Salted Fish Chapter 56

 Chapter 56

A Delicate Situation

The Emperor was stunned by the series of unexpected events.

The woman who had been so close to him was an assassin, and she intended to kill the Crown Prince. Xiao Shan, in an attempt to save Xiao Jin, was stabbed in the chest and was lying on the ground, his fate uncertain. Xie Zhui, without hesitation, severed the woman's wrist and now knelt on the ground, vomiting violently.

After the initial shock, the Emperor was overcome with panic and rage. He shouted for the imperial physician and then angrily commanded, "Take the assassin away and interrogate her thoroughly. We must find out who is behind this."

Countless thoughts raced through the Emperor's mind at that moment. Was the assassin targeting Xiao Jin, or was she aiming for him?

Was someone trying to kill Xiao Jin or him?

The Emperor pondered many things. After her initial scream, Consort Lan finally reacted. She cried as she stumbled to Xiao Shan's side and crouched down. Trembling all over, she didn't dare touch the now unconscious Xiao Shan. Hearing Xie Zhui still retching nearby, she tearfully and harshly scolded, "What are you doing? At a time when Shan'er's life is uncertain, how dare you show disgust for him?"

Xie Zhui's face was pale, cold sweat continuously dripping from his forehead. His stomach was painfully bloated, and he felt extremely unwell, so he couldn't muster a single word in retort.

At this moment, he had no interest in arguing with Consort Lan. His mind and heart were entirely focused on Xiao Shan.

He didn't want to vomit; he just couldn't help it because of the heartache.

Xiao Jin, who was pushed to the ground by Xiao Shan to avoid the deadly strike, had already been helped up. The Empress also rushed over, examining him from head to toe and speaking incessantly. But Xiao Jin remained in a daze, staring at the prone Xiao Shan on the ground. The surroundings were noisy, but he couldn't hear a word.

His eyes were filled with confusion, unable to register any other emotions.

It wasn't until he heard Consort Lan's scolding voice that his gaze gradually regained clarity. Gripping Chang An's arm tightly, he took a deep breath to steady himself before speaking, "Imperial physician..." But as soon as he spoke, he realized his throat was parched and hoarse. He wanted to shout but couldn't make a sound, so he anxiously looked at Chang An, his mouth moving incessantly.

Chang An was so frightened by Xiao Jin's appearance that he started crying. He raised his hand and pointed behind him, saying tearfully, "Your Highness, don't worry, the imperial physician is already here."

Following the direction of Chang An's finger, Xiao Jin saw Imperial Physician Su and his team hurrying over.

As Imperial Physician Su knelt down to check Xiao Shan's pulse, Xiao Jin also crouched down and said, "Imperial Physician Su, you must save my Third Brother. You must save him."

While taking Xiao Shan's pulse, Imperial Physician Su replied, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will do my utmost..."

"It's not about doing your utmost; you must save him," the Emperor interjected coldly as he arrived. "That is an imperial command."

Imperial Physician Su didn't respond verbally. From his first day in the Imperial Medical Bureau, he understood that when a matter of life and death involved the nobility, the imperial physicians would also be implicated.

The lives of the nobles were directly tied to theirs.

One misstep, and they could end up being buried alongside these nobles. Over the years, he grew accustomed to this reality.

All he could do was give his utmost effort; the rest was left to fate.

By this time, Xie Zhui had nothing left in his stomach to vomit. He turned around, wanting to ask Imperial Physician Su about Xiao Shan's condition.

Just as he made a move, Consort Lan, her face streaked with tears, shouted at him, "You've been to the battlefield and seen the most brutal scenes. Today, Shan'er is merely injured and unconscious, yet you show such disdain. Leave! I won't allow you to stay by Shan'er's side."

Seeing the rare assertiveness of Consort Lan, Xie Zhui didn't argue with her. Instead, he knelt directly before the Emperor and bowed his head, saying, "Father Emperor, I wish to take care of the Prince. Please grant me permission." His voice still trembled slightly.

"How dare you!" Consort Lan continued to cry and complain.

The Empress tugged at Consort Lan's sleeve, but Consort Lan abruptly shook off her hand, her eyes red and looking like an enraged rabbit.

The Empress, irritated by her reaction, couldn't understand what drove Consort Lan to such madness.

The Emperor looked at Xie Zhui coldly, having observed his actions just moments ago.

Men might be more composed in certain situations, and the Emperor pondered whether Xie Zhui truly valued Xiao Shan or not.

If he didn't value him, Xie Zhui wouldn't have hesitated to sever the woman's wrist.

If he did value him, then why did he vomit so violently upon seeing Xiao Shan injured? As Consort Lan pointed out, he witnessed many battles and even killed people himself. How could he be so nauseated by the sight of blood?

However, regardless of the circumstances, Xie Zhui was Xiao Shan's consort. The Emperor had seen how Xiao Shan treated him daily and naturally wouldn't deal with Xie Zhui at this moment. If any resentment arose between them due to today's events, Xiao Shan would handle it himself.

At this moment, Ji An, kneeling behind Imperial Physician Su, cried out, "Your Majesty, Consort Lan, please forgive me. Just now, the Prince asked me to fetch the imperial physician for the consort, indicating that the consort was unwell and not acting intentionally."

He knew how much Xiao Shan valued Xie Zhui, even more than people imagined, so he gritted his teeth and spoke up.

Xiao Jin also knelt before the Emperor and said, "Father Emperor, Consort Lan, please calm your anger. Third Brother values his consort the most; let him stay."

The Emperor looked at Xie Zhui, who was still covered in blood and appeared quite disheveled.

So he said, "Go back and change your clothes, then stay with Xiao Shan."

Xie Zhui's heart leapt with joy, and he quickly bowed to express his gratitude.

As he tried to stand up, his body swayed violently. He couldn't stand up, instead half-kneeling on the ground, his hand pressed firmly against the floor, looking utterly disheveled.

Xie Zhui felt a sharp pain in his stomach, and cold sweat once again covered his forehead.

Although the Emperor was somewhat displeased with Xie Zhui's earlier behavior, he had no intention of tormenting him. Moreover, he wanted Xie Zhui to be safe and sound until Xiao Shan woke up. So the Emperor commanded, "Imperial Physician Qin, take the pulse of Prince Li’s consort."

Imperial Physician Qin quickly stepped forward and took Xie Zhui's pulse.

Thinking about how Xiao Shan, even before losing consciousness, was still concerned about finding an imperial physician for him, Xie Zhui's eyes reddened with emotion as he extended his hand.

Imperial Physician Qin felt his pulse and was initially stunned. Then, his brows furrowed in disbelief, so he switched to the other hand to continue checking the pulse.

At this moment, half of the crowd's attention was on Imperial Physician Su, who was urgently treating Xiao Shan, while the other half was on Imperial Physician Qin.

Seeing the physicians' actions, everyone was anxious, hoping to get a definitive answer from them.

After a while, Imperial Physician Qin was the first to lower his hand. He bowed to the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, Prince Li's consort is with child." Under normal circumstances, this would be a moment for congratulations, but given Xiao Shan's uncertain condition, offering congratulations seemed inappropriate, and the Emperor was in no mood for rewards.

So, Imperial Physician Qin simply finished his statement in one go.

"What?" both the Emperor and Consort Lan exclaimed simultaneously.

Everyone was shocked.

The Emperor and Consort Lan looked at Xie Zhui, who was still half-kneeling on the ground. The Emperor originally thought that Xie Zhui was merely ill and feeling unwell, which was why he behaved so erratically; he didn’t consider this possibility at all.

After all, it was exceedingly rare for gers to conceive, and given that Xie Zhui spent many years on the battlefield and sustained numerous injuries, the likelihood of him having a child was even lower.

But they had never expected...

"Are you certain?" the Emperor asked.

Imperial Physician Qin quickly replied, "This servant is certain, Your Majesty. It has been over a month. However, Prince Li's consort has been emotionally unsettled and frightened, which has affected the pregnancy..."

"Then hurry and prescribe the necessary medicine," the Emperor interrupted before Imperial Physician Qin could finish. If anything were to happen to Xiao Shan's child, Xiao Shan would undoubtedly seek vengeance upon waking.

Seeing Xie Zhui's bewildered and helpless expression, the Emperor glanced at Chang Le beside him.

Chang Le hurriedly stepped forward to help Xie Zhui up, saying, "Prince Consort, you are with child. You must be careful. The Prince will surely be looking forward to this child, so you must take good care of yourself."

Consort Lan also stepped forward, her face still streaked with tears, but her gaze towards Xie Zhui was particularly complex.

Her lips moved for a long time before she finally cried out, "Why didn't you say anything about being with child?" If anything happened just now, she would have regretted it deeply.

Recalling Imperial Physician Qin's mention of the disturbed pregnancy, Consort Lan cried out, "The pregnancy has been affected; hurry and go back to rest."

Xie Zhui never considered the possibility of having a child, and his mind was still blank. Hearing Consort Lan's words, his first reaction was to look at the unconscious Xiao Shan.

He didn't want to leave Xiao Shan.

So he murmured, "I want to stay with him."

Thinking back to his earlier behavior, they assumed it was disdain, but now they understood the situation.

Consort Lan continued to cry without speaking, and the Emperor remained silent as well.

Naturally, they didn't want to risk Xie Zhui's health. If, by any chance, something happened to Xiao Shan, Xie Zhui's child would be his only bloodline. However, no one was willing to voice this thought or even consider the possibility.

They also didn't want to use these words to further distress Xie Zhui, whose body was already very weak.

At this moment, Xiao Jin stepped forward and said to Xie Zhui in a deep voice, "Third Brother has always cared deeply for you; he certainly wouldn't want to see you like this. Taking care of your health is the most important thing right now. If something happens to you, Third Brother will surely blame you when he wakes up."

"Then let him wake up and blame me," Xie Zhui said, his eyes red. "As long as he wakes up now, he can blame me however he wants."

Imperial Physician Su then stood up and said, "Your Majesty, the bleeding has stopped. We need to move the Third Prince back to the tent so I can remove the hairpin."

Xie Zhui looked at Imperial Physician Su and asked, "How is the Prince's condition?"

Imperial Physician Su immediately replied, "The Prince is blessed and will surely be fine."

Xie Zhui felt a pang in his heart and his body trembled. The implication was that Xiao Shan's survival depended solely on himself. If he couldn't pull through, then he wouldn't be considered blessed.

"Enough, let's not waste any more time here," the Emperor said. "Take Xiao Shan back to the tent, and Xie Zhui, you go back as well. Imperial Physician Su will remove the hairpin from Xiao Shan, and Imperial Physician Qin will prepare your medicine."

Knowing he wouldn't have to be separated from Xiao Shan, Xie Zhui looked at the Emperor and said, "Thank you, Father Emperor."

Consort Lan buried her head in the Empress' chest, crying bitterly.

The Empress, disregarding the fact that Consort Lan pushed her earlier, could only repeatedly comfort her, saying that everything would be alright.

***

Inside the tent, both Xie Zhui and Xiao Shan were lying down, but Xiao Shan was surrounded by screens. Xie Zhui lay at a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Xiao Shan, a spot where he couldn't see the situation but could be informed immediately about Xiao Shan's condition.

Due to the severe disturbance of his pregnancy, Imperial Physician Qin administered acupuncture to Xie Zhui. Only after Xie Zhui's body had relaxed somewhat did he go to prepare the medicine.

Meanwhile, Imperial Physician Su prepared all the necessary tools and began the process of removing the hairpin.

The hairpin was lodged right in the center of the chest, and removing it naturally carried certain risks.

If the bleeding couldn't be stopped after removal, or if internal organs were damaged, it could be fatal.

But leaving the hairpin in was not an option either.

An assistant wiped the sweat from Imperial Physician Su's forehead with a fine cloth. He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and pulled out the hairpin.

At that moment, although the unconscious Xiao Shan showed no reaction, Xie Zhui seemed to hear a muffled groan.

In his mind, he heard Xiao Shan's voice again, saying, "Xie Zhui, it hurts."

Xie Zhui wanted to say that he endured countless injuries and never felt pain; he wished he could take the pain for Xiao Shan.

"Stop the bleeding..."

Imperial Physician Su commanded in a rough voice.

Inside the screens, people were busy, and the smell of blood wafted continuously towards Xie Zhui.

When Imperial Physician Qin brought the prepared medicine over, he saw basins of bloody water being carried out.

He sighed inwardly, thinking it was fortunate that Xie Zhui couldn't see this, as it would surely affect his state of mind.

He brought the medicine to Xie Zhui, expecting to have to say some comforting words. To his surprise, Xie Zhui took the medicine and drank it down immediately.

The medicine was very bitter, but Xie Zhui's expression didn't change at all.

Seeing him finish, Imperial Physician Qin couldn't help but say, "Prince Consort, you must take care of your health. If not for yourself, then for the sake of the little prince."

Xie Zhui said, "I know. I won't let anything happen to me."

Imperial Physician Qin left with the empty medicine bowl.

Xie Zhui felt that he could endure any kind of bitterness as long as Xiao Shan could wake up.

After completely stopping the bleeding, Imperial Physician Su bandaged Xiao Shan's wound and then exited the tent.

The Emperor, Empress, Consort Lan, and other consorts, along with princes Xiao Jin and Xiao Rong, and even the civil and military officials, were all waiting outside. With the Emperor not leaving, no one dared to step away.

The Emperor did not ask Imperial Physician Su to bow, but instead asked in a low voice, "How is it?"

Imperial Physician Su replied, "Your Majesty, I have done all that I can. The rest is up to the Prince himself."

Xiao Jin swayed slightly, feeling an extreme chill overtake him.

The Emperor rebuked in a low voice, "He is unconscious now; how can he rely on himself? How dare you speak such irresponsible words."

Imperial Physician Su responded, "Your Majesty, I will take meticulous care of the Prince tonight."

Xiao Jin said, "Father Emperor, I wish to stay and take care of Third Brother."

Consort Lan also cried out, "Your Majesty, I wish to stay and take care of Shan'er."

The Emperor looked at the two of them and said, "Xiao Jin, you are not needed here. Go investigate those assassins and make sure they talk. Consort Lan, Xie Zhui is inside as well. Your tears won't be of any help in there."

Consort Lan protested, "But..."

"No buts," the Emperor said. "You need to take care of yourself to ease Xiao Shan's mind."

Consort Lan nodded tearfully.

Only then did the Emperor address everyone, "You may all withdraw."

The Empress supported Consort Lan as they left. Xiao Jin bowed to the Emperor and then turned to leave; he now had to interrogate the assassins. If he couldn't extract any information, he would feel unworthy of Xiao Shan's sacrifice.

The others also withdrew.

As Xiao Rong was leaving, he glanced back at the tent, his expression complex.

Although he deeply resented Xiao Shan, the thought of Xiao Shan suddenly being on the brink of life and death was something he found hard to believe.

Once everyone dispersed, the Emperor fixed his gaze on Imperial Physician Su and said, "Minister Su, tell me the truth about Xiao Shan's condition. Do not placate me with bureaucratic platitudes; Zhen wants the unvarnished truth."

Imperial Physician Su gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, the situation was sudden, and the Prince was unprepared. The hairpin has penetrated his internal organs. This place is not the palace, and the medicinal supplies are incomplete. I have done my utmost. If the Prince develops a fever tonight, it could be very dangerous."

Hearing this, the Emperor closed his eyes briefly and said in a deep voice, "Minister Su, Zhen entrusted Xiao Shan's life to you. You must ensure his survival."

Imperial Physician Su replied, "I will do my utmost." After a moment of hesitation, he added, "The Prince values his consort greatly. It might be beneficial for them to stay together." Having someone to hold onto, someone to remember, could sometimes keep a person from slipping away.

The Emperor said nothing more and waved him away.

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

***

Xie Zhui kept his eyes open, not daring to sleep and not wanting to. At some point, he felt a breeze pass by. Looking up, he saw Xiao Shan standing by the bed, smiling at him.

Xie Zhui sat up, both surprised and delighted, and said, "Xiao Shan, are you alright?"

Xiao Shan nodded and said, "Xie Zhui, I have to go to another place."

"Where are you going?" Xie Zhui asked anxiously.

Xiao Shan smiled and said, "To a place you cannot go. You must take good care of yourself and not make me worry."

Seeing Xiao Shan continuously retreating and about to disappear, Xie Zhui hurriedly got out of bed to chase after him, shouting, "Xiao Shan, Xiao Shan, wait for me."

In his haste, he didn't notice the stool at his feet and tripped over it hard.

As he fell, Xie Zhui's heart jolted, and he opened his eyes.

He realized that at some point, he had fallen asleep, and what he just experienced was only a dream.

But the dream was too alarming, too ominous.

Imperial Physician Qin stood nearby, looking at him with a complex expression.

Just now, Xie Zhui had been anxiously calling out Xiao Shan's name, clearly worried beyond measure. When the Emperor bestowed the marriage, no one thought highly of it.

A prince and a ger from the military camp—many were waiting to see Xie Zhui's misfortune.

But since their marriage, Xiao Shan openly protected Xie Zhui, shielding him so well that outsiders dared not speak ill of him.

Consort Lan's disdain for Xie Zhui was well-known among those in the court, but Xiao Shan never spoke a single bad word about Xie Zhui. When rumors spread throughout the capital, it was Xiao Shan who stood up to defend Xie Zhui.

Perhaps what seemed foolish and absurd to others was, for Xie Zhui, the best thing in the world.

Xie Zhui sat up and got out of bed.

Imperial Physician Qin wanted to stop him, but Xie Zhui looked up and said indifferently, "I'm just going to take a look. Otherwise, I won't be at ease."

Seeing his expression, Imperial Physician Qin hesitated and then did not stop him.

Xie Zhui walked to the innermost part of the tent, where the screens were. Imperial Physician Su, who was wiping Xiao Shan's sweat, saw him and hurriedly stood up to pay his respects.

However, Xie Zhui did not even glance at him. He sat by the bed, took Xiao Shan's hand, and said softly, "Xiao Shan, if you want to go somewhere else, then I will accompany you."

These words were so inauspicious that both Imperial Physician Su and Imperial Physician Qin became anxious upon hearing them.

If something happened to Xiao Shan, and if Xie Zhui and the child in his belly also met with misfortune, their own heads would be on the line.

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