Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 519 You can dodge the first day of the month, but you can't dodge the fifteenth.

It was getting late after dinner, and the little princess did not stay overnight. The wedding ceremony had not yet taken place, and the imperial family still had to consider its reputation. In fact, her frequent visits here were already somewhat unconventional, but no one dared to say anything.

When they sent her back to the princess's residence, she was very clingy when they parted, her eyes filled with reluctance and resentment. Her pitiful little appearance made Chen Xuan kiss her again and again.

After returning, Chen Xuan prepared to rest, as he still had to visit Lao Deng to wish him a Happy New Year the next day.

Upon arriving at the temporary courtyard, Chen Xuan saw Du Juan preparing to push open her bedroom door. Not being stupid, he roughly knew what she was going to do, and feigned ignorance, asking, "Sister Juan, is there something you need from me?"

Upon hearing Chen Xuan's voice, Du Juan seemed startled. Her movements were as if she were about to knock on the door. Logically speaking, with her innate cultivation, she shouldn't be unable to detect anyone around her. The main reason was that Chen Xuan returned as if he had teleported.

Turning around, she lowered her head, not daring to look at Chen Xuan, and said softly with a hint of trepidation, "Master is back. I...I've come to warm your bed and serve you so you can rest."

Having entrusted herself to Chen Xuan, she considered herself Chen Xuan's person and naturally had to serve him wholeheartedly. Having never experienced anything like this before, she felt no shame, but was worried that she wouldn't do well and would be disliked by her master.

I knew it would be like this. In this era, girls who are personal maids seem to feel that they have to dedicate their bodies and minds to gain recognition, just like Xiao Cai and Xiao Ye who were by Gao Jingming's side back then.

Shaking his head, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "No need, go back and get some rest too."

Upon hearing this, Du Juan, who had been somewhat apprehensive about being rejected, trembled and turned pale. She pursed her lips and said, "Does Master reject me? I am still a virgin, and I have learned how to please men, though I have no experience. Besides, I believe my appearance and figure are sufficient to satisfy Master."

Chen Xuan shook his head and said, "It's not what you think. I hope you understand that you are a person, an individual, not a tool to please others. So do you understand what I mean?"

“I understand, but sir, this is what I should do. Roujia is still young, and you pity her, but I am no longer a little girl. Let me serve you. Don’t worry, sir, I know what I’m doing. I will take contraceptive medicine and won’t make things difficult for you,” she insisted, seemingly having understood something.

A headache immediately struck Chen Xuan, who bluntly said, "Let me put it this way, I'm a normal person too, and not even a particularly good one. I have needs in all aspects, but precisely because I'm human, I won't be driven by desire like an animal. What kind of person would I be if I wanted to sleep with every woman? Sister Juan, don't overthink it. I admit, your looks and figure are incredibly alluring to me, but there are plenty of beautiful women in the world. Do I have to have them all? You're a person, not just a tool for pleasure, so don't overthink it. Go and rest, and don't do this again."

After saying that, Chen Xuan pushed open the door and entered, leaving her outside. Regardless of what others thought, he only needed to follow his heart. He had desires, but he would not be controlled by them, rather than doing whatever he wanted just because he didn't eat beef.

Looking at the closed door, Du Juan opened her mouth, and her cold face smiled silently. She didn't know why she was showing a genuine smile; she just felt very happy.

'To be a person, not someone who was once treated as a tool—is this what it truly means to live?' Thinking this to herself, she turned and left, no longer insisting. From now on, she would do her duty and not act presumptuously in ways that would displease the master.

After she left, Su Roujia poked her head out from the corner, pouting with some hesitation. The master didn't let Sister Du in. Did he really only want to marry the princess? How would they continue to have children and expand the family in the future?

Should I drug the master? The thought popped into Su Roujia's mind, and she was startled. Fortunately, it was just a thought in her mind and no one knew. She quickly put the terrible thought aside and went to rest.

Lying in bed, Chen Xuan rolled his eyes. What were they all thinking? The little girl always wanted to crawl into his bed, and now there was Du Juan too. Come to think of it, their fates were all tied to his, revolving around him. What else could they be thinking about but these things...?

The next morning, the little princess arrived. After breakfast, the group went to pay New Year's respects to the old emperor, not in the palace or the capital, but at a royal villa dozens of miles outside the capital.

During the year, there was a period of rest, and the old man went to the imperial estate for leisure. Chen Xuan learned this from the little princess yesterday.

Inside the carriage, the little princess nestled in Chen Xuan's arms, asking with a mix of jealousy and curiosity, "Brother Xuan, how was your night?"

Seeing her expression, Chen Xuan knew what she was thinking, and said with a wry smile, "Last night was great, you slept soundly until dawn."

"And your new maid, Dujuan?" she asked with great interest, slightly adjusting her posture.

He wanted to give her a flick on the forehead, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to do it. Chen Xuan said speechlessly, "Just me, no, Qian Ning, have you gone astray? What are you thinking about all day?"

"Brother Xuan, I secretly asked Steward Hua before, and she said that Dujuan is still a virgin. If it were a soft armor, she is still young, and it would be understandable if you couldn't bear to bully her. But Dujuan is not a child anymore. How can you bear to do that?" The little girl stared in disbelief.

"Is that how you see me, Qian Ning?" Chen Xuan was having a terrible headache. He noticed that the little princess's eyes had become a bit suspicious, so he quickly said mischievously, "Qian Ning, what kind of look is that? I'm perfectly normal, don't you know? Say it again and I'll bully you!"

Shrinking her neck, the little princess obediently quieted down and said weakly, "I won't say anymore, I won't say anymore. My brother Xuan is a true gentleman who can remain unmoved even with a woman in his arms, a rare good man in the world."

As she spoke, she blushed, her heart raced, and she felt a little scared when she thought of something bad she had touched through fabric.

Chen Xuan almost rolled his eyes. If someone else had said those words from the little princess, he would have suspected that they were being insulted, and insulted in a very vulgar way.

Around noon, they arrived at the imperial estate where the old emperor used to relax. It covered tens of thousands of acres and was heavily guarded.

This is the only place with a large area of ​​forest within hundreds of miles of the capital. It is not only a place for leisure and summer retreat, but most of the area is also a hunting ground.

Hunting is something that is practically ingrained in human genes. Even when an old emperor is old, he will occasionally go hunting to show off his bravery, as if he had never grown old at that time.

From afar, Chen Xuan could sense that there were dozens of ferocious beasts in the manor, including tigers, leopards, and wolves, as well as countless small animals. There were no particularly dangerous beasts, none of which were comparable to those with innate combat power. After all, this was a place for the royal family to enjoy themselves, and it was impossible to let anything truly dangerous in.

This is clearly a zoo, with dedicated staff to look after and feed the animals. The ecosystem is maintained in a balance, but over time, the animals here will lose some of their wildness.

Upon entering the manor, they learned that Old Deng had gone hunting early that morning. Just as they were about to go look for him, they saw the old emperor returning with his guards, laden with spoils. Behind him, a carriage was carrying dozens of animals, including rabbits, pheasants, and even several wolves and tigers. All of them had arrows that had pierced their brains through their eyes, but their fur was not damaged.

The old emperor, clad in black dragon armor and riding a jet-black steed with a bow and spear hanging from its back, exuded confidence and charisma, as if he had returned to the days of charging into battle—a time he truly had experienced.

"Your Majesty is amazing, your bravery is as strong as ever. You hunted a tiger and a leopard, and the arrows pierced their eyes but did not damage their fur. They were later made into a rug," said Eunuch Wang, flattering the old man and trying to make him happy.

Old Deng spread his cloak and said heartily, "That's right. Mere tigers and leopards are nothing to me. Back when I first ascended the throne, three neighboring countries wanted to join forces to invade. I took up arms and fought my way along almost half of the map's border. Since then, they have never dared to invade again and have sent hostages to beg for peace."

As he spoke, he shook his head helplessly and said, "Alas, I'm getting old. Back then, I was full of energy even with thousands of troops, but now I'm already exhausted after hunting just two tigers and leopards."

"Your Majesty, what are you saying? It's those beasts who are afraid of Your Majesty's majesty and hide everywhere, exhausting their strength. After a while, their stomachs are empty, which is why the harvest is so meager. Otherwise, the prey would definitely be ten times greater," said Eunuch Wang, only saying what was nice to hear.

As they chatted and laughed, the old emperor dismounted. The little princess immediately went to greet him, saying with concern and heartache, "Father, it's so cold. Why didn't you rest properly? Instead, you went hunting in danger. What if you got hurt? And you, Eunuch Wang, didn't you try to persuade Father?"

"Princess, please forgive me. Next time, I will definitely try to persuade His Majesty properly," Eunuch Wang immediately apologized. The emperor wanted to go hunting, and there was no way he could dissuade him. He could only try his best to protect him, but he dared not contradict the little princess and go along with her wishes.

The armor clattered and rattled. Before he could even remove it, the old emperor stepped forward and said cheerfully, "Little Fuyao, what brings you here? Didn't you go to see the bridal chamber today? Don't worry, your father knows what he's doing. Take advantage of the nice weather to stretch your muscles."

"You don't need to keep an eye on Brother Xuan all the time. Father, you're always so restless at the beginning of the new year. Brother Xuan and I have come to wish you a Happy New Year," the little princess said helplessly. Only she dared to criticize the old emperor.

Upon hearing this, Old Deng raised a snow-white eyebrow and scanned the surroundings, saying, "You brat came to wish me a Happy New Year? Where is he?" "He was with me. He was just beside me. Where is he?" The little princess wondered. She turned around and indeed there was no sign of Chen Xuan. She thought to herself, no wonder she felt something was missing. It turned out that the scene of Brother Xuan arguing and fighting with Father Emperor had not happened.

Then she asked Su Roujia and Du Juan, who were equally bewildered, "Where is your husband? He was just with us."

"I don't know, the master disappeared in the blink of an eye," Su Roujia said, shaking her head.

Du Juan was speechless. She had actually seen His Majesty. Should she kneel down and pay her respects?
Just then, Chen Xuan, who had somehow run ten paces away, rang out, saying, "Happy New Year, Father-in-law! Your son-in-law has come to wish you a Happy New Year and, incidentally, to freeload a meal."

They looked in the direction of Chen Xuan's voice and saw that he was half-hidden behind the wall, with only half of his head showing, looking at them with a timid and hesitant smile.

Upon seeing Chen Xuan's figure, Old Deng suddenly turned around, as if he had suddenly become young and full of energy. While the others were either terrified or dumbfounded, he mounted his horse, swung his cane, and galloped away. He charged towards Chen Xuan and roared through gritted teeth, "You brat, you stop right there! I'll break your dog claws today. You dare to smash my window, huh? Let's see where you run to!"

Seeing this, the little princess was both amused and exasperated. Her father and brother Xuan had never stopped fighting when they were together, and they had started fighting again in the time it took to say a few words.

The newcomers from Dujuan were completely bewildered. They hadn't even had a chance to pay their respects to His Majesty when he suddenly appeared in full military uniform, 'chasing after' their master. Was he still the emperor?

Quickly realizing what was happening, she hesitated for a moment and whispered to Su Roujia, "Is Master alright? His Majesty is like this... is no one going to protect him?"

Before Su Roujia could say anything, the little princess waved her hand weakly and said, "Don't worry about them, it'll all calm down soon, you'll get used to it."

She had already accepted Chen Xuan's maid and treated her as one of her own; otherwise, she wouldn't have asked if her beloved Xuan-gege had slept with her, and naturally, she wouldn't have put on any airs of a princess.

Eunuch Wang also spoke up, "Miss Du, there's no need to worry. Your son-in-law knows what he's doing."

As for Eunuch Wang, although he served the old emperor diligently, Chen Xuan was the old emperor's son-in-law, so he had to know his every move immediately. Otherwise, what if he couldn't answer the emperor's questions? So even though it was only one day, he had already learned a lot about Du Juan's situation, including her background as a member of the Shadow Assassin Sect.

To have risen to this position by serving the emperor, one must have been quite perceptive. Did they really think that following the emperor since childhood would guarantee their safety?

As Chen Xuan ran away, he thought to himself that he knew this would happen. Old Deng was quite vengeful. He smashed his window that day, and now he was 'spotted' him the moment he showed his face. Luckily, he had kept his distance and greeted Old Deng in advance to see his reaction. If he had gone straight up to him, he would probably be covered in bumps by now.

While muttering to himself, he fled while begging for mercy, saying, "Father-in-law, I was wrong, I'll never dare to do it again, please forgive me this time."

"Too late, you brat! You dare smash my window? You'd better stop if you dare! Is running away your way of begging for mercy? Today I'm going to break your dog paws, or this won't end here!" Old Deng roared furiously from behind, his armor gleaming, his horse galloping wildly, his cane waving, like a great general charging into battle.

The chase continued, and the two of them were everywhere in the entire estate, causing chaos and confusion. However, everyone kept their eyes down and pretended not to see anything. The father-in-law and son-in-law seemed to be enjoying their time together, and anyone who dared to step out would be asking for death.

Let them make a scene, it would be more worrying if they didn't.

The little princess knew about her father's situation, and when this thought popped into her mind, she suddenly felt a little sad. She didn't know how many more times Chen Xuan could make her father happy.

Putting those thoughts aside, she turned back and smiled, "Eunuch Wang, tell them to prepare the meal. After Xuan-gege and Father have finished their commotion, they should have a drink. It's still chilly, so we'll have hot pot today. Cut some tiger meat that Father hunted, the tender parts, not too much, as Father's health can't handle too much of Chunyang Mountain Lord's meat. Prepare plenty of vegetables and make a half-and-half pot, as Father can't eat anything too spicy."

"Your Majesty, I will obey your command and make the arrangements immediately," Eunuch Wang nodded in response.

After Chen Xuan and Lao Deng had finished their commotion, the hot pot for the little princess and her friends was almost ready.

Old Deng was already tired after returning from the hunt, so Chen Xuan didn't push him too hard. After circling around a few times, Chen Xuan deliberately let Old Deng catch up with him and then got a good beating. Despite Old Deng's fierce shouts, he didn't actually use any force. Even though he knew that he couldn't hurt Chen Xuan even if he used all his strength, he didn't dare to hit any dangerous parts. He only hit his buttocks and hands, as these parts wouldn't break.

"Do you still dare to do it? I'm asking you, do you still dare to do it? You smashed my window, didn't you? No matter how fast you ran that day, you still ended up in my hands. The world is so big, where can you run to?" Old Deng's armor made a clattering sound with every step he took, and with every sentence he spoke, he would nudge Chen Xuan with the stick in his hand, just like herding pigs.

Chen Xuan walked ahead dejectedly, rubbing his backside and grimacing as he said, "I won't do it again, I won't do it again! Father-in-law, please stop hitting me! If you keep hitting me, I won't have a single good spot left on my body. You've already beaten my backside into eight pieces, and you still won't forgive me?"

"Forgive? You're dreaming! I'll remember this. I'll beat you every time I see you again," Old Deng said through gritted teeth, relentlessly.

Chen Xuan shrank his neck and muttered weakly, "It can't be that vengeful, can it? Old Deng, you just wait, you're going to beat me every time you see me, right? Watch out, I'll throw ice cubes into your blankets while you're sleeping, that'll be so exciting."

"What did you say? Say it again if you dare!" Old Deng didn't hear him clearly and glared at him.

"Haha, it's nothing. I won't run away next time. I'll just stand here and let you beat me up, okay? Anyway, you're the one who'll get tired," Chen Xuan laughed it off.

The two entered the dining room, and the little princess pretended not to see their childish playfulness, rising to greet them, "Father, Brother Xuan, the food is ready, come and have something to eat."

"To tell you the truth, we've been traveling for several hours to get here, and my father-in-law even chased after me and beat me up. I'm starving," Chen Xuan said, rubbing his buttocks as he approached. He had just been slapped a few times by Old Deng, so he had to pretend.

Emperor Shangxuan handed the stick to Eunuch Wang, and amidst the eunuchs bringing over screens, clothes, and armor for him to remove and change, he said with a look of disgust, "Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating! You brat, are you a pig?"

"Yes, yes, father-in-law, you're right. I may be a pig, but I can still root up cabbages," Chen Xuan said smugly. He had just been beaten up, but he was used to being with Lao Deng and had gotten carried away with his pride again.

Old Deng sneered, "Trying to steal cabbages, is that it? Wang Banban, go get ten cabbages. If this kid doesn't finish them today, tie him up and force-feed him!"

"Father-in-law, are you feeling guilty for beating me? You're actually rewarding me? Ten cabbages are barely enough to fill my stomach. Cabbages are a rare treat at this time of year," Chen Xuan retorted without batting an eye, showing he could really eat it all.

"A reward? Fine, give me another thousand cabbages. I'm going to reward you properly today, my good son-in-law. If you dare leave even a single leaf, you won't be seeing Xiao Fuyao for the next month," Old Deng sneered. You brat, you think you can't be dealt with?
Chen Xuan's smug expression froze. He wanted to slap himself. Why was he arguing with the old man? He really couldn't eat a thousand cabbages. No matter how strong he was, he couldn't digest them all. He could only weakly beg for mercy: "Father-in-law, please have mercy. How about I eat them in installments?"

"No, you must finish this meal. This is my reward for you. I cannot refuse a gift from an elder." Old Deng was in high spirits after winning the round. He changed his clothes and sat down, glancing at Chen Xuan with disdain. "You little brat, you're still too green to mess with me."

"Damn it, I've got myself into this mess," Chen Xuan resignedly said. "Fine, I'll try my best to finish it. It's just a thousand cabbages, the worst that can happen is I'll stuff myself to death."

Before Old Deng could even consider reducing the amount for him out of pity, he heard him whisper, "I didn't say I'd finish it all today. I've been eating the same food for months on end. I'm relying on you, but it'll all be gone eventually."

Old Deng was immediately dumbfounded. This kid was trying to pin it on him? Wasn't this like shooting himself in the foot?
"Go away, you have to finish eating today. I hate looking at you. Don't try to make excuses here," Old Deng said dismissively, waving his hand without emphasizing the thousand cabbages anymore.

At first, they enjoyed bickering, but later it wasn't like that at all; others just couldn't understand it, but they could understand it after spending more time together.

Chen Xuan suggested that he stay and keep the old man company, but Lao Deng said it wasn't necessary; he was content to come over occasionally for a meal and a chat.

(End of this chapter)