Misty Rain of the Old Times

Seeing Chen Xuan embracing his precious daughter, Lao Deng was furious. What kind of behavior was this in broad daylight? He was even holding her in his arms. Little Fuyao's face was as beautiful as a peach blossom. Needless to say, one glance was enough to tell that the boy was definitely up to no good.

As someone with experience, he knew all too well that it was easy for trouble to arise when young people were inseparable and whispering sweet nothings to each other. They hadn't even gone through the wedding ceremony yet. If a scandal were to break out, what would become of the royal family's reputation?

Normally, elders should avoid talking about this kind of thing, but if they don't teach that kid a lesson, who knows how their daughter will be bullied in the future.

Let alone the fact that he's an emperor, his age alone means he's already beyond reproach. In short, let's beat him up first, otherwise I won't be able to swallow this anger.

So as soon as he arrived at the door, he flew into a rage and charged forward with a stick.

Following the tactful eunuch Wang who served him, he stood outside the door, looked up at the setting sun, and thought to himself, "Here we go again. The spring sunshine is so warm. Only when facing his son-in-law does the Emperor act like an ordinary old man, making a fuss as he pleases, instead of the aloof and unsmiling emperor. How many more times can he have such an experience?"
Perhaps the sunlight was a bit too bright, because before he knew it, Grandpa Wang's eyes were a little moist, but it was instantly evaporated by his true energy.

Looking at the 'murderous' old man, Chen Xuan thought to himself, "I knew I was getting a chill down my spine. It turns out that I've run into his gun again while I'm being affectionate with my little wife."

With an awkward smile, Chen Xuan quickly stood up, holding the little princess, and said, "Father-in-law, when did you arrive? Why didn't you let us know? I could have gone to greet you."

"You think I'd have an excuse to beat you up if someone told me?" The old man pretended not to hear, rushed over, puffed out his beard, and glared at him, saying, "Let go of me now, you brat! I'll break your dog paws!"

As he spoke, he swung the smooth, coiled stick in his hand toward Chen Xuan's arm. After all, he was quite skilled and had even been on the battlefield in his youth. Even without using his cultivation, the angle was tricky and the force was strong. He wouldn't accidentally hurt Xiao Fuyao, but he would also make the brat feel pain and learn a profound lesson.

"Hey, hey, hey, we just met, and I didn't do anything to upset you, so why are you hitting me?" Chen Xuan took off running. Although it didn't hurt, he wasn't about to let the old man get away with it so easily. He was just going along with it and letting the old man get some exercise.

Seeing this, the old man used his internal energy to give chase, and sneered, "Boy, don't run! I've already laid a net around you. You won't be able to escape today. I'll beat you until your face is covered in bruises!"

"Who are you trying to scare? There's no ambush around except for a few guards," Chen Xuan shouted as he ran. "Stand there and let me beat you up. Do you think I'm a pig?"

"You're lazy and good-for-nothing, who else is a pig if not you?" Old Deng got angrier and angrier. How dare she steal my little cabbage! No way, I have to give her a good beating today to vent my anger.

Chen Xuan, who easily dodged the attack, retorted confidently, "I won't hold your age against you, Father-in-law, but this is my home. Don't do anything reckless."

"What a joke, you brat! Go ask around and see if you can claim this place as your home. Do you think I'm kidding you? Don't run away, or I'll hit you!" The old man swung his stick so fast it left afterimages, but he just couldn't hit him.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan shrank back, seemingly realizing it was true, and weakly said, "Putting aside the facts, isn't this trespassing and committing violence? Is there no law or justice left?"

"I am the law, at most I can issue an arrest warrant later. No, what do you mean by ignoring the facts? Where did you get this nonsense from, you deserve to be beaten even more!" Old Deng realized what he meant and became even angrier. This kid has been to school, yet he's spouting nonsense. He deserves to be beaten even more.

He ran and chased, and although it didn't cause a complete uproar, their figures were everywhere in the small garden for a while. Yet, they managed not to damage a single plant or tree. The garden had just been decorated, and they still had to receive guests for the wedding, so they had to take it easy.

Watching the two of them bickering, the little princess was already used to it. She sat down leisurely, resting her chin on her hand and watching with great interest. She didn't take sides with either of them. When they had enough, they would quiet down on their own. Occasionally, she would cover her mouth and smile. Looking at the disheveled Chen Xuan, she thought to herself, "Serves you right for bullying me. Now you know how to be scared, don't you?"

She didn't think too much about the future. At least she was happy in the moment, wasn't she? Just like Xuan-gege sometimes said, time can't be grasped, so we should make the most of the present and create more beautiful memories.

After all the commotion, seeing that Old Deng's face was rosy and he was moving around, Chen Xuan, knowing when to stop, cooperated with Old Deng and took a few light blows. He couldn't bring himself to hit him anymore, and angrily threw down the stick, saying irritably, "Even you think I'm too old, huh?"

"How could that be? Father-in-law, you're at the prime of your life, how could a young man like me be a match for you?" Chen Xuan picked up the stick and handed it to him, shamelessly saying.

One sentence made the old man laugh. Even though he knew the younger generation was just trying to make him happy, he still felt good. It's a case of loving the house because of the crows. If someone else dared to say that, it would definitely backfire.

He curled his lip, took the stick, and strode towards the pavilion. Suddenly, he whacked Chen Xuan on the head with a sharp crack, then grinned and said, "Sounds like a good whack."

Ah, I'm finally satisfied. That brat deliberately let me hit him to make me happy. How can it be the same as my own hand? Anyway, I feel a great sense of accomplishment.

Chen Xuan rubbed his forehead, speechless, and said with a wry smile, "Father-in-law, this is unacceptable. This is an unsportsmanlike sneak attack. I was careless and didn't dodge."

"So young people are still a bit green. This is to teach you a lesson: never let your guard down. Luckily it's me; if it were someone else with a knife, you can imagine the consequences," the old man said smugly, never forgetting to urge you on.

That makes sense, but could Chen Xuanzhen avoid it? Nevertheless, he nodded earnestly and said, "Father-in-law, you are right. I have learned my lesson."

"You brat, just keep learning. Don't look down on everyone just because you have some skills," the old man grumbled. He knew the boy had really taken it to heart, and he also knew the boy was just trying to make him happy. But he just couldn't get that kind of understanding from his other children.

"Father, Brother Xuan, you must be tired. Please sit down and have a cup of tea," the little princess said, getting up and helping the old man to sit down.

Old Deng immediately changed his expression, beaming, and said, "Our little Fuyao really cares about her father." Then, he turned to Chen Xuan with disdain and said, "Unlike some brats who only know how to annoy this old man."

You've always disliked me, but I haven't done anything to offend you, okay? Chen Xuan has been completely wronged, and you can't even reason with him.

As a result, Old Deng's words left him extremely embarrassed, unable to refute them, and he shrank back, not daring to utter a sound.

The old man pointed at him with a sneer and said irritably, "You brat, don't be so unconvinced. Your wedding is just around the corner, and what have you been doing? Have you made any preparations? Oh, so you really haven't cared about anything, have you? Just wandering around everywhere, not even a shadow of you can be seen."

The finger was practically poking Chen Xuan's forehead. Having already made a mistake, Chen Xuan could only awkwardly say, "I was wrong, Father-in-law, please calm down. I promise I won't go anywhere for a while and will fully cooperate with the wedding preparations."

"Your attitude is alright, but don't cause any trouble. Just cooperate and do what I tell you to do. Just make sure you can find someone," the old man said irritably. He was annoyed that the brat was really acting like a hands-off boss.

In reality, with the wedding date approaching, Chen Xuan didn't really need to do anything. But you're familiar with the process of the emperor marrying off his daughter, right? There are all sorts of complicated etiquettes, and the wedding clothes have to be tried on in advance to see if they fit.
When these things were mentioned, the little princess fell silent, shy yet expectant. What else could she say but to actively discuss it? Her father would be heartbroken if she couldn't wait to marry into the family.

Chen Xuan repeatedly assured him, "Father-in-law, rest assured, I will definitely not run around anymore."

“Your legs are your own, I’m not going to tie you up, am I? But putting everything else aside, if I don’t see you on your wedding day, hmph, brat, you better think about the consequences yourself,” Old Deng warned.

He was really worried sick. If he hadn't given prior instructions, the brat might have actually done something like disappearing on his wedding day. If that had happened, it would have been a huge joke.

Of course, he knew that Chen Xuan wasn't the kind of person who didn't know what was important, but what if something else came up and delayed things? Who could say for sure? In any case, it was better to make arrangements in advance. If something unexpected happened, it would have to be dealt with as soon as possible or postponed until after the wedding.

There's no need to spell it out; it's enough that we understand each other implicitly.

Chen Xuan nodded to indicate that he understood, and changed the subject, saying, "It's getting late, it's time for dinner. Father-in-law, you haven't eaten yet, have you? I just happened to get some seafood, still alive, the freshest it could be, and brought it especially to honor you."

"You brat, you said it was getting late? I thought you were trying to kick me out," Old Deng said, glancing at him sideways.

"No, can you speak properly? Where did you get the idea that I meant that?" Chen Xuan said, feeling exhausted and speechless, "Father-in-law, you misunderstand. I'll arrange to cook some dishes right away, and then have some drinks?" "This is your home, why are you asking me?" the old man said calmly. From the moment they first met until now, the two of them had barely exchanged a few normal words.

"Now you know this is my house? Why didn't you say so when you were beating me up?" Chen Xuan looked towards the door and said, "Sister Juan, Roujia, let's begin. We've already discussed how to prepare these ingredients on the way here. Today, let's have a seafood feast."

"Yes, sir. Your Majesty and Your Highness, please wait a moment. It will be ready soon," the little maid replied and began to busy herself. Du Juan was still a little reserved and uneasy. She had never had the experience of eating roasted beans with Old Deng and getting her mouth all black like the little maid.

It's a good thing she's just a young girl with limited experience. Because of Chen Xuan, Lao Deng didn't treat her like an outsider. Otherwise, the mere phrase "wait a moment" could have been used to investigate the matter, and how many people in the world would dare to make Lao Deng wait?
Ignoring all that, the old man scrutinized Chen Xuan and said, "Good lad, you always come up with new ideas. You're making me eat a whole seafood meal. Is it because I beat you up and you're holding a grudge? Can you take responsibility if something bad happens to you after eating this?"

If it were anyone else, they would have immediately knelt down and committed suicide to atone for their sins based on those words alone. However, Chen Xuan curled his lip and said, "Father-in-law, if you want to punish me, just say so. You can always find a pretext to frame me. Would I, your son-in-law, harm you? A mere seafood meal—don't think those imperial physicians and chefs are just sitting around doing nothing, even with me here."

"You brat, you're so easily fooled. You actually took it seriously. Wait a minute, I haven't even settled the score with you yet," the old man chuckled for a moment, then glared angrily at Chen Xuan.

Scratching his head, Chen Xuan asked in bewilderment, "What did I do to offend you again?"

"Isn't that enough?" Old Deng gritted his teeth and said, "When you came out of the palace last time, did you steal two more dragon fish from me?"

It seems there really was such a thing, but it's already in my stomach. However, Chen Xuan vehemently denied it, shaking his head and saying, "Nothing like that. It must be that my father-in-law is mistaken. There are so many cats and dogs in the palace, as well as all kinds of rare birds and animals. You can't blame me for them carrying it away, can you?"

"Is that so? Then consider it feeding the dog," the old man rolled his eyes, too lazy to argue. He didn't have many days left to live, so it was good to let the brat cause some trouble and have some fun.

He had a feeling that the man was insulting him, but Chen Xuan had no proof. Speaking of which, he really missed the taste of the dragonfish. There was still a group of them in the pond, raised like little submarines. He would go and steal some when he had time... take some, round it up and consider them his own, no need to be polite.

Chen Xuan brought a lot of seafood, and the pieces were all quite large. Du Juan and the others had cooking experience, so they quickly processed it and delivered it to the restaurant.

Steamed lobster and crab are delicious, and with a little sauce, they taste amazing. Braised sea cucumber with scallions, tuna sliced ​​into sashimi and eaten with wasabi, stir-fried and braised abalone, dried seafood soup... In no time, the table was full. Even Eunuch Wang took the time to have a jar of fine wine sent from the palace, the kind that's good for your health, and he listened to the advice of the imperial physicians and chefs to eliminate the potential risks of eating seafood.

Of course, there was too much food for them to eat, so they only took the best part and distributed the rest as a form of welfare, as it would be a waste if left for too long.

Old Deng was clearly someone who was usually restricted in his diet, but now he was eating with gusto, not caring about his table manners at all. He and Chen Xuan were fighting over the food like they were in a battle, and it tasted so good.

The little princess was much more elegant. She had a small appetite and mostly served food to the two of them, finding it amusing to see them scrambling for it.

During the meal and drinks, Chen Xuan and Lao Deng calmed down considerably, no longer bothering to argue or bicker.

In no time, the table was a mess. Old Deng, disregarding his image, slumped in his chair, patting his stomach, and said, "You left me some, kid. I can eat more after I rest for a bit."

"No way, we can make it again, but every extra bite we get right now is a bonus," Chen Xuan said, his chopsticks practically blurring into a blur, his cheeks bulging like a toad's as he ate, his words muffled.

The old man, feeling quite full, said with a look of disgust, "Even a pig couldn't eat as much as you."

"Ah, right, right, right," Chen Xuan stiffened his neck, not caring at all, and continued to wolf down his food, deliberately making Old Deng's appetite so that he wanted more, but he really couldn't eat anymore.

If it were an ordinary old man, eating like this would definitely cause him harm, but the old man already has considerable cultivation, he also has health-preserving wine, the imperial physician is on standby at all times, and Chen Xuan is by his side, so it's not a problem at all.

Out of sight, out of mind. The old man took a sip of tea and casually said, "I heard you went to see the local rats a while ago?"

Chen Xuan wasn't surprised that he knew where he was going. Hearing this, he paused, swallowed the food in his mouth, nodded, and said, "What ground rat? I was just going to find some materials. Okay, it's ground rat."

"So what do you think of that place?" the old man asked casually. This kind of thing should have been discussed seriously, but when he talked to Chen Xuan about it, it was as if he were asking if they had eaten.

Knowing what the old man meant, Chen Xuan smiled, shrugged, and said, "What else can your son-in-law do but sit and watch?"

"I shouldn't have asked you," Old Deng said, shaking his head in disgust.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Xuan casually said, "If I were to say that place should be sealed off and isolated forever, who would listen to me?"

"Yes," the old man nodded, clearly somewhat helpless.

Once the news of the underground paradise spread, it was no longer something an individual could control. Even if the old man were an emperor, it wouldn't matter; the implications were too great.

Chen Xuan didn't dwell on the topic and continued to focus on showing off.

Seeing his carefree attitude, Old Deng felt a little envious. This was truly someone who had lived life to the fullest. He hoped that Old Deng could live carefree forever.

He then stood up angrily and said, "Just looking at you makes me angry. I'm leaving."

With chopsticks in his mouth, Chen Xuan looked at the little princess blankly and asked, "What did I do to offend him again?"

Before the little princess could answer, the old man slammed his cane heavily on the ground, turned around, and glared at her, saying, "Little Fuyao, what are you still standing here for? Come back with me."

"Father-in-law, you can go back now, but what's the meaning of taking my wife away?" However, Chen Xuan dared not say this aloud, and could only stand up and say, "It's still early, Father-in-law, what's the rush?"

"Seeing you makes me itchy to touch you. Are you sure you want to keep me here?" the old man said with a half-smile.

Shrinking his neck slightly, Chen Xuan said, "Then I'll see you off."

The little princess gave him a helpless look and obediently went to the old man's side to help him up.

After escorting them to the gate of the mansion, Chen Xuan did not look away until they left. He thought to himself that the old man must be under a lot of pressure, otherwise he would not have brought this up with him, and he didn't even have time to stay here any longer. Otherwise, why would he be in such a hurry to leave? As for taking the little princess away, it was purely a case of breaking up a loving couple.

It's impossible for the Jing Kingdom to monopolize the underground cave. Could it be that other countries are exerting pressure?
These thoughts flashed through Chen Xuan's mind, but he didn't dwell on them too much. The old man was probably just annoyed by this matter and came here to relax, rather than actually needing him to do anything. Otherwise, why would he be so polite?

So what exactly was the surprise that my wife mentioned last time?

Tsk, now that they're gone, I might as well stay at home in Yang County.

It's better to stay put than to act rashly. Unless it's absolutely necessary, we should stay in the capital as much as possible. The old man is getting on in years; if anyone makes things difficult for him, he might be able to offer some assistance in a pinch… (End of Chapter)