Misty Rain of the Old Times

After chasing the old man for a while, Chen Xuan couldn't bring himself to hurt him. He cooperated by giving the old man two taps on the back as a lesson, but the force was so strong that it was doubtful if it could even kill a mosquito.

After things calmed down, the old man's irritability was greatly relieved. It was all thanks to this rascal who made him happy; otherwise, he would have lived much less.

From his perspective, having been emperor for decades, although he hasn't abdicated yet, he has entrusted almost all state affairs, large and small, to Crown Prince Zhou Chen. However, as someone who has been through it all, he finds many of the Crown Prince's actions worrying.

But what could he do? He could only watch. This country would eventually be handed over to the crown prince. At most, while he was still alive, he could help cover for the crown prince no matter what he did. Growth always takes time, doesn't it?

In fact, Crown Prince Zhou Chen is lucky enough now. As long as he's not too stupid, he still has the old man to back him up. Unlike the old man, who had to rely on himself to ascend the throne and ensure everything for the entire country.

So the old man was annoyed. Since the crown prince was in charge of handling state affairs, as long as no major mistakes were made, he couldn't interfere. He could only manage for a short time, not forever. In the end, it still depended on the crown prince himself. So, he was unhappy and started to make trouble for Chen Xuan.

This kid is really good at this, making things easy for me. Some things don't need to be said, we can understand each other perfectly, and every time I spend with him, I feel great.

Seeing the old man sit down again, Chen Xuan pretended to grin and said, "Father-in-law, you're too cruel! I almost got beaten to death! Qian Ning isn't even married yet, do you want her to live like a widow?"

Upon hearing this, the old man gritted his teeth. This brat really has no scruples! He speaks without thinking. How can he just blurt out such taboo words? Oh well, I won't argue with him. He's still a child. Children's words are innocent, and good things come true even if bad ones don't.

Glancing at him sideways, the old man waved the cane in his hand and sneered, "I think you're itching for a beating again, kid. Want me to loosen your skin a bit more?"

“I have no masochistic tendencies, so you should save your energy and not tire yourself out,” Chen Xuan said, shrinking his neck.

From Chen Xuan's heart, although the two were father-in-law and son-in-law, they were no different from father and son. After coming to this world, his body shrank, and his mentality also changed. He had no father or mother when he was a child. Although he grew up safely and had never suffered, he still lacked a complete childhood. Since meeting the old man, he has made up for the missing parts of his childhood.

From another perspective, isn't the old man also making up for a missing part of his complete life? Heaven is heartless. Apart from Xiao Fuyao, the old man didn't experience much of what it's like to be a father through his sons. That's why Chen Xuan tolerates him no matter how unreliable he is.

It's a pity we didn't meet sooner. Unfortunately, time waits for no one, and we have too little time together. The fact that we don't have much time left makes it all the more precious.

Seeing his shameless behavior, the old man glanced at him with disdain, snorted coldly, and decided not to bother with him.

Then Chen Xuan hesitated for a moment, slumped into the chair without any regard for his image, and said in a nonchalant tone, "Father-in-law, are you in a better mood now? I'm not trying to criticize you, but if you're going to do something, do it thoroughly. Why worry about it? Everyone has their own way of doing things and their own style. You can't use your experience to demand things of others, and others can't become you. If they blindly imitate your way of doing things, it will only backfire. The sky isn't going to fall down, don't you think?"

The old man certainly knew what Chen Xuan was talking about; that was the unspoken understanding between the two.

He understood the principles: there can't be two suns in the sky or two rulers in a country. Because he was gradually handing over power to the crown prince, he didn't interfere even though he saw many of the crown prince's decisions and was anxious about them. However, after all, it was the country that he had diligently protected for decades, and he was truly afraid that it would fall into the hands of the crown prince after he passed away.

He no longer cares about power; his only worry is that if he stops managing the household, the family business will be ruined by the person in charge. This is the only thing that troubles him.

In fact, he had long since come to terms with it. Children and grandchildren have their own destinies, and with his days numbered, how could he care about what happened after he passed away? So he simply fulfilled his last concern—Xiao Fuyao's marriage—and let the rest be whatever they may be.

Even though he knew Chen Xuan was trying to comfort him in an unreliable way, he still curled his lip with a displeased look and said, "Do you need me to tell you? You're so young but you act like you're so old. Do you think I'm less worldly-wise than you?"

Chen Xuan couldn't refute this. Looking at the surrounding countries and even the history he remembered, how many emperors could be as magnanimous as the old man? Not to mention relinquishing power while still alive, their obsession with power in old age was almost insane. They were suspicious of this and that, and wished they could take power to their coffins and not let go of it.

The old man came here to have fun, not to discuss succession or the future of the country. Besides, Chen Xuan was a political novice, and talking to him about these things was like casting pearls before swine. So the old man changed the subject and asked, "Have all the invitations been sent out?"

"An invitation?" Chen Xuan blinked.

By the time he realized what was happening, the old man's lips twitched speechlessly as he said, "You brat, don't tell me you're getting married in half a month and you haven't even received an invitation!"

There really wasn't any. Chen Xuan figured he'd already notified everyone he needed to, and since there weren't any close relatives or friends involved, he hadn't really taken it seriously. He figured they'd just have a get-together, eat and drink, and that would be it.

He also suffered from not having been married before. Formal procedures like sending out invitations are still necessary. It's a matter of etiquette. After all, etiquette is very important in this era. Talking about it verbally is not formal enough and can offend people. It's not like in his previous life, where sending a mass text message would have been enough.

Feeling guilty, he shrank back and his eyes darted around as he said, "Father-in-law, rest assured, I have my own plans."

There are still two weeks left, plenty of time. There are only so many people, he can write them down and deliver them to each one in no time, he feels very reassured.

The old man could tell at a glance that the young man had completely overlooked this issue, and he was immediately furious. He gritted his teeth and said, "I'll beat you to death, you brat! How can you be so careless about such a life-changing event?"

He was really angry, and without saying a word, he started hitting Chen Xuan with a stick as if he were beating a grandson.

Chen Xuan didn't dodge, after all, he was truly in the wrong. He let the old man hit him repeatedly, making loud thuds, and even comforted him, saying, "Father-in-law, calm down. Don't get too angry and hurt yourself. Don't worry, I'll arrange it right away."

The old man was not used to such a well-behaved person. He felt sorry for Chen Xuan when he hit him, but after a few hits he couldn't bring himself to hit him. He said angrily, "Don't you know how to dodge? It hurts so much! And you'll have to arrange it later. Do you even know how to word the invitations for different people?"

The little princess standing nearby was heartbroken to see him being beaten, but she couldn't blame her father, nor could she show concern for Chen Xuan in person. She was so conflicted that she wished she could take the beating in Chen Xuan's place.

"It's alright, Qianning, I'm thick-skinned. Those few blows from your father-in-law were like a tickle," Chen Xuan comforted her first, then turned to the old man and scratched his head, saying, "I learned this when I was studying with the young master, but I didn't listen very carefully. I can recall it without much trouble."

The old man is exhausted. You're almost married, how can you be so irresponsible?

He sighed inwardly and said, "You brat, I know you grew up in the Gao family and are a loyal and righteous person. I won't try to sow discord between you and the Gao family. When no one else is around, it's fine for you to call Gao Jingming 'Young Master' out of gratitude for the Gao family's care over the years. But you should be more careful in front of outsiders. I know you don't care about these things, but you should still think about Xiao Fuyao. She can't keep calling you 'Young Master,' can she? Even if she's happy to follow your lead, would the Gao family dare to accept that title? Pay attention to these details, so that no one can find an excuse to target you. I'm referring to the Gao family. You don't want to harm them, do you?"

"I understand, thank you for the reminder, Father-in-law. I will pay attention in the future," Chen Xuan nodded earnestly. He didn't really care about these things, but things would be different after marriage, and this was no longer something he could take for granted.

Knowing he already knew what was going on, the old man changed the subject and said, "Don't bother with all that. I'll take care of the invitations for you. Just make sure you don't offend anyone with the wrong wording. Give me the list of people you want to invite, and I'll arrange it for you. There's plenty of time."

"I'm so sorry, won't that be too much trouble for my father-in-law?" Chen Xuan rubbed his hands together.

The old man said disdainfully, "You're embarrassed?"

With an awkward smile, Chen Xuan remotely retrieved pen, ink, and paper to write down the list, saying, "I'm all alone, without a single relative. I know quite a few people, but not many are close. It's just a handful. From the Gao family, Madam Gao is to be invited, as is the young master. Master Gao should also be invited, along with Steward He and Uncle Geng. After all, we've known each other for so many years. Actually, the Gao family only needs one invitation, but for such a significant event as my wedding, it's more appropriate to give formal invitations to these close friends. Then, I need to invite the Four Tigers of Yang County, excluding the young master. Oh, and Mr. Yushan can't be left out. Shu Yao also needs an invitation; whether he comes or not is his business. Anyway, I'm not concerned about the small gifts. Let me think... and Mr. Pei... Hmm, there really aren't many people." After writing it down, Chen Xuan suddenly realized that it seemed his network of relationships over the past ten years consisted of only these people? Of course, this wasn't all; there were others he hadn't decided whether to invite, mainly due to the question of whether it was appropriate to invite them.

Seeing him writing, drawing, and muttering to himself, the old man and the little princess felt a pang of sadness, because Chen Xuan had no real family members, how tragic.

'From now on, Brother Xuan will no longer be all alone. With me around, he won't be lonely. But even with me, the house is still too quiet. It seems I should take the initiative to help Brother Xuan find some female companions. Only when he has many children and grandchildren will he be happy,' the little princess thought to herself.

The old man wondered if he hadn't paid enough attention to the boy. Remarkably, the boy hadn't gone astray.

Though his thoughts weren't outwardly expressed, the old man asked, "Is this all there is?"

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Xuan pondered and said, "Father-in-law, in principle, we should also send an invitation to Prince Qing, since we can't refuse the Gao family. I would also like to invite Elder Rong and the Crown Prince. What do you think?"

"It's a good thing I intervened. If you had come, things would have been chaotic. They're her family; why would you need to invite them?" the old man said irritably.

Scratching his head, Chen Xuan gave an awkward laugh and said, "Yeah, never mind then."

Nodding, the old man asked, "Anything else? Once you've confirmed that, I can arrange the staff."

After thinking for a moment, Chen Xuan said, "Father-in-law, you see, I am neither a person of the literary world nor an official, nor a person of the martial arts world. I am a free spirit, so I know some people in the martial arts world. Do you think it would be appropriate to invite them?"

"That's up to you. Invite if you want, don't worry about anything else. Even though we're from different circles, who would dare to cause trouble or disrespect us?" the old man said dismissively.

With that, Chen Xuan felt reassured and nodded, saying, "In that case, I understand. I know people in the Tai Xuan Sect, the Cold Mountain Sword Sect, and the Eastern Blade Tower. I'll send them invitations. As for the Wuxiang Temple, forget about it; it's already closed off. Oh, and Zhao Qingluan too. After all, we've known each other for a while. Since I've invited Zhao Qingluan, I can't forget her master, Ling Yun. I also need to inform Elder Crane. And He Hongyi..."

After some thought, Chen Xuan finally finalized the list, but hesitated a bit when it came to He Hongyi.

Upon receiving the final list, the old man frowned and said, "Invite whoever you want, do you think I don't know that He Hongyi has feelings for you? You are young, I understand, but let me make this clear: within a year of your marriage, do not bring any other women into the house. Otherwise, how will Xiao Fuyao cope? I can't worry about the rest."

He paused for a moment and then said, "You keep giving me difficult questions. Ling Yun is far away in Yuhua Kingdom, so he should have enough time. But who is Elder He?"

Clearing his throat, Chen Xuan said, "If Yuhua Kingdom is too far away, I'll personally deliver it. Also, Crane Elder is a rare beast I know; his strength is among the best even at the Grandmaster level. He lives hidden in the Misty Swamp in the northwest of Yuhua Kingdom."

Upon hearing this, the old man nodded and said, "I will arrange for someone to deliver the invitations for the rest. As for Old Man Crane, you will have to make the trip yourself. It's too far, and I've heard of the Misty Swamp; most people who go in never come out."

"Whether Old Man He will come or not is another matter, but it's still necessary to let him know," Chen Xuan nodded, then added, "By the way, Father-in-law, you can arrange for someone to deliver the invitations. The journeys to all corners of the country are too far. I've already arranged to personally pick up and drop off some of them."

"Alright then, let's not delay, I'll go arrange for someone to write the invitations and send them out right away," the old man said, taking the list with him and getting up without hesitation.

Chen Xuan was dumbfounded and said, "Father-in-law, is there no need to be in such a hurry?"

"It's better to do it sooner rather than later. What, you want me to stay for dinner? It's a bit too early," the old man waved and left.

As he rose to see her off, Chen Xuan muttered to himself, "I just can't bear to part with Qian Ning."

The old man's lips twitched, and he pretended not to hear. Why would he say what was on his mind? This kid was just telling himself not to overwork himself.

The old man was so concerned about Chen Xuan, and also wanted to find something to do. After decades of being a diligent emperor, he was really not used to not having anything to do now that he had been relieved of his responsibilities. He would get sick from being bored.

Watching them leave, Chen Xuan smiled sincerely. It felt so good to have elders caring about you. Before he knew it, he was no longer all alone.

Returning to the back garden courtyard, after the old man and the others left, the craftsmen had already left, and the little princess had not yet married into the family. The entire mansion was empty and seemed rather desolate.

After reviewing the guest list and confirming that nothing had been missed, Chen Xuan thought that with only half a month left until the wedding, he should start making preparations. Marrying a wife was a once-in-a-lifetime event, so he should make it as grand and glamorous as possible.

So he turned to Du Juan and said, "Sister Juan, you should know how much money our family has now, right? I have an idea, I wonder if you have any connections to arrange it? If not, it seems we'll have to turn to the Zheng Family Chamber of Commerce."

"I wonder what Master means?" Dujuan asked, puzzled.

With a smile, Chen Xuan said, "This is my plan..."

After listening, Dujuan, while envious of Princess Fuyao, nodded and said, "Don't worry, Master, I'll arrange your plan. I know several forces in the martial arts world that can do it. If I give them a word in your name, why wouldn't they cooperate? Besides, it's not like they won't pay."

"Okay, then I'll have to trouble you, Sister Juan. Don't tell anyone beforehand, and give Qian Ning a surprise on her wedding day. She'll definitely never forget it," Chen Xuan nodded.

Du Juan, ever decisive, said, "It's only right, sir, there's no need for that. I'll take care of it right away. You're so good to your wife."

After leaving those words, she rushed off to arrange the matters Chen Xuan had entrusted to her. She was incredibly envious of Chen Xuan's plans, but it was something she couldn't have. After all, Princess Fuyao was the only one in the entire world fortunate enough to marry him.

The maidservant beside him reminded him, "Master, since there are still half a month left, shouldn't we start decorating our mansion?"

"There are only a few of us in our family, can we manage? Roujia, don't worry about it. The Ministry of Rites will send someone to make arrangements in a couple of days. Marrying a princess requires attention to many details, and they are the professionals," Chen Xuan said with a smile.

Then I started thinking, the wedding is on the third day of the third lunar month, but it's not enough to just bring the little princess home on that day. We need to start making a fuss at least a few days in advance.

Even if we don't invite many people, we still need to pick them up a few days in advance. Otherwise, it would be awkward if the wedding days were deserted and quiet. We'll be very busy afterwards.

Thinking to himself, Chen Xuan planned to bring Gao Jingming and the others five days early. He had been busy for several days when Gao Jingming got married, and he wanted to enjoy the treatment of being the top scholar as a greeter. He wondered if the kid had asked for leave in advance... (End of Chapter)