Pregnant Salted Fish Chapter 11

TL: Hua

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The cool, refreshing scent emanating from Taoist Xuanchen was particularly pleasant. Xu Yanqing felt like a hungry cat encountering its long-desired dried fish, truly savoring the taste.

Yin Yanjun knelt on the mat, allowing the young master to lie sprawled across his legs, one hand gently caressing the tender nape of the young master’s neck.

Xu Yanqing shifted, nestling his entire body into the Taoist priest’s embrace, his hands tightly gripping the ash-grey cloak.

That inexplicable restlessness gradually subsided under the Taoist priest’s soothing touch. Xu Yanqing only felt a wave of fatigue wash over him before he drifted into a sleepy daze, nestled in the Taoist priest’s arms.

By the time Yin Yanjun stopped his hand movements, the young master in his arms was already fast asleep.

Wen Jing approached: “Your Majesty, young master Xu…”

As if disturbed by Wen Jing’s voice, Xu Yanqing raised a hand to cover his ears, then clung more dependently to Yin Yanjun, determined to hide himself completely in Yin Yanjun’s embrace.

Yin Yanjun lowered his gaze, looking at the sweet sleeping face of the young master in his arms. He sighed, then picked up the youth without a word.

When Xu Yanqing woke up, he was lying on the bed in his own room. Outside the window, dawn was just breaking. He had woken up very early today, but he felt exceptionally energetic.

The heat on the back of his neck had receded, as if something that had troubled him almost every day never happened in the first place. Xu Yanqing comfortably turned over in bed, and then memories of last night flooded into his mind.

With a “thump,” Xu Yanqing, who had just turned over, fell back onto the bed, his entire body stiffening instantly. What on earth had he done last night? He had actually run to someone’s courtyard like a debauched wastrel to tease the pure and virtuous monk.

And he was so arrogant as to climb over the wall to tease him. So, was the wall no longer able to stop the perversion suppressed deep within him?

Xu Yanqing stared at his hands, wishing he could bite them. It was these sinful hands that had shamelessly touched and rubbed the Taoist priest’s face. It was also the Taoist priest’s good temper that prevented him from being thrown out on the spot.

“Ah~” He covered his face with his hands. He really couldn’t face anyone. It was too sinful!

Dwelling on this event, Xu Yanqing lingered in bed for a long time. By the time it was fully light, Xu Yanqing, who had just gotten out of bed, noticed a piece of ash-grey fabric at the foot of the bed.

He reached out and pulled the ash-grey fabric from the corner of the quilt. It was a cloak made of superior material, with a white collar and golden toggle buttons, looking both cool and refined. It truly matched its owner.

But why was the Taoist priest’s clothing in his bed? Xu Yanqing held a corner of the cloak in his hand, his expression momentarily uncertain.

“Young master, are you up yet?” Mu Yu gently called from outside, carrying a basin of water.

Xu Yanqing hurriedly folded the ash-grey cloak and stuffed it into the wardrobe before letting Mu Yu in.

Mu Yu naturally didn’t know about his young master climbing over walls at night and being sent back. He entered with the basin of water and served Xu Yanqing as he washed his face: “Young master, your complexion looks good today. Has something joyful happened?”

Looking good? Xu Yanqing unconsciously touched the back of his neck. To be honest, after a night’s rest, he felt much more energetic. He felt like he could go to a construction site and move bricks without a problem.

However, there were no construction sites in Daliang for him to move bricks, so Xu Yanqing continued to happily lounge in the reclining chair in the courtyard, reading storybooks.

The reclining chair creaked, as if complaining that Xu Yanqing had kicked it yesterday.

Xu Yanqing’s gaze drifted towards the courtyard wall next door. At this moment, he rarely felt a hint of curiosity. Seeing the Taoist priest’s extraordinary demeanor, he knew the other party was of no ordinary status.

If only the other party were just an ordinary Taoist priest, he might be able to “keep” him, and then they could cultivate feelings. Perhaps he too could have a partner.

“Alas!” With a sigh of regret, Xu Yanqing felt like he had just lost a perfect partner.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Xianzhi walked into the courtyard, dressed in a short jacket, looking heroic and energetic: “You’re living such a comfortable life in Yunshui Courtyard, why do you have to let out such a long sigh?”

Xu Xianzhi raised a hand, lifted his skinny brother, and placed him on a chair to the side, then comfortably lay down in the reclining chair himself, staring provocatively at the pouting Xu Yanqing.

“I’m criticizing you, but your face isn’t thin, so why are you still so weak?” Rocking the reclining chair back and forth, Xu Xianzhi sneered at his brother.

Xu Yanqing, who was in a rare good mood today, didn’t plan to argue with his silly brother. He raised a hand and touched his waist: “Brother, your eyesight must be failing. I’ve clearly become fatter.”

“You call this small frame fat?” Xu Xianzhi couldn’t help but click his tongue and shake his head: “With your sickly appearance, if you were thrown into the military camp, the weakest soldier in the cookhouse would be able to beat you down with one hand.”

Lazily lounging in his chair, Xu Yanqing had no intention of expressing his opinion on this; after all, salted fish did not intend to flip over. Isn’t it happy to just lie down comfortably!

“Alright, I won’t waste any more words with you.” Xu Xianzhi stood up from the reclining chair. This reclining chair was too soft; it wasn’t as comfortable as his plank bed: “Mother said you’ve been living outside for quite some time, so she wants you to pack your things and go home quickly, otherwise she’ll personally come and drag you back to the mansion.”

Saying that, Xu Xianzhi raised his large hand again and ruffled his brother’s head, messily transforming Xu Yanqing’s neatly combed hair into a bird’s nest, before continuing, “Where did this wooden hairpin come from? I haven’t seen you wear it before?”

“I stole it.” Xu Yanqing glared at Xu Xianzhi, his hands firmly protecting his head.

“You’re becoming less and less well-behaved than when you were little.” Xu Xianzhi naturally didn’t care about Xu Yanqing’s reply just now. He wasn’t that curious about the wooden hairpin but merely found an excuse to get closer to his brother. “Did you hear me? Go and pack your things quickly.”

“Mu Yu will naturally pack the things. I’ll just go with you, brother.” Xu Yanqing slowly tidied his messy hair. He had indeed been living outside for a long time. If he stayed any longer, even if his mother didn’t come for him, his ill-tempered father would lose patience and come to fetch him.

When Mu Yu heard his young master say this, he quickly responded and was ready to run to the young master’s room to pack his luggage.

However, Xu Yanqing suddenly remembered the cloak he had hidden in the closet, so he quickly called out to Mu Yu to stop him: “Never mind, I’ll pack it myself. Brother, please wait for me for a moment.”

Although Mu Yu was a little puzzled, he still obediently stopped. Xu Yanqing then instructed him to attend to other matters, thus sending him away.

Marquis Wu’an’s mansion certainly didn’t lack everyday clothes, so Xu Yanqing essentially had nothing to pack. With a complicated expression, he took out the ash-grey cloak, unsure of how to deal with it for a moment.

The cloak carried the faint, cool, and elegant scent of sandalwood from the Taoist priest, which was very pleasant. Xu Yanqing blinked, and for a moment couldn’t resist pulling the sleeve of the cloak and rubbing it in his hand.

Finally, as if possessed, he stuffed the cloak into his bundle and then took a few storybooks he hadn’t finished reading.

Outside the carriage, Xu Xianzhi looked at the bundle in his brother’s hands with a teasing smile through the curtain, chuckling, “What’s so important that you have to pack it yourself? You didn’t happen to meet someone special at the manor and exchange tokens of love, did you?”

Xu Yanqing, for the first time, found his older brother so annoying. The salted fish expressed that he didn’t want to bother with him at all, so he very simply and neatly pulled down the curtain, blocking Xu Xianzhi’s piercing gaze.

Seeing that his brother seemed to have been hit by his words, Xu Xianzhi couldn’t help but laugh out loud on horseback, making Xu Yanqing so irritated that he only wanted to rebelliously beat his brother up. However, with his abilities, he probably wouldn’t even land a single punch on Xu Xianzhi.

The sound of the carriage gradually faded into the distance, and Yunshui Courtyard immediately fell silent. The faint morning light filtered through the branches and leaves, falling upon Yin Yanjun. It added a touch of warmth to his cool and detached face. As the coolness receded, he appeared even more proper and solemn, like a deity sitting on a high platform, looking down upon the human realm.

“Is there something wrong with His Majesty?” Yin Yuancheng, who had been busy with tasks given to him by His Majesty these past few days, hadn’t served him with pen and ink in the courtyard for several days. Now that he had just returned, seeing Yin Yanjun in this state, he felt as if something had subtly changed in His Majesty.

Wen Jing stood respectfully to the side, a hint of deep meaning in his eyes, but he quietly said, “His Majesty is probably contemplating the state’s matter.”

Yin Yuancheng thought for a long time but couldn’t figure it out. Then he heard his name being called from the courtyard. He quickly stepped forward and reported his assignments one by one.

Xu Yanqing had a bit of a carriage sickness. This time, Mu Yu had prepared sour plums preserved with golden honey in advance. The small treats were very much to Xu Yanqing’s liking, and in a short while, he had spit out a small pile of cores.

Furthermore, Qingling Mountain wasn’t too far from the capital, so Xu Yanqing didn’t suffer as much on the journey as he had last time, when he could barely straighten his back.

Upon entering the capital city gate, Xu Yanqing heard his brother exchanging pleasantries with the city guards and couldn’t help but feel exhausted. Indeed, there were many people in the capital, and when there were many people, there had to be social interactions. Xu Yanqing was the worst at navigating the give-and-take of human relations.

The carriage swayed and finally reached Marquis Wu’an’s mansion. Mu Yu helped down his young master, who was clearly feeling unwell. Xu Xianzhi slightly furrowed his brow, dismounted, and walked over: “What’s wrong with your young master?”

He asked Mu Yu, who respectfully replied, “Recently, the young master has inexplicably been feeling carriage sick. Now, his vertigo has acted up, and he feels nauseous and wants to vomit.”

Xu Xianzhi’s tightly knitted brows never relaxed. His younger brother had been spoiled by his father and mother since childhood. In the past, he would have made a fuss if he felt unwell. Now, looking like a wilted cabbage, it made people’s hearts ache.

The brother, who doted on his sibling, expressed his deep concern.

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