The Salted Fish Has Gotten Over It Chapter 92

Chapter 92

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Before this, Jiang Juan had no experience with emotions. He had repeatedly avoided confrontation and was too shy, even making Xue Fangli promise not to force him.

But this time, Jiang Juan spoke naturally, attributing it to his frustration and disappointment. Despite his own lack of composure, he found Xue Fangli even more lacking, only preoccupied with irrelevant thoughts.

Despite fully exposing his feelings, Jiang Juan felt a bit nervous. He clutched the thin blanket, waiting for Xue Fangli’s response.

After waiting a long time without hearing Xue Fangli speak, Jiang Juan couldn’t hold back anymore, “Your Highness, you—” His voice trailed off.

When he looked up, he met Xue Fangli’s eyes. They were dark, like a vast and desolate sea, as though Xue Fangli was looking at him but also at a flicker of light in the deep sea.

Xue Fangli’s focus was so intense it was almost painful.

Jiang Juan was momentarily stunned. What was initially just nervousness now turned into a slight embarrassment. He reached out to cover Xue Fangli’s eyes and asked, “…Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Xue Fangli allowed the gesture, “Haven’t I already said it?”

Jiang Juan insisted, “No, I want you to say it again.”

“Alright,” Xue Fangli said, “I am fond of you.”

Xue Fangli did repeat it, but Jiang Juan shook his head, purposefully nitpicking. “You’ve said that before. I don’t want that. I want you to say something else.”

What should he say?

He had once been deeply mired in misery, but a hand had reached out to him. Xue Fangli took that hand and thus returned to the human world.

Yet, by nature, he was a flawed individual. When he took that hand, he felt no gratitude; he only wanted to drag the youth into the mire of worldly suffering, to make him struggle in the sea of bitterness alongside himself.

Later, his greed grew. He no longer just wanted to hold the youth’s hand; he wanted to be the only one in the youth’s eyes. He wanted the youth’s compassion to be reserved solely for him. He used his past suffering as a bargaining chip to gain the youth’s soft-heartedness and affection. He wore a mask of gentleness and kindness, playing the role of a good person with less sincerity.

On that day, once the mask was torn away, his true nature was exposed, and his lies were uncovered. The constant fear and anxiety finally came to him. Xue Fangli thought he had all the time in the world to spend with the youth.

It would be no longer than a lifetime. No matter how pitifully the youth cried or how much he feared him, Xue Fangli would not soften his heart, nor would he let him go.

He was a demon, a heap of mud. Once the youth got entangled with him, he could never shake him off for the rest of his life.

Who made the youth extend his hand to him?

Who made the youth extend his hand to him but refuse to hold it for a lifetime?

He was determined to repay kindness with enmity, and he was not going to let him go.

But the youth said it was not sympathy. He said that no matter what kind of person he was, he wanted to be with him. He was willing to stay by his side.

How could this not be a bodhisattva?

This was his little bodhisattva. Not saving all beings, but saving only him.

But if he saved only himself, it was as if he saved all beings.

“You being by my side is like saving me,” Xue Fangli said, “Whether or not you’re a bodhisattva doesn’t matter. What’s the point of being a bodhisattva on a lotus seat? Come into my arms, be my heart’s treasure. Do whatever you want, like whatever you like.”

Jiang Juan was finally satisfied. He pulled Xue Fangli onto the bed, then hugged him tightly, snuggling in his arms, his voice muffled, “Alright, I’m here.”

Xue Fangli lowered his gaze at him, his hand raised, intending to touch Jiang Juan but hesitating and stopping midway. Jiang Juan was unaware of this.

Though he was cheered up, the account still had to be settled with Xue Fangli. He would not be swayed by sweet words.

“No more of this in the future.”

Jiang Juan traced the embroidery on Xue Fangli’s outer robe with his fingertip, “You’ve punished people recklessly, leaving them half dead. What do you need the authorities for?”

“Alright.”

Xue Fangli agreed too quickly, which made Jiang Juan suspect he was being brushed off. After thinking for a moment, Jiang Juan continued, “You’d better have truly decided to change your ways. You keep getting scolded about ending up in hell. You don’t believe in ghosts or gods, and you’re not afraid, but I am scared.”

“Hell isn’t easy at all. I’m afraid of suffering. If there really is a hell, and you end up there, I’d have to go there with you.”

Jiang Juan’s eyelashes fluttered, “Your Highness, you always make me suffer for you. Can’t you care for me a little? I really don’t want to suffer, and I’m also afraid of pain.”

Xue Fangli: “……Alright.”

Aside from the private punishment, Jiang Juan also felt deceived. He cupped Xue Fangli’s face and continued, “You must not hide anything from me anymore. Nothing at all.”

At this point, Jiang Juan remembered something and reminded Xue Fangli, “That maid… the one who said Tuanzi was lost, you must not punish her privately.”

“Alright.”

He seemed like a heartless machine that said “okay” to everything Jiang Juan asked. Jiang Juan had a sudden idea, “Also. From now on, if you’re reviewing memorials, don’t drag me into it.”

“……”

Silence. The room was completely silent.

Jiang Juan: “?”

He asked Xue Fangli, “Your Highness, say something. From now on, don’t drag me into reviewing memorials, did you hear me?”

Xue Fangli: “……We’ll talk about it later.”

Jiang Juan was not fooled; he knew that “later” was likely just a way to brush him off. Jiang Juan looked at Xue Fangli, took his hand and placed it on his own chest, and said slowly, “Your Highness, I still have a bit of pain here. Could you rub it for me?”

After a pause, Jiang Juan added, “I’ve already made you this upset. Now I just don’t want to review the memorials. Can’t you even agree to that?”

Xue Fangli: “……Okay.”

Objective achieved, Jiang Juan still didn’t let up; he decided to press on, “Also, if I want to sleep, you have to let me sleep and not wake me up again.”

Xue Fangli lowered his head. He did not comment, but his expression clearly showed his disapproval.

Jiang Juan had to resort to his heart disease tactic once more, “This time my heart disease has relapsed. Surely, that’s why I’m not sleeping well. You need to let me rest properly. How can I get better if I don’t sleep well?”

He spoke with a strong sense of righteousness. The problem was that if Jiang Juan were allowed to sleep, he could laze around in bed all day, showing no sign of contradicting the “Jiang Lazy” nickname he had earned.

But now that Jiang Juan’s heart disease had flared up, he was leveraging his illness. Xue Fangli had no choice but to comply, “……I’ll try my best.”

Just “try my best,” Jiang Juan was still somewhat dissatisfied, but he felt it wasn’t a major issue and that a bit of tantrum would settle things.

With his demands made, Jiang Juan looked at Xue Fangli again, thinking that with the atmosphere so good, Xue Fangli should hug him.

But after waiting and waiting, Xue Fangli still didn’t make a move, which almost drove Jiang Juan to the brink, “Why aren’t you hugging me yet?”

Hearing this, Xue Fangli was momentarily stunned. He raised his hand, but just as his fingertips were about to touch Jiang Juan, the movement halted again. This time, Jiang Juan finally noticed.

Jiang Juan: “??? ”

Hesitation! Your Highness actually dared to hesitate in hugging him!

“Is it difficult to hug me? Why won’t you hug me?”

Jiang Juan threw another tantrum. Xue Fangli lowered his eyes, but his expression held no displeasure. He gazed at Jiang Juan for a long while, chuckling softly, and finally let his hand drop, pulling Jiang Juan into his embrace.

He embraced the precious treasure he had nearly lost.

Though it had only been a day, it felt like much longer.

Holding the youth tightly, inhaling his fresh scent, and greedily savoring everything about him always brought Xue Fangli the greatest pleasure.

Xue Fangli lowered his head and kissed Jiang Juan passionately, his hands pressing firmly on Jiang Juan’s waist. Jiang Juan had no choice but to wrap his arms around Xue Fangli’s neck, melting into his embrace, gasping for breath.

Soon, Imperial Physician Sun finally had the chance to check Jiang Juan’s pulse. However, Jiang Juan lay limp in Xue Fangli’s arms, his hair in disarray, with several strands tangled up. His lips were flushed from the kisses, his eyes were misty, and his whole body exuded a sense of indulgence, as if he had been loved intensely.

Imperial Physician Sun dared not look too long but hesitated to remind, “Your Highness, the Crown Prince Consort’s heart condition has been quite frequent recently. You should be more cautious and avoid… intimacy with the Crown Prince Consort for now.”

Xue Fangli responded with a hoarse, “Hmm, I understand.”

If it weren’t for his concern for Jiang Juan’s health, Xue Fangli wouldn’t have just held him in his arms and kissed and touched him. He would have coaxed Jiang Juan to do more, teasing him until he cried.

But—Imperial Physician Sun was right.

Seeing Jiang Juan extend his hand, revealing a slender, fair wrist for Imperial Physician Sun to take his pulse, Xue Fangli’s expression grew somber again, the slight easing of his mood replaced by a hint of gloom.

The youth’s heart condition was becoming increasingly frequent.

At the same time.

As night fell, the official road was sparsely populated. Occasionally, a carriage would rattle by, but then the area would return to silence.

An old man wearing a conical hat walked slowly, leading a horse. He was dressed in white, but after traveling so far, he was covered in dust and looked quite disheveled.

Though the old man was past his sixties, he remained vigorous. He periodically patted the horse’s head and muttered, “Just a few more steps. There’s a teahouse up ahead. Once we get there, I’ll get you some apples to eat your fill.”

The horse seemed to understand, walking when told and stopping to neigh at the old man. The old man would then say, “We’re not there yet, just a few more steps.”

After some time, they finally reached the teahouse. The enthusiastic staff took the horse away, and after the old man ordered some apples for it, he found a seat. The boss asked him, “Old sir, why are you still traveling at this late hour? Where are you headed?”

“To visit family in the capital.”

The boss exclaimed, “Ai, at your age, why are you making the journey yourself? What about your grandchildren? Why aren’t they traveling with you? Instead, you’re making the trip alone?”

The old man smiled kindly, “I only had one daughter, who passed away early. Now, I have only one grandson. He’s struggling in the capital without any support, constantly being bullied. I’m going to the capital to help him.”

The boss, feeling sympathy, said, “No wonder. I was wondering who would let an elderly person travel alone. Now it makes sense.”

Since the boss also had an elderly family member, she was deeply touched. She quickly instructed the young waiter, “Go, fill up the old gentleman’s water bottle, and have the kitchen prepare some lighter dishes for him.”

The young waiter promptly agreed, while the old man took off his conical hat.

He smiled slightly, his demeanor truly that of a sage, and said, “Thank you.”

The boss was momentarily stunned but then waved her hand, “It’s nothing.”

Initially motivated by sympathy, the boss now sensed that the old man was someone of considerable importance once he removed his hat.

However, having seen many passersby on the official road, the boss had learned not to be curious about others’ backgrounds. She simply lowered her head and continued to click away on the abacus.

In no time, the young waiter burst out of the kitchen, carrying freshly prepared hot dishes. He was in a hurry, and the boss scolded him without looking up, “What’s the rush? Are you in such a hurry to reincarnate or something?”

“Not at all…”

The young waiter placed the dishes on the old man’s table and said excitedly, “Boss, Old Zhang just told me something. It’s about Prince Li and his Royal Consort—oh no, I mean now it should be the Crown Prince and Crown Prince Consort.”

The boss, already annoyed, started scolding him again, “Stop with the nonsense and go fill the old gentleman’s water bottle.”

With the boss’s scolding, the young waiter had no choice but to comply. He awkwardly turned to ask the old man for his water bottle when the old man, smiling, asked, “What about the Crown Prince and Crown Prince Consort?”

The young waiter, taken aback, replied truthfully, “It’s… the Crown Prince dotes on his Crown Prince Consort so much that it’s said he treats him as if he’s so fragile he might melt in his mouth or break in his hands.”

The old man’s interest was piqued, “Tell me more.”

The boss, uninterested in the story, continued with her work. The young waiter, happy to have someone to share his gossip with, continued eagerly. Just as he was getting into the story, another person arrived at the teahouse.

“Sir! Sir—!”

The newcomer, dressed as a servant, hurried over and told the old man, “Sir, I’ve found the way. We just need to…”

The old man waved him off, “We’ll talk later, let me finish listening to him.”

The young waiter continued, “Marquis Anping really hit a snag. When the screen was removed, it turned out that inside were the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince Consort!”

Crown Prince Consort?

The mention of the Crown Prince Consort made the servant, who had been puzzled, suddenly attentive.

After all, the story was about the Young Master, and it was worth listening to carefully.

Indeed, the Young Master.

Their master’s intended visit this time—he was going to see the Crown Prince Consort.

Sigh, it’s unknown how their young master’s stay in the capital was, or if he had suffered any grievances.

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