Misty Rain of the Old Times

The girl from back then is now a wife and mother. Her eyes have lost their innocent sparkle, replaced by maturity, composure, and a calm acceptance of the ordinary life.

Time changes, and people change, but what remains unchanged is the friendship built up little by little in our daily lives over the years.

Therefore, upon seeing each other, many emotions welled up in his heart. However, the main entrance was not the place they had agreed upon. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Xuan respectfully greeted them, saying, "Sisters, brothers, and nephews, please come in and take your seats."

They all brought their families, and Chen Xuan naturally didn't show favoritism. Although he wasn't familiar with Qingyu and their families, he treated them all as family. Even if they were ordinary, Chen Xuan respected them from the bottom of his heart. Not everyone is qualified to sit here with him.

"Brother Chen, you're too kind. It's been a long time. Congratulations!" Du Zijian said, cupping his hands in congratulations. The other two also offered their blessings.

As husbands of Qinghe and the others, they wouldn't have had the courage to visit if it weren't for Qinghe and the others. Before this, they were very uneasy. But after facing Chen Xuan, their genuine closeness was undeniable, and their anxiety gradually subsided.

"Brother Du, how have you been lately? And these two brothers, when I was little, Sister Qinghe and the others treated me like a younger brother. You are all my family. Come here and feel at home. Please don't be shy, be friendly. We must have a good drink later," Chen Xuan greeted with a smile, his sincerity genuine.

The group then climbed the steps and entered the room. Qingdou smiled and said, "Xuan-ge'er, your sisters have made you some clothes and some local specialties. They're all inexpensive items, so please don't mind them."

Chen Xuan quickly said, "Sister Qingdou, please don't say that. I am already more than happy that you came. Even a single stitch is a token of your love and care, more precious than any treasure to me. I cherish it so much, how could I possibly complain about it?"

Covering her mouth with a smile, Qingyu said with a hint of reminiscence, "Xuan-ge'er is still so sweet-talking. No wonder he won Princess Fuyao's heart. You must tell us how you met His Highness sometime!"

Chen Xuan nodded repeatedly, then said cheerfully to Deng Lingfeng and the others, "Young Master, Sister Qinghe and the others have come to congratulate me. Lingfeng, you all know them. When we were little, they took care of us when we went to Qingliang Mountain to escape the summer heat. By the way, Lingfeng, tell everyone the gifts Sister Qinghe and the others brought. I want everyone to know!"

"Oh dear, Xuan-ge, don't be like that. Our gift is not presentable and will embarrass you," Ao-dou said urgently.

Chen Xuan turned around and said seriously, "No, Sister Qingdou, you're wrong. Anything you bring is one of the most precious things to me. Others would be envious, so how could it be shameful?"

"It's been a long time since we last met, sisters Qinghe and Qingyu. Please come in and have a seat. We're too busy right now, but we'll come and toast you later," Deng Lingfeng said, and the others also greeted him in return.

Qinghe and the others used to be just servants of the Gao family, but now that they're with Chen Xuan, they naturally don't put on airs and address him the same way he does.

As he spoke, Deng Lingfeng took the gift list and loudly announced the gift ceremony, as Chen Xuan had requested, wishing the whole city could hear it.

Chen Xuan was so accommodating that Qinghe and the others were both happy and reserved. There was no time to stop him, so they could only let him go.

He then quickly added, "Young masters, you've flattered us."

Gao Jingming greeted them, "Qinghe and Qingyu, you're here! How have you been these past few years? Come back and visit more often; your mother misses you very much."

"Greetings, young master. We also miss Madam very much. How is she? We have been cared for by Madam for many years. She treats us like her own daughter. We have not visited her much. We are so unfilial," said Aomame and the others, bowing with emotion.

Madam Gao was not a harsh person. She treated all the servants in the Gao family very well, especially those close to her, whom she treated like juniors. This is why everyone who left the Gao family was extremely grateful.

Of course, wrongdoing should be punished, but usually the bad guys are stewards like Butler He.

Gao Jingming waved his hand and said, "Now that you have established your own household and are a respectable family, please don't belittle yourselves. Don't call me 'Young Master' anymore; just call me Young Master Gao."

“Once a young master, always a young master. How could we forget your kindness?” Aomame and the others insisted.

Seeing that more guests had arrived, and not wanting to linger any longer, Chen Xuan invited again, "Sisters, please come with me. I'll take you to see Madam. She misses you all very much and will be very happy to see you."

"Madam is here too? Xuan-ge'er, quickly take us to pay our respects!" Qingyu exclaimed with delight, wishing she could fly to Madam Gao's side.

Then Chen Xuan asked Gao Jingming and the others to keep an eye on the door so he could take Qinghe and the others to see Madam Gao. When they met, Madam Gao looked at this one and then at that one. Perhaps it was because older people tend to be nostalgic, but her eyes immediately welled up with tears. She asked about their well-being and held their hands tightly, reluctant to let go.

Not wanting to disturb the heartwarming scene of the mistress and servants meeting, Chen Xuan said goodbye and left, arranging for Du Zijian and the others to take their seats.

Du Zijian and the others were also sensible and did not dare to delay Chen Xuan's business. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they urged Chen Xuan to go and greet the guests. Chen Xuan had no choice but to apologize and go to the door. Today's guests should all be relatively important, and he could not spend all his time on Qinghe and the others.

When Chen Xuan returned to the main gate, Gao Jingming and the others had already welcomed several groups of guests in. They had been arriving in droves since early morning, unlike yesterday when people only started coming in the afternoon.

When they got busy, they barely had time to talk. Fortunately, there were many servants from the Gao family, otherwise, the few of them alone would not have been able to take care of everyone.

With so many guests, the meal started after the designated time, and Chen Xuan had no time to greet guests at the door. He had to go around the table to offer toasts, which was still led by Master Gao.

Chen Xuan specially arranged for Qinghe and her companions to sit in the main seats, and he respectfully toasted them one by one without any hesitation. This left Qinghe and her companions at a loss, while many wealthy and noble guests couldn't help but look on, wondering what their background was that made Young Master Chen treat them like this. They should remember this and never offend them in the future, because if they offended Young Master Chen, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Round after round of toasts, guests came and went, and it didn't quiet down until noon. Chen Xuan didn't feel tired, but getting married was too troublesome. Even if he couldn't be perfect in every way, he had to at least exchange a few pleasantries with each guest.

The group of friends took a break for lunch, and Tian Xueyu couldn't help but exclaim, "Ah Xuan, you have so many customers! It's like you can't see the end of them. It's only a little less crowded at lunchtime."

"I can't help it. They're guests, they came with blessings, I can't just turn them away. Please bear with them, brothers, I'll give each of you a big red envelope later," Chen Xuan said helplessly.

Gao Jingming said, "Have you all finished eating? If you have, let's continue. The people arriving later should all be important guests, so everyone be alert and don't let anyone think that Ah Xuan has neglected the guests."

"Haha, we've also benefited from Ah Xuan's connections and met quite a few important people. It's quite amazing. These important people who are usually so high and mighty to me are all very polite to me. Many times I feel like I'm dreaming. What does it matter if I'm a little tired? I'll just consider it a way to lose weight," Luo Taiyun said, patting his round belly with great enthusiasm.

Deng Lingfeng and his team agreed wholeheartedly. They understood that this was an opportunity Chen Xuan was giving them to work as assistants. Even if only one percent of the people remembered them afterward, as long as they weren't too stupid and managed things well, the benefits would be unimaginable.

As they walked towards the entrance, Tian Xueyu said wistfully, "I wonder if my wedding next year will also be filled with guests like this."

"Yes, brothers, I'm not very good at talking, so please don't mind. Thanks to Ah Xuan, how many people in the world won't know you from now on?" Deng Lingfeng patted his shoulder and said cheerfully.

Guests came and went in a constant stream. When they arrived at the door again, a servant announced excitedly, "Commander Feng of the Imperial Guard has arrived, bringing a dragon bone ornament, a pair of thousand-year-old ginseng roots, ten catties of meteorite iron, and six thousand taels of cash to congratulate Young Master Chen on his wedding."

This is one of the most important figures in the world, directly under the emperor's command. Wherever he goes, he can cause a stir. The servant in charge of receiving him had never met such an important person before, so how could he not be excited?

Upon hearing this, everyone around fell silent and turned to look. Chen Xuan, who had just arrived, immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Lord Feng, your presence is an honor to my humble abode. Please, come in quickly."

Unexpectedly, Commander Feng was personally greeted by Chen Xuan. His face lit up with joy, and he lowered his posture, cupping his hands in a gesture of respect, saying, "Congratulations on your marriage, Young Master Chen! I've shamelessly come to ask for a drink; I hope you won't mind."

"Not at all, Lord Feng, you're too kind. I'm delighted. Please come in and take a seat. Please forgive any neglect if I have done anything wrong," Chen Xuan said, stepping aside to greet him and lead the way.

At the same time, Chen Xuan immediately noticed Zhao Qingluan in their group and nodded, greeting her, "Miss Zhao, it's been a while. How have you been lately?"

Zhao Qingluan handed the invitation to the servant, glanced at Chen Xuan, pursed her lips, and said with a mix of amusement and resentment, "Congratulations on your wedding, Young Master Chen! You've deceived me so much all these years!"

Chen Xuan blinked, the words seemed somewhat familiar, and couldn't help but laugh, "Miss Zhao, we may be familiar, but you can't just say things like that. When have I ever lied to you?"

"Hmph, you know perfectly well what you're lying to me about," she said, rolling her eyes. She was overwhelmed with mixed feelings, and now she understood many things that had been troubling her.

Back then, when she traveled north to Mo City with Chen Xuan and the others, she encountered that man in black robes and was rescued by a mysterious person. She always thought it was just good luck to meet a passing hero by chance and even wanted to become his disciple. Then there was Yang Guo, whom she met on her mission in the desert. But after Chen Xuan personally admitted at the Tai Xuan Sect that it was clearly him, she realized that he was indeed Yang Guo.

Zhao Qingluan had been holding a grudge for years, but she never dreamed that the great hero Yang Guo, whom she wanted to become his disciple, was actually an eleven-year-old kid she had traveled with. Who would believe it? At first, she found it hard to accept, but it was the truth.

After understanding all this, Zhao Qingluan was extremely conflicted. She had treated Chen Xuan and the others like children back then, and the things she said made her feel uneasy just thinking about them now. Who knows how Chen Xuan and the others were laughing at her behind her back? That guy, if you have the ability, why hide it? Is it fun to laugh at me?

At this moment, Chen Xuan was both amused and exasperated, saying, "Miss Zhao, it would be best to make things clear to avoid any misunderstandings."

"Young Master Chen, Hero Yang, do I need to explain further? It's quite amusing to see a weak woman like me make a fool of herself," Zhao Qingluan said dismissively, cupping her hands in a perfunctory manner.

Commander Feng naturally knew that Zhao Qingluan and Chen Xuan had a past connection. As Zhao Qingluan's superior's superior, he had come to offer congratulations, not to cause trouble. He immediately coughed and reminded her, "Young Zhao, don't be rude."

Chen Xuan waved his hand and smiled, "It's alright, Commander, there's no need for that." Then he looked at Zhao Qingluan helplessly and said, "Miss Zhao, it wasn't that I deliberately concealed it back then. I was just too young. As the saying goes, 'The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind,' so I had to keep a low profile. Please understand."

"You talk like you're so old now, I'm speechless. You're newly married, let's not talk about this. You'll have to have a good drink later," Zhao Qingluan said, shaking her head with a troubled expression.

Back then, as a naive young girl, she said a lot of things to Chen Xuan, including things she shouldn't have said. Thinking about it now, she feels embarrassed. Actually, there were many things she wanted to talk about, such as how Chen Xuan viewed her back then, and what he did to her good friend Guo Qingxue. Every now and then, she would write letters vaguely criticizing Chen Xuan, her words filled with grievances. When asked, she wouldn't say anything. It wasn't appropriate to talk about these things at the moment, so she had to give up.

I don’t know if I’ll have a chance to talk about these things later, since it wouldn’t be appropriate to come looking for him after Chen Xuancheng got married.

Chen Xuan readily agreed, led them to the courtyard to sit down, exchanged a few pleasantries, apologized, and then went on to greet the guests.

As expected, many of the guests who arrived in the afternoon were heavyweights or influential figures. As mentioned before, Chen Xuan is a free spirit who doesn't mingle in officialdom or the martial arts world, but his influence is undeniable, and those with a bit of sense will take the initiative to come and show their respect.

After Commander Feng from the Armed Forces Bureau arrived, it triggered a chain reaction, with various figures making their appearances.

All the major sects in the Jing Kingdom's martial arts world sent people over. Ye Yun, the master of Qingye Manor, and his son Ye Hong came in person. Ye Hong had originally gone to the cave at the bottom of Wanku Mountain, but he actually came back to offer his congratulations. Qingye Manor and Mr. Yushan had a very good personal relationship, and Mr. Yushan personally received them.

Then came the Flying Feather Sect, the sect where Gao Jingyu had once studied martial arts. The sect leader, Bai Yulong, and Elder Qin Yun arrived with several disciples. As one of the five major sects in the Jing Kingdom's martial arts world, the Flying Feather Sect was almost entirely composed of women. Due to their cultivation techniques, each of them was a great beauty. Qin Yun had even led a group to the desert to participate in the martial arts competition between Guo Jinglong and Liu Zhenwei. They naturally exchanged a few pleasantries upon meeting.

Next came the Tai Xuan Sect, one of the most influential sects in the Jing Kingdom's martial arts world. Sect Leader Xuan Yang and Daoist Xuan Qing arrived with generous gifts. Chen Xuan had visited the Tai Xuan Sect a few months ago, and they had a warm conversation upon meeting. The Tai Xuan Sect's grandmaster expert did not come, but Sect Leader Xuan Yang still brought congratulatory gifts and words of blessing.

Surprisingly, Wuxiang Temple sent people. The sect leader, Juechen, and elder, Juenuo, brought more than a dozen precious pills to congratulate them. People were quite surprised, after all, Wuxiang Temple had been closed to the public for a long time. But they also felt it was very reasonable. How could Wuxiang Temple not make a gesture when Chen Xuan, a grandmaster who was so young that he was unreal, got married?
Chen Xuan had met Jue Nuo, and now that Yang Guo's identity was revealed, they inevitably had a conversation.

In addition, the top noble families of Jing Kingdom could not remain indifferent. All the major families sent important members to offer their congratulations, each led by their patriarch.

The Wei family, the Wang family, the He family, and the Xiao family were all present.

Even though the Wei family decisively split up after Wei Wuyai's death, the dead camel is still bigger than a horse. Even if it is at the bottom of the current aristocratic families, its influence should not be underestimated.

Among them, Chen Xuan saw Wang Le in the Wang family and even exchanged the Xiaoyao Pill for fire copper in his hands.

Civil and military officials, once they reached a certain level, none were left behind. Even the young marquis Jiang Huaichuan of the Jiang family, who had originally gone to the north, took the time to come.

It is no exaggeration to say that Chen Xuan's wedding was attended by the top nobles of Jing Kingdom and the most powerful figures in the martial arts world. It was not only unprecedented but also a rare event in the history of the past few hundred years.

In fact, it didn't stop there. The capital city was quite large, but not that small either. News spread quickly, and the princess's residence was even more lively, with envoys from various countries sending envoys to offer their congratulations.

Those who come to congratulate Chen Xuan and the little princess, if they know their place, will come once and show their appreciation, and then they won't come again. But if they reach a certain level, they will come again the next day for the wedding, to witness their wedding feast.

However, this kept Chen Xuan very busy. He could usually have Gao Jingming and others handle the reception for ordinary people, but for top dignitaries and powerful figures, he had to personally receive them. No matter how arrogant he was, he had to lower his status on his wedding day; it was a matter of attitude.

"The esteemed heroes Ling Yun and Xiang Qi from Yuhua Kingdom have come with gifts to congratulate Young Master Chen on his joyous wedding."

As another voice announced, Chen Xuan had no choice but to apologize and rush to the door to greet them. They had traveled thousands of miles to get here, so how could he neglect them?

However, Zhao Qingluan ran even faster, after all, it was her master who had arrived.

As Chen Xuan went to the door to greet them, He Hongyi also arrived. Being far from home, it was rare to run into an acquaintance, especially a fellow martial arts practitioner. There was no reason not to say hello.

Before Chen Xuandao even reached the door, another voice announced that Master Yu Dingbo and his wife from Dongdao Tower had come to offer their congratulations. Yu Dingbo, who had also gone to the Underground Cave Heaven, had taken the time to come, just like Ye Hong.

When Chen Xuan arrived at the door, before he could greet Ling Yun and Qi Yudingbo, he immediately noticed Zhang Lanlan in the crowd.

And further on, the Zheng family business association, which can be considered one of the wealthiest in Jing Kingdom and even several surrounding countries, arrived with the dazzling Zheng Wanqian and her father, bringing more than a dozen cartloads of lavish gifts.

On the other side, Guo Sihai, the head of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect, was about to visit with his daughter Guo Qingxue. Guo Qingxue's gaze towards Chen Xuan was particularly complicated when she saw him from afar.

Aside from the heretical sects, everyone who should and shouldn't have come has arrived... (End of Chapter)