Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 520 Backup
An emperor doesn't need anyone to accompany him. Even as his life draws to a close, as a true dragon among men, soaring through the heavens, he is destined to be alone.

In fact, Chen Xuan knew that after such a turbulent life, the old man did not want to show his frail and powerless side to the people he cared about in his old age.

Heroes grow old with gray hair, beauties age with fading youth; the most fleeting things in life are those that cannot be retained, a sense of desolation that evokes a sigh of sorrow.

The old man was pleased that Chen Xuan could come and joke around, but he wouldn't give him a good look. Besides the inherent 'hatred' between father-in-law and son-in-law, he wanted more 'unpleasantness' and to remember more of his own despicable side so that his descendants wouldn't be too sad after his death.

The early spring air was chilly, with icicles hanging from the eaves and snow covering the distant mountains. Yet, the dining room was warm and cozy, and the red and white broths of the hot pot emitted an enticing aroma.

Seeing Chen Xuan wolf down his food like a starving ghost, not even caring about the heat, Lao Deng was overjoyed, and his own appetite also whetted.

Who wasn't well-behaved in front of me before? Only this kid doesn't care about his image at all, which actually adds to the family's happy atmosphere. Being able to eat is a blessing, and children should eat more so that they can be healthy.

With a sneer, Old Deng said irritably, "You brat, you come to wish me a Happy New Year empty-handed? I have to pay for your meal, right? Do you even have the nerve to do that?"

After munching on a mouthful of tiger meat as if it were stir-frying vegetables, Chen Xuan said matter-of-factly, "Father-in-law, you know I'm thick-skinned. Why do you think I'd be embarrassed? I'll have to take something with me later."

"Eat and take? You're dreaming. I'll have someone keep a close eye on you, you won't be able to take a single hair away," Old Deng was amused by his words.

Immediately afterward, Chen Xuan put down his chopsticks and said ingratiatingly, "How could that be? Your son-in-law also brought you a gift: rare mountain delicacies and mushrooms. I'm not bragging, but even though you sit high in the imperial palace, you've probably never tasted them before. You can't buy them in the capital no matter how much money you have!"

That's the truth. The little girl grew a lot of mushrooms herself, and not many people in Yang County have tasted them. It's no wonder that Old Deng has never eaten them. Where would he buy them in the capital?
As for his tone, which was as precious as dragon liver and phoenix marrow, that's not important; it was just a slight embellishment.

"Oh ho, let me see it, so this old man can broaden his horizons," the old emperor raised an eyebrow and believed his nonsense.

Chen Xuan turned around confidently and asked, "Roujia, where are the delicacies we brought for my father-in-law?"

"Master, here you are," the little maid quickly handed over the bamboo basket she had brought.

Taking the bamboo basket, Chen Xuan noticed the mushrooms inside were shriveled and emitted a faint mushroomy smell. Under the old man's disdainful gaze, he said earnestly, "Father-in-law, you have no idea how difficult it was to obtain these. The right time, place, and people were all indispensable. The growing environment is demanding, requiring meticulous care. Moreover, the growth cycle is short; if not handled carefully, they will rot and turn to dust. There haven't been many this past year, and most of them have been brought to you. Let me tell you, just last year, I traversed thousands of mountains and rivers, from Mo City in the west to the Misty Marsh at the northernmost edge of Yuhua Kingdom in the north. It took nearly a year for these precious mountain delicacies to finally reach your hands."

That's right, the little girl planted them herself. Where would these mushrooms come from without her? She didn't even grow many in a year. Besides, Chen Xuan really did go to those places last year. He wasn't lying, but they had absolutely no connection. Anyway, he didn't say that the mushrooms were collected from those places.

Upon hearing this, Old Dengbei Chen Xuan was stunned and almost believed it. Luckily, he noticed the dumbfounded expression on the little girl's face, otherwise he would have been moved and treated the boy a little better.

Looking at Chen Xuan with an expression that seemed to say, "Do you think I'm an idiot?" he said disdainfully, "You brat, you're too much of a fool. Can't you tell me the truth for once?"

"Father-in-law, you've been wronged! Everything I said is true. I'll swear on the spot!" Chen Xuan said innocently.

Old Deng admired Chen Xuan's shamelessness. Of course, he knew that everything he said was true, and he couldn't even find a word to refute it. He shook his head and said, "You brat, it's a waste of your talent not to go into business. You can blow gold juice into jade liquid. By the way, how can you hold back your laughter?"

"I've received professional training, unless I can't resist," Chen Xuan blurted out unconsciously, then quickly added, "This was brought to you from afar, so please tell me if you want it or not."

The journey from Yang County to the capital is more than a thousand miles. Let's just say that's not true.

Reaching out to take the basket, Old Deng gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, why wouldn't I want it? This is a token of my good son-in-law's affection, priceless. I'm almost moved to tears. I treasure it dearly."

These were indeed the old man's honest thoughts, but the tone changed when he said them to Chen Xuan. There was nothing he could do; this was the way the two fathers-in-law and sons-in-law had always gotten along. Even if one of them had made a slight concession, things would have been completely different. If that had been the case, their relationship would not be what it is now.

"I knew my father-in-law would be satisfied. Don't be stingy with your food. There will be more after you finish eating. I'll do everything I can to get you more," Chen Xuan said proudly, as if he were giving away some priceless treasure.

You know what, even if he, a grandmaster, gave us a small pebble, how many people would dare say it wasn't a treasure?
After spring, the little girl will also grow mushrooms. Chen Xuan's so-called "all his skills" are just to lie down and let them grow in the ground. Isn't it tiring to lie down?
"Then should I thank you, my good son-in-law?" the old man said sarcastically, but as he spoke, he handed the basket to Eunuch Wang, indicating that he should keep it safe and add some to the soup later for a unique flavor.

The old man lacked nothing; after all, it was his son-in-law's thoughtful gesture. It would be a lie to say he wasn't happy, but he just wouldn't say anything kind.

"No need to thank me, it's my duty. We're family, why be so polite? If you really feel bad, just let me bring you something later. Come on, have a drink to warm yourself up," Chen Xuan said casually, raising his glass.

Chen Xuan mentioned taking some things twice, and Old Deng knew what was going on. He glared at him and said, "My daughter is already married to you, you brat, don't go too far!"

"As a junior, it's only natural for a son-in-law to ask his elders for help," Chen Xuan argued. Old Deng meant that since his daughter had already married him, what was there to be reluctant about? He could ask for anything he wanted.

Only the two of them, seemingly bickering, can actually get to the point; someone a little less intelligent wouldn't understand at all.

The little princess watched them go back and forth with a happy expression. Since she could remember, apart from herself, her father was only so relaxed and happy in front of Chen Xuan. She thought to herself that it would have been better if her brother Xuan had appeared earlier.

She had a small appetite and would often serve food to the two of them. As a result, Chen Xuan and Lao Deng would happily eat the food that the little princess had served them, envying each other with pride, just like two children vying for attention. This made the little princess both amused and exasperated.

The meal lasted for more than an hour. The old man was quite old and couldn't eat much. He mostly relaxed in this way, and in the end, most of the food went into Chen Xuan's stomach. He accepted everything offered to him.

During the process, the old man and Chen Xuan drank some wine, not much, just enough to relax their muscles and improve blood circulation.

After dinner, they went to the garden for tea to aid digestion. Chen Xuan and Lao Deng kept bickering. Seeing a chessboard in the pavilion, Chen Xuan suggested playing chess. Lao Deng scoffed and said he would teach him a lesson. As a result, the two "lousy chess players" regretted every move they made, and they played back and forth happily.

Emperor Shangxuan's strategic planning and chess skills were undoubtedly excellent. Chen Xuan's cultivation and mental calculation abilities were outstanding. With Chen Xuan deliberately letting him win, the two were evenly matched. They argued fiercely over taking back moves and stealing pieces, their faces red and necks thick, almost to the point of overturning the chessboard. However, they just thought it was fun. Winning or losing was not important. Playing chess is a mentally taxing activity, so they just wanted to have fun.

Watching the chess game in silence, the little princess initially found it fun, but after a while she got bored. So she ignored the two of them, called out, and took the little girl and Dujuan to tour the royal estate.

After another fierce battle on the chessboard, Old Deng, who had regretted nine moves, finally saw a glimmer of hope for victory. He put down a piece and said triumphantly, "Haha, you're still too green, kid. You lost, didn't you?"

“Father-in-law, take a closer look. You call this a win? There’s a piece missing here,” Chen Xuan pointed out the mistake. As for where that piece was, how would he know?

Hmph, no matter how much you cheat, you can't beat me at stealing the game without anyone noticing!
"I clearly had a chess piece there! You're the one who cheated! I'm not senile yet! You little brat, is this how you play chess?" Old Deng roared. Chen Xuan didn't back down, blinking and saying, "If you can't beat me, you can always shout!"

"What's the point of playing anymore? I'm not playing anymore," Old Deng said angrily, pointing at him. "If this continues, there's no hope of a result."

"If you don't want to play, then don't. It's just to keep the old man happy anyway." Chen Xuan packed up the chessboard and said directly, "Father-in-law, there are seven floating islands above the capital. Could you teach me the formation that makes them float? Just the formation that makes them float is enough. I'll make one myself later."

One of the purposes of coming to the capital was this. Chen Xuan didn't beat around the bush with him. He had mentioned before that he wanted to take some things, so he just asked for them directly. The old man didn't insist if he didn't give them to him. It would be better to make roundabout demands or exchanges.

Chen Xuan knew his limits when he chose a floating formation instead of the complete capital city formation. That was unrealistic. The complete formation was a national treasure, the last line of defense and a means of fighting enemies for the Jing Kingdom. They would not easily hand it over to him. A floating formation was enough for him.

Upon hearing this, the old emperor curled his lip and said, "I knew you were up to no good. You gave me a basket of lousy mushrooms and expected me to create a levitation array. Fine, since you still have some conscience, take it if you want. I'll have Wang Banban bring it to you later."

Chen Xuan didn't stand on ceremony with him, and he agreed without hesitation.

This was both expected and unexpected, but Chen Xuan still smiled and said, "Then thank you very much, Father-in-law."

The tone sounded insincere, but the old man didn't mind. Instead, he asked in a daze, "You little rascal, you're quite capable. I thought you wanted something else, that you would actually be interested in this flashy but impractical floating array?"

"I just think the whole aerial pavilion is quite fun. Besides, I don't know much about formations, so I just use it to pass the time when I have nothing else to do," Chen Xuan said casually.

Shaking his head, Old Deng chuckled and said, "I don't know what's wrong with you, kid, that you like living high in the sky. What's the point of living somewhere between heaven and earth? I've never been to my place more than twice a year."

"Just playing around, I'm bored anyway. By the way, Father-in-law, since you've given me the floating array, why don't you help me get the materials too? Leave the rest to me. I've been thinking about it, and it doesn't need to be too big. A floating island with a diameter of thirty feet will be enough. The floating island itself can be replaced by cutting off a mountain. There shouldn't be many other materials, right?" Chen Xuan pressed his advantage.

Upon hearing this, Old Deng glared at him with an expression that seemed to say, "How about I just give you the complete capital city formation and prepare all the necessary materials for you?"

"That's too much trouble," Chen Xuan said, his eyes lighting up as he rubbed his hands together.

It was just a joke, but to everyone's surprise, Old Deng nodded and said, "Alright, I'll arrange it later."

This surprised Chen Xuan, who shrank back and said, "Father-in-law, don't take it seriously. I was just joking. I'll be satisfied with the floating array; I'll figure out the rest myself."

Waving his hand, Old Deng surprisingly abandoned his usual friendly demeanor, stood up, and looked seriously towards the capital, saying, "I'm not joking with you. A ruler's word is law. I keep my promises. The complete capital formation will be delivered to you later. As for the materials for the complete formation, forget it. I'll just prepare the materials for the thirty-zhang diameter floating island you mentioned. I doubt you'll set up a complete formation. I don't know much about these things. Even for a simple floating island, there might be a few materials that I can't provide. You'll have to figure it out yourself. After all, I've only activated it once in the last few decades. I need to keep some stock for unforeseen circumstances. Besides, there are too many corrupt officials in the court who haven't used the formation materials for many years."

Things that haven't been used for decades may never be used again, so someone must have tampered with the inventory. The old emperor knew this perfectly well. Perhaps he learned something from repairing the formation before the New Year, but he didn't tell Chen Xuan directly, instead saying that he needed to find a way to deal with it himself.

Surprisingly, Chen Xuan felt strange without Old Deng's usual carefree attitude; it was rare to see him so serious.

He only needed a formation to suspend the mountaintop in mid-air, yet he gave me the complete capital city formation. The difference between us is too great.

A thought flashed through his mind, and Chen Xuan roughly realized something. He put away his playful smile and said, "Father-in-law, is there anything you want to tell your son-in-law?"

A smile appeared on his face, and Emperor Shangxuan thought to himself, "This kid really understands me."

Without turning back, he continued to look towards the capital and said, "Xiao Xuan, don't feel burdened. Everyone knows that I don't have many days left to live. After I die, I don't know what the situation will be like. That's beyond my control. I'm giving you the complete capital's grand formation as a backup, just in case."

"After I am gone, if one day, even by a mere chance, the capital is breached, the formation collapses, and it becomes a living hell, and if my descendants are still ruling this land, you don't need to do anything. Just hand over the complete formation to whoever does then. Consider it a small thing I'm leaving for my descendants."

Hearing the old man say this, Chen Xuan suddenly felt a little heavy-hearted. It wasn't because of the old man's entrustment, but because even as his life was about to end, he was still thinking about taking care of the younger generation.

The Grand Array of the Capital is a national treasure. If used properly, it is comparable to several Grandmaster-level experts. The key is that it can be set up without the need for a Grandmaster's cultivation. The only difference is that it is troublesome and requires professionals. The old man hopes to leave such an important thing to his descendants, provided that the situation he described occurs.

In case the capital is breached and turns into a living hell, the great formation will surely be lost in the flames of war. That's why the old man wanted to leave a backup for Chen Xuan. After all, Chen Xuan is a Grandmaster and very young. Normally, he should live for about two hundred years. How many generations of emperors would he have to live through?
The old man didn't force Chen Xuan to do anything. He just hoped that if that day ever came, his descendants would still rule this land. He wished that Chen Xuan would leave the formation to the king at that time. That was all.

This is one of the few things he was able to leave for future generations.

Perhaps the old man had some foresight and glimpsed the future, for Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Father-in-law, you worry too much. The whole country is peaceful and prosperous now, and such a thing will not happen."

"Such words are only for children. Where in the world is there a dynasty that stands forever? I only hope that the younger generation will be more ambitious and try to extend the Jing Kingdom for a few more years," the old man said, shaking his head.

The old man seemed to understand, but Chen Xuan said, "Just live in the present. Who can predict the future? Thinking so much is just too tiring."

"Children and grandchildren have their own blessings; we really shouldn't think about it so much," Old Deng said, deeply agreeing.

Before Chen Xuan could say anything, he turned back and reverted to his usual disdainful tone, saying, "You brat, you can't even handle a simple task like passing it on, can you? That kind of thing is almost impossible. After all, if the capital is destroyed by war, my descendants probably won't even be qualified to sit in that position anymore."

"What you're saying is ridiculous. I'm not losing anything; I'm getting a huge advantage for free. I'm overjoyed," Chen Xuan said, rubbing his hands together with an embarrassed expression.

Old Deng waved his hand, clearly disliking him again, and strode away, saying, "That's it then. I'll have Wang Banban hand over the reins to you later. I'm getting old and have to accept it. I'm a bit tired, so I'm going to rest now. I'm leaving you all to your own devices."

Bowing to see the old man off, Chen Xuan sighed inwardly. He was getting old, but in the end, he still couldn't let go of the younger generation.

Who says emperors are heartless? They just express it differently.

Only after the old man's figure disappeared from sight did Chen Xuan slap his forehead, realizing he had forgotten to ask where there was a chance to obtain a concealment formation. Oh well, he'd ask Eunuch Wang later if he had any ideas.

……

(End of this chapter)