Pregnant Salted Fish Chapter 72

TL: Hua

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Therefore, Xu Yanqing, who always enjoyed teasing the Taoist master, naturally wouldn’t let go of such a good opportunity. He simply sat up and boldly plunged a hand into the Taoist master’s layers of robes, finally resting it on the Taoist master’s chest.

“No need to use the little cub as an excuse, so ultimately, did you miss me, Taoist master?” Xu Yanqing’s usually radiant face became even more flamboyant. He even raised himself up and pressed Yin Yanjun beneath him.

Yin Yanjun slightly tilted his head back due to the young master’s “aggressive” words and actions. His hands could only rest on the ground to support his body. His usually cold and detached face was tinged with a faint blush from having his little secret exposed. His embarrassed and bashful look made Xu Yanqing even more captivated and enthralled.

“Qingqing, don’t bully me,” Yin Yanjun’s obscure and deep gaze lingered on Xu Yanqing. He spoke with difficulty, and the beating in his chest was even more intense than usual.

After all, this was his Taoist master. It wouldn’t be good to bully him too much. Xu Yanqing finally slowly withdrew his hand from the Taoist master’s clothes.

This action made Yin Yanjun’s brocade robes even more disheveled, and the faint blush on his usually indifferent and cold face became even more noticeable.

After such playful moments, the young master’s brows showed signs of heavy drowsiness. He insisted on pulling the Taoist master to accompany him for a short afternoon nap in the small courtyard before finally getting up and bidding farewell to the Grand Princess’s residence.

The salted fish young master was supposed to return to the palace with the Taoist master. After all, he had just enjoyed such an endearing scene, so there had to be some sort of price to pay. Who knew that as soon as he stepped out of the Grand Princess’s residence, he looked up and saw the carriage of Marquis Wu’an’s residence parked outside.

“Oh, it’s His Majesty!” Marquis Wu’an lumbered out of the carriage. It was evident he had drunk a lot of wine today; not only was he reeking of alcohol, but he also staggered with every step.

Xu Yanqing saw his father stumbling and swaying as he walked towards them. He was about to step forward to help, but Marquis Wu’an directly grabbed his wrist and pushed him towards the carriage.

“A husband and wife cannot meet on the eve of their grand wedding. How many times have I told you? You just don’t remember a single thing!” Marquis Wu’an ostensibly lectured his foolish son, but secretly, he was implying something else.

Marquis Wu’an winked at Mu Yu, and then Mu Yu nervously helped his young master into the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Lady Su scanned her foolish son from head to toe before slowly speaking, “Sit still. Your father drank too much today, and in that drunken state, the two of us, mother and son, can’t handle him. It’s better to leave him to your elder brother.”

So Xu Yanqing could only sit obediently in the carriage. He couldn’t clearly hear what the two outside were saying.

However, it was naturally inappropriate to linger too long in front of the Grand Princess’s residence, so Marquis Wu’an quickly climbed into the carriage.

Xu Yanqing lifted the curtain with his hand, only seeing Wen Jing climb into the carriage, and then the carriage slowly drove forward.

Looking up again, he met his father’s completely sober eyes. Xu Yanqing obediently smiled: “So, Father wasn’t that drunk after all!”

“Hmph.” Marquis Wu’an snorted in displeasure, staring at his foolish son as if looking at an unfilial child: “If your father truly was that drunk, wouldn’t you have eagerly followed His Majesty into the imperial palace?”

“You’re joking, Father.” Xu Yanqing almost wore out his lips to make his father and mother happy. After finally returning to his own courtyard, he completely collapsed onto the arhat bed.

After the salted fish had rested, he remembered the hint of grievance that had inexplicably appeared on the Taoist master’s handsome, ethereal face earlier today. He then walked to the writing desk, picked up a brush, and fluently wrote a letter.

Finally, the letter was delivered to the emperor’s desk before he retired for the night. At this moment, Yin Yanjun was gently rocking the cradle in front of him, inside which the little cub was sleeping peacefully.

Under the lamplight, there was indeed a touch of “orphan and widowed father” sorrow. He raised a hand to signal the wet nurse standing by to take the little cub away, then he calmly opened the letter on the writing desk.

The young master’s handwriting was becoming increasingly fluid and elegant, and the contents of the letter made Yin Yanjun somewhat amused.

The young master first wrote a lot of sweet talk at the beginning, but in the end, it was filled with a series of strange, cheesy pick-up lines.

For example: “Tonight I ate a very delicious bowl of noodles at the mansion. Taoist master, guess what kind of noodles it was?”

Then the young master answered his own question: “I really want to get into Taoist master’s heart.”

Translator note: It’s a pun in Chinese. I don’t know how to make it make sense in English.

是什么面 (mian4: noodle) What kind of noodle? 道长的心里面 (li4mian: inside) Inside your heart. The pun being the word 面.

Then Yin Yanjun saw an even more outrageous, cheesy pick-up line below: “This morning I felt like something was burning. Taoist master, guess why?”

Next, the young master seriously spouted nonsense: “It’s this heart of mine burning fiercely for the Taoist master’s magnificent beauty.”

A doting and helpless smile played on his lips. Yin Yanjun truly didn’t know what the young master’s mind thought about daily; there were always these inexplicable yet endearing little thoughts.

…

Due to the emperor and empress’s wedding being compressed into a mere month, all the procedures were rushed.

However, the ministers of the Ministry of Rites could accept the tight deadline, but not a perfunctory job. So, every procedure was diligently completed according to regulations.

Boxes and boxes of wedding gifts were moved from the imperial palace to Marquis Wu’an’s residence. The Ministry of Rites had clearly put in great effort; aside from what was required by ancestral custom, not a single piece of the other gifts was an accessory associated with women.

After all, the empress was a man. If the empress were to wear a phoenix crown and robes meant for women on the wedding day, it would be an insult to Young Master Xu.

During the past half month, everyone in the Imperial Wardrobe House, from top to bottom and inside to outside, had been busy non-stop, determined to tailor two wedding gowns of different yet harmonious styles before the wedding of the emperor and empress.

With five days left until the grand wedding, Xu Yanqing finally tried on the wedding attire sent by the Imperial Wardrobe House. The deep red fabric made the young master’s complexion appear even fairer and more delicate. The young master was less than a year away from his coming-of-age ceremony.

Now, he possessed the handsome and elegant charm of youth, subtly revealing the unique, unrestrained spirit of a young man.

This time, Yin Yanjun finally managed to steal some free time from his busy schedule to visit the young master at Marquis Wu’an’s residence. He waved his hand, dismissing all the servants outside the door. Then he slowly walked to the young master’s side, raised his hand, and neatly tied up the young master’s black hair, then placed an exquisite hair crown upon it.

The imperial wedding crowns all featured a double-dragon playing with a pearl design. Two five-clawed golden dragons of the same size intertwined, with a very translucent red jade in the center.

Xu Yanqing looked at the Taoist master with raised brows, asking, “How do I look?”

Yin Yanjun gently straightened the slightly disheveled wedding attire on the young master, then placed a hand on his cheek, slowly caressing it: “You are naturally as noble as a dragon and as graceful as a phoenix, needing no embellishment. You bring me complete joy.”

Xu Yanqing’s dark, sparkling eyes filled with deep amusement as he playfully looked up: “Taoist master, not only are you becoming more popular, but you’re also getting better at talking.”

Yin Yanjun helplessly pinched the young master’s earlobe.

After all, palace affairs were busy, and Yin Yanjun couldn’t stay long at Marquis Wu’an’s residence. Once the palace attendants from the Imperial Wardrobe House confirmed which parts of the young master’s wedding attire needed alterations, they returned to the palace.

The salted fish had planned to just laze about at home, but then someone came knocking.

“By the time Young Master Xu and His Majesty are married, I should be heading back to the border. Since Young Master Xu is still residing at the marquis’s residence, I thought of inviting you over for a drink.” Chen Shaoqing’s eyes were like bright stars, and his skin was a healthy bronze color, unlike the paler complexion of the capital’s young men. He looked truly handsome and extraordinary.

Xu Yanqing’s spirits instantly lifted at the mention of drinking. A handsome and delicate smile spread across his face: “There’s no need for Young Master Chen to invite me for drinks. Since you’ve finally made a trip to the capital, it’s only right that I fulfill my duties as a host.”

Saying this, Xu Yanqing went to fetch his money pouch and pulled Chen Shaoqing outside. Mu Yu, seeing this, was about to follow.

“I’m taking Young Master Chen to the Hexuan Pavilion for tea; you don’t need to follow.” Before Mu Yu could speak, Xu Yanqing had already rushed out of the small courtyard with Chen Shaoqing.

Mu Yu was left standing there, utterly bewildered. So, just for tea, why couldn’t the young master take him along?

Chen Shaoqing found it somewhat amusing. Although he grew up in the capital, he had lived at the border for several years, naturally developing a free-spirited nature. Now, back in the capital and facing a group of refined young gentlemen who spoke in circles, he felt a bit unaccustomed. Young Master Xu, however, was unusually compatible with his personality.

The original owner used to be a playful person, and it was only after Xu Yanqing transmigrated into the book that he became a lazy salted fish.

But even so, he knew the restaurants in the capital by heart and directly took Chen Shaoqing to the most famous one in the capital.

The two chatted happily, even feeling a sense of regret for not having met sooner. Halfway through their drinks, Chen Shaoqing seemed a little tipsy. He tugged at Xu Yanqing, mumbling for a long time without being able to say a word.

Xu Yanqing’s face was only slightly flushed; he wasn’t drunk. So, he slapped the table: “Shaoqing, just say what you want to say directly. What can’t be said between us brothers?”

Chen Shaoqing was silent for a moment, then abruptly said, “Actually, when I was young, I liked His Majesty… I only rushed back to the capital from the border when I heard that His Majesty had an heir.”

As soon as Chen Shaoqing finished speaking, the salted fish young master’s hand, which had been slapping the table, instantly froze. Then he drank half a cup of wine before asking, “Then why did you follow Marquis Xuanping back to the border then?”

“I thought His Majesty liked women, and he was my elder in terms of seniority. I was timid at that time and just suppressed my admiration in my heart, daring not to say it out loud…” Chen Shaoqing’s eyes were a little red; it was unclear whether from the alcohol or from wistful sadness.

“So your feelings toward him now…”

“No, no, Yanqing, don’t misunderstand.” Chen Shaoqing repeatedly shook his head: “Now His Majesty and Yanqing are kindred spirits, and I am happy for you both. I would certainly not be so shameless.”

Chen Shaoqing understood that his feelings of admiration for the emperor were merely unrequited. This unrequited love had already begun to slowly fade that day at the little prince’s full-month banquet when he saw the intimacy between the emperor and Young Master Xu.

“I’m bringing this up now because you and I hit it off immediately, so I wanted to clear the air. I don’t want anyone accidentally mentioning it in front of you later and causing our friendship to sour. And who knows, maybe next time we meet, I’ll bring someone back from the border.” Chen Shaoqing was true to his free-spirited nature.

Some things, if kept bottled up, eventually become a burden on the heart. Chen Shaoqing did not want to become a narrow-minded person in the future; it was better to be open and straightforward.

Xu Yanqing genuinely hadn’t considered that Chen Shaoqing had once admired the Taoist master. However, it was normal for the Taoist master, being so excellent, to be admired.

Chen Shaoqing was perfectly magnanimous about this matter, and the Taoist master knew nothing of it. Given Xu Yanqing’s salted fish nature, he wouldn’t have any other thoughts.

So he raised his cup and continued to drink with Chen Shaoqing: “There’s no need for you to go to the border to find a partner. If you see anyone in the capital you like, I will definitely help you. At worst, another day, I’ll take you to my brother’s military camp, and we can broaden our horizons together!”

“Don’t even think about it!” Chen Shaoqing repeatedly waved his hand: “If His Majesty finds out, my life might be in danger.”

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The author has something to say:

The story will conclude with the grand wedding. The salted fish’s daily life with the baby will be in the extra chapters.