Pregnant Salted Fish Chapter 74

TL: Hua

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When Xu Yanqing woke up again, Yin Yanjun was no longer in the room, but the little cub was still sleeping soundly in bed.

It was dark outside. Xu Yanqing languidly lingered in bed for a while before finally getting up.

Hearing the movement, Mu Yu knocked and entered: “Young Master, you’re finally up. With the grand wedding approaching, His Majesty found it inconvenient to stay overnight at Marquis Wu’an’s residence and returned to the imperial palace half an hour ago.”

“Did it snow outside?” Xu Yanqing dressed with Mu Yu’s assistance.

Mu Yu nodded repeatedly upon hearing this: “It’s been snowing ever since the young master went to sleep. It stopped for a while and then started again. Now there’s already a layer of snow on the ground.”

The little cub was still asleep, so their voices, master and servant, were not loud. It was already time for lunch. Due to the snow, the main kitchen had directly sent the meal to the young master’s courtyard.

Not long after Xu Yanqing finished his meal, the little cub on the bed finally opened his large, dark, grape-like eyes and whined a couple of times.

The wet nurse came in to help the little prince relieve himself. After the little prince played for a while and got a bit hungry, she went behind the screen to feed him.

After all that fuss, the little cub was exceptionally energetic after finishing his milk. When the wet nurse carried him out, he saw his salted fish father and excitedly wiggled his chubby little hands.

So the wet nurse handed the little prince to the salted fish young master.

As soon as the little cub was in his father’s embrace, his little hands firmly clutched the young master’s lapel, babbling as if he were talking.

Xu Yanqing disdainfully tilted his head to wipe off the little cub’s drool that sprayed on his face, but his hands firmly held the little cub, fearing that he might accidentally drop him.

It was evident that the young master’s posture for holding a child had become much more familiar. One hand protected the little cub’s neck, while the other cupped the little cub’s bottom, no longer exhibiting the frantic, stiff feeling he had when he first held the little cub.

Since the little prince was kept at Marquis Wu’an’s residence by His Majesty today, Lady Su, who doted on her grandson, naturally wouldn’t miss this good opportunity to get close to him. Not long after lunch, a group of people was seen walking towards them through the heavy snow.

Fearing the little prince might get cold, Lady Su specifically pulled her husband and eldest son to warm themselves by the fire in the outer room, dispelling the chill they had accumulated from the walk, before eagerly entering the inner room.

Soon after, the room was filled with the little cub’s joyful laughter. Marquis Wu’an slowly made his way to his wife’s side, and just as he was about to say something, the soft, cuddly little cub was placed in his arms.

The big, burly man was as flustered and stiff as the young master had been when he first held the little prince, only able to stand there, firmly cradling the little prince in his arms.

Xu Xianzhi bumped his younger brother’s shoulder: “See? Father really dotes on his little grandson.”

Seeing this, Xu Yanqing raised a hand to rub his chin and couldn’t help but echo, “The old saying, ‘One dotes on grandchildren but not children, affection across generations,’ truly holds water.”

The little prince stayed at Marquis Wu’an’s residence until the day before his father’s and imperial father’s grand wedding. During this time, Young Marquis Yin, who was already married, rushed over with his wife to join in the fun after hearing that the little prince was at Marquis Wu’an’s residence.

Xu Yanqing unceremoniously shoved his son into Yin Yuancheng’s arms, claiming it was to teach him how to take care of a child.

After all, Young Marquis Yin was now a married man who had established his family; the Grand Princess was surely waiting to hug her grandson!

Yin Yuanshuang was incredibly amused, pulling Chu Yulin’s hand and teasing, “Brother should really learn how to take care of children. When sister-in-law has children, just throw them to him to raise.”

Yin Yuancheng was dumbfounded. His own sister was completely taking his wife’s side, and his many years of doting on his sister had been utterly misplaced.

Chu Yulin’s face flushed slightly. She looked over at Yin Yuancheng. Yin Yuancheng, who was silently complaining about his sister taking his wife’s side, immediately showed her a gentle smile.

“I heard you went drinking with Chen Shaoqing the other day and got caught by His Majesty?” Yin Yuanshuang asked Xu Yanqing, turning her head while teasing the adorable little prince.

Xu Yanqing nodded: “One misstep can lead to eternal regret. Next time I sneak out to drink, I can’t let Taoist master catch my tail again.” This time he managed to get away with it, but he might not be so lucky next time.

However, Yin Yuanshuang’s focus was clearly not there. She asked with a slightly deeper meaning, “Why did you suddenly go out drinking with Chen Shaoqing? Did he say anything strange to you?”

Xu Yanqing leaned back in his chair, propping his head with one hand, and imperceptibly raised an eyebrow at the question.

Then he shook his head in denial: “Brother Shaoqing has lived on the border for many years and has developed a broad and unrestrained nature. How could he say anything strange?”

Yin Yuanshuang didn’t pay much attention to this. After all, she hadn’t seen Chen Shaoqing for many years either, and any unpleasantness from their childhood had disappeared with age: “That’s true. Chen Shaoqing, at such a young age, went to guard the border with Marquis Xuanping. It’s truly admirable.” Perhaps after all these years, whatever thoughts Chen Shaoqing had in his heart have also been forgotten in the past.

At noon, everyone was kept at Marquis Wu’an’s residence for a meal. Everyone chatted and laughed, enjoying themselves thoroughly. Xu Xianzhi, while Lady Su was talking to Princess Jing’an, subtly interjected, “Has Princess Jinshu not come with Princess Jing’an today?”

Xu Xianzhi’s handsome face remained composed and magnanimous, so Yin Yuanshuang didn’t think much of it, as she and Jinshu were usually very close, almost inseparable.

“Jinshu is not feeling well today, so she didn’t come.” What she was not feeling well about was a private matter for the young ladies.

Xu Xianzhi did not press the issue. Everyone raised their cups and continued to dine. Only Lady Su cast a slightly suspicious glance at her eldest son.

A mother knows her son best. Lady Su picked up a chopstick full of vegetables and placed them in Xu Xianzhi’s bowl. It seemed that their Marquis Wu’an’s residence had lost another foolish son to love.

Maybe one day she will have a beautiful daughter-in-law, but she doesn’t know when her foolish son will be able to bring the girl into the house openly.

Xu Xianzhi, receiving this belated affection from his mother, felt genuinely confused. Then he heard his mother say gently, “Eat more; only when you’re full will you have the strength to…” chase a wife.

Marquis Wu’an, seeing this, glanced at his eldest son, then cleared his throat as if unintentionally, his large eyes already turning to his wife beside him.

In front of all the youngsters, Lady Su sighed helplessly in her heart. She raised a hand and put Marquis Wu’an’s favorite dish into his bowl, giving her husband some face.

Since his small wish was fulfilled by his wife, Marquis Wu’an happily raised his wine cup, acting as if nothing had happened. Then he continued to clink glasses with Yin Yuancheng.

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Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day of the emperor and empress’s grand wedding. As there were many tasks today and fear of being overwhelmed, the little cub had already been brought back to the imperial palace by the Empress Dowager in advance.

The room, warmed by charcoal, was extremely cozy. It was still dark outside, so the salted fish young master in the bed was curled up, sleeping soundly.

Outside the sleeping quarters, a group of servants was already busy. Red silk and lanterns had been hung throughout Marquis Wu’an’s residence yesterday, with joyous red characters everywhere, a sight that filled one’s heart with delight.

“Is your young master not up yet?” When Lady Su arrived with a group of maids, Mu Yu was knocking on the door, but there was no response from inside.

Hearing the question, Mu Yu shook his head: “The young master probably went to bed late yesterday, so he’s still very sleepy now.”

“Alright, no need to cover for him.” Lady Su directly pushed open the door. She walked to the bed and saw her youngest son with only his furry head exposed. Lady Su sat on the bed and was about to reach out but couldn’t bear to wake him.

She merely pulled the covers down, revealing her youngest son’s slightly flushed face from sleep. Lady Su’s eyes welled with deep reluctance. She sat by her youngest son’s bed for a long time before gently calling him awake.

Xu Yanqing dazedly opened his eyes, feeling a familiar warmth all over his body. He raised a hand to touch his slightly feverish neck, already understanding that his heat cycle was approaching.

“Get up quickly and get dressed.” Lady Su gently patted her dazed youngest son’s face.

When Xu Yanqing looked up, he could vaguely see a hint of moisture in his mother’s eyes. He groggily snuggled closer, pulling Lady Su’s sleeve: “Mother, let me sleep a little longer!”

Lady Su suppressed the reluctance in her heart and slapped her foolish son’s head: “Sleep what, sleep? If you sleep any longer, the imperial procession will arrive. Get up quickly!”

Alright, the salted fish struggled to escape the confines of his quilt. The moment his feet touched the ground, he was pulled away by a group of maids.

As soon as he finished washing up, one garment after another was put on him. So the salted fish young master could only expressionlessly act as a puppet, allowing the maids to maneuver him back and forth.

The celebratory attire sent from the palace was not a phoenix robe, but rather a four-clawed dragon robe. In Daliang, this was the attire designated for princes, and naturally, it could also withstand Prince Huai’s address of “little elder brother.”

However, the salted fish cared not a bit whether the celebratory attire was magnificent or not. He only felt that this attire was terribly heavy and almost suffocated him. Finally, Lady Su personally tied up the young master’s hair and put on his hair crown, and the celebratory attire was finally complete.

“Indeed worthy of being my son, truly handsome.” Lady Su said, gently patting the salted fish’s face as if teasing a child, her eyes full of pride.

Xu Yanqing blinked his bright, sparkling eyes and said with a smile, “Yes, yes, yes, who wouldn’t say I resemble my mother when they see me? Clearly, my mother is definitely one of the few great beauties in the capital.”

“Don’t flatter me so much; save it for His Majesty!” As soon as Lady Su finished speaking, Mu Yu entered carrying a plate of steaming buns.

“It’s going to be a long and busy day today. Even if you enter the palace, you won’t have time to eat properly.” Lady Su took the lacquered tray and pushed the buns in front of her foolish son, whose stomach was rumbling: “Remember to eat more buns and drink less water, lest you need to relieve yourself during the coronation ceremony.”

“Got it,” Xu Yanqing nodded obediently and eagerly reached for a bun to gnaw on. The buns made with bean sprouts, vermicelli, and lard were incredibly fragrant. Xu Yanqing felt he could devour the entire plate of buns in front of him.

A few days prior, there had been a snowfall, and today, the weather was uncharacteristically beautiful. Xu Yanqing, dressed in his heavy wedding attire, slowly finished his breakfast in the warm bedroom. Not long after, he heard a commotion outside.

Presumably, the imperial wedding procession had arrived. Xu Yanqing touched his faintly feverish nape, a hint of inexplicable nervousness stirring in his heart.

Logically speaking, he and the Taoist master already had a child; now it was merely completing the marriage ceremony… This nervousness seemed a bit redundant.

But one cannot control the myriad emotions within their heart. When Xu Yanqing emerged from that inexplicable nervousness, he looked up and saw the Taoist master, clad in wedding attire, slowly walking towards him.

Xu Yanqing couldn’t help but feel a little astonished. Logically, for an imperial wedding, ministers from the Ministry of Rites should come to greet the bride, not the Taoist master himself.

“I’ve come to bring you home.” As Xu Yanqing’s mind wandered, Yin Yanjun had already walked over and grasped the young master’s hand. The overflowing smile in his eyes and the festive wedding dress made his originally sage-like temperament become particularly… gorgeous.

The two, with fingers intertwined, walked out from Marquis Wu’an’s residence until the young master was helped onto horseback by Yin Yanjun. The horses were led forward by imperial guards, proceeding very slowly, yet this entire scene completely fell into the eyes of the people of the capital.

Two tall horses proceeded from the main gate of the imperial palace into the palace. The coronation ceremony was held in Chongyuan Tower. After dismounting, the emperor and empress, preceded by umbrella bearers and led by officials from the Ministry of Rites, ascended the high platform.

Ancestral worship, kowtows, conferment of title, entry into the ancestral temple.

By the time Xu Yanqing was escorted into Changxin Palace, he was utterly exhausted, reduced to a dried salted fish. Comparing this to Young Marquis Yin’s wedding banquet, he finally understood how utterly draining an imperial wedding was.

The Taoist master, as the emperor, had many more affairs to attend to. The only fortunate thing was that as the empress, he only needed to sit obediently in Changxin Palace.

However, being so exhausted, Xu Yanqing naturally couldn’t sit obediently by the bed waiting for the Taoist master’s arrival. He simply pulled the quilt on the bed into his arms, tilted his head against the bed frame, and began to drift off to sleep.

Much later, Yin Yanjun walked into Changxin Palace. Mu Yu, seeing this, was about to wake his young master but was then dismissed by Yin Yanjun.

The young master slept soundly, leaning against the bed. Yin Yanjun slowly walked over and placed his hand on the young master’s fair, warm cheek.

As soon as Xu Yanqing opened his eyes, he saw the Taoist master’s clean, ethereal, and peerlessly unique face. He, somewhat dazed, leaned closer, feigning the look of a romantic gentleman: “Whose beauty is this? So incredibly handsome.”

“Naturally, the one that belongs to Qingqing.” Yin Yanjun’s eyes were obscure and deep, and the corners of his lips couldn’t help but curve into an undisguised smile.

Yin Yanjun slowly stood up and fetched the wine from the table. Then he returned to the young master’s side: “Qingqing enjoys drinking. Why not try the best aged wine in the palace and see if it suits your taste?”

The scent alone was enough to awaken the young master’s craving. The two raised their cups and drank them dry, thus completing the nuptial cup ceremony.

The room gradually filled with a faint scent of wine, while under the bed curtains, there was a sweet peach fragrance. The young master’s heat cycle had silently begun to surge.

Xu Yanqing lay sprawled on the bed. His vision was filled with a dazzling red. As the bed curtains fell, the light dimmed. He raised his arms to encircle the Taoist master’s neck and slowly rubbed against him.

His large, dark eyes sparkled exceptionally brightly. Xu Yanqing looked at the Taoist master, who showed little expression, and smiled, taking the other’s hand and pressing it against his still-feverish nape: “Why don’t you start from here, Taoist master!”

Yin Yanjun slowly lowered his head: “Anything for Qingqing…”

The bright red wedding dresses were tangled together and fell under the bed, making them indistinguishable from each other, just like the two people on the bed, who were deeply in love and closest to each other.

They will go through life holding each other’s hands and sharing joy.

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