.

The kitchen fell into stunned silence. With that kind of strength, how could the Eldest Princess not be the strongest in the world?

Yu Xiaoxiao took her two brothers toward the palace gate. Halfway there, she remembered the fourth and fifth ones. So she stopped by Consort Rong’s Qitai Hall to fetch Fifth Brother, then to Consort Zheng’s Guanxing Hall for the Fourth. The siblings walked out of the palace together, laughing and chatting.

Consorts Rong and Zheng hated the Eldest Princess, but when she actually showed up, neither dared say a word—let alone give her attitude. Just look at Consort Zhao’s example. Rumor had it that Consort Hua also lost favor due to Yu Xiaoxiao and the Gu family’s scheming. Who in the harem dared provoke her?

When Qinghai reported that one prince had gone to farm and four others were headed to the Gu residence, Xianzong only gave a nonchalant “Mm.”

After bidding farewell, Prince Rui and Prince Yu walked out of the palace together.

At the palace gates, Prince Yu quietly said, “Fifth Brother, it seems we can’t determine the crown prince until the Seventh Prince grows up, right?”

Prince Rui gave him a look and said, “He’s the legitimate heir. What’s the issue?”

Prince Yu glanced back at the towering palace gates and sighed. “That’s why the Eldest Princess is such a force. When the Empress passed, what were those kids’ prospects? And now look at them.”

“If she can subdue Li Xiaoyuan in Zhuque,” said Prince Rui, “His Majesty will likely rely on her even more.”

Prince Yu smiled. “Even if the Seventh Prince proves untalented, with the Eldest Princess as his sister, the throne will still be secure.”

“Enough about that,” Prince Rui said. “Old Nine, come by my place for a visit?”

“Sure, sure,” Prince Yu nodded. “Let’s discuss the birthday gifts.”

While the two princes fretted over birthday presents, Yu Xiaoxiao had already dropped Yu Zibai off at Qian Taiduo’s place.

At this point, just seeing Yu Xiaoxiao made Qian Taiduo twitch all over like a reflex.

“Study hard from Boss Qian,” Yu Xiaoxiao said at the door of Huixin Bank. “What’s our slogan?”

“I want to be richer than Qian Taiduo!” Second Prince declared, one word at a time.

Boss Qian wanted to die all over again.

“Very good,” Yu Xiaoxiao patted her little brother’s shoulder, then turned to Boss Qian. “I’ll leave him to you today.”

Boss Qian wept in his heart, but forced a smile and said, “Don’t worry, Princess. I’ll do my utmost.”

“Thank you,” Yu Xiaoxiao said sincerely.

Thank your ass! Boss Qian wanted to strangle Yu Xiaoxiao but lacked the guts. Tears!

After leaving Xiao Erzi with Qian Taiduo, Yu Xiaoxiao brought her three other brothers back to the Gu residence.

Gu Xinglang was practicing with a spear in the courtyard. The First Prince was instantly mesmerized the moment they stepped in.

In his hands, the silver spear moved like a dragon—swift, fluid, ever-changing. Snow on the ground was whipped up into the air with every thrust, fluttering down like a sudden snowfall in the midst of sunny skies.

This was the first time Yu Xiaoxiao had seen Gu Xinglang wield a weapon. Without realizing it, she too was captivated.

“So this… is the Gu family spear,” she murmured.