Misty Rain of the Old Times

Zhou Qianning, who was both laughing and crying, couldn't help but chuckle. She then lifted her skirt, stepped onto the stool, climbed onto the desk, and immediately pounced towards Chen Xuan outside the window. She didn't care that this was the third floor and what would happen if she fell. At this moment, all she wanted to do was hold him tightly, feel the warmth of his embrace, and experience the feeling she had been longing for.

Chen Xuan quickly reached out and caught her, pulling her into his arms and saying worriedly, "Slow down, slow down, are you crazy?"

"With Brother Xuan here, I'm not afraid at all. You bad people make me miss you day and night, and then you just leave without a word. How can you be so heartless?" The little princess said with a smile through her tears, leaning against him and punching his shoulder with her little fists.

The surroundings suddenly fell silent. The palace maids, eunuchs, and guards who had been waiting in various places quietly left, becoming blind and deaf on their own.

With her soft, fragrant body in his arms, Chen Xuan, his body stiffening slightly, comforted her, "Alright, alright, I just wanted to let you know I got home safely as soon as I arrived."

"I don't care, I don't care! Brother Xuan, you're such a bad guy! I used to be so happy and carefree, but ever since I met you, I've become so anxious and sentimental. How could you be so mean? Ugh, what's bothering me?" She looked up, her beautiful eyes shimmering with tears as she protested.

Chen Xuan reached out and adjusted the stick tucked into his waistband, then wiped away her tears, saying, "It's my fault, it's my fault. I apologize. You can't cry, it's unsightly. I'm sorry, this is a top-quality stick that I tricked a silly kid out of with a piece of candy on the way home. I managed to get it from him with just a few words, and he was overjoyed, thinking he'd made a profit."

He looked quite pleased with himself as he spoke.

She punched him again, and said excitedly and speechlessly, "I think you're the silly kid who hasn't grown up yet. You actually traded candy for an ordinary stick?"

"It's not ordinary; it's very special. Do you understand the value of a top-grade stick? It's equivalent to the stick in Wang Wei's poem," Chen Xuan said with an air of seriousness.

Blinking, Zhou Qianning asked in confusion, "Who is Wang Wei? Is his poetry famous? I've never heard of him."

“That’s not important. What’s important is that this stick has really touched the hearts of boys,” Chen Xuan said, glancing around the subject.

Nestled close to her beloved, the little princess no longer worried about anything else. She looked up and said, "Brother Xuan, I haven't seen you for days. Let's find a place to admire the moon. The moon is so beautiful tonight. How about we go to my floating island?"

Under the moonlit flowers, being with your beloved—it sounds so idyllic, but Chen Xuan feigned pain and difficulty: "Let's admire the moon together? I'd like to, but it's impossible. I'm still at home, thousands of miles away. It's too far for me."

"Brother Xuan, do you want to hear what you're saying?" Zhou Qianning was almost completely baffled by him.

With a smile, Chen Xuan said, "Just kidding. Let's go, I'll take you to see the moon. I'll bring you back to sleep a little later. I'm still at home, so it's like we're having a video call."

"That's more like it. Brother Xuan is saying things I don't understand. By the way, how about we buy some side dishes and have some wine?" the little princess said expectantly, selectively ignoring Chen Xuan's nonsense.

With an awkward laugh, Chen Xuan said, "It's possible, but I didn't bring any money with me. Qian Ning, think about it, who carries money around at home?"

That makes sense, but you're thousands of miles away at home, yet you're here right now, is that right?

"I give up! Wait a minute, I'll have someone bring it over right away. Xuan-gege, you can't run away," Zhou Qianning said speechlessly. Then, with Chen Xuan's help, she returned to the house and had someone quickly bring over the wine and food. She also quickly washed her face and put on some light makeup.

While she was making her brief preparations, Chen Xuan casually sent a telepathic message to Xia Mei, saying that he was taking the little princess out to play, as it wasn't right to always abduct her without a word.

Xia Mei hesitated, then sighed inwardly. Oh well, let them be. Although Young Master Chen is unreliable, he knows his limits.

She was speechless. Young Master Chen spent several days traveling thousands of miles to get home, only to return in person to report that he was safe and sound. But it was not surprising that this happened to him.

Then Chen Xuan took the little princess to her floating island. The two sat on the high railing, snuggling together. Below were the lights of thousands of homes, and above was the bright moon. There was wine and food, and their beloved was there. Their hearts were so close.

I would transform into the wind and travel ten thousand miles, flying over a thousand mountains to find you; you are a rain, falling into the depths of my heart. Everything about me is bright and sunny because of you...

As these lyrics flashed through her mind, Chen Xuanxin said that she had wanted to do this for a long time, but before, she didn't have the person or the ability to do it. Now, she could finally turn that deep-seated idea into reality.

Some things can only be done zero times or countless times. For example, before two people part ways, they can only hold hands. After hugging once, when they meet again, they naturally snuggle together. It's warm and natural, but there are no further or excessive actions. It's a gradual process, getting closer little by little, naturally. The process is the most beautiful because you can never go back to this feeling again.

Cuddled together, eating and drinking, Chen Xuan recounted his experiences on the way back. Even though it was boring and mundane, the little princess was incredibly happy to hear it. She was certain that Chen Xuan had indeed traveled thousands of miles home, but he turned around and came to let her know he was safe.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't moved by Chen Xuan's treatment of her. It was even more touching than the sight of thousands of lights lighting up the sky on her birthday. Words couldn't express her feelings, so she could only lean on him and nestle against him, everything unspoken.

"It's unexpected that Brother Xuan hasn't acknowledged Zhang Lanlan," she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Didn't I say? We shared childhood hardships, and I have a deep connection with her. Seeing her doing well puts my mind at ease. Why disturb her peaceful life? I've never imagined that if she were imprisoned and suffering misfortune, I would descend from the heavens to save her. Using someone else's misfortune to elevate myself is not what I want. I only hope that everyone I've met and experienced is doing well. That's enough, even if they are just passersby in my life, leaving only a few words in my experience."

"So that's why Brother Xuan, despite his immense cultivation, always says he doesn't want to be a hero?" The little princess looked at him with admiration. She understood him, and at that moment, Chen Xuan's figure seemed incredibly tall and imposing.

With a gentle smile, Chen Xuan looked calmly at the night below and said, "This world has never needed any heroes or chivalrous figures, because for every one of them, there is more suffering in the world. Really, I'm not that noble; I'm just an ordinary person. That's what I think, but I can't change anything."

"So you're serious about being the bandit Xuan-gege?" she asked curiously.

Nodding and then shaking his head, Chen Xuan said, "What's wrong with being a ruthless bandit? At least you don't have any mental burden when you're killing bad guys, and you don't have to worry about being morally blackmailed. It's a pity I can't even be a complete bad guy. But it doesn't matter, at least I don't have any worries, right?"

"I don't quite understand, but I think Brother Xuan must be right."

"Alright, let's not talk about me anymore. Qian Ning, how have you been these past few days?" Chen Xuan changed the subject.

She said, "I'm fine, I'm usually just like everyone else, it's just... I often think about you and become depressed. I know I shouldn't, but I just can't help it, I don't know why I feel that way."

"It's alright, I'm home now. Just pretend I never left the capital. It's so convenient to visit other people's homes," Chen Xuan patted her shoulder to comfort her.

She immediately laughed and said, "It really is true! I thought Brother Xuan was lying to me before. How could someone be thousands of miles away and just come here whenever they want?"

"Are you able to see it now?"

"Yes," she nodded, then hesitated for a moment and said, "By the way, Brother Xuan, have you seen Father Emperor these past few days? Oh, I forgot, you've been on your way home these past few days."

Speechless, Chen Xuan asked, "Why are you asking me if I've met your uncle?"

"I don't know if I should say this, Brother Xuan, but I've noticed that Father seems to have become a different person these past few days!" she said, somewhat conflicted.

Raising an eyebrow, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Could you explain in detail?"

"Well, Father Emperor still treats me the same, but lately he's become unpredictable. It seems like his temperament has suddenly changed. He gets angry easily, and sometimes he'll make a big fuss over the smallest things. In just the last few days, more than five officials in the court have been imprisoned, including two fourth-rank officials who were even beheaded in court, their blood spilling onto the Golden Palace. Although I don't understand much about it, I've heard that the emperor's anger can change the very fabric of the world. As a result, the atmosphere in the entire capital is quite tense and oppressive right now. Anyway, from other people's perspectives, I've noticed that Father Emperor is gradually becoming a stranger," the little princess said with some worry.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the old emperor had been replaced.

So what if he becomes moody? It's no big deal. The dragon is old and his power is at its peak before he passes away. It would be strange if he didn't take some ants with him on his way.

It seems the old emperor knows his days are numbered and has already begun purging the court to pave the way for his successor. According to the little princess, this is definitely just the beginning!
"It's alright, Qian Ning. Just know that he will always be your father who loves you the most," Chen Xuan comforted her.

Looking at the still bustling night scene of the capital city with its myriad lights, Chen Xuan seemed to see the air filled with the red hues of blood.

During his reign, the old emperor had to feign politeness and reason with his court officials in order to ensure the peace and tranquility of the country. Now that his life is coming to an end, he has begun to act unreasonably and has revealed the bloody fangs of a true dragon. If he seizes any pretext, people will witness the terror of the dragon's wrath.

Dragons are born to eat people!
The little princess shook her head, looking somewhat bewildered, and said, "Brother Xuan, I'm a little scared."

"What are you afraid of?" Chen Xuan asked, turning around.

She murmured, "Some people say that Father Emperor is old, has become senile, and might even turn into a tyrant. If this continues, the whole country will be in danger. These kinds of rumors are circulating everywhere these days. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces Bureau and the Black Society are active and even unscrupulous. Everyone is on edge. I'm afraid that Father Emperor will become a stranger, not the father Emperor I know."

Jing Kingdom's Imperial Guard is similar to the Six Doors in Chen Xuan's memory, while the Black Disc Strategy is equivalent to a combination of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern and Western Depots. Both are deadly departments; they are the emperor's sword. Their frequent activities nowadays are undoubtedly at the behest of the old emperor.

Gently pulling her into his arms, Chen Xuan calmly said, "Don't be afraid, I'm here. Your father will always be your father. Don't worry about these rumors. The reason these rumors exist is simply because some people are afraid of being taken away by your uncle. They're trying to create public opinion to make him behave. But Qian Ning, you shouldn't be afraid. You're not like them."

"Yes, I'll listen to Brother Xuan. Now that you say that, I have nothing to worry about," she nodded and calmed down.

...(End of chapter)