Salted Fish Chapter 32

 Chapter 32

Those Awaiting Death

Because of Jin Gui's words, Xiao Shan had a sour expression. However, his complexion had been poor these past days, so apart from those close to him, others couldn't tell.

Xie Zhui noticed and squeezed his hand, offering silent comfort.

Xiao Shan glanced at him, feeling both stifled and wronged inside. He didn't know what kind of trouble Liu Jingxuan was stirring up to ruin his reputation like this.

Of course, speaking of reputation, Xiao Shan's had never been particularly good.

But that was about him personally—his reputation as a frivolous, uneducated wastrel had nothing to do with others. Now, hearing his name linked with Liu Jingxuan made Xiao Shan feel utterly uncomfortable.

Jin Gui's home was on the edge of the city, a house that, apart from the clearly legible plaque above the main gate, showed signs of decay with peeling paint everywhere, revealing its dilapidation at a glance. Jin Gui's ancestors had bought the house when they were prosperous, but by his father's generation, they were still clinging to the glory of the past without much willingness to work hard. Supporting Jin Gui's education had led to selling off most of the family's possessions.

Recently, Jin Gui's mother, who had been working to support the family, fell ill. Seeing that they might have to sell the house soon and end up homeless, Jin Gui had left Liangzhou City to borrow some money from his maternal grandparents in the countryside.

His maternal family was not wealthy. His three uncles worked the fields all year round, and after paying taxes, they could hardly save any money. However, considering that Jin Gui was a scholar who might one day pass the examinations and achieve official status, they valued his prospects. They managed to scrape together two taels of silver to give to Jin Gui.

This was also why Jin Gui took the opportunity to slip away during the chaos.

There really wasn't much silver at home, and he thought to save every penny he could. This was the biggest reason Jin Gui risked sheltering Xiao Shan and the others.

Poverty can drive a person to take desperate risks.

When Jin Gui brought the group home, his father was drunk and dreaming of the golden days of the Jin family, while his mother was cleaning the courtyard.

Seeing Jin Gui suddenly bring so many people back, Jin's mother was startled and didn't know where to put her hands and feet.

Jin Gui stepped forward and explained to his mother that Xiao Shan and the others were friends and relatives of his classmate. Due to some issues at his classmate's home, these people needed to stay with them for a while.

It was a flimsy excuse, but Jin's mother didn't have the slightest doubt.

She was very simple and somewhat self-conscious, and she asked Jin Gui quietly, "Should we tidy up our living space for them?"

Jin Gui hesitated for a moment, thinking that since they had accepted the silver, they should at least ask. So he looked at Xiao Shan and said, "The best rooms in the house are occupied by us, but there are a few side rooms..."

"The side rooms will do," Xiao Shan said.

Jin Gui nodded, feeling relieved.

In his view, since Xiao Shan and the others were paying, if they really didn't want to stay in the side rooms, he would have to reconsider.

Moving house was a tiring affair, even though they didn't have many belongings to move.

After speaking a few words with his mother, Jin Gui led the group towards the side rooms.

There were four side rooms in total.

They hadn't been lived in for years and were covered with a thick layer of dust. Fortunately, they were free of clutter and had been well-ventilated, so there wasn't a strong odor, making them relatively easy to clean.

Xiao Shan and Zong Qing exchanged glances and quickly decided how to allocate the rooms.

Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui shared one room, while Zong Qing and Xie Chen shared another. The remaining two rooms were allocated to the guards.

Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui, being a married couple, naturally wouldn't stay apart. Moreover, Xiao Shan was a prince, the most distinguished among them, so it was only fitting for him to have a room to himself.

If he didn't have a separate room, Zong Qing might even feel uneasy.

As for Zong Qing and Xie Chen, their room could easily accommodate a bed and a screen, dividing it into two small spaces. Besides, Zong Qing would soon be out patrolling and investigating cases, spending very little time in the room, which would be convenient for Xie Chen as well.

They had brought quite a few guards, but fortunately, they needed to patrol separately, so the two rooms could just about accommodate them.

Once the rooms were allocated, the guards quickly cleaned them and sprinkled some water to settle the dust.

After everything was tidied up, Xie Zhui arranged their belongings and supplies, making the place livable.

Xiao Shan was feeling extremely unwell. While Xie Zhui was making the bed, Xiao Shan, holding his dizzy head, instructed someone to boil some water. At that moment, he didn't want to do anything but take a bath and then lie down for a good sleep.

A guard responded, and Jin Gui, standing nearby, said sullenly, "There's a well in the backyard. You can draw water yourselves. The water is free, but the firewood costs money."

It wasn't that he was being stingy or calculating. Most of their firewood was bought, and the rest was carried back from the mountains by his mother and him. Living on the edge of the city, the mountains were neither too close nor too far, and bringing back a bundle of firewood was no easy task.

Xiao Shan naturally wouldn't quibble over this and nodded in agreement.

Jin Gui felt relieved and then informed them of the kitchen's location before leaving.

In the hot weather, the water for bathing didn't need to be too warm.

Xiao Shan quickly finished his bath and lay down on the bed, waiting for Xie Zhui to finish so they could sleep together.

Xie Zhui hadn't originally planned to sleep at this time. After all, the side rooms were connected, and Xie Chen and Zong Qing were staying right next to them. As a married couple, sharing a room during the day, even just for a nap, wasn't customary.

Xiao Shan noticed Xie Zhui's hesitation. He propped himself up and gently traced a circle under Xie Zhui's eyes with his hand, saying, "Why worry so much? At this point, who cares about such rules? You're exhausted. Getting some rest is what matters."

These past days on the boat, Xiao Shan hadn't eaten or slept well, and Xie Zhui, worried about him, had fared no better.

If Xie Zhui really wanted to endure, he could have waited until nighttime to sleep.

But when he met Xiao Shan's gentle gaze, he couldn't help but lie down on the bed.

Only then was Xiao Shan satisfied. He mumbled a few words to Xie Zhui and then fell asleep.

Xie Zhui looked at Xiao Shan's extremely tired and haggard face, wanting very much to reach out and smooth away the fatigue. But in the end, he only thought about it and didn't raise his hand.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he closed his eyes and fell asleep as well.

The weather was very hot, yet the two of them lay close together, their hair intertwined, making it hard to tell whose was whose.

***

Xiao Shan didn't sleep very soundly. In a hazy state, he kept feeling as if he were still on the boat, swaying back and forth with the current.

In his sleep, he suddenly felt as if he had stepped into thin air, and with a start, he opened his eyes.

Staring at the bare beams above him, he felt momentarily confused, not knowing where he was.

It took him quite a while to remember his surroundings.

He looked to his side and saw that Xie Zhui had already left at some point.

Xiao Shan sat up, feeling a slight chill. He lifted his eyes and saw two basins of ice placed not far from the bed.

He raised an eyebrow. Ice was a rare commodity at this time of year, not easily obtainable even with money. Every summer, when the ice distributed in the palace ran out, he would regret his lack of knowledge, thinking that if he were more learned, he could make ice himself.

The saying "One regrets their lack of knowledge when it is needed" perfectly described him.

However, once summer passed, he would forget about this matter altogether.

Xiao Shan got out of bed to wash up.

He hadn't slept well at all. It felt like he was still on the boat while sleeping, and upon waking, his whole body felt sore and weak.

Splashing cold water on his face, Xiao Shan looked at himself in the mirror.

Thinking about how he had been vomiting incessantly on the boat, he couldn't help but tug at the corners of his mouth. For someone prone to seasickness, staying on a boat for so long was truly a form of torture.

He couldn't eat anything, so he tried to pass the time by sleeping.

Because he hadn't eaten, his sleep was short, and when he woke up, he was painfully hungry.

But eating would make him vomit violently.

At such times, Xiao Shan often thought of those who suffered from morning sickness during pregnancy.

He felt it was a living hell.

Fortunately, Xie Zhui was a ger, and having children was inherently difficult.

He had never expected to have children of his own. He had long decided that he would adopt a child in the future.

He hadn't mentioned this to Xie Zhui yet. Bringing it up now seemed too shocking, and if the news reached his father, it wouldn't be good. He feared it would put pressure on Xie Zhui.

However, not mentioning it wasn't an option either. Without children, there would be no descendants, and if Xie Zhui didn't know his plans, he might feel even more pressured.

So, he needed to find a suitable time to discuss this matter with Xie Zhui.

Whether to say it or not, the timing had to be just right to avoid shocking him.

After drying his face, Xiao Shan walked out of the room.

A guard came to salute him, but he dismissed him.

By this time, it was almost dark, and the Jin family's conditions naturally didn't include prepared lamps.

Xiao Shan was used to having candlelight in his room at night. Just as he was about to instruct a guard to buy a lamp, he saw Xie Zhui walking over with a lamp in hand.

Xie Zhui saw Xiao Shan standing at the door and felt a surge of joy, quickly walking over.

Xiao Shan looked at the lamp in his hand and asked, "Where did you get that?"

Xie Zhui smiled and said, "Liangzhou City is bustling. You can buy anything here."

"And the ice in the room, was that bought too?"

Xie Zhui nodded, "Yes, thanks to Young Master Jin's reminder. Every year, people in Liangzhou store ice and sell it when it gets hot. The price is a bit higher than usual, though."

Xiao Shan smiled, "Quite the businessman."

Under the lamplight, he noticed that Xie Zhui had washed off the painted cinnabar mole, and the prominent, faded mark was now covered with powder.

It seemed he had gone out as a man.

In truth, Xiao Shan didn't mind if Xie Zhui went out as a ger. Xie Zhui had once been like an eagle, now confined to the rear courtyard of the prince's residence. What Xiao Shan could do was give him as much freedom as he could.

As for the faded cinnabar mole between Xie Zhui's brows, Xiao Shan didn't dislike it. In fact, during their intimate moments, he would kiss that spot, as well as all the scars on Xie Zhui's body.

These marks were not ugly. On the contrary, in Xiao Shan's eyes, they were things to be cherished.

A body full of scars, protecting his peaceful life in the capital.

Of course, Xiao Shan didn't mind Xie Zhui disguising himself as a man to go out.

If he wanted to see the world, then he should go and see it.

Thinking of this, Xiao Shan reached out and lightly flicked Xie Zhui's forehead.

Xie Zhui was momentarily stunned by the flick, feeling the spot where Xiao Shan's fingers had touched grow warm.

He averted his eyes and said, "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat? I bought some wontons and they're raw. I'll cook a bowl for you."

"Alright," Xiao Shan smiled, "I am a bit hungry."

Xie Zhui handed him the lamp and turned to leave.

Xiao Shan then instructed someone to set up a table in the courtyard and brought out a basin of ice from the room.

At this moment, having a few pieces of watermelon chilled on the ice would surely be incredibly refreshing.

However, there were no watermelons, so this idea couldn't be realized for now.

After a while, Xie Zhui returned with a bowl of wontons.

Xiao Shan had hardly eaten anything with even a hint of oil while on the boat, and now the aroma made his mouth water.

Xie Zhui knew that it wasn't suitable for him to eat meat at this time, but he had checked—the wontons contained very little meat, and he could handle it.

Before eating, Xiao Shan looked at Xie Zhui.

Xie Zhui quickly said, "We've all eaten. This is for you."

Only then did Xiao Shan start eating.

Eating hot soup and hot food at this time could easily make one sweat, but Xiao Shan still slowly finished the bowl of wontons.

Feeling comfortable in his stomach, Xiao Shan smiled, and seeing this, Xie Zhui also smiled.

***

After the meal, Zong Qing came to see Xiao Shan.

Seeing that they had something to discuss, Xie Zhui went to find Xie Chen to talk.

Zong Qing sought out Xiao Shan primarily to discuss the investigation.

Zong Qing, being upright and unyielding, had been preoccupied with the scene at the dock. He now wanted to get to the bottom of the matter as quickly as possible and report it to the Emperor.

However, the person he needed to investigate was Liu Jingxuan, the Crown Prince's brother-in-law.

Therefore, he needed to know Xiao Shan's stance.

Xiao Shan's attitude was clear. His eyes turned slightly cold as he said, "Investigate, of course. Not only investigate, but investigate thoroughly. Given the current situation in Liangzhou City, it seems they are quite confident and not afraid of being investigated at all."

Zong Qing carefully observed Xiao Shan's expression, then stood up and bowed, saying, "I understand, Your Highness. Rest assured, I will thoroughly investigate the matters in Liangzhou City."

Xiao Shan acknowledged with a nod.

While the two of them discussed the affairs of Liangzhou City, Xie Chen and Xie Zhui were engaged in casual conversation.

Xie Chen knew that Xie Zhui had gone out, and not only he but also Zong Qing and the guards were aware. Gu Ning mentioned afterward that when Xie Zhui disguised himself as a man to go out, the guards' expressions were conflicted—they wanted to stop him but didn't know how.

Xie Chen didn't care about the guards' attitudes. what he cared about was Xiao Shan's attitude.

When Xiao Shan woke up, he didn't pay any attention to these matters.

Was he truly indifferent, or was he keeping it in mind to settle accounts later?

Xie Chen was actually a bit puzzled. In his impression, Xie Zhui wouldn't make such a mistake. He was no longer in the northern frontier. he was a ger and Xiao Shan's consort. Going out without saying a word—was it intentional?

Was he deliberately testing Xiao Shan's attitude?

So, Xie Zhui was certain that Xiao Shan wouldn't pursue this matter?

Thinking of this, Xie Chen suddenly smiled.

Xie Zhui looked up and asked, "Elder Brother, what's the matter?"

Xie Chen shook his head and said, "Nothing, just thought of something amusing." It was as if he had inadvertently discovered a little fox, cautiously extending its paw to touch someone.

Did the person raising the fox know what the fox intended to do?

Seeing that Xie Chen didn't elaborate, Xie Zhui didn't think much of it and started talking about other things.

That night, after Xie Zhui had fallen asleep in his arms, Xiao Shan opened his eyes.

He had slept quite a bit during the day, and with his mind preoccupied, he found it hard to fall asleep.

He was thinking about Liangzhou City and Liu Jingxuan. From today's situation, it seemed impossible that Liu Jingxuan hadn't committed any wrongdoing. He was pondering how Liu Jingxuan's actions might affect Xiao Jin.

Would it affect Xiao Jin's standing in the Emperor's eyes? Would it shake his image as the Crown Prince among the ministers?

These matters were like a tangled ball of thread, impossible to unravel for the time being.

After pondering for a while without any clarity, Xiao Shan closed his eyes to sleep.

He thought he wouldn't be able to sleep, but his mind was too exhausted, and he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

In the following days, Zong Qing left early and returned late, and Xiao Shan didn't ask him what he had found out.

However, from what he gathered indirectly from Jin Gui, Liu Jingxuan could be described as the epitome of recklessness in Liangzhou. He collected money whimsically, like the newly implemented disembarkation fee, which had only been in place for a short time.

They happened to catch him in the act.

In addition, Liu Jingxuan had a very good relationship with the merchants in Liangzhou. In this region, officials' words might not always carry weight, but the influential and interconnected major merchants certainly did.

These merchants showed great respect to Liu Jingxuan, and there was nothing he couldn't accomplish in Liangzhou.

The merchants provided him with convenience, and he protected their businesses in return.

From what Jin Gui mentioned, it was clear that Liu Jingxuan couldn't escape the charges of corruption and collusion between officials and merchants.

Moreover, from the beginning, there had been a rumor in Liangzhou City that the Crown Prince highly valued Liu Jingxuan and that Xiao Shan had a very close relationship with him.

Xiao Shan's arrival in Liangzhou was seen as providing a protective umbrella for Liu Jingxuan.

Because of these rumors, even the servants of the Liu family walked with an air of arrogance.

These matters could all be investigated, and the facts were too clear to ignore. Public grievances were so evident that it was impossible to pretend not to see them. All the evidence pointed to Liu Jingxuan.

While Xiao Shan was contemplating these matters, Zong Qing had almost completed his investigation into Liu Jingxuan's wrongdoings.

To be honest, this was the first time an investigation had gone so smoothly for him. Witnesses? The entire city of Liangzhou. Physical evidence? The daily flow of silver into and out of the prefectural office.

Just as the rumors in Liangzhou City suggested, Liu Jingxuan felt emboldened by Prince Li's presence.

He engaged in corruption openly and brazenly.

As for the group of people at the dock, Zong Qing had also investigated them thoroughly. They were all Liu family retainers.

The man who dared to claim to be Xiao Shan's father was Liu Jingxuan's steward, known outside as Master Liu.

Holding these pieces of evidence, Zong Qing felt a bit hesitant.

As the saying goes, "When something unusual happens, there must be a reason."

If someone were framing him, Zong Qing couldn't bring himself to say that Liu Jingxuan was a good official. Just yesterday, while strolling through the city, he saw Liu Jingxuan returning to the prefectural office in broad daylight from a brothel.

It was said that Liu Jingxuan had a private room in the brothel, and the top courtesan there only entertained him.

Liu Jingxuan had spent a considerable amount of silver on this courtesan.

This was not the behavior of a proper official. Based on this alone, Liu Jingxuan was unfit for office.

Having thought it through, Zong Qing packed up his materials and then went to see Xiao Shan.

He calculated the time and figured that the imperial envoy's imperial guards should be arriving in Liangzhou City within the next few days.

His intention was to apprehend Liu Jingxuan for questioning as soon as the imperial guards arrived.

After hearing Zong Qing's plan, Xiao Shan nodded and said, "Since Minister Zong has already verified the facts, we indeed should meet with this Minister Liu."

Seeing that Xiao Shan had no objections, Zong Qing couldn't help but ask, "Does Your Highness need to verify anything else?"

Xiao Shan glanced at him and said, "I don't conduct investigations. There's nothing more to verify. Minister Zong, whatever you uncover, just report it truthfully to Father Emperor after the interrogation."

Zong Qing: "..."

Xiao Shan had been hands-off from the start, and Zong Qing had thought he might have other ideas in the end.

After all, this concerned the Crown Prince...

Xiao Shan didn't care what Zong Qing was thinking. He was now curious about one thing: Was Liu Jingxuan's behavior so extreme that it provoked public outrage, or did he truly believe Xiao Shan would protect him? Or perhaps Liangzhou City was already beyond his control?

Thinking about this, Xiao Shan stood up and said, "No need to wait for the imperial guards. Let's go to the prefectural office now and meet Liu Jingxuan."

Zong Qing: "..."

How impulsive.

Xiao Shan continued, "Let's catch him off guard. Let's go."

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