Salted Fish Chapter 58

 Chapter 58

Layers of Dark Clouds

Hearing Xie Zhui say he was in pain made Xiao Shan feel deeply uncomfortable.

He habitually prioritized soothing Xie Zhui's emotions in any situation. It wasn't out of disrespect or because he saw Xie Zhui as someone who needed constant protection, but because he understood how harsh this era was on women and gers. He wanted to offer Xie Zhui the greatest tolerance and freedom he could provide.

He always used everything he had to shield Xie Zhui, and he continued to do so even now.

But he forgot that relationships were mutual, and so were the hearts. Whatever he did for Xie Zhui, Xie Zhui wanted to do for him in return. His actions, though unconscious, were like driving a knife into Xie Zhui's heart, especially when he was injured and still behaving this way.

Xiao Shan couldn't remember if Xie Zhui truly cried in his dream, but now, feeling the dampness in his palm, his heart ached.

Xiao Shan silently waited for Xie Zhui to vent his emotions. Once he had calmed down, Xiao Shan said, "Xie Zhui, my chest hurts." He spoke honestly about his feelings, not wanting Xie Zhui to continue feeling distressed over this.

Xie Zhui quickly lifted his head, his eyes red and still slightly moist at the corners, his expression anxious: "Does it hurt a lot? I'll get Imperial Physician Su to check your wound."

Xiao Shan weakly held his hand and said, "It's normal for a wound to hurt. You've been injured before, with so many scars on your body. You understand the pain of being wounded better than I do."

"I have been injured, but never with a fatal wound." Xie Zhui, held by Xiao Shan's weak grip, did not leave.

He stayed put and said this in a muffled voice.

Xiao Shan smiled and said, "That's a silly thing to say. An injury is an injury; any wound hurts when it lands on your body. How can you distinguish between fatal and non-fatal?"

Xie Zhui replied, "What you're saying is nonsense. I can't argue with you."

Xiao Shan raised his hand, and Xie Zhui, feeling a stir in his heart, lowered his head slightly. Xiao Shan's cool hand touched his cheek, and then he heard Xiao Shan's weak voice say, "You've lost weight. You haven't been taking good care of yourself. When we return to the residence, we need to nourish you properly and put back the weight you've lost."

"You yourself are so thin, yet you talk about others," came the Emperor's exasperated voice from outside the door.

Xiao Shan's hand fell as he looked towards the entrance, where he saw the Emperor, Empress, and Consort Lan.

Consort Lan's eyes were swollen from days of crying. Seeing that Xiao Shan had truly woken up, she couldn't help but step forward before the Emperor, walking to the bedside and scrutinizing Xiao Shan from head to toe. Finally, she began to cry softly.

She didn't dare to cry out loud because the physicians said that Xiao Shan's condition was still unstable, and his emotions shouldn't be too agitated. She feared that her loud crying would upset Xiao Shan.

Xie Zhui stepped aside, preparing to pay his respects to the Emperor as he entered. The Emperor gently said, "No need for formalities."

Xiao Shan moved slightly, as if trying to get up. The Emperor glared at him and said, "You just woke up, don't move around. If you aggravate your wound, it will hurt even more."

Xiao Shan lay back down and said, "Father Emperor, why didn't you have someone announce your arrival? If your sudden voice startled me and caused my wound to reopen, wouldn't that be even more painful?"

"At a time like this, you're still joking with Zhen," the Emperor said, rolling his eyes at him, but feeling much more at ease.

The fact that Xiao Shan could joke indicated that his mind was clear and fully awake, which meant his recovery would be quicker.

The Emperor instructed Imperial Physician Su to step forward and take Xiao Shan's pulse again, wanting to hear firsthand that he was out of danger.

Imperial Physician Su understood the Emperor's concern well. Knowing Xiao Shan's condition intimately, he took the pulse with extra care. After a considerable moment, he said, "Your Majesty, Prince Li is blessed and has overcome the critical phase. With a period of rest and recuperation, he will recover."

Imperial Physician Su also breathed a sigh of relief as he spoke.

After all, the internal injuries were severe, and Xiao Shan's temperature fluctuated dangerously over the past few days. Though he maintained a calm exterior, he had been extremely worried inside, fearing that Xiao Shan might not pull through.

Fortunately, everything had passed. Xiao Shan's temperature stabilized overnight, and he regained consciousness. The most dangerous phase was over.

Hearing Imperial Physician Su's words, the Emperor, Empress, and Consort Lan finally felt relieved.

Seeing that Xiao Shan still looked somewhat haggard and that Consort Lan was crying quietly, the Emperor helped Consort Lan up and said, "Imperial Physician Su just said that Xiao Shan needs to rest. If you keep crying, how can he rest properly?"

Xiao Shan also looked at Consort Lan at this moment, then furrowed his brows slightly and said softly, "Mother Consort, please don't cry. I'm alright now."

Consort Lan sniffled and nodded vigorously.

The Empress looked at Xiao Shan, with countless words on the tip of her tongue. Xiao Shan ended up like this to save Xiao Jin; it was impossible for her not to feel anything about it.

But now, the only thing she could say was, "Take good care of your health."

Xiao Shan nodded.

The Emperor led everyone out, but before leaving, he seemed to remember something and turned back to Xiao Shan, saying, "Recover quickly. Otherwise, your consort will still be worried. With a child on the way, he can't be taking care of you day and night. It's too hard on his body."

At first, Xiao Shan didn't react to what the Emperor was saying. It wasn't until he responded with a "yes" that he realized what "having a child" meant.

He suddenly looked up at Xie Zhui, his expression not one of joy as everyone might have expected, but rather one of strange shock.

Being stared at like this, Xie Zhui instinctively placed his hand on his belly.

Xiao Shan previously mentioned the topic of children to him, saying that having children would be noisy and that he wouldn't insist on it if they didn't have any.

Xie Zhui always thought these were just words of comfort. Seeing Xiao Shan's current expression, could it be that he truly didn't like children?

Although Xiao Shan had been lying with his eyes closed for several days, his sensitivity remained intact.

Seeing Xie Zhui's expression, he immediately understood what was on his mind and quickly said, "No, it's just that I didn't expect... to close my eyes and open them again, and you have a child. I'm a bit surprised."

To him, it was indeed a very shocking matter because he never considered the possibility of Xie Zhui being able to have children. All along, being with Xie Zhui was about enjoying life together, and having children was never the reason for their relationship.

If this child was brought by Xie Zhui, then he would eagerly await the birth of this new life.

Thinking of this, Xiao Shan looked at Xie Zhui and said, "I've heard that having a child can be very hard. Have you been feeling unwell these past few days?"

Xie Zhui nodded, then shook his head.

He hadn't been able to eat much these days, and if he ate something slightly off, he would end up vomiting continuously. Every day, he had to drink bitter medicine to stabilize the pregnancy. To say it wasn't hard would be an outright lie.

The nod was an acknowledgment of the hardship, but the shake of the head meant that as long as Xiao Shan was with him, he did not fear this hardship.

Xiao Shan was not one to dwell on the past.

In the past, Xiao Shan never considered the possibility of Xie Zhui having children, and it didn't matter. Now that there was a child, he would think about how to live their days with a child.

Hearing Xiao Shan's questions to Xie Zhui, the Emperor glanced at the Empress and Consort Lan beside him. He suddenly realized that he never spoke to anyone in the harem in such a manner.

Whenever someone in the harem was pregnant, he would bestow lavish gifts. If he had time, he would visit; if not, he would wait for the child to be born.

Reflecting on this, the Emperor shook his head inwardly. The relationship between him and the concubines in the harem was entirely different from that of Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui. There were too many interests involved between him and the concubines, whereas Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui's relationship was much purer by comparison.

The Emperor and the concubines were all aware that there was no comparison between their situations. Yet, for reasons unknown, the Emperor took another look at Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui before turning to leave.

Knowing that Xie Zhui was pregnant, Xiao Shan asked him to rest on the nearby bed.

Xie Zhui wasn't tired at all, but Xiao Shan, who had just awakened, looked weak and said, "If you don't sleep, I won't be able to either." There was an element of pretense in his words, but his body was indeed weak.

It was a mix of truth and pretense, perhaps seventy percent true and thirty percent false.

Upon hearing this, Xie Zhui lay down on the bed closest to him.

He had taken care of Xiao Shan for several days, and now that Xiao Shan was awake, the weight on his heart finally lifted.

He positioned his face towards Xiao Shan, so that with just a glance, he could see that Xiao Shan was awake.

He closed his eyes and opened them, over and over.

After a long while, Xie Zhui finally fell asleep.

Xiao Shan, still unable to move much after just waking up, called for Ji An and asked him to cover Xie Zhui with a brocade quilt.

Now that the weather had turned cold, and with Xie Zhui's special condition, catching a chill would be too much to bear.

Ji An nodded and gently covered Xie Zhui with the quilt.

Then he quietly walked over to Xiao Shan and whispered, "Your Highness, it's good that you're awake."

Seeing Ji An sniffing repeatedly, Xiao Shan yawned and said, "This Prince is awake, so why are you upset? You should be happy."

Ji An nodded, "This servant is crying out of happiness."

Xiao Shan was too exhausted to say much more, so he mumbled, "Don't be upset. When we get back, we'll have a bowl of pig's trotter noodles to ward off bad luck."

Ji An quickly agreed.

Feeling tired, Xiao Shan closed his eyes and fell asleep again.

Ji An waited until he was sound asleep before leaving the tent. As he stepped outside, he saw Xiao Jin standing at the entrance.

Ji An was slightly taken aback and walked over to pay his respects. Xiao Jin asked in a low voice, "How is Third Brother?"

Ji An replied softly, "Your Highness, the Prince woke up and spoke for a while, but he just fell asleep."

Xiao Jin said, "Then I'll go in and take a look."

Naturally, Ji An couldn't say anything to stop him.

After Xiao Jin entered, Ji An stood together with Chang An.

Chang An rubbed his slightly cold hands and whispered, "His Highness the Crown Prince arrived a while ago, even before the Emperor and the others. He just didn't dare to go in while the Prince was awake."

Ji An looked at him puzzled, not understanding why.

Chang An sighed and said, "I know the Crown Prince's dilemma. The Prince was injured because of the Crown Prince, and these past few days, aside from reviewing cases, the Crown Prince has barely slept, always worrying. Today, upon hearing that the Prince had awakened, he naturally ran here quickly, happy. But once he arrived, he didn't dare to enter. Even when the Emperor came, he thought about avoiding him. It's probably like what they say in the books, he's feeling 'nervous as he nears home*'."

*describes a complex emotional state where a person feels a mix of excitement and anxiety as they get closer to a place that holds significant emotional weight for them.

Ji An said, "There's no need for that, though. The Prince won't blame the Crown Prince. Besides, the Prince is fond of the Crown Prince and would definitely save him if he saw him in danger. The injury was something no one expected."

"If the Crown Prince really can't get over it, he should just take extra care of our Prince from now on."

Chang An uttered a sound of agreement and said, "The Crown Prince is a deep thinker, and no one's advice will help. He has to come to terms with it on his own."

The two of them whispered outside, while inside, Xiao Jin sat by Xiao Shan's bedside, gently tucking in the corners of his quilt.

Looking at Xiao Shan's haggard appearance, he couldn't quite describe what he was feeling.

They were brothers who faced life and death together. Saying "thank you" seemed too light, but saying nothing at all felt too heavy.

Xiao Jin wanted to see Xiao Shan, but knowing he was awake, he was also afraid to face him. If that day, he hadn't been so distracted and unsettled, perhaps Xiao Shan wouldn't have been injured at all.

It was all his fault for being shaken by the news from the Eastern Palace, leaving his mind blank when danger approached, let alone trying to avoid it.

"What is Second Brother thinking about?" Xiao Shan's voice suddenly broke the silence.

Xiao Jin was startled and looked up to see that Xiao Shan had woken up at some point. Their eyes met, and for a moment, he wished he could get up and leave.

However, he was the Crown Prince, and despite his inner turmoil, he remained seated steadily, not showing any of his thoughts on his face.

He said, "Did I wake you?"

"No," Xiao Shan's voice was still somewhat weak. "I wasn't sleeping deeply. I was worried that Second Brother might be unsettled because of my injury, standing outside not wanting to see me, and stubbornly brooding over it."

Sleeping lightly, he naturally felt someone sitting beside him.

Xiao Jin, having his thoughts laid bare, didn't feel uncomfortable. Instead, he said, "I wasn't avoiding you. I just couldn't bear to see you injured. It reminds me of how foolish I was at the time. Don't overthink it; I'm fine."

"Second Brother, you understand me, and I understand you," Xiao Shan said.

Xiao Jin's body trembled slightly, and he looked at Xiao Shan without speaking.

Xiao Shan, however, didn't want to continue this topic. He said, "Second Brother, you were injured in the waist that day. How is it now?"

"Just a minor external injury. I've changed the dressing a few times, and it's fine," Xiao Jin said. "Father Emperor has ordered me to interrogate the assassins. I've found some leads. Those who dared to do this will face the consequences."

Xiao Shan said, "You always overwork yourself. With an injury, you should take your time with the interrogation. The assassins are under guard; they can't escape, can they?"

Xiao Jin replied, "That's not certain. What if someone helps them escape? Don't worry about these things. Focus on recovering your health."

Xiao Shan acknowledged and then added, "Second Brother, when I went to save you that day, someone pushed me hard from behind. I wasn't prepared, which is why I got injured. Otherwise, how could that dancer have hurt me? But the situation was chaotic, and I didn't see who it was. I don't know who tried to take advantage of the chaos to harm me."

"What?" Xiao Jin was momentarily stunned and then said, "I will definitely report this to Father Emperor and investigate the matter thoroughly."

Xiao Shan hummed in response, "That's why I say, Second Brother, don't overthink it. My injury has nothing to do with you."

Xiao Jin naturally knew that Xiao Shan was trying to comfort him, and he felt a warmth around his eyes.

Seeing that Xiao Shan was tired, he said, "You've held on for so long. Get some sleep now. Resting will help you recover faster."

Xiao Shan really couldn't keep his eyes open any longer, so he closed them and fell asleep.

Xiao Jin sat there for the time it takes an incense stick to burn before slowly leaving.

***

A lot happened afterward.

First, Xiao Jin informed the Emperor about someone pushing Xiao Shan. Naturally, the Emperor was furious and wanted to investigate thoroughly. However, the situation had been too chaotic at the time, and it was evening, with palace maids and eunuchs in disarray under the lantern light. Even if they wanted to investigate, it was difficult to find anything immediately.

Then there was the matter of Crown Princess Liu Jingyi giving birth to a daughter. Xiao Jin informed the Empress that, in addition to Liu Jingyi giving birth, Lady Xu was temporarily detained for allegedly plotting against the Crown Princess.

These matters would be dealt with upon their return to the capital.

It was upon hearing this news that Xiao Jin became distracted.

He just mentioned Liu Jingyi giving birth to a daughter when the incident occurred. These past few days, he had been extremely anxious about the assassins and the chaotic matters in the Eastern Palace.

The Empress, upon learning of this, was naturally furious.

Regardless of who was right or wrong, anyone who dared to target the Eastern Palace was courting death.

During this time, Xiao Shan's injury healed quickly. By the time he could get up and walk a few steps, those who cared about him were finally relieved. However, Imperial Physician Su also mentioned that since he suffered internal injuries, he would need to be especially careful not to catch a cold during the autumn and winter seasons.

Otherwise, it would be easy for him to develop a cough, which could lead to lung heat* and other complications.

*is a term from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that refers to a condition characterized by symptoms such as a cough, thick yellow phlegm, fever, and a sensation of heat or inflammation in the lungs. It is believed to be caused by an imbalance of the body's qi, or vital energy, leading to an excess of heat in the lung meridian.

In a Western medical context, these symptoms might be associated with respiratory infections or inflammatory conditions affecting the lungs.

When Imperial Physician Su mentioned these things, Xie Zhui carefully noted them down and asked many questions about health maintenance.

Since Xiao Shan woke up, Xie Zhui's appetite improved significantly, and he hadn't vomited much. Xiao Shan was still worried, so he called for Imperial Physician Qin. Only after hearing the words "everything is fine" from him did Xiao Shan finally feel at ease.

Seeing that the child wasn't causing Xie Zhui any trouble, Xiao Shan remarked that the baby in Xie Zhui's belly must be an exceptionally well-behaved little boy or girl. If it were a mischievous boy, he certainly wouldn't be this obedient.

Xiao Shan didn't care about the child's gender. Whether it was a ger, a son, or a daughter, as long as it was his and Xie Zhui's child, he would love them. Xie Zhui felt the same way; regardless of the child's gender, it would be fine.

After Xiao Shan was able to get out of bed, Imperial Physician Su repeatedly examined him. Finally, the Emperor gave the order to pack up and return to the capital.

Xiao Jin had almost completed the investigation regarding the assassins and submitted all the evidence to the Emperor.

The Emperor, after reviewing it, did not take immediate action, likely planning to address the matter upon their return to the capital.

As for the issues in the Eastern Palace, they would also wait for Xiao Jin to handle it upon his return.

When they left the capital, everyone was in high spirits. On the way back, the atmosphere was rather bleak.

Xiao Shan and Xie Zhui sat in the carriage, pulling the curtains to avoid everyone's gaze.

Riding alongside on horseback, Xiao Rong was somewhat annoyed.

After Xiao Shan woke up, he and Xiao Yi kindly went to visit him.

But Xiao Shan, true to form, couldn't say anything pleasant. After a few polite exchanges, Xiao Shan looked at him and said quietly, "Eldest Brother, I need to recuperate for a while after this injury. You can stay at the Ministry of Justice without having to see me and feel annoyed."

Xiao Rong was momentarily speechless, choked by Xiao Shan's words. If this reached the Emperor's ears, it might lead to suspicions that Xiao Rong had something to do with Xiao Shan's injury. Even after a brush with death, Xiao Shan's infuriating mouth remained unchanged.

After a long silence, Xiao Rong forced a smile and said, "What are you saying, Third Brother? Even if you were by my side every day, I wouldn't want you to suffer like this. During the days you were unconscious, I prayed daily, hoping that all the deities would bless you and help you wake up soon."

Xiao Shan widened his eyes in disbelief and said, "Really?"

Xiao Rong thought to himself, Pray, my foot. It's already merciful that I didn't wish for him to never wake up. But despite his thoughts, he said, "Of course."

Of course, it was a lie.

"I knew Eldest Brother couldn't bear to see me suffer. Once I've recovered, I'll continue to share both joys and hardships with you," Xiao Shan said happily, concluding with this statement.

Xiao Rong wanted to throw the medicine bowl at his face. Meanwhile, Xiao Yi, watching the two of them clash, just wanted to shrink himself smaller and smaller. He thought to himself that he must never visit Xiao Shan with Xiao Rong again.

Caught between the two, Xiao Yi felt very uncomfortable.

Xiao Rong knew Xiao Shan's nature and didn't mind him getting the upper hand verbally. What he hated was that this matter reached the Emperor's ears.

That very night, the Emperor summoned him alone. There were no rewards, and the Emperor's words were all about how Xiao Shan's health was fragile and that, as his elder brother, Xiao Rong should not provoke him.

Xiao Rong was almost driven to tears by the injustice.

When had he ever provoked Xiao Shan? Could he even afford to provoke him?

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