Misty Rain of the Old Times

The armillary sphere was placed in the middle of the courtyard. It was a sphere about ten feet in diameter, supported by four pillars. The sphere structure composed of the rings was ingenious, and each ring could be moved.

Mr. Pei's armillary sphere had a full sixteen rings, and Chen Xuan was completely dumbfounded by his operation. Well, to put it bluntly, he just couldn't understand it.

Chen Xuan didn't know much about this thing. His teacher had only given him a brief introduction when he was in school, and it wasn't tested in the imperial examinations, so he hadn't studied it in depth. As a result, he was completely confused when he saw it now.

He only knew that the four pillars represented the four poles, and that by adjusting their positions to align with the four directions at different times of the year and season, he could determine the angles of the ecliptic and the equator, and then use the rings on top to calculate the celestial phenomena.

Those who have studied this thing in depth can use it to determine the coordinates of stars in the sky, their trajectories, and so on. In short, in the eyes of such people, the stars in the sky are no longer a jumble of sand, but everything has a traceable pattern.

In any case, Chen Xuan was either completely ignorant about this matter or had no idea whatsoever.

Logically speaking, this is a very important field of study, and observing celestial phenomena falls under the purview of the Imperial Observatory. It is taboo for ordinary people to take such research seriously. Yet Mr. Pei is actually tinkering with it at home.

But then I thought about it again. He was a pure scholar who never held a government post and did academic research. He must have received tacit approval, so it was normal for him to do his research at home.

Moreover, everything is in constant flux, requiring scholars like Mr. Pei to continuously explore the world. It is precisely because of their innate spirit of exploration, passed down from generation to generation, that future generations can gain a deeper understanding of the world they live in.

The development of civilization is never the responsibility of any one person; it is the culmination of the wisdom of generations…

"Master, Young Master Chen is here," the old steward who brought Chen Xuan and the others stepped forward and cautiously reminded them. His careful manner suggested that Mr. Pei did not want to be disturbed when he was focused on something, otherwise he would lose his temper.

Indeed, anyone who is focused on doing something will be in a bad mood if they are disturbed.

At this moment, Mr. Pei seemed not to have heard at all, still completely absorbed in manipulating the armillary sphere. The rotation of the armillary sphere, ring after ring, gave people a sense of mystery and grandeur, making people unconsciously feel awe.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan whispered a reminder: "Butler, there's no need to disturb the master. I'll wait here for him to finish his work."

“Well… that’s fine,” the butler nodded, but he didn’t just leave him and Su Roujia there. He quickly arranged for someone to bring chairs, a charcoal brazier, and tea.

Then Chen Xuan waited silently. At Mr. Pei's house, he was not as casual as he was at Lao Deng's place. He stood respectfully and watched him tinker with the armillary sphere. Although he couldn't understand it, it didn't stop him from admiring him greatly.

The starry sky is vast and complex, but in other people's eyes, this instrument can arrange the thousands of stars in the sky clearly.

This world was not Chen Xuan's hometown after all. He could not see any 'familiar' stars in the sky, nor could he see the 'familiar' spiral arms of the Milky Way. He did not know whether he had come to another star system or another world plane.

The little girl had never encountered anything so sophisticated before, but she watched with great interest, though like Chen Xuan, her eyes were filled with a completely bewildered look of not understanding.

Arriving in the afternoon, they waited for more than an hour. As night fell, Mr. Pei finally finished his work. Fortunately, Chen Xuan had a strong sense of awareness and could multitask. He remembered the positions of the rings of the armillary sphere when he first arrived and could even reconstruct them. However, he had no idea what the trajectory that Mr. Pei adjusted during the process meant.

After carefully checking the armillary sphere and confirming that everything was in order, Mr. Pei turned around and saw Chen Xuan and his companion. He said with a sigh, "When did Xiao Chen arrive? Why didn't you tell me? I was so busy that I didn't even notice you."

Unmoved by external things, this is the proper attitude for scholarship. Chen Xuan bowed in admiration and said, "Student Chen Xuan greets you, sir. I hope my visit has been uninvited and I have not disturbed you."

"Don't be so polite, Xiao Chen, have a seat. It's just a personal hobby. I was busy preparing for stargazing tonight and got so caught up in it that I neglected you," Pei Zhenlong said with a smile.

He was the headmaster of Liuyu Academy and usually stayed at the academy. However, it was the end of the year and the academy was on holiday, so he naturally returned to his home in the capital. He was probably sent here by 'Mr. Bai', but 'Mr. Bai' belonged to the academy and was not his personal mount, so he was not here.

"I dare not accept such praise," Chen Xuan said, bowing respectfully. He then took two jars of wine from the maid and presented them to her, saying, "Thank you, sir, for acting as our matchmaker. I have nothing to repay you with, so these two jars of my own wine are just a small token of my gratitude. I hope you will not find them too meager."

"Haha, His Majesty asked this old man to officiate the wedding, I am flattered. You too, come on over, what did you bring? I'm just an old man, I'm happy just to have you come and talk to me. Perfect, I'll borrow your wine, let's have a drink later," Mr. Pei said cheerfully.

Chen Xuan is going to marry a princess; he'll be the royal son-in-law, not just a prince consort. The matchmaker was there yesterday, and today he's here to thank her. How could Mr. Pei not be pleased with such a courteous gesture?

"Then the student has disturbed us."

After they sat down, Mr. Pei chatted casually, "How's Xiao Chen doing lately? Has he fallen behind in his studies?"

Teachers, that's all they talk about.

“Sir, I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you. I’m really not cut out for studying. My young master has already become the top scholar in the imperial examination, while I’m still just a novice with a low academic degree. It’s really nothing to brag about. On the contrary, I’ve made some progress in martial arts,” Chen Xuan said with embarrassment.

Pei Zhenlong knew a little about Chen Xuan's situation and sighed, "You've accomplished more than just some achievements, but don't neglect your studies either. Read more books in your spare time; many profound truths are found in books. Oh dear, look at me, why am I bringing this up again? It's a habit, Chen, don't mind me."

"Not at all, it is an honor for a student to still receive instruction from the teacher after leaving the academy," Chen Xuan said with a proper attitude.

The butler had already arranged the meal, and Mr. Pei stood up and said, "Come on, Xiao Chen, have a drink with me. Please don't mind the simple food."

"Sir, you are joking. It would be impolite of me to refuse."

With no one else accompanying them, the two, host and guest, took their seats in the main hall. A young maid poured wine for them. Looking at the clear liquor and smelling its aroma, Mr. Pei's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "Excellent wine!"

It seems he's a wine lover. It's said that few literati in this era don't love wine. Many famous poems were created spontaneously after drinking. Unlike Chen Xuan's hometown, where people just brag after drinking.

"Please, sir. This is homemade wine. It's not a fine wine, just a bit unusual in flavor. I wonder if it's to your liking?" Chen Xuan raised his glass in a toast.

Mr. Pei raised his glass in a gesture of respect, then eagerly downed it in one gulp. His face immediately flushed, and after savoring the taste for a moment, he exhaled with a hearty sigh and said, "Such strong liquor! It burns like fire after drinking it. This weather is truly wonderful!"

It's a 53-degree distilled spirit, and few on the market can match its strength. But it's not exactly a good spirit; its only redeeming quality is its intensity.

They shared a drink, and Chen Xuan laughed, "It's not much wine, but a little will warm you up in this weather. If you like it, sir, I have some more. I'll bring it to you later. But drinking is bad for your health, so don't overindulge."

"Haha, it's rare to find such strong liquor. Fill your glass quickly. As for harming your health, I am a cultivator with innate cultivation. As long as it's not some deadly poison, what harm could it do to me? Don't forget to send some back to me later so I can show it off to those old guys," Mr. Pei said nonchalantly.

He genuinely enjoys wine, and there's this connection between them; otherwise, why would he ask for it willingly? He's clearly very approachable.

As they ate and drank, Chen Xuan asked, "Sir, you also have knowledge of astrology?"

"I wouldn't say that. I only know a little bit, nothing compared to those people in the Imperial Observatory," he waved his hand, clearly being modest. Usually, people who say they know a little about something are actually experts.

Chen Xuan, feeling ashamed, said again, "Sir, you are all learned men of extraordinary talent, while I am lazy and get a headache just looking at books. I don't even dare to call myself a scholar in public, and I have brought shame upon you all."

"That's not how it works. Everyone has their own ambitions, and what suits you best is the best. Why get stuck on one thing? Just like you, Xiao Chen, you've already reached a height that countless people can only dream of in martial arts," Mr. Pei said.

If we only scratch the surface of this matter, it will be difficult to avoid touching on sensitive topics if we delve any deeper, such as the downfall of the Wu family.

Even if those who should know at a certain level know that Chen Xuan was responsible for this, it cannot be said openly.

After exchanging toasts, without deliberately using his internal energy to sober up, Mr. Pei drank most of the wine from the more than one jar and was already slightly tipsy. When he got excited, he pointed to the armillary sphere in the courtyard and said, "Little Chen has been looking at it many times. Could it be that you are interested in this?"

"I dare not, I know nothing about this subject, how could I possibly glimpse the mysteries of the starry sky?" Chen Xuan shook his head.

He became even more enthusiastic, standing up and saying, "It's alright, you can learn anything you don't understand. Come on, the weather is nice today, the night sky is cloudless, let me give you a brief introduction to the use of the armillary sphere and the arrangement of the stars, and I'll recommend a few books to you later."

So enthusiastic, Chen Xuan decided to join in and observe.

However, after Mr. Pei started tinkering with the armillary sphere, he initially introduced it to Chen Xuan, but gradually he became engrossed in it himself. Chen Xuan didn't want to disturb him, so he could only silently accompany him.

After a moment, he frowned slightly, making a puzzled sound, and then kept adjusting the armillary sphere and looking up to observe the starry sky.

Chen Xuan was completely baffled. He should have made some discovery, but Chen Xuan couldn't make heads or tails of it at all.

"Strange, there seems to be an extra star in the sky. It's dim and hard to see, but based on the changing trajectories of the surrounding stars, there really is an extra star in that place," Mr. Pei muttered, frowning as he looked at the night sky.

Chen Xuan looked at the night sky in the direction he was observing, but couldn't make anything out of it. He thought to himself, "Wow, these astronomers are truly amazing!"

Immediately afterwards, Mr. Pei, looking conflicted, rushed back into the house, then retrieved a pile of scrolls. With a wave of his hand, he unfurled the scrolls with his innate true energy, revealing a densely packed map of star distribution within them.

Chen Xuan glanced at it curiously for a few moments, then looked away, thinking it was better not to make things difficult for himself. Everyone has their own expertise; he could talk eloquently about martial arts, but he simply didn't understand this.

Mr. Pei unfolded the star chart and kept examining and analyzing it. He then adjusted the armillary sphere to observe the night sky. Finally, he concluded that there was indeed an extra, unobservable star in a certain position in the sky, but this could not be confirmed at present and required further verification.

"Let's mark it first, and then discuss it with others to make sure there are no mistakes. If others observe the same thing as me, we'll probably have to ask if we can borrow the Imperial Observatory's star-gazing platform for confirmation. A brand new star appearing in the night sky—if it's confirmed, I don't know whether it's a blessing or a curse."

He muttered to himself and made a mark on a certain spot on a star map that Chen Xuan couldn't understand at all.

Chen Xuan was completely baffled; he couldn't understand it at all.

He wasn't a astrologer and didn't care about such things at all, so he didn't bother to rack his brains. However, in this era, celestial changes were often linked to the mystical, and sometimes even to the fate of the nation. But he wasn't in that field, so he didn't dwell on those things.

After finishing, Mr. Pei packed away the pile of star charts and put them back in the house. Once he started, he couldn't stop, continuing to fiddle with the armillary sphere and observe the starry sky. He subconsciously reached out and said, "Come on, let's continue drinking."

Chen Xuan poured him more wine to drink, but Mr. Pei's mind was not on drinking at all; his thoughts seemed to have sunk into the vast and mysterious starry sky.

Before they knew it, the two jars of strong liquor that Chen Xuan had brought were almost finished. Mr. Pei was clearly drunk, but his mind was still clear, and the complex starry sky was still discernible in his eyes.

He waved his hand, fiddling with the armillary sphere. Perhaps due to drunkenness, he gazed at a bright star in the night sky and murmured, "The imperial star shines brightly, its light boundless, yet alas, murderous intent fills the heavens, causing all other stars to tremble. Alas, all things must eventually decline after their peak. After its final brilliance, the imperial star will fall..."

He was talking to himself, but Chen Xuan's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. Could one discern the changing of the human world from the changes in celestial phenomena? In any case, Chen Xuan couldn't see anything of it.

However, comparing Mr. Pei's words with my own understanding, some things seem to make sense: the emperor is old, and the recent killings have been too frequent, causing panic in the court. He has at most six months left.

Anyway, Chen Xuan couldn't understand how Mr. Pei connected the changes in celestial phenomena with the succession of human affairs. Since he couldn't understand it, he could only force an explanation with the saying that everything in the world is preordained. All things in the world are within the operation of the Heavenly Dao, but people can only glimpse a corner of the fortune by studying celestial phenomena.

The starry sky is eternal, and the meanings of stars differ depending on where they are observed on Earth. Only experts understand this. For example, there are so many countries in the world, yet there is only one imperial star in the heavens. It's impossible for every emperor to have a corresponding star in the sky. However, could such a thing be discussed openly? It's no exaggeration to say that to speak ill of the emperor's destiny was a capital offense!

For example, right now, Mr. Pei's butler is standing by, nervously reminding him, "Sir, you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk. I'm perfectly sober. It's alright. There are no outsiders here. Xiao Chen is His Majesty's son-in-law. What's wrong with talking about it? Do we need to care about such things between him and His Majesty?"

Even so, he didn't continue the topic.

Yesterday, when he went to act as matchmaker and witness the wedding, he briefly observed the relationship between Chen Xuan and the old emperor. With his intelligence, he could get a glimpse of their interactions. Their way of getting along was hardly that of father-in-law and son-in-law. It was no exaggeration to say that they were like brothers. Why would he care about such things?

Just as he was about to look away, Mr. Pei's gaze suddenly sharpened as he stared at the night sky. His expression changed, and he murmured, "How could this be? The imperial star is swaying, and the succession of humanity is already a foregone conclusion. Yet, a hidden star has appeared nearby, seemingly poised to usurp the throne and occupy the central sky. How could this be? We must know that there cannot be two suns in the sky, nor two rulers in a country..."

"Master, you're drunk, please stop talking," the butler pleaded, almost in tears.

Chen Xuan blinked and looked at the night sky, wondering how he could possibly understand anything. He asked in confusion, "What do you mean by that, sir?"

Mr. Pei remained silent, staring blankly at the night sky, his eyes flickering. He sometimes frowned and sometimes looked bewildered, looking extremely troubled. It was unclear what he had gleaned from the stars; he seemed completely bewildered and couldn't figure it out.

A moment later, Mr. Pei's face turned pale and he swayed. Chen Xuan quickly helped him up and asked with concern, "Sir, are you alright?"

"I'm alright, just a little tired," Mr. Pei said, waving his hand as he stood up.

This wasn't a case of him being attacked for trying to predict the future; rather, it was due to excessive mental exertion, causing him to appear unsteady. To others, this was no different from being attacked.

Therefore, Chen Xuan did not want to disturb him further and took his leave, saying, "It's getting late, so I'll take my leave now. Please rest well, sir."

“Alright, it’s rare for Xiao Chen to come all this way, I’ll see you off,” Mr. Pei nodded, no longer dwelling on the astrological issues.

As a junior, how could he allow his elders to see him off? Chen Xuan quickly said, "Please wait, sir. I will go on my way."

After Chen Xuan left with the little girl, Mr. Pei stared at the night sky for a long time without saying a word, sometimes frowning and sometimes troubled. In the end, probably unable to figure out anything specific, he simply messed up the celestial globe, washed up, and went to bed...

After leaving Mr. Pei's house, Chen Xuan looked up at the night sky, but he really couldn't make heads or tails of it; the stars were like sesame seeds.

What did he mean when he said there was a star in the sky that couldn't be identified yet? Could it be that a rogue planet intruded into our observable range?
To arrive at such a conclusion based solely on that intricately linked armillary sphere is truly remarkable; the 'astronomer' himself couldn't discern a single detail.

Then the imperial star wavered and humanity changed, and there was also a hidden star that remained dormant, showing signs of settling in the middle of the sky. What is the explanation for this?

How do you see the countless stars in the sky?

Chen Xuan truly didn't understand anything about the starry sky, but that didn't mean he was oblivious to some changes in the larger environment.

Could it be that someone is planning a rebellion? And with a very high probability of success? But Mr. Pei won't say, like a riddle. What can Chen Xuan do? Perhaps he has only glimpsed a part of the change and doesn't understand it at all.

If someone were to rebel, who would it be? Prince Jiang or Prince Qing?
Jiang Wang has been staying in the capital for many years, and it is highly likely that he will finally be able to wait until the old emperor is about to die. But he has waited for so many years, can't he just stay put for a while longer?
As for Prince Qing, it's possible. At this critical juncture, how could he not have his eye on that position? It's just that he's been stationed at the border for so many years, and he only has 100,000 troops on the surface. He can't possibly fight his way back to the capital. Does he have that ability? But we can't rule out that possibility.

Then the probability of the crown prince rebelling becomes even smaller. The old emperor is paving the way for him. As long as he behaves himself, he can smoothly inherit the throne. Why bother with all this trouble?

Based on Lao Deng's recent actions—killing many people in the court, demanding the Misty Array, and even bringing out the Dark Dragon Guard to guard Chen Xuan—all these signs indicate that someone is definitely up to something!
It could happen tonight, or it could happen tomorrow; it could erupt at any moment!

Could it be that even Old Deng couldn't wait for the last six months? Chen Xuan really couldn't understand what those people were thinking.

If I don't understand it, I'll just stop worrying about it. It's none of his business, as long as it doesn't affect me.

If someone were to rebel recently, and such an event were to break out, who knows how many innocent people would be implicated and how many ordinary citizens would be affected.

But people's hearts are never satisfied. Driven by ambition, who cares about anything else?
Chen Xuan can remain a spectator in any normal power transition, or even one caused by violence, as long as it doesn't threaten Old Deng's life. Otherwise, he'll chop off anyone who dares to lay a hand on him!
The old man has six months left to live, and as his son-in-law, Chen Xuan naturally wants to protect him until his peaceful passing.

Of course, that kind of situation is almost impossible. No matter how ambitious someone is, if they were to commit regicide or patricide, no one in the world would tolerate such a person.

Just like the Sima family, even after so many years, they are still nailed to the pillar of historical shame and cannot be removed.

Not knowing what Chen Xuan was thinking, on the way back, the little maid asked, "Master, you said yesterday that we would go back in two days, is it tomorrow?"

"There's no rush. It won't take much time to get back anyway," Chen Xuan said with a shake of his head and a smile.

She nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll start preparing tomorrow, buying some local specialties from Beijing and such."

"Roujia, you handle it. Don't worry about the money. Let me know if you need more. Also, bring back some gifts for Mrs. Gao and Mr. Yushan. By the way, are they still on their way?"

The next day, after finishing her morning tasks, the little girl went to prepare for her return home. Chen Xuan asked Xia Mei, who came from the Princess's residence, to help take care of her, as he was worried about the little girl running around the capital alone.

The little princess was clearly very interested in decorating her future home, but after Chen Xuan proposed, she became shy and hesitant to come over. Since boys should take the initiative, Chen Xuan simply went to the princess's residence to find her.

They were already familiar with the Princess's residence, so they didn't need anyone to announce their arrival or lead the way. With a shout, Chen Xuan headed straight for the little princess.

The two were just one step away from getting together, and they didn't need to hide it even if they met while the other person was changing clothes.

This did not happen. When Chen Xuan found the little princess, she was not writing a story in the attic, but instead doing needlework with a basket in her arms.

Chen Xuan, who had never seen her do such a thing before, was speechless and asked, "Qian Ning, what are you doing?"

"Ah? Brother Xuan is here!" the little princess exclaimed excitedly, her face flushed, but she quickly covered the basket with a cloth and hid it.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan asked in confusion, "What is it, Qian Ning? You're even wary of me?"

"No, I'm embroidering my wedding dress, and it's not finished yet," she said somewhat shyly, probably because she didn't do a good job and was embarrassed to let Chen Xuan see it.

When the two were alone, Chen Xuan pulled her into his lap, held her soft, fragrant body, and smiled as he smelled her scent: "Qian Ning, do you still need to embroider your own wedding dress?"

“Of course, if I marry Brother Xuan, I’ll definitely have to do it myself,” she nodded and said.

Normally, girls embroider their own wedding dresses when they get married. Some start from a young age, and the level of extravagance depends on their family's financial situation. However, if she is marrying Chen Xuan as her husband, she doesn't need to do it herself.

So Chen Xuan joked, "I didn't expect Qian Ning to have such skills. You won't be making all the clothes for our children yourself in the future, will you?"

Her face flushed slightly, but she didn't shy away, saying dreamily, "I've been learning from the embroiderers in the palace lately, so I'll try my best to make clothes for my and Xuan-ge's children ourselves; it's a mother's responsibility."

"Whatever makes you happy."

They'll be getting married in a few months, then they'll have their own home and children. To be honest, Chen Xuan isn't really ready for this; he still feels like a child.

As the two were cuddling, Chen Xuan suddenly looked up at the distant sky and raised an eyebrow.

Sensing his change in mood, the little princess looked in the direction he was looking and asked curiously, "What is Brother Xuan looking at?"

There was nothing in that direction.

Chen Xuan squinted slightly and smiled, "Nothing, I just think the weather is nice today."

"Oh, Brother Xuan, do you want to go out and play while the weather is nice? I might not be able to go with you. There are still a few months left, so I need to hurry up and finish making your wedding dress," she said, sounding a little embarrassed.

Chen Xuan pressed his cheek against hers and said, "It's okay, we won't go out to play. Actually, I came today to say goodbye. I'm going back home for the New Year in a couple of days."

"Okay, Brother Xuan, please be careful on your journey," she said, sounding somewhat disappointed.

He tightened his grip on her waist and said, "Do you want to come with me? It's very convenient."

"I want to stay with my father. Next year I can spend the New Year with my brother Xuan, and then we'll never be apart again," she said with difficulty.

Chen Xuan nodded and comforted him, saying, "Spending time with your father-in-law is the most important thing."

During the conversation, Chen Xuan's attention was focused on the distant horizon.

The sky was clear and blue in that direction, but in his senses, a torrential aura was approaching the capital, like a thousand troops and dark clouds pressing down on the city, making no attempt to conceal its presence!

The aura of a Grandmaster is undetectable to those not at the same level.

That aura was sharp and piercing, like a battle of swords and armor.

Chen Xuan knew without guessing that Jiang Yuan had returned to the capital. He was once the youngest Grandmaster in Jing Kingdom, and now he was appointed as the Grand General of Wei Kingdom, a pillar of the country.

Its aura was even stronger than that of Wei Wuyai, whom Chen Xuan had slain!
It's normal for him to return to Beijing. Firstly, he's returning to report on his work, and secondly, his son Jiang Li is getting married in the next few days.

'He arrived with no attempt to conceal his presence, as if to assert his own existence. Could this be a confirmation of Mr. Pei's ambiguous words last night? Is he planning to use his son's wedding as an opportunity to cause trouble?'

With a flicker of thought, Chen Xuan realized that he would probably have to stay in the capital for a few more days.

Gazing in that direction, he mused, "Their domineering aura suggests they're up to no good..." (End of Chapter)