I Am a Salted Fish in Ancient Times

Chapter 43

Regardless of Xiao Rong's inner turmoil and anguished expression, Emperor Xiao Sheng still waved them off.

Once the hall quieted down, the Emperor picked up his cup and took a few more sips of tea, continuing to calm himself. But after finishing the cup, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

To be honest, if Xiao Jin and Xiao Rong hadn't been present, requiring him to maintain his dignity as Emperor and father, he would have laughed out loud much earlier when Xiao Shan was grumbling.

Chang Le, observing Emperor Xiao Sheng's laughter, also smiled. Having served the Emperor for many years, he remembered how, as a prince, Xiao Sheng had lived a life of constant vigilance. His face was always tense, fearing that one wrong step would lead to disaster.

After Xiao Sheng ascended the throne, stepping over countless bones to become Emperor, he exuded authority and wielded power. Even when his face bore a casual expression, it was tinged with sharpness. Before him were civil and military officials, and behind him, three thousand beauties in the harem. While many could make him smile, those smiles were often mixed with pretense. No one had ever made him truly laugh heartily, casting aside his mask.

Today, Xiao Shan broke that precedent.

Xiao Sheng coughed twice to suppress his laughter, though the smile remained on his face. He said, "Chang Le, what do you think of this son of mine?"

Chang Le took a couple of steps forward and smiled, "Your Majesty, the prince is straightforward and candid in his speech, which is certainly commendable."

Xiao Sheng's eyes curved with amusement. "This son of mine is different from others. He detests troublesome matters. What others strive to obtain, he discards like worn-out shoes. Did you see his expression just now? Zhen hadn't even spoken, and he already viewed the Six Ministries as a monstrous flood, fearing any association with them. He’s a prince who has never worried about food or drink since birth. If he were born into an ordinary family, being so lazy, Zhen wonders how he would support his family."

Chang Le knew that although the Emperor's words were complaining, his heart was extremely joyful, as evidenced by the smile in his eyes.

Chang Le also smiled and said, "As a prince, Your Majesty is a dragon or phoenix among men, receiving the Emperor's protection, and naturally, you are different from ordinary people."

Xiao Sheng nodded and lightly sighed, "The one who fears troublesome matters the most, in front of the Crown Prince, is showing a genuine heart, truly remarkable." After speaking, Xiao Sheng's tone became slightly lower.

He thought about his own brothers, who had been in a state of opposition since birth.

There had never been anyone like Xiao Shan, who treated Xiao Jin with such sincerity. His brothers only had mutual exploitation and deceit.

Their surface-level, harmonious smiles would quickly turn into feelings of disgust and revulsion towards each other's hypocrisy.

Xiao Jin was much luckier than the others.

Of course, this was mainly due to Xiao Shan. If he had ulterior motives and was a schemer, the two brothers would not have gotten along so well.

Thinking about this, Xiao Sheng felt a mix of emotions.

Having princes enter the Six Ministries for training was ostensibly for their development, but it was also a prime opportunity for them to build connections.

Xiao Jin, as the Crown Prince, was highly regarded both as a ruler and as a father. However, he couldn't afford to neglect Xiao Rong, Xiao Yi, and the other adult princes. Of course, Xiao Shan, as an adult prince, was an exception; he was a special case.

For the sake of the Crown Prince, the Emperor had been suppressing Xiao Rong's ambitions for several years, preventing him from entering the Six Ministries.

Now that Xiao Yi was about to be titled and move out of the palace, it was no longer appropriate to continue holding Xiao Rong back.

Pushing someone too hard could easily lead them down the wrong path.

The Emperor's approach to Xiao Rong had always been to occasionally dangle some bait, giving him neither too much hope nor complete despair.

Originally, the Emperor had planned to let Xiao Rong enter the Ministry of Justice and keep a close watch on him.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Shan's words disrupted his plans.

Xiao Shan might be lazy, barely moving even when prodded, but he had a clear understanding of the situation.

He didn't want to get involved in the mess of the Six Ministries, but for Xiao Jin's sake, he chose to go. And he chose the most direct, most suffocating, and most unacceptable way—by sticking closely to Xiao Rong.

Wherever Xiao Rong went, he would follow. With him watching, it would be difficult for Xiao Rong to form factions within the Six Ministries.

That was why Xiao Sheng said he was being considerate.

For Xiao Jin, he was indeed putting in the effort.

To be honest, Xiao Sheng thought that Xiao Shan's mind worked differently from ordinary people.

How could he come up with such a devious plan?

Xiao Sheng had reason to believe that if it weren't for his presence, Xiao Rong might have resorted to both verbal and physical confrontation.

Back then, if he had a brother like this opposing him, just the thought of it would have been distressing, let alone having to face it constantly.

Xiao Rong didn't have it easy either; he needed to be appeased.

Seeing the Emperor deep in thought, Chang Le quietly took a couple of steps back.

At times like this, it was best not to disturb the Emperor.

***

The Emperor was right; Xiao Rong indeed had a hard time.

After leaving Ganming Hall, he was already contemplating various ways to kill Xiao Shan in his mind.

He even considered taking advantage of Xiao Shan's unguarded moment to strike right now. After all, Xiao Shan would eventually drive him to his death; a swift blow might at least relieve his pent-up frustration.

What made Xiao Rong feel utterly miserable and stifled was that, whether he hired someone or did it himself, he could only fantasize about it for satisfaction. There was no way to act on it.

Xiao Shan was never afraid of causing a scene. If someone so much as pulled a strand of his hair, he would make a fuss for days. If someone actually tried to harm him, it would be better to kill him outright. If he were left with even a breath, he would turn the capital upside down.

But then again, even if by some stroke of luck Xiao Shan were killed, Xiao Jin would turn the capital upside down in his stead.

Moreover, everyone knew about the animosity between him and Xiao Shan. If anything happened to Xiao Shan, the Emperor would immediately suspect him first.

The more Xiao Rong thought about it, the more aggrieved and angry he became. So when Xiao Shan approached him, intending to speak, Xiao Rong preemptively barked out a furious "Get lost!"

Xiao Shan watched as Xiao Rong stormed off in a huff, and he blinked, turning to Xiao Jin. "Is Eldest Brother losing his mind from anger?"

Daring to tell him to get lost and show such a face before even leaving the palace—wasn't he afraid of gaining a reputation for discord among brothers?

Xiao Jin replied honestly, "Eldest Brother is in a bad mood. Don't provoke him for the next couple of days, lest he takes it out on you."

Xiao Shan shook his head, looking innocent. "Eldest Brother's heart is really fragile. I didn't even say anything, and he's already like this."

Hearing this, Xiao Jin, for once, considered Xiao Rong's perspective and advised, "That's enough. Don't really push him to the brink."

Xiao Jin was about to say something when he noticed Liu Jingyi's belly suddenly move.

Because of her attire, it was particularly noticeable.

Xiao Jin's eyes widened suddenly, and an expression of surprise and joy appeared on his face.

Seeing his reaction, Liu Jingyi smiled slightly. She lowered her head and gently stroked her belly, saying, "This child has been very active lately, always moving around. He will surely be a lively one in the future."

Xiao Jin sat up straight, feeling as if his headache had vanished. He said, "Come closer, let me take a look."

Liu Jingyi sat about half an arm's length away from him and smiled, "He will move again in a while. Your Highness, please drink the soup first. If it cools down, it won't be as effective. After you finish, you can have a good talk with him."

Xiao Jin looked steadily at Liu Jingyi for a moment, then extended his fair, slender hand to take the soup that Chang An handed over.

The soup was at a suitable temperature, and he drank it all in one go.

After setting down the empty bowl, Xiao Jin placed his hand on Liu Jingyi's belly.

The child, perhaps sensing the parents' emotions, moved considerately.

Xiao Jin's face lit up with joy, his features softening, making him appear even more handsome and thoughtful. Liu Jingyi glanced up at him and smiled gently.

The past was left behind, and a new chapter began from this moment.

***

When Xiao Shan returned to his residence, he saw Chang Ning, another eunuch from the Emperor's side, preparing to leave. Chang Ning was Chang Le's apprentice, in his twenties, with a delicate appearance and fair, smooth skin.

Seeing Xiao Shan, Chang Ning smiled and greeted him, "Your Highness."

Xiao Shan asked, "Why are you here? Did Father Emperor have something to instruct?" It didn't seem likely; if there were instructions, the Emperor would have mentioned them while he was still in the palace.

So, was it to see Xie Zhui?

Chang Ning replied, "In response to Your Highness, this servant was ordered to deliver something to the Prince Consort. Now that the Prince Consort has received the decree, this servant must return to the palace to report back."

Realizing his guess was correct, Xiao Shan smiled and said, "Alright, you may go back then."

Chang Ning bowed to Xiao Shan once more before leaving.

On the way back to the palace, a newly promoted young eunuch beside Chang Ning whispered, "Master, when other princes, lords, or even the concubines in the harem see you, they give you jade pendants or silver. Why didn't Prince Li give you anything?"

Chang Ning smiled and said, "Prince Li is different from the others."

The young eunuch was puzzled, "How is he different?"

"How he is different is something you need to observe with your own eyes. Stay close to me and my master, and learn as much as you can. It will benefit you in the future," Chang Ning replied.

The young eunuch responded with an "Oh," looking thoughtful.

Chang Ning remained silent.

He was speaking the truth. While ordinary princes and palace concubines currently curried favor with him, none would dare plead with the Emperor on his behalf if he were to be scolded or chastised.

Chang Ning was only a teenager during his first assignment for his master, Chang Le. Overwhelmed by nervousness at his first encounter with the Emperor, he accidentally dropped the teacup while serving tea, splashing a few drops of hot tea onto the Emperor's shoes.

It was summer, and the Emperor was wearing light clothing. He clicked his tongue in annoyance right then.

Terrified, Chang Ning knelt on the ground, frantically kowtowing, unable to utter a single plea for mercy.

At that moment, Xiao Shan, who had been scolded by the Emperor for sleeping during a lesson, witnessed the scene and laughed, "Father Emperor, how do you manage to scare a young eunuch so badly with just a look?"

The Emperor hummed, "Others may be afraid, but you are not?"

"Why should I be afraid? I haven't done anything wrong. Besides, Father Emperor, you have a heroic and dignified appearance, not a fierce one. I'm not afraid at all."

"You haven't done anything wrong? Today, you angered the Grand Tutor in class. The Grand Tutor refrained from punishing you because of your status. Stretch out your hand; Zhen will punish you on his behalf."

"Father Emperor, I was wrong," Xiao Shan pleaded pitifully.

Later, the Emperor called for Chang Le, instructing him to take Chang Ning away for proper training before allowing him to serve again.

After that, although Chang Ning never gained as much favor with the Emperor as Chang Le, he still served in the imperial presence. He had initially thought Xiao Shan might try to pry some information from him, but Xiao Shan didn't even remember who he was.

Over the years, Xiao Shan hadn't given even a single coin* to Chang Le, let alone to him.

*means that Xiao Shan has not offered any form of bribe, gift, or monetary reward or trying to curry favor or secure loyalty through gifts or money.

Others give gifts to ensure that they speak favorably about them in front of the Emperor. Xiao Shan, having no such need, naturally never thought of giving anything.

Xiao Shan didn't know about Chang Ning's thoughts.

When he walked to the backyard, he saw Xie Zhui enthusiastically brandishing a sword.

Xie Zhui rarely showed what he liked, but it was clear that he was particularly fond of this sword.

Xiao Shan walked over and said, "Is this the reward from Father Emperor? Didn't he give any silver or treasures?"

Seeing him, Xie Zhui quickly put the sword away and said, "Father Emperor also rewarded me with some cloth and three thousand taels of silver, which I had someone take to the storeroom."

Xiao Shan responded with an "Oh," glancing at the sword. It was dark and unremarkable, and he couldn't understand what Xie Zhui liked about it.

Xie Zhui's face was full of admiration, his eyes sparkling. "This sword is called 'Chi Yi.' It's a famous sword, capable of cutting through iron like mud and slicing hair in mid-air. It's truly a rare treasure. Why would Father Emperor reward me with it?"

Xiao Shan shrugged. "Who knows? But since it's a reward from Father Emperor, you might as well keep it. If the sword is as good as you say, it would be great for slicing meat for hotpot." At least it could slice the meat as thin as a cicada's wing.

Hearing this, Xie Zhui's grip on the sword tightened, his expression turning serious, and his brows furrowing slightly. Although he didn't voice his opposition, his eyes were full of disapproval, as if Xiao Shan's words had sullied the sword.

Seeing his reaction, Xiao Shan narrowed his eyes slightly, feeling a desire to test the sword's mettle.

That evening, he took up his spear and challenged Xie Zhui, using every technique to force him to admit whether the sword was better or his spear.

He pushed Xie Zhui to the point where he kept praising Xiao Shan, repeatedly begging for mercy without respite.