Pregnant Salted Fish Chapter 25

Hua’s note: Hello, starting from chapter 25, the length of each chapter has doubled. Usually, it’s less than 2k words for each chapter now it’s 4-5k. So, the update may significantly slow down instead of me cutting the chapter into twos. ⊙﹏⊙

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“En.” Yin Yanjun nodded calmly: “Since Young Master is not feeling well, Young Doctor Qi has requested me to help check your pulse.”

Hearing this, Xu Yanqing raised his eyebrows slightly. Qi Chen was indeed worthy of being his friend. His sensitivity was truly astonishing. However, at this moment, he hadn’t quite figured out what he was thinking, so he simply pointed to the spot in front of him: “Then many thanks, Taoist Master Xuanchen. But I have something to attend to right now; I trouble you to wait a moment.”

To ask someone to take your pulse and then make them wait for you, only someone as thick-skinned as Xu Yanqing could say such a thing. However, yesterday’s rain was heavy, making the road to the town muddy. Moreover, it hadn’t been clear for long before dark clouds gathered again, so it was likely that Yin Yanjun and his group wouldn’t be able to leave even if they wanted to.

Yin Yanjun didn’t mind the young master’s impoliteness. He stepped over to face the young master and sat down properly on his knees.

On the desk were some messy papers; some were blank, and others had incomprehensible lines drawn on them. Yin Yanjun merely glanced at them lightly.

Taoist Master Xuanchen remained silent, simply sitting quietly opposite the young master, watching him busy himself.

He had vomited once that morning, but now, smelling the faint, clear scent emanating from Taoist Master Xuanchen, Xu Yanqing didn’t feel unwell; instead, he felt unusually comfortable and at ease.

He held his self-made ruler and drew templates on paper. There was a period when he was particularly interested in mechanical clocks, so he had climbed the firewall onto foreign websites to watch pure handmade mechanical clocks made by some masters and had learned to make some modifications himself.

Anyway, he was idle now. Besides eating and sleeping every day, the only way to pass the time was by reading storybooks. Qi Chen’s storybooks were almost all read, so making a mechanical clock was a good way to pass the time.

Xu Yanqing was familiar with the data and information, so his movements were swift. In a short while, he had drawn the blueprint for one of the parts.

However, the young master was somewhat careless in his actions. His hand accidentally knocked the inkstone on the desk to the ground.

Yin Yanjun reacted quickly. He reached out and caught the inkstone before it hit the ground. Seeing that the young master was holding a charcoal pencil and seemingly had no need for ink and brushes, he stood up and temporarily placed the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from the desk under the window. He took a piece of paper and sat by the window to transcribe scriptures.

One was busy drawing blueprints, and the other was writing scriptures. They didn’t disturb each other, creating a harmonious scene.

After being busy for a long time, Xu Yanqing finally finished drawing all the blueprints. As he gathered them up, he looked up and saw Yin Yanjun sitting by the window, transcribing scriptures.

Outside, the weather was gloomy, and it had started to rain again. This rain wasn’t as heavy as last night’s. Raindrops pattered on the roof, like the heavens playing music, full of comfort and leisure.

Xu Yanqing rested his chin on his hand, tilting his head to look at Taoist Master Xuanchen by the window. The Taoist Master, immersed in writing scriptures, was a pleasant sight to behold. His features were serene, just like an immortal from a storybook, compassionate, and untainted by the mundane world.

A burning gaze fell upon him, and Yin Yanjun’s body stiffened for a moment. His eyelashes trembled, yet he persisted in finishing the scripture he was writing before rising and sitting back down opposite the young master.

“Rainy days are indeed the best for sleeping,” Xu Yanqing said, feeling a little drowsy. He blinked at the silent Taoist Master in front of him: “Taoist Master, would you like to take my pulse?”

Yin Yanjun lowered his gaze and remained silent for a moment, then extended his right hand onto the desk: “If the young master trusts me, please place your wrist here.”

Staring at the well-defined, fair, and gentle hand placed before him, Xu Yanqing’s lips curved into a playful smile. His fingertip landed on the Taoist Master’s palm, gently rubbing it: “Taoist Master, do you really want to take my pulse?”

A hint of an unreadable meaning flashed in the young master’s eyes as he continued, “I’m just afraid that Taoist Master will regret it once you take my pulse!”

The palm of his hand was rubbed by the young master, and it was a little numb. Yin Yanjun’s eyelashes trembled. He looked up at the young master in front of him, and then sighed: “What do you want me to do, young master?”

He was now nearly thirty and had never been intimate with any young man or woman. This cunning young master in front of him was an exception.

Yin Yanjun had never fallen for anyone, nor did he understand love. Yet, facing this young master, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of helplessness, not knowing how to treat him.

“Although Taoist Master is a monk, your outstanding appearance must have attracted the admiration of many young ladies. I wonder if you have secretly kept a wife and children at home?” Xu Yanqing’s fingertip traced the clear lines on Taoist Master Xuanchen’s palm, his large, round eyes staring intently at the other.

Such a question to a monk might seem too abrupt, yet the young master’s eyes were pure, without a hint of impropriety or offense.

Yin Yanjun shook his head and said, “I never had a wife or children.”

“Then you haven’t kept an outside mistress, have you?” The young master seemed very interested in Taoist Master Xuanchen’s private affairs, asking enthusiastically with his head tilted.

Yin Yanjun also shook his head. “I have not.”

“Alas, what a pity then that Taoist Master’s excellent appearance couldn’t produce a son to inherit it. What a waste!” The young master lamented with emotion.

Yin Yanjun smiled helplessly. He had only heard that people had children to continue their bloodline and family business, but he had never heard of having children to inherit one’s looks.

Xu Yanqing seemed amused by Yin Yanjun’s reaction, his eyes almost curving into crescent moons. He stood up and slowly sat down beside the man with the immortal-like demeanor, like a mischievous spirit seducing an immortal, sitting very close to the Taoist Master.

“Then, Taoist Master, do you want a child?” Xu Yanqing propped his chin with one hand and raised the other to caress the man’s chiseled face.

Yin Yanjun withdrew the hand he had placed on the desk. His posture remained as upright and proper as ever, unaffected in the slightest by the young master’s abrupt movement. Only the faint blush on his ears betrayed his inner shyness.

He didn’t answer Xu Yanqing’s question, but instead glanced sideways at the young master, then calmly withdrew his gaze, remaining silent.

“Alright, since Taoist Master won’t answer, please be kind enough to take my pulse!” The salted fish grew tired of holding up his arm and obediently placed his wrist in front of Taoist Master Xuanchen. A hint of weariness appeared on his delicate, somewhat youthful face. Then he feigned a sigh, “Lately, my body has truly been uncomfortable. If this continues, I’m afraid I won’t even be able to return home.”

The salted fish had now figured it out. Since his omega body, which appeared from nowhere, and the fetus in his womb needed this man in front of him, it would be better to keep the man around, or for him to go to the man. Even for the sake of his rare little life, he had to safely get through the rest of his pregnancy.

Yes, it’s a good plan. All in all, his life is important!

Moreover, Qi Chen and Xu Yanqing had discussed this privately. Now that he was just over four months pregnant and already so uncomfortable, the later stages of pregnancy would likely be very dangerous, and he might even not make it to childbirth.

Recently, Xu Yanqing had been trying to find a solution to this problem, while Qi Chen, when not eating, drinking, or using the latrine, immersed himself in studying ancient texts in his room.

However, doing so might mean he couldn’t keep the child in his belly. But perhaps it was for the best; he wasn’t prepared to be a father and felt he wouldn’t be a qualified one even if the child were born. It might be better to have the child raised by Taoist Master Xuanchen.

Xu Yanqing blinked, recalling the original plot, and felt utterly exhausted. Of all people, the little bean had to be a paranoid male supporting character.

But as long as he could survive, there would always be a chance to help the little bean escape that ridiculous plot. Regardless, it was still the child he had worked so hard to give birth to.

Yin Yanjun calmly extended his hand, his slender, gentle fingers resting on the young master’s fair wrist, carefully taking his pulse.

A moment later, he abruptly looked up at Xu Yanqing, his usual cold aloofness softening slightly. Then, he lowered his head to take the pulse again.

Yin Yanjun’s demeanor was remarkably similar to how Doctor Qi had taken the young master’s pulse back then, though Yin Yanjun was clearly much calmer in his outward expression than Doctor Qi.

His composure made the salted fish sigh with admiration, thinking: As expected of an emperor, his tolerance is indeed formidable!

After taking his pulse repeatedly, Yin Yanjun finally looked up again at the young master, who was smiling coyly and glancing around. A hint of confusion appeared in his translucent, glass-like eyes: “Young Master…”

“Hmm, I’m pregnant!” Xu Yanqing finished the man’s unspoken words for him, then chuckled, “Yes, I should ask Taoist Master, do you want a child? If you want a child… just say the word, and I’ll send you one in just over five months!”

Seeing the other party hadn’t reacted, Xu Yanqing calmly tugged at Taoist Master Xuanchen’s sleeve, a hint of playfulness in his eyes: “But this isn’t my ability; perhaps it’s because Taoist Master is exceptionally gifted!”

A flush of shyness suddenly flashed in Yin Yanjun’s eyes at the young master’s teasing. He wanted to push away the young master’s hand that was holding his clothes, but his hand lifted only to fall back down: “When I was young, I was poisoned with a peculiar love poison that flares up once a year. That night, it was the love poison acting up, but that particular poison makes it impossible for me to have my own children in this life.”

This was an imperial secret, a secret that could not be spoken to outsiders. Furthermore, Yin Yanjun himself was inherently aloof and detached, and having children had always been an indifferent matter to him. Now, faced with such a situation, he was momentarily flustered.

Xu Yanqing blinked, surprised to have heard such a royal secret in just a few words. But when he saw the shy awkwardness on Yin Yanjun’s face, mischief welled up in his heart, and he couldn’t help but tease him again: “So that’s it. Taoist Master, despite being poisoned, you were still able to impregnate a young man like me. Doesn’t that prove even more how exceptionally gifted you are?”

Yin Yanjun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He hadn’t expected that after revealing such an astonishing secret, the young master’s angle of thought would be so peculiar.

But before he could speak, the young master lowered his head with a wronged expression: “Or are you saying, Taoist Master, that you doubt the child in my belly isn’t yours?”

A hint of embarrassment flashed in Yin Yanjun’s heart. He thought for a moment, then raised his hand to the young master’s head, rubbing it soothingly: “I… I didn’t mean that.” It was just that he was too flustered at the moment and didn’t know what to say, so he blurted out that secret. He certainly didn’t mean to doubt the young master.

Xu Yanqing burst into laughter, his delicate face smiling unrestrainedly. Since carrying this little bean, he hadn’t been this happy in a long time.

Hooking his finger on Taoist Master Xuanchen’s plain, unadorned Taoist robe, Xu Yanqing chuckled: “Then to make it up to me, how about Taoist Master stays in Xu Family Village for a bit longer?”

Xu Yanqing had no intention of returning to the capital at this time. After all, the capital was crowded and complicated, and Taoist Master Xuanchen had a special status. If outsiders found out, it would only worry his father, mother, and elder brother: “I just don’t know if this request of mine will delay the Emperor’s state affairs?”

Yin Yanjun had never intended to hide his identity from the young master. Moreover, as the legitimate second son of Marquis Wu’an, the young master grew up in the capital, so it was not surprising that he could guess his identity. Therefore, he simply nodded slightly: “There’s nothing urgent in the capital. I can stay here with you for your pregnancy.”

“Well, that’s great. Serious conversations are really tiring.” The salted fish who had been talking nonsense all along, stood up and stretched lazily, then flopped onto the bed: “Rainy days are the best for sleeping. Taoist Master, make yourself at home; I’m going to sleep first.”

Yin Yanjun stared at the young master on the bed and nodded slightly. He gathered together all the drawings that the young man had carelessly placed on the desk. When he looked up again, the young master on the bed had fallen asleep.

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Outside in the courtyard, raindrops splattered on the ground. The few people, having nothing to do, simply sat under the eaves, chatting idly.

Yin Yuancheng was talking with Qi Chen, occasionally glancing at the tightly closed room door. Even when Qi Chen teased him for acting like Taoist Master Xuanchen’s “old mother,” he wasn’t annoyed in the slightest.

With a soft creak, the room door was opened from the inside. Everyone’s gaze fell upon Taoist Master Xuanchen, who quietly closed the door.

“Uncle-Master?” Yin Yuancheng called out, as he always addressed Yin Yanjun this way when outside.

“Brother Mu Yu, could you cook some plain noodles? Young Master Xu is already asleep. He might be hungry when he wakes up,” Yin Yanjun said, his face devoid of a smile, yet his eyes revealed a touch of gentle politeness.

Mu Yu nodded repeatedly, quickly rising and heading towards the kitchen. However, he couldn’t just make plain noodles; his young master always preferred strong flavors, so he would have to stir-fry some toppings.

Yin Yanjun called out to Yin Yuancheng, then turned and walked towards his own room. Although Yin Yuancheng was puzzled, he obediently followed.

Qi Chen leaned closer to Wen Jing and said mysteriously, “It seems your master can’t leave now!”

Wen Jing naturally knew about the entanglement between His Majesty and Young Master Xu. He looked up at Qi Chen, then lowered his head again. Although servants should never presume to guess the Emperor’s intentions, he knew in his heart that Qi Chen’s words were correct, but he hadn’t expected the Emperor to stay for Young Master Xu.

“Yuancheng, when the weather clears, you should return to the capital first. I still need to stay here for some time,” Yin Yanjun said, sitting down in a chair. Then he took two letters from his sleeve: “Give these letters to Minister Chen of the Secretariat and Prince Huai. They will understand my intentions.”

Yin Yuancheng took the letters and tucked them into his sleeve. He was deeply puzzled but did not ask any questions.

Yin Yanjun sighed slowly, feeling a sense of emotion in his heart. Finally, he simply said to Yin Yuancheng, “Thank you for your hard work, Yuancheng.”

Yin Yuancheng couldn’t understand the complexity in Yin Yanjun’s eyes. Yin Yanjun walked to the window, looking at the pattering rain outside. He had always been inherently indifferent and decisive in his actions. For the first time in his life, he understood what it meant to hesitate. It was clear that Young Master Xu was not infatuated with him; everything was merely for the sake of the unexpectedly conceived child in his belly.

This made Yin Yanjun feel a bit of pity for the young master. He was still in the prime of his youth, acting so unrestrained in the capital, yet now, due to an accident, he could only live confined in a small village.

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About an hour later, just as Taoist Master Xuanchen had said, Xu Yanqing staggered out of the room and made his way to the kitchen to find food.

Mu Yu had already stir-fried the toppings, and the plain noodles had just been taken out of the pot. A fragrant aroma wafted directly into Xu Yanqing’s nose. He raised a hand to rub his empty stomach: “It smells so good, Mu Yu, your cooking skills are getting better and better.”

Mu Yu was overjoyed to receive praise from his young master. He placed the bowl of noodles in front of Xu Yanqing and poured on the rich-colored braised pork toppings: “Thank you for the compliment, Young Master. Please eat it while it’s hot, or the noodles will get clumpy.”

The braised pork noodles were extremely fragrant and perfectly suited Xu Yanqing’s taste. Mindful of his young master’s appetite, the portion was just right. Xu Yanqing praised Mu Yu for his thoughtfulness while eating the noodles.

“It was Taoist Master Xuanchen who told me to make noodles for the young master, so when it comes to thoughtfulness, Taoist Master Xuanchen is more thoughtful,” Mu Yu said, sitting on a small stool and watching Xu Yanqing eat noodles, unable to resist praising Taoist Master Xuanchen.

Xu Yanqing paused slightly in his eating, then continued slurping his noodles as if nothing had happened: “I see you made a lot in the pot. Ask the others outside if they want some.”

As soon as Mu Yu left the kitchen, Qi Chen strolled in. He skillfully served himself a bowl of noodles, then sidled up to Xu Yanqing: “That Taoist Master Xuanchen is the little one’s other father, right?”

“…” Xu Yanqing silently glanced at the very gossipy Qi Chen: “Next time I see you running around the village chatting with the aunties, I’ll write a letter to Doctor Qi to complain.” Such a fine young talent, but after half a month in Xu Family Village, he’s becoming more and more gossipy.

“Don’t do that!” Qi Chen quickly pleaded with a smile: “I’m just curious, that’s all!” After all, what happened to Xu Yanqing was even more exciting than the plotlines he read in his storybooks.

Thinking this, Qi Chen had an idea. Perhaps he could use Xu Yanqing and Taoist Master Xuanchen as material for a storybook. A young master from an aristocratic family and an immortal-like Taoist Master with a transcendent demeanor would surely touch many people.

Seeing Qi Chen’s expression, Xu Yanqing knew he was up to no good. He scooped away all the braised pork toppings and said: “Tsk tsk, I’ve got all the toppings. Don’t even think about getting any.”

The plain noodles were bland and tasteless. Qi Chen immediately looked dejected, begging for mercy and acting cute, only to finally get a spoonful of toppings from Xu Yanqing.

Yin Yuancheng came over and scooped a bowl of plain noodles.

He wanted to eat braised pork toppings, but he was currently posing as a Taoist, so he could only sadly eat vegetarian food. After all, he was a noble young marquis, and who could have thought that he would end up like this one day?

However, luckily, Xu Yanqing noticed his unappetizing expression and pointed to the cabinet behind the stove: “Taoist Master Yuancheng, there’s chili sauce and pickled vegetables in the cabinet back there. You can try them; they’re all homemade. Oh, and by the way, they’re made with vegetable oil, so Taoist Master can eat them without worry.”

This sentence virtually saved Yin Yuancheng’s bowl of plain noodles. The pickled radish was crisp and refreshing, and the chili sauce was also very fragrant. In short, although he didn’t get to eat the braised pork noodles, Yin Yuancheng was already content.

At this point, he had a somewhat changed opinion of Xu Yanqing. It seemed his sister hadn’t been completely deceived; Xu Yanqing had truly turned over a new leaf.

The “noodle-slurping expert” Young Master Xu, who had turned over a new leaf, felt warm in his stomach, and he was as energetic as if he’d been injected with chicken blood.

There were still a few portions of noodles left that no one ate. Xu Yanqing scooped them all out, broke them with his chopsticks, and took them to feed the chicks.

Actually, those dozen chickens were no longer chicks but rather big chickens, each one raised to be plump and glossy by Mu Yu.

He poured all the noodle scraps into the trough, and the fearless big chickens all swarmed over. Xu Yanqing smacked his lips, muttering to himself: “Eat quickly, grow quickly, then I can have a mountain of chickens, it makes me feel so happy just thinking about it.”

A flock of big chickens, completely unaware of the danger, ate heartily. Xu Yanqing watched for a while and found it quite boring, so he turned around, quite ungrateful for the chicken’s sacrifice, and strolled over to sit in a chair under the eaves.

Yin Yuancheng’s gaze on Xu Yanqing was somewhat complex. Seeing that no one else was around, he sat down beside Xu Yanqing: “What illness do you have that you must recover in such a poor place?”

Xu Yanqing idly looked back at him: “It’s nothing serious. Perhaps I’m just heartbroken, so I don’t want to stay in that sad place, the capital, anymore.”

“Heartbroken?” Yin Yuancheng immediately thought of Su Hanfeng, who had fooled Xu Yanqing and then tried to fool his own sister. For a moment, he actually believed it and couldn’t help but frown, admonishing Xu Yanqing: “You are also a famous young noble in the capital, the esteemed legitimate second son of Marquis Wu’an. How could you be so… dejected over a treacherous scoundrel full of lies!”

“Alas, who made me obsessed with looks!” Xu Yanqing sighed half-truthfully. Seeing Yin Yuancheng’s confused face, he explained, “It means I judge people by their looks, and Su Hanfeng is good-looking, so I’m hopelessly devoted to him. I kept thinking if I treated him hell, he would reciprocate one day, and would eventually return to my side. Who knew he would do something so despicable?”

Xu Yanqing performed the role of a dejected, infatuated person to perfection. He praised himself inwardly for his astonishing talent in acting.

He looked Yin Yuancheng up and down, then, under Yin Yuancheng’s chilling gaze, said, “Looking at it this way, Young Marquis is actually quite good-looking too!”

“Absurd, totally absurd…” Flushed with heat from Xu Yanqing’s words, Yin Yuancheng’s face instantly turned red. He pointed at Xu Yanqing with a trembling finger, but he stammered, unable to speak. So he angrily left.

“Hahahaha!” Teasing others was simply too much fun. Xu Yanqing turned his head, wanting to tease the fleeing Yin Yuancheng some more, but then he saw Taoist Master Xuanchen, with his jade-like face and restrained, aloof demeanor, standing behind him.

 

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