Salted Fish Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Kindness Towards Me

Xiao Xian felt wronged, and so did Xiao Shan. As the only other brother present and their elder brother, Xiao Jin witnessed this scene and cleared his throat, looking at Xiao Xian with a gentle expression. "Fifth Brother, your Third Brother was just concerned about you. You have indeed lost some weight recently. If it's a matter of diet, you should speak to Father Emperor and Consort Xian."

Xiao Xian dared to glare at Xiao Shan, his Third Brother, and even at Xiao Jin, his Second Brother. But now that Xiao Jin was the Crown Prince, he couldn't afford to disrespect him.

So, he shifted his gaze from Xiao Shan to Xiao Jin and said, "Second Brother, it's clearly Third Brother who is bullying me."

Xiao Jin smiled slightly and reassured him, "Fifth Brother, you know your Third Brother's nature. He always speaks his mind. The truth may be hard to hear, but I assure you, he has no intention of bullying you."

Xiao Xian mentally scoffed, thinking, "The Crown Prince is still human and knows what favoritism means." Everyone in Da Zhou knew about the close bond between Xiao Jin and Xiao Shan. Xiao Jin, despite his age, still defended Xiao Shan, not even bothering to put on a pretense, and instead, bullied him, the younger one.

These thoughts could only stay in Xiao Xian's mind; he couldn't voice them. He felt that Xiao Yi was much better. Besides reciting poetry and painting, Xiao Yi would always coax and indulge him, never bullying him.

Thinking about how it would be harder to see Xiao Yi in the future, Xiao Xian lost the desire to even talk to Xiao Jin.

Seeing Xiao Xian's dejected expression, Xiao Shan tilted his head and whispered to Xiao Jin, "Second Brother, stop talking. He doesn't appreciate it." Though his voice was low, everyone at the table could hear it.

Xiao Jin glanced at him and slightly raised his eyebrows, signaling him to keep a low profile. After all, today was Xiao Yi's special day, and if the brothers caused a scene, it would be a source of amusement for others.

Xiao Xian, unwilling to endure any longer and not wanting to give Xiao Shan any face, sneered through gritted teeth, "Third Brother, if you meant for me to hear that, then say it out loud. Whispering like this is just too fake."

Xiao Shan, unperturbed by being called out, looked at Xiao Xian and gave a feigned smile, "As long as you heard it, that's fine. I thought you might not have. I would speak louder, but since this is Fourth Brother's home, being too loud would overshadow the host. If you want to make a fuss here because you're young, no one can stop you."

Xiao Xian: "..." When it comes to shamelessness, Xiao Shan is unmatched.

The key issue was that he couldn't out-argue this person.

Xiao Jin covered his mouth with his hand and coughed, then said in a low voice, "Enough, stop it. Look at where we are. If there's anything to discuss, let's do it when it's just us brothers."

Xiao Shan nodded in agreement, "Second Brother is right. We shouldn't let outsiders see us making a scene over brotherly discord."

Xiao Xian: "..."

Two against one—how is this even a fair conversation?

Moreover, the one causing the most trouble was Xiao Shan. What right did he have to say such things? Because his shamelessness was unmatched?

Since Crown Prince Xiao Jin had spoken, Xiao Xian couldn't continue to make a fuss over the matter. Otherwise, if the situation escalated and reached the Emperor, it would only leave an impression of disrespecting the Crown Prince, and he would be scolded by Consort Xian afterward.

Seeing Xiao Xian's tense little face, Xiao Shan shook his head inwardly, thinking that Xiao Xian had too many thoughts for someone so young.

At Xiao Xian's age, if it were him, he would have ru n to the palace and rolled around in front of the Emperor, expressing his grievances. At least he wouldn't be worrying about everything and ultimately feeling wronged.

Consort Xian wanted her child to excel in every way, but being too strict might result in outcomes far worse than expected.

Sometimes, being young means acting young. Even if one behaved a bit out of line, as long as it wasn’t excessive or crossing boundaries, the Emperor wouldn't say much even if he found out.

Being too sensible at a young age and unwilling to make a fuss can make people think you're too scheming.

Although Xiao Shan thought this, he didn't say it out loud.

Living in the palace and being a prince, some words, if spoken, could make others think one had ulterior motives and were deliberately trying to harm them. Xiao Xian's thinness was a fact; one look at his small frame was enough to see how much he was suffering under Consort Xian's strictness.

Out of humanitarian concern, Xiao Shan had reminded him. If Xiao Xian preferred to live this way, then Xiao Shan wouldn't continue to say anything. He never sought trouble for himself lightly, and this time was no exception.

Xiao Yi, who was talking to his cousin from his maternal family, noticed the situation at their table becoming tense and quickly made his way over.

Xiao Yi walked over and sat down next to Xiao Xian. This simple action moved Xiao Xian deeply, making him feel instantly empowered and no longer alone.

Xiao Shan and Xiao Jin were two people, and now Xiao Xian had Xiao Yi by his side, making his eyes gleam with pride. After all, he was still young and couldn't completely hide his emotions.

Extreme joy or sorrow could still be easily seen on his face.

Seeing this, Xiao Shan rolled his eyes and pouted.

Xiao Xian's smug expression slowly faded away.

Xiao Jin, without showing any emotion, nudged Xiao Shan, signaling him to tone it down, lest he make Xiao Xian cry.

Xiao Shan pressed his lips together, his expression becoming serious.

Seeing the atmosphere was a bit tense after sitting down, Xiao Yi braced himself and said, "Crown Prince, Third Brother, Fifth Brother, what were you all talking about just now? Everyone seems so happy."

With one sentence, he received the attention of three pairs of eyes. Xiao Yi couldn't help but straighten his back and sit up straight under their scrutiny.

Xiao Xian knew that Xiao Yi had spoken up because of him. If it were anyone else, Xiao Yi definitely wouldn't have said such a thing. Thinking about it, Xiao Yi had also made sacrifices for him.

This ancestor was practically lying through his teeth; it was unclear which eye of his saw them being happy.

Xiao Shan was deeply impressed by Xiao Yi's ability to speak such blatant falsehoods with a straight face and then left the task of responding to Xiao Jin.

Xiao Jin paused for a moment and then smiled, "We weren't talking about much earlier. The joy mainly comes from the fact that Fourth Brother is now an adult and has his own residence. In the future, the responsibilities on your shoulders will be heavier, so don't disappoint Father Emperor."

Xiao Yi responded earnestly, "The Crown Prince is right. I will certainly not let Father Emperor down."

Xiao Xian sniffled and said, "Fourth Brother, I am truly happy for you." Although he felt a bit uneasy, his happiness far outweighed his discomfort.

Seeing that everyone had expressed their thoughts, Xiao Shan felt it would be remiss not to say something. So, he straightened up and said, "Fourth Brother, I genuinely envy you. You are skilled in poetry and painting, and those things are quite valuable. I've heard that connoisseurs can sell them for a good price. When you have some free time, could you paint a picture for me and write a poem on it? It would give me some prestige to display it at home. And if I ever run out of money, I could sell it for some wine money."

Xiao Yi smiled but hadn't yet spoken when his cousin, Zheng Zhong, stood up with a serious expression and said, "Prince Li, your words are somewhat inappropriate. The Fourth Prince's poetry and painting are personal hobbies. While his works are admired and praised by outsiders, he never allows them to be circulated. On a small scale, the Fourth Prince is a prince, and if someone were to exploit his original works to inflate their value, it would be improper. On a larger scale, if these originals were used by ill-intentioned individuals to deceive those unaware of the truth, it could lead to a disaster for the Fourth Prince if the matter were to spread."

"Prince Li may not understand the Fourth Prince's caution or the extent to which scholars outside admire his poetry and painting skills, but such jokes should not be made."

Zheng Zhong, being a scholar, spoke with righteous indignation and a serious demeanor.

Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, Xiao Yi stood up and looked at Zheng Zhong with a slightly anxious expression, saying, "Cousin, don't speak nonsense. Third Brother was just joking with me."

As a prince, Xiao Shan would never sell paintings to exchange for money.

Zheng Zhong frowned but still insisted on his viewpoint, "Fourth Prince, you have just left the palace and established your residence. Some matters must be meticulously considered."

Xiao Yi became anxious, almost wanting to cover his cousin's mouth.

Xiao Shan blinked, feeling as if a baseless accusation had fallen from the sky. He was being rebuked for no apparent reason.

Seeing that Xiao Yi was about to argue further with his cousin, Xiao Shan lazily said, "Fourth Brother, sit down." Since Zheng Zhong wanted to reason with him, he would reason back.

Xiao Yi looked at Xiao Shan, wanting to say something.

Xiao Shan let out a cold laugh and began to speak, "You are Fourth Brother's cousin, so some rules shouldn't need to be taught by me. However, given the inappropriateness of your remarks in this setting, I will point out your mistakes and hope you sincerely accept them."

"First, Father Emperor has issued an imperial edict conferring the title of Prince Xian upon Fourth Brother. Yet you keep referring to him as the Fourth Prince. Have you not heard of Father Emperor's decree, or are you dissatisfied with Fourth Brother's title?"

"Secondly, what do you mean by saying that if Fourth Brother's paintings circulate, it would bring him disaster? While such a situation could indeed occur, your statement is overly severe. Do you believe that if such a thing happened, Father Emperor would not discern right from wrong and would directly condemn Fourth Brother? Is that how you view Father Emperor?"

"I find your words to be highly exaggerated. According to your description, it seems you believe that the common people's reverence for Father Emperor's decrees is less significant than Fourth Brother's poetry and paintings."

Hearing this, Xiao Yi's face was filled with horror. He was inwardly furious, thinking, "Argue if you must, exchange verbal blows if you must, but why drag me into it? If you have the guts, use your fists and see who wins."

What did this have to do with him? This heavy accusation was like a death sentence for him.

Zheng Zhong's face changed colors several times before he finally managed to say, "Prince Li, you speak nonsense..."

"Me, speaking nonsense?" Xiao Shan chuckled, "Unlike you scholars, I prefer to speak plainly. Now, tell me, which part of your statements did I misinterpret?"

From the moment Zheng Zhong started speaking, Xiao Jin's face had darkened. Especially upon hearing the final insinuation that Xiao Shan was not a scholar, his expression became so severe it seemed as if it could drip water*.

*In Chinese culture, facial expressions are often seen as a direct reflection of one’s emotions. This concept is deeply rooted in the idea that emotions can manifest physically, making someone’s face appear stern, angry, or upset. This belief is tied to the broader cultural understanding of the interconnectedness between the body and emotions12.

Even though Xiao Shan had already retorted, he still felt dissatisfied. So he said, "Young Master Zheng, if you think my Third Brother is wrong, then take it up with Father Emperor. I just don't understand—Third Brother made an offhand remark, and you managed to infer so much from it. Why is it that when you say so much, Third Brother can't infer anything? If the scholars you speak of are all like this, only listening to self-serving words, then such studies are not worth pursuing."

Zheng Zhong's accusations against Xiao Shan were significant, practically placing him in opposition to all scholars.

Xiao Shan then said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "Second Brother, some scholars' words are nothing but deceit. You shouldn't be surprised.Sometimes, these people can even talk the dead back to life*, let alone be hypocritical."

*a hyperbolic expression used to emphasize the persuasive and often deceptive nature of some people's words. In this context, it suggests that these individuals are so skilled in rhetoric and manipulation that they could convince others of the impossible, such as bringing the dead back to life through their speech.

Xiao Jin snorted through his nose.

At this point, Xiao Yi was both angry and despairing. He looked at Zheng Zhong with a mix of fury and hopelessness, thinking, It's just a painting, a trivial matter. How did it escalate into such a big argument? How did it come to the point of involving the Emperor? Is this a death wish?

"Crown Prince, Third Brother, please don't argue with him. He has read too many books and overthinks things, but he means no harm. As for the painting..."

"The painting was indeed my mistake. Fourth Brother, your cousin may not say much, but he has a point. Given your status, it's best not to let your original works circulate," Xiao Shan interrupted, cutting off what Xiao Yi was about to say. Then he turned to Zheng Zhong, "If you had addressed me directly with these concerns from the start, instead of making veiled criticisms, I wouldn't have taken issue with you out of respect for Fourth Brother. I may not have read many books, but I understand reason and know how to speak properly. Learn from this—don't think that just because you hold the title of a scholar, you can do as you please."

Xiao Jin stood up and said, "Fourth Brother, today Third Brother and I came to congratulate you on leaving the palace and establishing your residence. We didn't expect this to happen, so Third Brother and I will..."

Before he could finish, Xiao Shan pulled him back.

Xiao Shan stopped Xiao Jin from saying they would leave early and pulled him back to his seat, saying earnestly, "Second Brother, we came here today to celebrate with Fourth Brother, not to find trouble. Why should we punish ourselves for someone else's mistake? The banquet has already started, and we should drink. Otherwise, Fourth Brother will feel unhappy."

Xiao Jin: "..."

After all this commotion, they still wanted to stay and drink?

Taking a closer look at Xiao Shan and seeing the seriousness in his eyes, Xiao Jin found himself unable to say anything more.

Xiao Shan, completely unfazed, said to Xiao Yi, "Fourth Brother, bring out some of those fine wines you've been hiding. The three of us brothers should have a good drink."

Xiao Xian was too young to drink, so he was excluded.

Xiao Yi, with a dejected expression, nodded.

Thus, the housewarming banquet at Prince Xian's residence finally began.

Among the group, only Xiao Shan ate and drank heartily. In the end, it was Xiao Jin who had to help him leave.

As Xiao Xian was leaving, he whispered to Xiao Yi, "Fourth Brother, Third Brother is too scary. You should avoid provoking him in the future."

How could Xiao Shan still eat so heartily in such a situation? Didn't he feel awkward? Didn't he think it looked bad?

This showed that Xiao Shan had definitely been going easy on him usually.

From now on, he would steer clear of this person.

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