Misty Rain of the Old Times

"I haven't seen you for several days. I'm so happy to see you. I can't help myself," Chen Xuan said, looking at the little princess's pretty face, especially her petal-like lips, which seemed to hold a lingering affection.

It wasn't too much, there were still people around. After a little intimacy, he took her hand and walked towards the pavilion.

The little princess blushed slightly with shyness, but she was very happy inside. She enjoyed this intimate gesture, finding it unconventional and exciting. Being with someone she liked made her very happy.

Their fingers intertwined, and she walked hand in hand, excitedly saying, "It's only the first day of the Lunar New Year, and Brother Xuan already has time to come over!"

At this moment, a quick palace maid brought over a soft couch, a warm stove, tea, and snacks. She then lowered the light gauze curtains and withdrew, as it was still quite cold at the beginning of the new year.

After they sat down together, Chen Xuan nodded and said, "I already paid all the New Year's visits before the New Year. I didn't have anything else to do, but I missed you, so I came to see you and then wish my father-in-law a Happy New Year."

Upon hearing this, the little princess deliberately looked at Chen Xuan with a pitiful expression and said, "So, Brother Xuan only thought of me because he was bored?"

This little bit of playful banter between lovers was no challenge for Chen Xuan. He looked at his little princess mischievously and said, "It's not just when I'm bored that I think of Qian Ning. I think about her all the time, even in my dreams. You have no idea how much I tease you in my dreams..."

"Brother Xuan, please stop talking! I believe you, okay?" The little princess interrupted him shyly before he could finish speaking. She couldn't resist any longer; who knew what else Chen Xuan might say if he continued?

Knowing when to stop, Chen Xuan smoothly changed the subject, "How is Father-in-law?" He knew that if he said anything more, the little girl might run away in embarrassment.

"Yes, Father is alright now. He's over his emotions from that day. He's been leaving many things to Crown Prince lately, so things are quite relaxed. By the way, we'll be on holiday until the fifth day of the new year, so Father will be free these few days. He'll be very happy to know that Brother Xuan is coming to wish him a Happy New Year," the little princess said with a relaxed expression.

Before the Lunar New Year, Zhou Hong and his group staged a coup. Although it was suppressed, they were, after all, his own flesh and blood. How could the old emperor be so quick to forgive them? He just didn't show his emotions in front of Chen Xuan and the others.

The little princess was really worried for a while and stayed in the palace with him until yesterday, after the New Year, when the old emperor's emotions stabilized and he came out of the palace early this morning to check on the situation.

The fact that the Crown Prince was entrusted with many matters suggests that the groundwork had been laid and power was being gradually relinquished. It's highly likely that the old emperor would abdicate before passing away; he wasn't the type to take power to his grave.

As for being happy to wish him a Happy New Year, that's for sure, but he definitely won't give me a friendly look on the surface, since Old Deng and Yellow Hair usually have a 'grudge' between them.

Chen Xuan tried to avoid inquiring about royal affairs, but since they had come here for casual conversation, he naturally placed the little princess's legs on his knees, played with her little feet, and then, noticing something in the distance, remarked with a sigh, "Huh, I've been away from the capital for a few days, and the floating island has already been repaired?"

"Brother Xuan, stop pinching! It tickles!" the little princess said coquettishly, curling her toes. She couldn't understand why Chen Xuan liked to play with her little feet, even though they were fragrant, soft, white, tender, and could be held in one hand.

Seeing that he pretended not to hear, she felt helpless and let him be. As long as he was happy, that was fine. She nodded and said, "After that day, Father Emperor ordered the Ministry of Works and the Imperial Observatory to carry out repairs. The work was completed before the New Year. After all, the seven floating islands represent the face of our Jing Kingdom to a certain extent. It wouldn't look good to have such a big gap during the New Year."

"That's true," Chen Xuan said sincerely.

That day, Jiang Yuan's men created a huge gap in her private floating island. Although they failed to truly destroy the formation, it was still shocking. It was repaired in just a few days, showing the capabilities of the Ministry of Works and the Imperial Observatory.

This grand formation in the capital is truly a national treasure. Chen Xuan wasn't sure if he could learn it from Lao Deng. It would be even better if he could get all the materials.

Chen Xuan felt he was being a bit greedy, so he decided not to force it. He just wanted to find something to do so he wouldn't be so bored. He didn't really care whether he could have his own castle in the air.

"How have you been these past few days, Brother Xuan? Has it warmed up there yet?"

"Qianning, you know I don't have any ambitions. I just live my life as it comes. After going back, I'll visit some people I'm close to, which will be quite fulfilling. It's only the New Year, so it won't warm up in the south so quickly. However, the winter snow isn't as white as it is here in the capital."

"Spring always comes earlier in the South than in the North, Brother Xuan. Is it really true that flowers bloom all year round in the South, as described in the books? I've never been to the South before."

"Places where flowers bloom in all four seasons must be further south, right? There's not much difference between Yang County, where I am, and the capital."

"The mountains and fields are ablaze with color; the scene must be beautiful."

"I've never seen a place filled with flowers before. I'll take you there sometime. The world is so big; we should travel and see more of it, let our footsteps explore every corner of the world."

"I can't wait! Wherever Xuan-gege is, that's the most beautiful scenery."

"This world is made all the more beautiful by your presence, Qian Ning."

"Brother Xuan, you're so naughty! You always say things that touch my heart and make me never want to be apart from you."

"To be honest, the scenery on Yushan Mountain is quite beautiful. Mr. Yushan loves flowers and has planted all kinds of flowers on the mountain. When I was studying at Yushan Academy with Young Master Jingming, the teachers would have us plant flowers every year. There were crabapple blossoms in spring and chrysanthemums in autumn, with flowers blooming all year round. It is already the most beautiful place in Lanfeng County."

"Brother Xuan, will you take me there sometime? It's where you grew up, and I want to leave my mark there too."

"it is good……"

Time always flies when the two of them are together; even just sitting and chatting, they always have so much to say.

How come I'm not embarrassed at all when I say things that would make others pick their toes?

Before they knew it, the little girl had led Dujuan to familiarize herself with the entire mansion and returned here.

Xia Mei, the guard at the gate, knew Su Roujia, but had never seen Du Juan before.

Based on Xia Mei's cultivation and experience, she could tell from Du Juan's expression and behavior that she was no ordinary person. Her years as an assassin had instilled in her an intense and unyielding coldness, which made Xia Mei wary, especially since the princess was still inside.

However, Du Juan was with Su Roujia, and it was her duty to secretly observe them a few times. While she was wary, she didn't stop them, especially since the young master was still there.

"Greetings, Commander Xia, Happy New Year!" Su Roujia greeted her sweetly.

Xia Mei cupped her hands in a gentle gesture and said, "Miss Su, Happy New Year too."

Chen Xuan's personal maid, whose status would later be even higher than hers, and who genuinely liked this little girl, treated her with exceptional kindness.

After exchanging pleasantries, Su Roujia introduced herself: "Sister Du, this is Commander Xia from the Princess's residence. We'll be family from now on, so please get to know each other. And Commander Xia, this is Du Juan, Master's new maid."

"Greetings, Commander Xia," Du Juan quickly bowed. She was an assassin, so she used a cupped-hand salute and had not learned proper etiquette.

Du Juan was a little uneasy and couldn't let go. One choice could change her life. Although she had experienced many ups and downs, today's experience was truly upside down. Grandmasters, princesses, royalty—people she used to avoid—were now in her life. Even if she adjusted her mindset, she found it difficult to adapt for a while.

Xia Mei returned the greeting and took the initiative to express goodwill, saying, "Greetings, Miss Du. We're all family now, no need for formalities."

At this moment, she thought to herself that this was a lucky woman, to be taken in by the young master's side, it was like rising to the top in one step. After exchanging greetings, they entered the courtyard. After all, they were Chen Xuan's people, so of course they had to serve them. But after entering the courtyard, they saw Chen Xuan and the little princess chatting and laughing together inside the light gauze curtains, so they wisely did not go over to disturb them and waited quietly.

The little princess was chatting happily with Chen Xuan when she noticed the unfamiliar Du Juan next to Su Roujia and asked curiously, "Brother Xuan, who is she?"

"Du Juan, a newly acquired maid," Chen Xuan said frankly, having nothing to hide from the little princess.

Upon hearing this, the little princess glanced at him sideways, leaving Chen Xuan completely bewildered.

However, she didn't say much. Instead, she left Chen Xuan's side, put on her shoes, and walked towards Du Juan with great interest, saying, "Since she's Brother Xuan's new maid, I have to get to know her."

Chen Xuan didn't follow, thinking to himself, "Why do I have this feeling of being caught red-handed? No, she's just a maidservant, why am I so nervous?" He immediately felt righteous...

"Greetings to Her Royal Highness the Princess"

The little princess's past. Su Roujia immediately bowed. Du Juan's heart tightened upon hearing this. This was Princess Fuyao? The future mistress was truly a beauty of unparalleled grace.

When the princess appeared before her, Du Juan, who came from a humble background, instinctively wanted to kneel down and pay her respects. However, when she saw out of the corner of her eye that Su Roujia had only squatted down, she restrained herself and followed suit.

Du Juan had never learned proper etiquette, and this was her first time meeting the princess. She was reserved and appeared very stiff.

The little princess walked over, waved her hand, and said, "No need for formalities." Then, amidst Dujuan's unease, she slowly circled around her, scrutinizing her.

As Dujuan looked to Su Roujia for help in a state of confusion, the little princess asked from behind her, "Your name is Dujuan, right? Xuan-gege's new maid?"

"Yes, this servant Dujuan greets Your Highness," Dujuan said, bowing her head in fear. She dared not raise her head and wanted to kneel down; she was almost crying.

Even though the little princess seemed frail to her, she was still a princess. Under her scrutiny, she didn't dare to move an inch. The slightest movement would likely result in her being beheaded. She also vaguely understood that this was a crossroads of fate. If the princess didn't accept her, even if Master Chen Xuan wanted to stay, he probably wouldn't be able to.

The little princess laughed behind her, "Don't be nervous. Now that Brother Xuan has taken you in, we're family now, and you'll have plenty of time to spend together."

The little princess chuckled to herself, thinking, "Am I that scary? Look how nervous she is."

Faced with Du Juan's pleading eyes, Su Roujia was also helpless.

Upon hearing this, Dujuan breathed a slight sigh of relief and said nervously, "Your Highness, am I not nervous...?!"

Before she could finish speaking, a sharp crack echoed through the courtyard, leaving Su Roujia and Chen Xuan in the pavilion dumbfounded.

Then the little princess slapped Dujuan's bottom, and her round, full buttocks, which were stretched taut by her skirt, bounced a few times, with fleshy ripples.

The slap made Du Juan tremble all over, and the people around her were shocked and stared in disbelief.

However, after doing this, the little princess acted as if she had done something insignificant. She went around to the front of the cuckoo, and as the cuckoo lowered her head in fear, she reached out her little hand and placed it on the cuckoo's magnificent chest. She gently squeezed it, her five fingers sinking slightly, and then released it, restoring the chest to its full and round shape.

Then she reached out and lifted Du Juan's chin, looking her up and down, and said, "Full-figured, delicate and smooth, with an excellent feel, snow-white skin, and dignified posture, but her expression is a bit cold and her manners are slightly lacking. Her appearance is one in a million, not bad, not bad. Brother Xuan has good taste. You should serve the master well in the future, understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Du Juan said, her voice trembling as she nearly cried. Who knows what kind of torment she had gone through in that short moment? But she knew she had passed the test.

Believe it or not, at this moment the little princess seemed to be smiling, but she had an extremely strong aura. Everyone around her didn't dare to breathe, including Chen Xuan. Even Chen Xuan himself didn't notice that a bead of cold sweat had slid down his forehead.

The little princess was still the little princess; she seemed no different from usual, though she had been somewhat intimidating before. Her next words, however, eased the tension. She took Dujuan's hand, patted it gently, and smiled, "I told you there's no need to be nervous. Relax. Now that you're in Brother Xuan's house, there's a long road ahead."

"I understand," Dujuan said, trying to remain calm, but she just couldn't relax.

With her innate cultivation, she had killed countless people without blinking an eye in the past, but in front of the extremely fragile little princess, she appeared like a quail, as if suppressed by a mysterious bloodline.

However, a princess is still a princess. No matter how easy she is to get along with, she is still a princess of noble birth. When she gets serious, there are very few people who can handle her.

Chen Xuan, who was dumbfounded by what he saw, secretly swallowed and thought to himself, "Our little princess has this side to her too."
No, Qian Ning, what are you doing? Patting my butt and pinching the bear, it all seems a bit inappropriate, okay? Are you checking its quality or giving me a pass? Or are you declaring who's the primary and who's the secondary?

The problem is, I already said she's just a maid, what are you doing?
Seeing the flustered and uneasy Dujuan, the little princess smiled and said, "Don't call yourself that, we don't use that term in our family. Brother Xuan won't like it. We're family, nicknames and given names are fine."

"I...I...I understand," Dujuan said, still in shock, completely bewildered. Who am I? Where am I? What happened?

Seeing this, a smug smile flashed in the little princess's eyes. She turned around and said, "Alright, you're Xuan-gege's person, so don't say I'm bullying you. Just act the same as usual. I'm going to talk to Xuan-gege."

"I just arrived today, how would I know what it's like normally?" Du Juan was completely lost and on the verge of tears. After her experience, she felt that the world was terrifying.

Completely dumbfounded, Chen Xuan realized what the little princess had done and was amused and exasperated. "Qian Ning was just joking with you. It's getting late, go arrange dinner. Rou Jia, you take care of her."

"Yes, sir," the little girl finally came to her senses, and with a look of utter disbelief, she led Dujuan away.

Sending Dujuan away was a way to give her time to calm down.

Returning to Chen Xuan's side, the little princess gave him a thumbs up and praised, "Brother Xuan has excellent taste! This Du Juan is outstanding, I approve of her. No wonder I didn't need to arrange for anyone to serve you that day; it turns out you like this kind of person."

Feeling a chill run down Chen Xuan's spine at the hint in the princess's words, he shook his head and asked, "Qian Ning, what are you up to?"

"What, Brother Xuan, are you feeling sorry for the beautiful lady?" the little princess asked, covering her mouth.

Scratching his head, Chen Xuan said speechlessly, "No, why are you teasing people?"

Without being taught, she suddenly reached out and pinched Chen Xuan's waist, twisting it once and humming, "Men are all the same."

Are we talking about the same thing? Never mind, girls' minds are so fickle. Chen Xuan pretended to grimace in pain and said, "Ouch, ouch, ouch, Qian Ning, have mercy!"

"Oh, Brother Xuan, you're so fake. I didn't even use any force. Come on, a kiss will make it stop hurting," the little princess said happily, not understanding Chen Xuan at all. After her tantrum, she actually took the initiative to coax him.

Although it wasn't a big deal, Chen Xuan understood that the little princess was using this method to let Du Juan know what was important and what wasn't. Since things had come to this, let's eat first... (End of this chapter)