Misty Rain of the Old Times

As the setting sun cast its last rays, the golden pillars of light that had enveloped the palace dissipated, and the seven floating islands above the capital returned to their respective positions.

The majestic and imposing palace seemed to have returned to its former tranquility, but beneath this tranquility lay the tense minds of countless people from top to bottom, and an atmosphere of oppression and gloom had been added.

The mass of people outside Fengtian Hall has been cleared away, but the air still retains a strong smell of blood. The setting sun shines on the fiery red palace walls, making them appear as if they are stained with blood.

After setting the general tone, the old emperor left the follow-up matters to Crown Prince Zhou Chen and then ignored them. If the Crown Prince couldn't even handle this small matter, he would be too disappointed in him.

The elderly person had been experiencing significant emotional fluctuations and had to work hard to remain calm. Only after the event did they feel physically and mentally exhausted.

"I'm old and useless now. I've experienced all sorts of storms over the decades. Even when I first ascended the throne, I was able to deal with the three neighboring countries' attempt to join forces to invade. I never thought that such a trivial matter would cause me so much distress. Time really is a cruel mistress," the old emperor said with a self-deprecating laugh as he walked with his hands behind his back.

Recalling his past high spirits, he tried hard to straighten his back, but his damned body couldn't even do such a simple thing.

Eunuch Wang supported him, a pang of sadness in his heart. He smiled and said, "Your Majesty is in excellent health. In my humble opinion, he could easily charge into battle seven times over."

The emperor could say he was old, but precisely because he was old, those around him were even more reluctant to mention the word "old," as it was considered taboo. In fact, people and things that appeared around the emperor should be as young and energetic as possible, otherwise the old emperor might feel that it was a reminder that his era had passed.

Waving his hand, the old emperor, needing no help from Eunuch Wang, glanced at him and said, "My dear eunuch, you've been with me since you were a child. Don't you know my situation? Do you need to treat me like a child?"

“What I said is absolutely true. Just like the other day, Your Majesty was quite the hero chasing after your son-in-law. Few people could match your agility,” said Eunuch Wang with admiration. He knew exactly what the old emperor wanted to hear at this moment, and saying anything that would please him was the right thing to do.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, the old emperor's brows relaxed and his face lit up with a smile. "You, you just know how to make me happy. Speaking of which, that kid is going easy on me, otherwise I wouldn't even be able to catch a glimpse of him. Haha, as expected of me, no matter how powerful he is, he still gets chased and beaten by me, and he doesn't even dare to fight back."

“That’s right, His Majesty’s power is overwhelming, who dares to disobey?” Eunuch Wang said, going along with his words.

The old man was, after all, old, and after what had happened, it wasn't something that could be easily calmed down with just a few words. One moment he was fine, and the next he suddenly shook his head, his tone changing to indignant, and said, "They're all such a handful."

This statement wasn't directed at Chen Xuan and Zhou Qianning, but rather at his sons' actions. He's old but not blind; his sons' little schemes and tricks can be easily detected if he wants to.

Eunuch Wang immediately fell silent. The Emperor was already exhausted, and further anger would harm his health.

Before I knew it, I had arrived at the Imperial Garden. Even in winter, the vegetation was lush and flowers were in bloom, but icicles hung from the eaves and there were still patches of snow in the corners.

Upon arriving, the disgruntled old emperor waved his hand and said, "All of you, step back. I wish to be alone for a while."

No one dared to disobey, and they all dispersed. Eunuch Wang quickly brought over a stove and a soft couch, set them down, and stepped aside to wait.

Standing alone in the pavilion, the old emperor gazed at the colorful dragonfish swimming in the pond, lost in thought. After a moment, he sighed and muttered to himself, "I already enjoy endless wealth and honor, why am I still not satisfied?"

The next moment, a cheerful voice sounded from behind him, saying, "Father-in-law, what you're saying is easy for you to say. Do you think everyone is as easily satisfied as me, content with what I have and happy to do, as if I have no desires at all? You're just talking without understanding the situation."

It's this taste.

Only this kid dares to speak so freely to me, unlike the others who seem to wear a thousand masks and carefully consider every word they say. It's annoying to watch them. Well, that kid is annoying to watch too.

Thinking to himself, he turned around and saw Chen Xuan leading the little princess in through the moon gate, a roguish smile on his face that made people want to punch him.

He had been in a bad mood, but seeing Chen Xuan cheered him up. However, he didn't give him a friendly look, glancing at him with disdain as if he were a dog, and said irritably, "What are you doing here, kid? Is this a place you can come to? Did you announce your arrival? Who gave you permission to come?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan said nonchalantly, "Do I need to announce myself when I come to my father-in-law's house? There's a saying that a son-in-law is half a son. I'm just visiting my own home, okay? I'm just strolling around, who dares to do anything to me!"

As he spoke, he put his hands on his hips, looking incredibly proud of himself.

"What do you think the palace is, wandering around like that?" Old Deng was amused by Chen Xuan's shameless behavior.

Shrinking his neck slightly, Chen Xuan grinned and said, "I forgot this is the palace. Should I come back again? Go out and announce my arrival before I come back?"

"Go cool off somewhere else. Just looking at you makes me angry. I'm in a bad mood," Old Deng waved his hand and said irritably.

Chen Xuan knew he was in a bad mood, so he came to cheer him up. He immediately perked up and asked in a blink, "Father-in-law, what's wrong? Tell me so I can cheer you up!"

"You brat, how dare you talk like that? You deserve a beating, where's my stick?" Old Deng immediately started glaring and searching for his stick, even though he was in a good mood, his hands were itching to hit someone.

Looking at Eunuch Wang, who was about to hand him the stick, Chen Xuan quickly said, "No, I don't think Father-in-law needs it." Then he turned to Old Deng and said, "I'll find a chance to break this stick for you. All you want to do is beat me with it."

"That's your own fault," Old Deng sneered.

The little princess watched with great interest. She was already used to the way the father-in-law and son-in-law communicated. She had been very worried about her father, but when she saw that her brother Xuan had coaxed him into a cheerful mood with just a few words, she was immediately relieved. She thought to herself that her brother Xuan really understood her father.

Seeing that the two were about to start a full-blown fight, she quickly stepped in as a peacemaker, saying, "Brother Xuan, say less and don't upset Father. Father, you should also calm down and not take it to heart."

As she spoke, she stepped forward, grabbed Old Deng's hand, and swayed it affectionately, refusing to mention what she had witnessed before, pretending not to know anything.

Old Deng was immediately overjoyed and said, "Our little Fuyao knows how to care for her father." Then, he looked at Chen Xuan with disdain and said irritably, "Unlike you, you brat, all you do is annoy this old man."

Chen Xuan pretended not to hear this and openly muttered, "It's unreasonable that the little cotton-padded jacket doesn't let in any wind."

"What are you saying? My little Fuyao would never be like you!" The little princess helped the old man, who had just sat down, continue to bicker with Chen Xuan.

They bickered every time they met, and the little princess was used to it. Amused and speechless, she said, "Father, Brother Xuan, please stop! You're all grown up, acting like little kids."

"Alright, I'll let my father-in-law have his way and not argue with him," Chen Xuan said, stepping onto the pavilion and lazily sitting down by the railing. He leaned against a pillar, hands behind his head, legs swinging back and forth, and turned back to say, "It's already lunchtime, isn't my father-in-law going to feed us? Be careful, or I might try to sow discord between you two."

Old Deng sneered, "You think you can sow discord between my daughter and me? You're even providing meals? You've made me so angry I'm full."

How could they not give them food? Chen Xuan pretended not to hear, and as if by magic, produced a jar of wine, shook it, and said, "Shall we, father-in-law and son-in-law, have some? There's nothing more comfortable than warming ourselves up in the dead of winter."

He went back to get this jar of wine before he came. Since Lao Deng was in a bad mood, drinking some wine could help him forget his worries. It's pure grain wine, and drinking a little won't harm his health; on the contrary, it can improve blood circulation.

"For Xiao Fuyao's sake, I'll have a few drinks with you. Is your wine any good? Don't try to fool this old man with cheap stuff," Old Deng said, his eyes lighting up. He was genuinely looking forward to a drink, though he certainly wouldn't say anything nice to Chen Xuan.

Patting the wine jar, Chen Xuan said proudly, "I guarantee you'll be satisfied with this wine. It may not be the best, but it's definitely a flavor you've never tasted before."

"What good wine haven't I drunk? If you don't satisfy me, see how I deal with you," Old Deng clearly didn't believe it.

Just you wait and see.

Eunuch Wang had already gone to serve the meal. Chen Xuan, who was waiting for the feast to begin, turned around and looked at the dragonfish in the pond with a greedy mouth, saying, "Father-in-law, your fish are so plump and delicious. How about we get a couple for a treat? How about grilled fish? It'll go perfectly with the wine."

Chen Xuan was really greedy; the dragonfish in the pond looked like little submarines and looked delicious.

Old Deng's ornaments were no ordinary fish; those dragonfish were colorful, some golden and some bright red, with scales like dragon scales, cloud patterns, whiskers like dragon whiskers around their mouths, and small fleshy horns growing on their heads. The name "dragonfish" was truly well-deserved.

In this era, the dragon was a symbol of the emperor. Normally, let alone eating it, even slandering it would be taboo. Only Chen Xuan would do something like this. Didn't you see the imperial guards nearby breaking out in a cold sweat when they heard that Chen Xuan wanted to eat the dragon fish?

Old Deng immediately bristled and glared, saying, "Don't even think about it, kid! I treasure those dragonfish. They've been fed with the blood of a dragon. I only have a dozen or so of them. I'd be heartbroken if one died, and I wouldn't even have the heart to eat it, even with tears in my eyes... What are you doing? Stop! You little brat, you're infuriating me!"

As he spoke, Chen Xuan had already made his move, waving his hand to scoop up two fish, gutting and scaling them, rinsing them with water from a distance, then turning back as if he hadn't heard, asking, "Father-in-law, what did you say? I must say, these things are quite strong; even someone without martial arts training couldn't subdue them."

"You... never mind, I don't want to talk to you," the old emperor said, utterly speechless. He was rendered powerless by Chen Xuan's antics. What else could he do after he had already killed him?
There's nothing this kid wouldn't dare to do.

The little princess covered her mouth and smiled, then instructed Eunuch Wang to have some seasonings and charcoal brought over. Turning back, she said, "Father, Brother Xuan, I'll grill the fish later; I learned how to do it a few days ago."

"Little Fuyao is cooking herself? That's wonderful! I'm in for a treat! Add extra chili peppers, it'll be warming in this weather. How about two more?" Old Deng said happily.

I find all sorts of things disagreeable, but your daughter brings up two more. Just spoil her.

Chen Xuan placed the two prepared fish on the table and said, "Add plenty of cumin. I knew it! It would be a waste not to eat these fish, it's not like we can't afford them."

"Do you even know how to eat properly? You're like a pig. Every time I eat with you, I've never seen you leave a single drop of soup or broth. Ugh, my precious dragonfish! You'll have to eat a few more bites later," Old Deng said irritably, then started to feel sorry for it.

Soon the tools and seasonings were prepared and delivered. The little princess rolled up her sleeves and started grilling fish. Chen Xuan and Lao Deng wanted to help out, but the little princess complained that they were making trouble.

The scene was warm and harmonious, with the family enjoying themselves. They occasionally bickered and laughed, and Old Deng temporarily forgot about the unpleasantness from before.

After the fish was grilled, the three of them sat around the table and started eating. Chen Xuan even fought with Lao Deng for food, and it was a lot of fun.

To be honest, dragonfish are really delicious. Chen Xuan secretly hatched a plan; there are still more than ten in the pond, and he needs to find a way to get them to eat…

After downing a cup of distilled liquor brought by Chen Xuan, Lao Deng's face flushed red, and sweat beaded on his forehead, but he was reluctant to spit it out. He exhaled and said, "What strong liquor! It's really refreshing to drink in this weather." "That's right, I made it myself. It only yielded two or three catties from ten catties of liquor. But this stuff is very potent, Father-in-law, you can't drink too much," Chen Xuan said proudly.

With a shrug, Old Deng said dismissively, "Good wine should be drunk to one's heart's content, otherwise what's the point?"

He had intended to say that he didn't have many days left to live and should enjoy life, but since his daughter was there, he didn't say such unlucky things.

"Whatever," Chen Xuan said, no longer trying to persuade him. Old Deng couldn't drink much; he was just being stubborn. Although he was old and his physical functions were declining, he still had cultivation, so it wouldn't matter if he got drunk.

After a few drinks, Old Deng was already a little tipsy. He shook his head at Chen Xuan and said, "Didn't I say it had nothing to do with you? What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean it has nothing to do with me? Aren't I obviously just freeloading? I'm even planning to take some things with me later," Chen Xuan joked, pretending not to understand. He didn't sit down and planned to take two dragonfish with him later.

Old Deng knew that Chen Xuan was a little worried about what had happened today, so he came over to keep an eye on things. He thought the kid had some conscience after all. He then turned to himself and said, "You weren't spying on me earlier, were you?"

Now that things had come to this point, Chen Xuan stopped avoiding the topic and laughed it off, saying, "It was quite lively, wasn't it? Hmm, my father-in-law looked really fierce back then, it was quite intimidating."

"You brat, you actually have moments of fear? I'm not usually fierce, am I?" the old emperor said, speechless.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Xuan agreed wholeheartedly, saying, "He's not as fierce as usual. You've beaten me up more than once already."

How can they be the same? This misfortune is not that misfortune.

Such a big event happened today; the whole capital knows about it, and by now it's probably already spreading to all corners of the country.

Concerned about her father's mood, which she hadn't mentioned before, the little princess no longer avoided the question and looked at the old emperor with worry, asking, "Is Father in a better mood now?"

Feeling a warmth in his heart, Old Deng looked at the little princess with affection and said, "I'm sorry to have worried you, little Fuyao. I'm fine. I hope you weren't scared when you were with that brat earlier?"

"It's good that Father is alright. I am your daughter after all. I've seen all kinds of big scenes. I wouldn't be scared," the little princess shook her head and smiled sweetly.

It seemed that after this round of banter, her father's mood had improved, and she was relieved.

Nodding, Old Deng looked at Chen Xuan again with a disdainful expression and said, "No matter how bad your mood is, seeing this kid can make you forget everything. It's not a big deal, it's all in the past."

"Why bring this up? Come on, father-in-law, let's keep drinking. There's a saying that there are no fathers and sons at the dinner table. How about we play a drinking game?" Chen Xuan asked, squatting on the chair with his sleeves rolled up, without any proper posture.

Forget about what makes you unhappy. Old Deng doesn't have much time left, so spend every day with him.

Officially, Chen Xuan didn't interfere in court affairs, choosing to observe coldly. But privately, he truly cared about the old man. Zhou Hongjiang's actions had shortened the old man's lifespan, and Chen Xuan genuinely wanted to grind them to dust.

However, Zhou Hong was, after all, Old Deng's son, and Old Deng had already dealt with him with great reluctance. If I were to kill him as well, the old man would feel even worse. So I could only let him go. In any case, he would die anyway; the only difference was the manner of his death.

Zhou Hong was doomed to die; that was already destined. Even in his current miserable state, he had no chance of survival.

After all, this is a political struggle, not a personal grudge.

If it's a personal grudge, the more miserable the enemy's fate, the more satisfying it is to suffer a fate worse than death. But political struggles are different. They are destined to perish because they have committed acts of rioting. Living means they are a hidden danger. They have someone supporting them. If they don't die, they have a chance to make a comeback. So they must die.

Zhou Hong is destined not to live much longer. Old Deng may forgive him, but others will not let him off the hook.

The old man was in a bad mood, not because Zhou Hong had instigated the riot, but because he had to bury his son. After all, he was his own son. No matter how big a mistake he had made, he was still his blood relative. He had personally sent his son to his death. He was not made of stone. How could he not be heartbroken?
It's already the best outcome that we didn't witness father and son killing each other.

"What does 'rock-paper-scissors' mean?" Slightly tipsy, Old Deng stopped thinking about those unpleasant things and asked with great interest.

"Oh, I'll teach you. It's very simple."

Before long, the father-in-law and son-in-law were rolling up their sleeves, their faces flushed, and they were talking like brothers, making the little princess on the side both laugh and cry.

The little princess thought to herself, "Thank you, Brother Xuan. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know how to comfort you. I don't know how long it would take for Father to get out of the shadow in his heart. He probably won't be able to let go of Third Brother's fate until the day he dies."

Everyone says that the imperial family is heartless, but my father cares most about family ties. It's just that he has to be indifferent because of his position. I am a girl, and the youngest one, so my father can show his affection without reservation. His harshness towards his other brothers and sisters is also a kind of indirect care.

Father is the head of the family, but he is first and foremost the emperor. He cannot treat everyone equally, so he can only make up for it in other ways. Otherwise, how could my third brother have stayed in the capital for so many years? It's just that Father turns a blind eye to it.

She learned privately that in the past, her father would grieve for a long time every time an imperial brother or sister died young.

The little princess can be a bit naive at times, but that doesn't mean she's stupid; in fact, she understands everything...

They drank from afternoon until night. Chen Xuan deliberately let him drink more, and most of the jar of wine ended up in his stomach. Even so, Lao Deng got drunk and, in his drunken stupor, pulled Chen Xuan and talked nonsense, saying that he had never felt so relaxed and happy.

Then, with tears welling up in his eyes, he said that his son was being unreasonable, and it was difficult for him as a father. He could only harden his heart and think how wonderful it would be if all his children were like his son-in-law, Chen Xuan, so that the family could be happy and harmonious, and there would be no coldness and indifference.

Gradually, he drifted off to sleep on the table.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan sighed inwardly, stood up and said, "Eunuch Wang, my father-in-law is drunk. Please take him to rest."

"Son-in-law, you flatter me. It's my duty," said Eunuch Wang gratefully. If it weren't for Chen Xuan and the others' arrival, the Emperor would probably still be secretly grieving. As a servant, he didn't know how to comfort him and didn't even dare to mention it. He then carefully helped the old emperor to rest.

Watching them leave, Chen Xuan thought to herself, "Go to sleep. When you wake up, it will all be over, and you should feel better by then."

Turning back to the little princess, he asked, "Qianning, are you going back to the princess's residence or staying in the palace?"

Before the little princess could answer, Old Deng, who had been supported by Eunuch Wang and was unconscious, suddenly turned around and said, "Qian Ning, don't go anywhere. Stay in the palace. That brat is obviously up to no good!"

Wait, weren't you drunk?

Chen Xuan was speechless. He was probably really drunk, but he was still on guard and was just using the alcohol to vent his emotions.

No, I'm already engaged to Qian Ning, why are you so wary of me?
The little princess covered her mouth and smiled, comforting Chen Xuan, "Brother Xuan, I'll stay in the palace to keep Father company. You go back by yourself, and I'll come find you to play another day."

At this time, Old Deng needed someone to accompany him the most. Chen Xuan understood and nodded, saying, "Alright then, I plan to go back to the South tomorrow. It's the end of the year, and I need to go home for the New Year. I won't say goodbye to you. I'll leave things in Beijing to you."

"Okay, don't worry, Brother Xuan, I'll take care of things here. When will you come again?" she asked reluctantly.

Seeing that no one was paying attention, and not daring to, Chen Xuan pulled the little princess into his arms. Holding the soft, fragrant princess in his embrace, he comforted her, "You can come anytime, it's very convenient."

"Then I'll wait for you," the little princess said sweetly, leaning on his shoulder.

Then Chen Xuan said pitifully, "Qian Ning, I'm going back tomorrow. I'm afraid I'll miss you terribly if I don't see you for three or two days. Can I have a bite to eat? Eating tastes better with your flavor."

"No, please," she said shyly.

"Ahem!" Old Deng, who was almost far away, coughed heavily. "You brat, I'm not far from here yet, do you think I'm deaf?!"

Ignoring everything else, Chen Xuan grabbed the little princess's head and started biting it. Amidst the little princess's whimpers, Old Deng, his eyes red, charged over, wielding a stick and roaring, "You damn blondie, that's what you said, isn't it? I'll beat you to death!"

He had also read Tingfeng Jushi's vernacular novels, so of course he wanted to read his daughter's works. Therefore, he also understood some of the local dialect that Chen Xuan had instilled in the little princess.

"Haha, can't hit her, gotta run away, Old Deng, you better watch out, I'm coming to smash your window," Chen Xuan released the little princess, smiled arrogantly and triumphantly, and ran away in a flash.

How dare Brother Xuan! In front of Father Emperor, I'm so ashamed! The little princess stamped her foot and ran towards Old Deng, saying, "Father Emperor, slow down, let me help you to rest."

"Hmph, brat, you got away fast! Oh dear, I'm drunk," Old Deng said angrily, pretending to fall. The little princess took the opportunity to support him and comfort him to calm him down.

Looking at the night sky, Lao Deng thought to himself, "You brat, you've gone to all sorts of trouble to soothe my emotions."

As night fell, the little princess helped old Deng leave. Father and daughter were together, family members were with them, and the old man was not alone...

Not long after, a roar echoed from the depths of the palace, startling countless people into trembling. Who had offended His Majesty again?
"You little brat, you actually smashed my window? Don't let me catch you, or I'll smash your head in!"

Chen Xuan, who had already left the palace, laughed and thought to himself, "I said I'd smash your window, so I did. Who told you to disturb my wife and me being intimate? I kept my word. Did you think I was joking?"
He turned around, exhaled, and strolled towards home, completely relieved. After all that commotion, it was no wonder Old Deng had no time to be sad.

But won't this make him so angry that he gets seriously ill?
Try to avoid him for a while and find a way to make him forget about this, but that might be a bit difficult.

Chen Xuan slapped his forehead; he'd forgotten to take the two arowanas. Tsk, he'd better keep them there for now… (End of Chapter)