Misty Rain of the Old Times

Du Juan left before nightfall, politely declining Chen Xuan's invitation to spend the New Year together.

In truth, she was incredibly tempted, but she had been used to being alone for many years and had not yet adapted to the life of an ordinary person. She was too reserved and embarrassed to bother him, especially since he was an outsider.

Next year, she thought. She would spend the next year getting to know Mr. Chen better, build good neighborly relations, and once things were going well, she would dare to come over and celebrate the New Year together. She secretly set herself a small goal.

Having once been an assassin, she spent her days either killing or on her way to kill. She had no friends, no relatives, and not even anyone she knew. The word "neighbor" was completely foreign to Du Juan.

After returning, she immediately informed the Shadow Assassin organization of everything Chen Xuan had said. She did not take matters into her own hands, thinking that she was doing it for Chen Xuan's sake and not wanting to cause him any trouble. She did not think she was a very smart person. She believed that listening to Chen Xuan, a scholar, was definitely the right thing to do. After all, Chen Xuan had grown up with the top scholar and was a hundred times smarter than her.
The message has been sent out, and now we just have to wait for the Shadow Assassins' response. What will the result be?

Du Juan was unsure about the Shadow Assassins' reaction. She knew that her neighbor Chen Xuan was very powerful, but could he be so powerful that the Shadow Assassins would hesitate to act against him?

She was unaware that Chen Xuan was a Grandmaster-level cultivator. Having lived in seclusion in Yang County for several months, she had lost all contact with others and had no way of knowing what Huang Xiaochao was doing in the capital, nor did she understand what the name Huang Xiaochao represented.

Huang Xiaochao's actions are something that only those of a certain social standing can access, and those who do come into contact with him consider it taboo and dare not even mention it. After all, no one knows if gossiping will lead to Huang Xiaochao coming to their door. The Wu family's example is a good one; they were attacked with their household registration book. Who would dare to provoke them? Even the Grandmaster-level expert Wei Wuyai was killed for meddling in other people's business.

Regardless of whether things succeed or fail, Du Juan will always remember Chen Xuan's kindness. Although she was once a heartless killer, it is precisely because of this that she can better appreciate who is truly good to her.

Perhaps it was just a matter of Chen Xuan saying a few words, but it was incredibly precious to her, who lacked care and attention.

The problem is that she owes Chen Xuan too much—a life-saving grace, a helping hand on the path, and now she's even helping her solve her troubles. How can she repay that debt?

She herself is only presentable in terms of appearance and figure, but it seems that Young Master Chen has no interest in her body at all. He wouldn't even take her for free. Besides, with Young Master Chen's looks and cultivation, what kind of woman couldn't he have?
How could she repay his kindness? The assassin was at a loss. Not very bright, she racked her brains but couldn't think of anything she could do to help him.

Having his child? But he doesn't even want his own body, so forget about it.

Oh, it’s so difficult.

Although she had no ill intentions, Dujuan now truly understands why there's a saying that gratitude can turn into enmity...

As the year draws to a close, Yang County is still quite lively under the night sky. No matter how hard or tiring the year has been, these few days are the only time to relax a little. Those who can afford it put on new clothes to prepare for the New Year, while those who are struggling financially try their best to clean their homes and prepare some things that they couldn't afford to eat in the past. Wealthy families will even hire opera troupes and acrobatic performances to entertain themselves.

"Master, I have prepared everything you need for your bath. Tomorrow is the New Year, and you can't take a bath because it will wash away all your good luck. Would you like me to help you bathe?" the little maid asked expectantly after finishing her chores.

Is there such a saying? Chen Xuan shook her head and laughed, "I'll do it myself. You're still a young girl, don't think about those messy things all day long. I've told you so many times, you're really persistent."

"I'm the master's maid, it's only natural, it's bound to happen sooner or later, and besides, I'm not young anymore," the young maid said somewhat dejectedly. Thinking of Du Juan's hot figure during the day, she felt a little frustrated. It seemed that she still hadn't met the master's expectations in terms of looks.

As he walked upstairs, Chen Xuan waved his hand and said, "She's just a little girl, you should get some rest too..."

After taking a shower, Chen Xuan, wearing loose pajamas, pushed open the bedroom door and said with a wry smile, "Why are you here to warm the bed again? There's a heated room, just like in the middle of summer. What's the point of you doing this?"

The little maid on the bed had only her head sticking out from under the covers. When Chen Xuan arrived, she got out of bed wearing only a bodice and underpants, unabashedly exposing her beautiful body to Chen Xuan's view. She smiled brightly and said, "It's what I should do. It'll be more comfortable for you to sleep, Master. I've washed, and I smell nice."

"Okay, okay, go to sleep now. Don't do this again next time," Chen Xuan said speechlessly.

This kind of thing happens every day when Chen Xuan is at home, and the little girl enjoys it time and time again.

"Yes, I understand, Master. Get some rest, goodnight." The little maid put on her clothes and left with a smile, thinking to herself that she should listen to the Master's words in reverse and try again next time.

Shaking his head, Chen Xuan thought to himself, "Is this the master's life? It's so decadent, but it's truly hard to resist. If this continued, I'd be willing to live with beautiful wives and concubines, gourmet meals every day, and a mansion. Hmm, prop my pillow up a bit, and have a good dream..."

Before dawn the next day, the entire Yang County was bustling with activity. Many families started setting off firecrackers early in the morning, as if they were competing to be the first to do so, hoping to bring good luck.

The sound of firecrackers bids farewell to the old year. This is the last day of the year, and also the last day of the forty-fifth year of Emperor Shangxuan's reign.

After today, Chen Xuan will no longer be an eighteen-year-old boy, but will soon enter the life of a nineteen-year-old old man. Well, he started his retirement life at the age of eighteen, avoiding decades of detours compared to others, which is perfectly reasonable.

Even on New Year's Day, it did not affect Chen Xuan's normal life. Early in the morning, he still practiced the Qigong exercises without fail, and even dragged the little girl to practice with him. After eating a simple breakfast, the little girl immediately began to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner, while Chen Xuan lay flat and waited to be fed.

Lying on a rocking chair in the pavilion, holding a purple clay teapot in my arms, sipping tea every now and then, basking in the warm winter sun, it couldn't be more pleasant.

"What should I do next year? I'm getting listless from doing nothing all day. Getting married is the most important thing, but it doesn't require me to worry about anything. I just need to bring the little princess home when the time comes. What else should I do?"

Lying flat, Chen Xuan pondered to himself, "Lying flat is certainly comfortable, but it gets boring after a while."

He racked his brains but still couldn't come up with a solution. He had already mastered the dozen or so martial arts techniques left by Old Liu to a high level. Reaching the pinnacle of the Seven Revolutions Flaming Sun Palm depended on luck. As for his cultivation, the Ze Yuan Technique was constantly improving on its own. He really couldn't find anything else to do.

"Alchemy and weapon crafting? High-grade materials are hard to find, and searching the whole world myself would take forever. Just thinking about it is too much trouble. Array formations? I've only managed to create a reasonably decent mist array so far. All that's left are illusion arrays and killing arrays. Old Liu didn't leave any more information about arrays. The materials for illusion arrays and killing arrays are even more troublesome than for mist arrays. I have absolutely no clue about the materials for any of them. Sigh, I really am a useless piece of trash."

Feeling bored and lost in thought, Chen Xuan rolled over.

Staring blankly at the sky, he had thought about taking his little princess around the world for their honeymoon after the wedding, but that wouldn't work. Old Deng would be passing away next year, and he had to see the old man off. Afterwards, both the little princess and he would definitely be sad, so he would take her around to relax.

Thinking that Old Deng was about to pass away peacefully, Chen Xuan finally knew that he had to do something, but he couldn't just sit idle either.

"There are seven floating islands above the capital. Should I build one above my house too? The imperial court must have a floating formation. I'll ask Old Deng for one later, and then cover it with a fog formation. Although a big cloud of fog floating in the sky is quite conspicuous, I don't have a better way for now. The illusion formation only affects the senses when you get trapped in it, but it won't work if you're far away. I just don't know if I can get my hands on a concealment formation. I'll see if I can build myself a floating island over the next year. If not, it doesn't matter. I have plenty of time..."

Random thoughts kept popping into Chen Xuan's head, and he didn't decide what he wanted to do, so he just went with the flow.

Time flies when you waste it. The sun was already setting, and the little girl had already told him it was time to eat.

"Here they come!" Putting aside all distractions, I headed to the dining room. It was my first New Year since starting my own business, so I had to be serious.

The little maid, having set out the food, said expectantly, "Master, I've prepared twelve dishes, representing the twelve months of the year, symbolizing completeness. Are you satisfied?"

The little girl is quite skilled; the table is laden with chicken, duck, fish, and meat—all looking delicious and appealing.

Chen Xuan praised without reservation, "Satisfied, extremely satisfied! Having the Soft Armor is a blessing for me, your master."

"I'm glad the master is satisfied. I'll be fifteen after today," she said meaningfully, blinking her eyes.

Knowing what she was thinking, Chen Xuan chuckled and said, "Fifteen years old is still just a naive little girl."

The slightly disappointed little girl quickly cheered up and changed the subject, saying, "Master, let's pay respects to our ancestors first, then set off firecrackers and have dinner."

"Hmm," Chen Xuan nodded seriously, abandoning his lazy demeanor.

There was an altar in the house, with the characters for Heaven and Earth enshrined there. Below that were the memorial tablets for Chen Xuan's parents. He was certain that he was a flesh-and-blood incarnate being, only his body had shrunk. So after he started his own household, he began to enshrine his parents' memorial tablets.

Chen Xuan lit three incense sticks, held them above his head with both hands, and respectfully knelt to worship Heaven and Earth and his parents.

"Dad, Mom, although I've been reborn, I've grown up again and am doing well. You don't need to worry. I've already achieved what you expected of me, but you can't see it, and I can't give you a chance to enjoy life. It's always a regret. Dad, Mom, are you doing well over there? I miss you so much. You always seem carefree and cheerful, but I came into this world all alone, without any family or friends. I was so lonely. But I'm getting married in a few months and will have my own family. Dad, Mom, I really wish you could see it with your own eyes. You would be so happy then. But we're separated by life and death, and you can't see it anymore. I will live a good life, just as you expected, a million times better than you hoped. Can you see that? Dad, Mom, dinner's ready..."

My heart cries out, but my parents, separated by death, cannot answer.

After kneeling and kowtowing three times, Chen Xuan placed three incense sticks into the incense burner, stared at his parents' memorial tablets for a long time, and a trace of loneliness flashed in his eyes.

It was only on days like these that he, who was usually carefree, would reveal this side of himself.

The little girl followed suit. She was also a member of this family. Even though she was just a maid, Chen Xuan allowed her to kneel and worship, which meant he truly accepted her.

Su Roujia also missed her parents and grandfather very much. She silently told her family that she was doing very well now, living with a good grandfather, a life she never dared to dream of before, and asked them to rest assured.

Then she had a very simple and honest wish, which was to pray that God would bless her husband so that he would be safe and healthy, and ideally have many wives and concubines, many children and grandchildren, and a lively and happy family, so that she could take good care of them no matter how hard or tiring it was...

A moment later, Chen Xuan took a bowl, filled it with some of each dish, and went outside to burn paper money and incense, then poured water and rice on it.

After finishing, he composed himself and called out, "Roujia, go light the firecrackers, it's time to eat!"

"Yes, sir."

The little girl said excitedly, lighting a brazier at the door and throwing in sections of sawn bamboo. The bamboo crackled and popped as it burned. Even though the noise was very small, she instinctively covered her ears with joy.

What an easily satisfied little girl! She should be happy like this, living life with a smile and making the most of every day.

Seeing that her fever had almost subsided, he urged, "Come and eat quickly, or I'll eat it all!"

"Here you are, sir. Would you like some wine?"

"Of course, what's with that look? Don't get your hopes up. You're too young to drink alcohol. Tea or soup will do."

“Oh, alright, sir, I’ll toast you with tea instead of wine,” she said, raising her teacup with both hands. Chen Xuan raised his wine cup and clinked it against hers, smiling, “On such a special day, I’ll also toast you. Thank you for taking care of me these past six months, Roujia. Tomorrow you’ll be a fifteen-year-old girl; I wish you beauty, health, and happiness.”

"Thank you, sir. I'm not good with words, but I wish you happiness, fulfillment, and all your wishes come true," the little maid said, racking her brains.

"Okay, let's all stay healthy and happy, and live our lives well. Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

The two smiled at each other and happily ate and drank. Now they depended on each other for survival. Although they were master and servant, they were no different from a family and neither of them was lonely.

After a few rounds of drinks, Chen Xuan put down his glass, took out a red envelope from his sleeve, and handed it to her, saying, "Here, Roujia, you've worked hard these past six months. Take this red envelope; it's your New Year's money. It's not much, but don't mind it. Buy whatever you want; don't be stingy."

"Oh... sir, I can't accept this. We're already living well enough. How can I take your money?" she said, shaking her head.

Chen Xuan placed the red envelope in front of her and said, "We're each other's only support now, so just take it. Don't be shy, you can't refuse."

"Yes, thank you, sir. I'm sorry, I didn't prepare a gift for you." She obediently accepted the gift. The red envelope contained silver notes, which she hadn't opened yet, so she didn't know how much they contained.

As they continued eating and drinking, Chen Xuan said, "That's more like it. You've been busy preparing such a big feast and are spending the New Year with me, so I won't be all alone. That's the best gift you could give me."

She smiled sweetly and said, "I will stay with you every year from now on, for all eternity, as your maid."

"Haha, that's great! But you'll have to work hard to improve your cultivation, otherwise it won't be easy for you to stay with me for the rest of your life," Chen Xuan said cheerfully.

The little girl nodded earnestly and said, "I will definitely try my best."

Putting aside these unpleasant things, Chen Xuan reached out and retrieved another box, handing it to her and saying, "Speaking of gifts, I've prepared one for you. Open it and see if you like it."

Upon seeing this, the young maid immediately waved her hand nervously and said, "Master, I have already accepted the red envelope, how can I accept another gift? You have given too much, I am just a lowly maid, I cannot accept it."

“What nonsense are you talking about? You’re going to serve me for the rest of your life. What’s a mere gift? Besides, this gift was specially prepared for you. I have no use for it,” Chen Xuan insisted.

In this way, the little girl could not refuse. She thought to herself that she would have to serve the master even more diligently in the future, otherwise she would not be able to repay even a fraction of the kindness the master had shown her.

She then opened the box and exclaimed in surprise, "It's clothes! The fabric looks very precious, and there are shoes too. Thank you, sir!"

"Didn't I say I'd make you clothes out of ice silkworm silk? I took some time to make you two sets, just a little something for my own amusement. One is a knee-length maid outfit, with stockings and little leather shoes. It's just a little something, I'm not going to go too far. There are no cat ears or bells, though. You can wear this one at home, and there's also a long dress for going out. Try them on later to see if they fit," Chen Xuan said with interest. It was indeed just to satisfy his own little amusement. Now that he had the means, the little girl had grown into a beautiful young woman, so of course she had to be dressed up nicely, so it would be pleasing to the eye to have her around.

Making clothes from ice silk is no challenge for him; he can simply follow the styles he remembers. Dyeing and printing lace is even easier, since it's not as complicated as making flags. He can finish it in a little time. He's taking it out today to fulfill his promise and give her a little surprise as a New Year's gift.

Moreover, the clothes made of ice silkworm silk themselves have amazing defensive capabilities, providing her with a layer of safety protection despite her low cultivation level.

"It looks so beautiful, thank you, sir. I will cherish it dearly," the little girl said, touched.

"What's there to cherish? Clothes are meant to be worn. Besides, they're made of ice silk, so they're very durable. Don't worry about them getting damaged. By the way, maid outfits might be a bit indecent, so please don't mind the soft armor," Chen Xuan said a little embarrassed.

Girls in this era are very conservative, so it's really going too far to make things difficult for a young girl just to satisfy your own little whims.

The young girl blushed and said, "I don't mind. It doesn't matter if it's indecent. I'm only wearing it for Master to see."

Even her undergarments had been seen by the master; what did this mean? She thought to herself.

Clearing his throat, Chen Xuan changed the subject, saying, "Alright, put the gift away. Come on, let's continue eating. Let's enjoy our meal today."

"Yes, sir, let me serve you some food. Your wine glass is empty, please pour some more..."

The New Year's Eve dinner lasted from afternoon to evening. Chen Xuan drank two jars of wine, but he couldn't get drunk no matter what.

After dinner, he drank tea in the pavilion to aid digestion and enjoyed the night breeze, feeling quite content.

The little girl, however, changed into a silk stockings maid outfit and little leather shoes. Her petite figure, bright eyes and white teeth, and her chubby, baby-faced face full of collagen made her incredibly cute.

Glancing occasionally at her busy figure under the lights, Chen Xuan looked at the myriad lights of Yang County under the night sky and thought to himself how wonderful it is to live a simple and peaceful life.

Life is always full of ups and downs, but tonight everyone is celebrating together.

The busy young girl's ears turned red, her heart raced, and she keenly noticed that her master was secretly looking at her legs. The black silk stockings clung to her skin, making it seem like she wasn't wearing any. It was just a section of her calf covered by silk stockings, was it really that beautiful? How embarrassing!

She was just a young girl, and Chen Xuan didn't have any dirty thoughts. He simply thought she was pleasing to the eye. After all, life is about being happy.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, and the night deepened. Chen Xuan gazed at the night sky, a genuine smile appearing on his face.

Goodbye, my 'eighteen-year-old' self; goodbye, forty-five years into the Zhenkai era, my nineteen-year-old self, who will still be just as happy and joyful...

The forty-fifth year of Zhenkai came to an end. Many things happened in that year, some related to Chen Xuan and some not, but all of them have passed.

What will the next 46 years of Zhenkai be like?

The next morning, Chen Xuan opened the door and saw a maid dressed in a maid outfit waiting at the door with toiletries in hand.

She smiled radiantly and said, "Happy New Year, sir!"

"Happy New Year, Roujia!" Chen Xuan greeted her, looking at her playful and cute outfit. He immediately laughed and said, "Haha, seeing Roujia like this, I feel like I've returned to my hometown and become a wealthy young master again."

Hearing this, she tilted her head in confusion and said, "He jokes and plays with His Majesty, and even the princess married him. Which rich young master can compare to you? And what about your hometown? Didn't you grow up in Yang County?"

“That’s true. Even the rich young masters back home aren’t as decadent and unrestrained as I am here. I’ve forgotten where my hometown is, and I can’t find my way around,” Chen Xuan said with a smile.

Knowing that Chen Xuan had been sold to the Gao family as a child, she didn't want to bring up the old man's painful past, so she changed the subject, saying, "I'll help the old man wash up; the water will get cold later."

"Oh, right, Roujia, do you still have any of the dried mushrooms you grew yourself?" Chen Xuan nodded and asked.

The young girl replied while combing Chen Xuan's hair, "There are about two jin left, not much more. I'll plant some more in the spring and sell them for money."

"Whatever you like. Prepare a pound later. We're going to the capital to pay New Year's respects to your father-in-law and also to see Qian Ning. I've missed her a few days ago."

"Yes, sir."

We're going to Beijing again. Thinking about my two previous experiences with airsickness, the little girl felt a bit apprehensive. She cheered herself up, determined not to suffer like the last two times. This time, I'll close my eyes; it'll be over in a flash anyway.

My trip to the capital is not only to pay New Year's respects to Old Deng and spend time with the little princess, but also to see if I can get my hands on a floating formation. It shouldn't be a problem, and I might even be able to get my hands on the complete formation of the capital to study.

If all goes well, he will go to a place that is neither too far nor too near a few days after he returns. He has always remembered his promise.

After they finished packing up, before they could even set off for the capital, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the assassin sister, Du Juan, came to pay her respects early in the morning, bringing with her homemade tofu.

"Miss Du, Happy New Year! Please have a seat. Have you eaten yet?" Chen Xuan greeted her.

She was still a little reserved, but tried to sound natural as she said, "Happy New Year, Young Master Chen. I've already eaten and have no relatives to visit, so I came to wish you a Happy New Year. I hope I haven't bothered you?"

"I wouldn't mind if you didn't disturb me; I'd be more than happy to oblige. Please have some tea."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the woman, who was not good with words, looked at Chen Xuan gratefully and said directly, "Young Master Chen, after returning home before the New Year, I sent a message to the Shadow Assassin Sect as you instructed. They have replied to me, saying they will not cause me any more trouble. If they have offended me in any way, I humbly request that you be lenient. The sect leader also said that he doesn't know if he has the honor of personally coming to apologize, otherwise he will feel uneasy."

Huang Xiaochao's decision to make the Shadow Assassins give him face genuinely frightened the assassin organization, and regardless of whether it was real or fake, they dared not provoke Du Juan again.

That's Huang Xiaochao! He slaughtered powerful families without hesitation, and even a grandmaster was cut down with a single blow. If he had ten times the courage, would the Shadow Assassin Sect dare to disrespect him? And they're still not satisfied, wanting to come and apologize.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan happily said, "Apologizing in person is fine. Just tell them that we should keep to ourselves and not interfere with each other. There's no need for that. And congratulations, you're now free. You don't need to hide anymore; you can live openly and honestly."

Originally, all she could do was avoid trouble that she couldn't handle, but Chen Xuan solved it with just a few words, which made Du Juan feel both incredulous and indebted.

Not knowing how to repay her, she looked at Chen Xuan and mustered her courage, speaking earnestly yet nervously: "Young Master Chen, I have no way to repay your great kindness. I humbly request that you accept me as your maid, so that I may serve you at your beck and call. I wonder if I am worthy of such an honor?"

Chen Xuan was taken aback, not expecting her to say that. He shook his head and said, "Miss Du, you are now free. Your wonderful life has just begun. Why lower yourself to become a slave?"

...(End of chapter)