Misty Rain of the Old Times

Under the setting sun, the imperial palace was resplendent in gold, its nine-tiered palace towering majestically, perched atop the mountain overlooking the world.

Inside the heavily guarded imperial study, the old emperor sat comfortably on his dragon throne, sipping tea, while Eunuch Wang carefully served him.

The old man in the golden dragon robe looked relaxed, but no matter how old he was, he was still the emperor of the world who could decide the fate of all living beings with a single word. The dragon may be old, but its power is even greater.

Several feet away from him was a large desk piled high with memorials and documents. Crown Prince Zhou Chen handled state affairs meticulously, occasionally wielding his brush to review them.

The processed memorials were quickly and quietly sent away by the eunuchs, but new ones would soon arrive, as if the task would never end.

The old man hadn't seen how Zhou Chen handled the memorials and documents, nor did he ask for the old man's opinion or look at his expression; the two seemed completely unrelated.

If there were outsiders here, they would find the atmosphere incredibly strange. It's a mix of relaxed and serious, yet surprisingly harmonious, leaving one conflicted and unsure whether to relax or remain solemn.

The old man has recently stopped concerning himself with state affairs, delegating power to the crown prince. As long as it's not a decision that shakes the foundation of the country, he generally won't get involved, to avoid conflicts of ideology between father and son.

Although the Crown Prince has practically replaced the old emperor, he has not yet ascended the throne and is still not qualified to sit on the dragon throne. As long as he does not ascend the throne, he will always be the Crown Prince.

If an elderly person gives it to you voluntarily, you can only accept it; if they don't give it to you, you can't take it away.

Having cautiously made it to this point, and now that he's about to see the light at the end of the tunnel, even with great power in his hands, and even though the old man now looks like a frail old man, Crown Prince Zhou Chen still dares not harbor any wicked thoughts, and is even more cautious than before.

At this critical juncture, it feels like walking on thin ice, and the pressure is immense.

As his father, the Emperor, gradually revealed his true colors and gained a deeper understanding of him, Crown Prince Zhou Chen felt that his father was unfathomable. To this day, he still couldn't figure out what other tricks the old man had up his sleeve, which would occasionally jolt him to his senses.

Even though Zhou Chen seems to have taken control of the country now, he still doesn't dare to make any rash moves. He can only wait and see until the clouds part and the moon shines through.

Putting everything else aside, even if the old emperor was all alone and only had the title of emperor, the thought of his brother-in-law extinguished any impulsive thoughts in Zhou Chen. It was just a matter of going through a formality, and he could just bear it.

The elderly man, leisurely sipping his tea, acted as if the desk that controlled the entire country didn't exist. Suddenly, he put down his teacup and said to Eunuch Wang, "My lord, I seem to have forgotten to arrange something, but I can't remember it for the moment. Could you help me sort it out?"

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Wang's mind raced. His Majesty thinks ten steps ahead for every one step he takes. What could possibly be that he hasn't considered thoroughly?
Of course, the old man is not omnipotent, and there will always be times when he overlooks certain details. But will His Majesty ever do such a thing?
It's absolutely impossible; even if it were possible, it would be because the people around them didn't do their jobs properly.

His Majesty has already spoken, so what else could be left for those around him to have done wrong?

State affairs have been handed over to the Crown Prince, and His Majesty hardly gets involved. So, this situation must be his most pressing concern right now. What could be more important to him than Princess Fuyao's wedding?
This is where the importance of the emperor's right-hand men becomes apparent. The old man may forget or neglect them, but they cannot. If they cannot even do a good job of checking and filling gaps, then the country would not be where it is today.

Almost the instant the old man finished speaking, Eunuch Wang realized something and immediately knelt down to apologize, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was careless and forgot that the groom's side is short-handed. The wedding is coming soon, and I'm afraid we won't be able to entertain the guests."

As I said before, the emperor can't be wrong; the mistakes are always made by those around him who haven't done their jobs well.

Reminded by Eunuch Wang, the old man immediately realized what was going on, shook his head and laughed, "What wrong has the eldest servant done? Get up. This is something I didn't consider thoroughly, it's not your fault." After a pause, he added, "That child only has two maids and servants by his side, he doesn't even have anyone to consult with, I'm afraid he didn't think of all this, it's infuriating to think about, and I have to worry about him. Can't he just give me a break?"

In the end, the old man, who had been quite content, changed to a look of disgust.

For some reason, this old emperor made everyone in the imperial study feel relieved, and even the crown prince seemed to relax a bit more when reviewing memorials and documents.

This elderly person is no longer the emperor who instilled fear in people, but an ordinary old man with joys and sorrows.

As he spoke, the old man thought to himself that he was really getting old and his mind wasn't working properly. He hadn't even considered this little thing. He must have been confused by that brat. It was all his fault. He would find an excuse to beat him up another day.

Eunuch Wang found it amusing. It was only when the topic of the son-in-law came up that His Majesty would... become confused. Of course, no one dared to say such things, and no one dared to show their emotions on their faces.

So he quickly said, "In the end, it is because we have failed to share Your Majesty's burdens. It is thanks to Your Majesty's kindness that we have been able to help. Since the son-in-law's side is short-handed, Your Majesty, what do you think?"

It makes perfect sense to take the blame upon oneself first, and then let His Majesty make the decision.

After a moment's thought, the old man said, "How about this, let the imperial chefs lead a team to cook over there. It can't be too shabby. Have the Imperial Kitchen prepare all the ingredients, and then arrange for some palace maids to go and entertain the guests. Hmm, also send some imperial guards over to act as security, lest any petty thieves spoil this joyous occasion."

Upon hearing this, everyone present was shocked. The son-in-law's treatment was unparalleled; His Majesty was practically asking him to bring the wedding ceremony to the palace.

Eunuch Wang immediately replied, "As Your Majesty commands, I will make the arrangements immediately."

Just as he was about to turn and leave quickly, the old man suddenly said, "Wait, let's go and see what's going on first. If that kid really needs more manpower, then we can do as I instructed."

"Your subject understands," Eunuch Wang nodded and quickly left.

At this moment, Zhou Chen finished processing a memorial, looked up and smiled, "Father, if my brother-in-law is short of manpower, I still have some people in my residence. How about we ask them to go and help?"

Now Zhou Chen has roughly figured out his father's ways. There are many things that the old man won't mention, so it's best to keep quiet. But if it concerns his brother-in-law, as long as he doesn't have bad intentions, he can speak freely and boldly, which will surely make the old man happy.

Many times, Zhou Chen couldn't help but wonder, who is the real son? He had to go through an outsider to please his own father, or rather, a relative by marriage.

The old man immediately curled his lip and said, "Mind your own business. Just do your job."

"Your subject knows his mistake, Father Emperor, please don't blame him," Zhou Chen immediately stopped bringing it up, but he knew in his heart that his unnecessary actions had not displeased his father, otherwise he would have said more than just a few words. Although it seemed like a reprimand, he was actually happy inside. What the old man liked was this feeling of a loving family, but he didn't show it at all.

After Zhou Chen continued dealing with state affairs, the old man spoke up after a moment, saying, "State affairs are never-ending. Chen'er, you need to relax occasionally. You're still young, don't overwork yourself. So, on your younger sister's wedding day, put aside what you're doing and you'll have to carry her off to her new home."

"Your subject will remember," Zhou Chen nodded earnestly, his heart filled with joy. Carrying his sister to get married—this good fortune had actually fallen into his lap! After this, how could his brother-in-law not know? It was as if his father was giving him an opportunity to get closer to his brother-in-law. In this way, if his brother-in-law, Prince Qing, did anything, his brother-in-law wouldn't turn his attention to him because of the Gao family connection. It was simply a windfall.

Now, only Prince Qing has made Zhou Chen wary. Even though the overall situation is almost settled, who knows what might happen before he sits on that throne? Soon after, Eunuch Wang returned quickly, his expression relaxed, and reported in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I went to inquire earlier. The son-in-law has brought over Lord Gao's family, and they've already taken care of all the chores. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

"Oh? Is that so? How did Minister Gao and the others make the arrangements?" the old man asked with a smile.

Naturally, they had done their homework. Eunuch Wang immediately said, "Lord Gao personally took charge, going to great lengths and even mobilizing his connections to invite chefs from several of the best restaurants in the capital to prepare a banquet for the son-in-law. Madam Gao even called her entire family to help, and even half of Lord Lü's family to come and prepare for entertaining the guests. She also brought her steward from her hometown to oversee everything inside and outside the home."

Hearing this, the old man's brows furrowed with even greater joy. He nodded and smiled, "It seems I was overthinking things. That boy isn't truly alone and helpless. In that case, I'll drop my arrangements. I'm sure the Gao family won't disappoint me."

The old man glanced at Grandpa Wang and nodded, saying, "You've done a good job, sir."

"It was His Majesty's thoughtful consideration," Eunuch Wang said, bowing his head and not daring to take credit. He thought to himself that he had done the right thing. Given His Majesty's fondness for his son-in-law, it was only a matter of doing a favor by speaking a few good words for the Gao family at this time. It was simply a matter of winning the Emperor's favor.

Zhou Chen, who was not far away, heard all these words and thought to himself that the Gao family was about to have good luck, but he could only pretend not to hear them.

Gao Jingyu, the eldest daughter of the Gao family, is now the heir of the Crown Prince's brother, Prince Qing. Prince Qing and the Gao family are bound together. The better the Gao family is, the better it is for Prince Qing. But what can Zhou Chen do? He is not qualified to question any of his father's decisions. To put it bluntly, even if his father is gone one day, with his brother-in-law still around, the Gao family cannot be touched. In fact, they must be won over. Prince Qing can only pretend that he doesn't exist.

Fortunately, the Gao family are subjects of the Jing Kingdom, not Prince Qing. How to handle the situation depends on their own abilities.

Sure enough, as these thoughts flashed through Zhou Chen's mind, the old man was pleased with what the Gao family had done, and said casually, "Chen'er, your father has been indifferent to worldly affairs lately. Do you know how many years that Minister Gao has been serving as the governor of Haozhou?"

"Father, you've said so, how could you not know?" Zhou Chen, whose mind was as clear as a mirror, stood up and said, "Reporting to Father, it has been about seven years since Lord Gao was appointed Prefect of Haozhou."

Gao Jingming's father was promoted after the old emperor's 70th birthday. The biggest reason for this was not Gao Jingyu, but the painting of pine and crane symbolizing longevity that Gao Jingming presented. Many people knew the intricacies of the matter.

Nodding, the old man tapped his fingers lightly on the table and pondered, "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Minister Gao still has time to deal with these trivial matters. It seems you have a lot of free time. What a waste of your talent. Isn't that just fooling around?"

Father, if you want to promote him because you love him, just say so. Why beat around the bush with me?

Zhou Chen was speechless, but he wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "Lord Gao is indeed behaving rather irresponsibly; he's become lax."

"Hmm, it seems Chen'er thinks the same way I do. In that case, let's give him more responsibilities. Don't waste your energy on these trivial matters. Serving the country is the most important thing," the old man said, setting the tone with one sentence.

The father and son seemed to have some complaints about Gao Jingming's father not doing his job properly, but in reality, they were looking for a pretext to promote him. Otherwise, it wouldn't look good on the surface, and they had to consider how the people in the court would feel.

For the old man, the most important thing was to do everything he could, not to do anything else but to wholeheartedly organize Chen Xuan's wedding.

Putting everything else aside, Gao Jingming's father is capable. Now that the tone has been set, it's just a matter of assigning positions. If he's promoted too much, it won't look good to others; if he's promoted too little, it's better for them to stay in their current positions. Ideally, he should be promoted by half a grade or a full grade.

As for Gao Jingming, last year's top scholar, the father and son had already made arrangements. Going to Zhoushan County now is purely for prestige, and he will be of great use later, but only after the crown prince ascends the throne.

Zhou Chen knew about the relationship between the Gao family and Prince Qing, yet he dared to give them important positions. Besides being confident in his ability to manage his subordinates, this was also, to some extent, a way to appease Prince Qing. The subtle maneuvering involved depended on his own abilities; most people simply couldn't handle it.

In fact, Zhou Chen was in a difficult position. He hadn't ascended the throne yet, and even though Prince Qing was a threat, he was well-behaved and he couldn't find a reason to deal with him. As for the Gao family, with Chen Xuan as his brother-in-law, he couldn't suppress them either. So, he decided to ignore Prince Qing for the time being and support the Gao family.

Now that the old man had spoken, Zhou Chen naturally wanted to share the burden. His mind raced, and he pondered for a moment before saying, "Since Father Emperor wants to give Lord Gao more responsibilities, I think Huizhou is a good place for him. It just so happens that Governor Qin of Huizhou is getting old and has asked to resign several times. He has worked hard for the country for many years, and it is time for him to rest. I wonder what Father Emperor thinks?"

Upon hearing this, the old man gave Zhou Chen a meaningful look, and after a moment said, "Huizhou, the top scholar Gao studied diligently at Liuyu Academy there for many years. We have quite a connection. Let's settle on this then. After Fuyao's wedding, we will issue an edict ordering Minister Gao to take up his post in Huizhou and govern the region for the country."

"Your subject understands," Zhou Chen nodded and said. With just a few words, Gao Jingming's father's promotion was decided.

He was a regional governor, a true regional official. To be honest, at this level, even the emperor had to be polite to him.

The old man was well aware of Zhou Chen's intentions in making this arrangement. Since he couldn't suppress him, he could keep Gao away from the south and far away from Prince Qing. If there weren't suitable places further north, he would probably have been sent directly to the border.

Actually, there is an even more suitable place, which is Quanzhou, the place where Wanku Mountain is located. Some time ago, because of the incident involving Mu Haiwang Zhou Tao, the governor of Quanzhou was implicated and dismissed from his post, and now the sea is empty.

However, how could Zhou Chen let Quanzhou fall into Lao Gao's hands? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble? Did he want Lao Gao and his son-in-law to join forces against him? Besides, Quanzhou is related to the Underground Cave Heaven and will be Zhou Chen's key focus in the future. How could he leave any potential dangers for himself?

If that cave heaven is managed well, Zhou Chen is also ambitious. With the resources within the cave heaven, he is even confident that he can push the entire Jing Kingdom to an unprecedented height and reproduce the glory of unifying the surrounding countries a thousand years ago.

The area within that cave is already much larger than the combined territories of all the surrounding countries. Unfortunately, given the conditions there, it's too difficult to conquer, rule, and develop it. The only option is to make the most of its resources.

Old Gao had no idea that he was just helping Chen Xuan with his wedding from the perspective of an elder, and he was unexpectedly hit on the head by a windfall.

With the matter settled, the father and son said no more and went about their own business.

As dusk settled, the old man had been lounging around for a while and was about to go to rest when Zhou Chen's expression changed slightly upon seeing an urgent document.

After hesitating for a moment, he looked up and said, "Father, a letter has arrived from the north. The Kingdom of Yuhua and the Kingdom of Shuangyue have reached a truce."

"Oh? Is there any news on the ownership of that gold mine?" the old man said dismissively.

Shaking his head, Zhou Chen said, "There's no clear ownership; it's just a sudden ceasefire. My analysis is that the two countries are probably both eyeing the grotto-heaven beneath Quanzhou."

"Since Chen'er thinks so, they will probably send envoys soon. Chen'er, you handle this matter. I will not interfere. In short, your sister's marriage cannot be allowed to go wrong," the old man said calmly. After saying this, he left the imperial study as if nothing had happened.

...(End of chapter)