Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 488 Damn it!
After sending the little princess back, Chen Xuan returned to continue refining the array flags. He completed the third one by evening. It was only a day, and the progress was incredibly fast. It was nothing like the several months that had taken him from scratch.

As night fell, the renovation of the mansion was still in full swing. The little princess had instructed that it be done in three shifts, which left Chen Xuan speechless. Was it really necessary to be in such a hurry? Since it was his future wife's order, he figured he might as well do whatever she wanted.

The craftsmen from the Ministry of Works were paid and worked in shifts. The food here was better than where they worked, so they weren't mistreated and were all very motivated.

The young girl was focused on the renovation all day and barely saw Chen Xuan.

After dinner, Chen Xuan took some time to refine some Xiaoyao Pills. Not many, just a few hundred, which was enough. This stuff was extremely simple for him, and the cost was almost negligible. If you were to calculate it according to the inflated market price, tsk tsk, even robbery wouldn't be this fast.

After saying goodbye to the little girl, Chen Xuan took one hundred Xiaoyao Pills and left alone under the cover of night to fulfill his promise to Ning Guiliang.

The other party was a sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites and one of the Eight Great Talents. His residence was easy to find out, so Chen Xuan disguised himself as 'Huang Xiaochao' and went straight to his residence.

Instead of revealing his true identity, Chen Xuan became less particular and simply appeared at Ning Guiliang's house.

After taking a quick look at Ning Guiliang's residence, Chen Xuan clicked his tongue in admiration. That guy really knew how to enjoy life. As a mere sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites, he actually managed to set up a four-courtyard house in the capital, and the environment was quite nice.

No one would believe that he could afford such a mansion with his meager salary. Besides, he didn't come from a wealthy family, so it's highly unlikely that this mansion was a gift from his master, Pei Zhenlong. It's also unlikely that he would embezzle it; Pei Zhenlong was once one of the Eight Great Talents, a very popular figure who could even go to brothels for free. His reputation only increased over time, so making money was easy for him. Any piece of calligraphy or painting he owned would attract a huge following.

There were twenty or thirty servants in the entire mansion. After observing their conversations, Chen Xuan learned that Ning Guiliang now had a total of seven wives and concubines, and each of them was a beauty that was one in a thousand.

Chen Xuan thought to himself, "Why doesn't that guy change his surname to Wei? No wonder he's so weak at such a young age. He desperately needs a strong body. With so many wives and concubines, isn't he afraid of being drained dry?"

But he wasn't satisfied with that; he frequented brothels, truly embodying the word "romantic."

Damn, this is what enjoying life is all about! So clear-headed! Chen Xuan isn't envious at all, really.

Damn it, why don't we replace the "Carefree Pill" with a "Male-Clearing Pill" for him? Then he can just relax and act like sisters with his wives and concubines all day long...

Chen Xuan only learned about Ning Guiliang's wives and concubines from the servants. Even if it wasn't his real identity, he wouldn't be so shameless as to go to the backyard to secretly spy on other people's wives and concubines.

When Chen Xuan arrived, Ning Guiliang was not at home. Without any formalities, he went silently to Ning Guiliang's study, and no one in the mansion noticed his arrival as an uninvited guest.

The other person's study was quite large. He was a bit of a playboy, but he was still very talented despite his reputation. His study was full of books, paintings and manuscripts, but they were mostly about romance and nature. That's normal for young people. You can't be like an old man who is always full of bitterness and resentment.

Looking at the works in the other person's study, Chen Xuan had to admit that the other person's artistic attainments were even stronger than Xiao Gao's. After all, he was older and had more time to refine and polish his skills.

'But what about my hundred works? These things may look good, but they really don't deserve the words "painstaking effort." Many of them clearly look like casual works.'

Browsing through the numerous works, Chen Xuan was puzzled. The items hadn't even arrived yet, but they were already his. Could anyone possibly object?
Even the most spacious study is only so big. Then Chen Xuan looked at a large box in the corner, which was locked, indicating that the contents were very important to Ning Guiliang.

Chen Xuan thought to himself, "It seems my things are inside." Without hesitation, he opened the box, and sure enough, it contained a whole box of paintings, all of which were carefully mounted.

'No wonder it's locked; it must be important, it concerns his happiness from the bottom of his heart.'

With a surge of joy, Chen Xuan waved his hand, and the scrolls in the box flew out and unfurled in mid-air, almost filling the entire study.

'These are the ones that truly deserve to be called masterpieces,' Chen Xuan nodded to himself, slowly browsing through his collection.

There are not just one hundred scrolls, but one hundred and three, each with an inscription, date, and seal. The earliest one dates back ten years, and one of them was even a spare item given to the old emperor as a birthday gift seven years ago.

The birthday gift Ning Guiliang gave to the emperor was exhibited at the academy. Chen Xuan now felt that the spare item was even better than the one given to His Majesty. Could it be that the boy was so satisfied with the work that he was reluctant to give it to His Majesty and kept it for himself?

The smallest of these works is three feet square, and the largest is nearly ten feet square. You can tell that Ning Guiliang really put his heart into each and every piece. I guess the inferior works are hanging on the wall and don't deserve to be in that box.

Ning Guiliang was originally a master of both calligraphy and painting. One-third of his works were calligraphy, another third were landscapes, flowers, birds and other scenery, and the remaining third were all paintings of beautiful women.

Even those pictures of beautiful women almost all have real sources. There's no doubt that the guy definitely went to brothels and drew them based on the beautiful women.

With the mindset of appreciating art, Chen Xuan carefully observed and studied the painting, marveling at it. Under Ning Guiliang's superb painting skills, the beauties in the painting were all exquisitely beautiful, some with their robes half-undone, alluring and seductive; some with eyes full of affection, seemingly both welcoming and refusing; and some with aloof temperament, making one want to conquer them...

'He must have slept with all these young ladies, that bastard deserves to die!' Looking at the painting, Chen Xuan felt utterly contemptuous. Thinking of the fan painting he had painted for Xiao Gao, he felt a surge of superiority. He admitted that his painting was not as artistic and beautiful as Ning Guiliang's, but when it came to captivating people, Ning Guiliang's painting was far superior to his.

Well, Chen Xuan admitted frankly that his work was vulgar, utterly vulgar, while the other person's work was elegant and could truly be called a work of art.

So Ning Guiliang really deserves to die.

The pictures of beautiful women all have real sources. Each of them may represent the fantasies of people in a certain place and a certain period about beauty. In a sense, they are also a mark of an era.

Beauty will eventually grow old, but when it is written down, it allows future generations to witness the splendor of this era.

The paintings were not simply depictions of beautiful women; they also included details about clothing, accessories, and architectural styles. As they have been passed down to later generations, they are of great historical significance.

As Chen Xuan was engrossed in admiring the artwork, footsteps sounded at the door. Ning Guiliang had returned, and he wasn't alone; he was accompanied by servants.

When he pushed open the half-closed door and saw the scene inside, he was stunned. Before he could react, the servant next to him immediately shouted, "Oh no! The house has been burgled! Quickly, call for help and report to the authorities!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan reluctantly shifted his gaze from a picture of a beautiful woman. "Damn Ning Guiliang, why didn't you draw the lady's skirt a little higher? It's so awkwardly high and low, are you trying to torture me?"

Reaching out, Chen Xuan gently brushed aside the floating painting, turned his head, and greeted Ning Guiliang with a smile, "Oh, Lord Ning is back!"

"Are all villains this arrogant nowadays?" the servant asked, his face full of disbelief.

Upon seeing Chen Xuan's face clearly, Ning Guiliang was initially delighted, but then startled, his eyes flashing with apprehension and fear. He took a deep breath and said to the servant beside him, "What kind of behavior is this, shouting like that? You're done here, go down. This is my... friend, not a bad person. Tell the family not to be nervous."

He was naturally eagerly anticipating Chen Xuan's arrival, practically waiting for it to happen, but he was also incredibly terrified, because this man had slaughtered the entire Wu family a few months ago, and even the Wei family's grandmaster had died at his hands.

Although he did not witness the incident firsthand and did not know the specifics, as someone in officialdom, he still knew some things. Before that, given his personality, he would not have been so uneasy. After that incident, how could he still treat Chen Xuan so naturally?

Upon hearing this, the servant became nervous, hesitated for a moment, then turned and left, closing the door behind him. However, he remained standing at the door, ready to provide timely assistance should anything happen.

Inside the study, Ning Guiliang took a deep breath and lit the lamp to calm himself. Once it was bright, he turned to Chen Xuan, who was admiring the painting, and bowed, saying, "You've arrived! Why didn't you give me any warning beforehand? It almost caused a misunderstanding. The servant was ignorant; please don't take it to heart."

This Wu family member can slaughter anyone without hesitation. What if he kills someone because of a servant's words? He'll have nowhere to cry and who can help him get justice?
Turning his gaze away, Chen Xuan teased, "This is your home, why are you being so reserved, Lord Ning? You weren't like this before."

"You're joking," he said awkwardly, thinking to himself, "How can I remain calm in front of someone as formidable as you?"

At this moment, Ning Guiliang was wearing a green official robe, his brows furrowed with exhaustion, and he had deep dark circles under his eyes, looking as if he might collapse at any moment. Chen Xuan couldn't help but say speechlessly, "What happened to you? You're already weak, and you're making yourself so tired. Are you trying to kill yourself?"

He was going all out, and said with a helpless smile, "Please excuse my presumption. The end of the year is a busy time with frequent exchanges between envoys from various countries, and dealing with them inevitably takes a toll on my health. Since I'm paid by the emperor, it's only right that I share his burdens."

"Looks like working for the government isn't easy either. Yet you're so busy, how do you still find time to go to brothels every now and then?" Chen Xuan said with admiration. This guy was famous, and whenever he went to which brothel was a topic of conversation, with many people expressing envy and sour tastes.

He gave an awkward laugh and changed the subject, saying, "How long have you been here? I apologize for the poor hospitality; I'll have someone serve you tea right away."

"No need, I've been waiting for you. I'll be leaving in a bit," Chen Xuan waved his hand and continued admiring the painting.

Knowing that he was here to complete the transaction, Ning Guiliang was overjoyed, and said with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation, "As per your original request, I have completed one hundred works. I presume you have already seen them. Are you satisfied? If not, I will create more until you are."

He went to great lengths for the sake of his lower body's happiness, seemingly so strong that a gust of wind could blow him away. This was largely due to the creation of those works, but he never boasted about it.

Worried that Chen Xuan might be dissatisfied, he prepared several more copies before releasing the news.

Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Let's not talk about whether you're satisfied or not. Let me ask you, when you were painting this picture, why didn't you raise the skirt a little higher? Why didn't you lower the bodice a little lower? It's such a tiny difference, yet you deliberately made people itch with desire."

"Ah this..."

Could it be that you are one of the same kind?
……

(End of this chapter)