Misty Rain of the Old Times

People are in high spirits when they have a happy occasion. After the wedding ceremony, Chen Xuan's face was full of smiles. It was not the polite smile he had when facing many guests a few days ago, but a smile that came from the bottom of his heart.

I've finally got my wife!

Although they were engaged and committed to each other for life, there is a difference between having a wedding ceremony and not having one. A wedding ceremony marks the beginning of a truly fulfilling marriage, and the significance of that ceremony is vastly different.

As soon as he emerged from the bridal chamber, he was greeted with a constant stream of congratulations. Everyone who saw him offered their heartfelt blessings, and Chen Xuan returned the greetings to express his gratitude.

"Ah Xuan, today is your big day. You're newly married and will be consummating your marriage tonight, so you should drink less," Gao Jingming, who was traveling with you, teased with a wink.

Chen Xuan waved his hand and said, "Come on, we're happy today, let's drink to our hearts' content. Young master, are you trying to drink for me? I think you're just greedy."

"I'm doing this for your own good, okay? Why are you turning around and blaming me?" Gao Jingming couldn't help but laugh and was speechless.

Deng Lingfeng glanced at Chen Xuan and suppressed a laugh, saying, "Hey, as far as I know, Ah Xuan is still a virgin, his virginity has never been depleted, he's practically a jade-like virgin. Does he not know anything? Do you want us brothers to teach you some experience?"

Boys, you know, they'll say anything in private, especially when they're close friends.

Chen Xuan immediately objected, pouting, "What do you mean by 'keeping oneself pure'? It means that boys should protect themselves when they go out, otherwise girls will drain their yang energy. And Ling Feng, don't talk about me, you're not even married yet, but you act like you have a lot of experience?"

“What Ah Xuan said makes sense. He is indeed quite dangerous. If it weren’t for his strong fists, he probably would have been kidnapped by the female demon long ago,” Luo Taiyun said in deep agreement.

Zhou Lin jokingly teased Deng Lingfeng, saying, "Although I've left Yang County, I still keep in touch with you guys through letters. Last time, Xueyu told me that Lingfeng is practically supporting half of the brothels in Yang County."

"Really? Can Ling Feng's body handle it?" Chen Xuan immediately became interested.

Deng Lingfeng's face flushed red as he angrily retorted, "I didn't! I didn't! You're talking nonsense! Xueyu, how could you spread rumors about me?"

"It's true, isn't it? You frequent brothels, and you even dragged me there a few times. Tsk tsk, and you're too scared to admit it?" Tian Xueyu spread her hands, giving off an expression that said, "What can you do to me?"

Amidst their laughter and conversation, the group went outside. When there were more people around, they stopped talking. Chen Xuan had to go and entertain the guests, who were not outsiders, so the others could relax as they pleased.

The sun had set in the west, and dusk was approaching, with fiery red clouds still hanging in the sky.

First, Chen Xuan naturally had to toast the bride's family members who were accompanying her. No one could do this for him. With Steward Hua from the princess's residence accompanying him, Chen Xuan was able to introduce everyone to each other. Otherwise, how would Chen Xuan know so many people?

There were many people accompanying the little princess to her wedding, and the banquet arranged was almost full, with a total of thirty tables. These were the most important relatives and friends, not including their servants, guards, and those who came to watch the excitement on their own. Otherwise, there would have been several hundred tables to accommodate them.

There were princesses, noble ladies, princes, and marquises, as well as many royal relatives and the little princess's extended family. Even the royal family had relatives, but the imperial family was ruthless, and it was only in these kinds of days that there was a real sense of human warmth.

The first person Chen Xuan wanted to toast was naturally Crown Prince Zhou Chen. Not only was he the most distinguished person present, but he was also Chen Xuan's brother-in-law, so he had to be treated well.

"Ninth Brother, I'd like to offer you a toast. Please eat and drink well. If there's anything I haven't done well in terms of hospitality, please forgive me," Chen Xuan said, raising his cup with both hands in a gesture of respect. He then downed the cup in one gulp without uttering a sound.

Crown Prince Zhou Chen is the old man's ninth son, so Chen Xuan should naturally address him as Ninth Brother. It would be inappropriate to address him as Your Highness on such a day, as it would seem too formal.

Regardless of kinship or other reasons, Zhou Chen didn't put on airs. He stood up, raised his glass, and said with a smile, "Brother-in-law, you're too kind. I'm entrusting my little sister to you. Treat her well from now on. If she suffers any grievances, I won't stand for it. This glass is a toast to your loving marriage and a long and happy life together."

After saying that, he drank a full glass and patted Chen Xuan on the shoulder to show his affection.

Chen Xuan nodded and smiled, "Thank you, Ninth Brother. Please sit down. I'll go offer a toast first. Excuse me, please bear with me."

"Brother-in-law, please go ahead. We're family, don't worry about me," Zhou Chen said with a smile, gesturing for him to leave.

As expected, Crown Prince Zhou Chen will soon change his identity and become His Majesty the Emperor. At that time, he will be the most honored person in the entire Jing Kingdom, with power and status that no one can surpass.

Next, Chen Xuan had to toast Pei Zhenlong, the matchmaker. Although no one could stop Chen Xuan and the little princess's marriage, Pei Zhenlong, as the matchmaker, was getting a great deal, but he still had to toast him no matter what.

Raising his glass above his head with both hands, Chen Xuan bowed deeply and said, "Mr. Pei, I'd like to offer you a toast. Thank you for officiating my wedding. I promise I will treat Qian Ning well and won't let you down. I'm not good with words; they're all in this drink. I'll drink it first."

Seeing him down the drink in one gulp, Pei Zhenlong smiled, stood up, patted his shoulder, and said, "Xiao Xuan, you're a good boy. Of course, I'm not worried about His Highness being wronged. Live a good life from now on. And read more books when you have time. I wish you both a son soon."

"Thank you for your kind words, sir. Please have a seat. I'll excuse myself for a moment," Chen Xuan said with a cupped hand and a smile.

He smiled and sat down, saying, "Go and greet the other guests. Come visit me more often when you have time."

Chen Xuan nodded and went to toast the next person. At this moment, Pei Zhenlong's words from last time suddenly popped into his mind: the hidden star had the potential to enter the central sky, and under his observation, an additional star had appeared in the sky. Had these two phenomena changed? However, he couldn't say such things; the Crown Prince was still nearby. He should just let nature take its course.

Then came a group of elders, senior members of aristocratic families who held important positions in the court, as well as some princes, all of whom were elders of the emperor's generation. Chen Xuan had to treat them with respect both out of courtesy and courtesy.

Next came the younger generation of nobles, such as princes, princesses, and dukes, as well as their brothers, sisters, and cousins. Chen Xuan treated each of them with courtesy.

It has to be said that the royal family has really good genes. With each generation, there are almost no ugly ones. Even if they are overweight due to their privileged background, their good genes mean they are not ugly.

Some of the princesses and noblewomen who had married long ago were already middle-aged and quite uninhibited. They even teased Chen Xuan, saying that they had married too early and that their younger sister had gotten a good deal. They said that if they had met Chen Xuan earlier, they would have begged His Majesty to grant them a marriage. This made Chen Xuan a little flustered. How could you, as the bride's family members, say such things? Are you envious or jealous?
They were genuinely jealous. Chen Xuan's wedding amidst the ten miles of peach blossoms must have made countless people envious. The more they thought about their own wedding, the angrier they became. No way, they'd go back and absorb the yang energy of the Prince Consort. They wouldn't be done until he served them well!
Although Chen Xuan married Princess Fuyao instead of becoming her son-in-law, the proper etiquette still applies. When toasting the bride's family, he still had to follow the rules of seniority and respect.

After paying respects to about a third of the people, it was finally Gao Jingyu's turn, the Queen of Qing. She had now successfully ascended to the position of Queen. Last time, when Gao Jingming got married, the Wu family sabotaged Jiang Huaichuan by switching his gifts. Afterwards, the Jiang family was furious, and the Wu family was severely punished. In addition, Chen Xuan was standing behind the Gao family. With the intention of the Prince of Qing, the original Queen Wu abdicated and gave way to a more virtuous woman. It was said that she went mad. No one knew whether she was faking it or was manipulated by Gao Jingyu. Who could say what was going on in the royal family's inner court? The harmonious appearance on the surface was just for outsiders. To put it bluntly, it was a bloody and cruel reality. How could I be at peace if I didn't eliminate the threat?
Perhaps it was because she had become queen, but Gao Jingyu's brows were more imposing, and her martial arts training seemed to have given her a touch of domineering and ruthless air. Chen Xuan wondered if it was just his imagination, but he noticed that the ambition in her eyes had become even stronger. He clicked his tongue inwardly, wondering if she and Prince Qing were planning something. But what made her think she could do that? With only 100,000 troops thousands of miles away? Without extraordinary talent, this army would have a hard time even leaving the prefecture, let alone storming the capital to seize power. Zhou Hong's example was not to be underestimated; even Jiang Yuan, a grandmaster-level expert, had led a group that had fallen to the ground. By now, the grass on his grave was probably a foot high.

Yes, Zhou Hong was exiled after a coup a few months ago. He died halfway there and never reached Camel Bell Town, his place of exile. The official story is that he died of illness on the way, but everyone knows the real story. He had already experienced a coup. If he didn't die, would you give him another chance to make a comeback?

"Chen Xuan greets Miss. Please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality. Enjoy your meal and drinks. I'd like to offer you a toast." Regardless of Gao Jingyu's attitude, Chen Xuan still offered a toast with utmost respect.

Gao Jingyu laughed and said, "Congratulations, Xiao Xuan! You've grown up so fast and married Princess Fuyao. It's truly a cause for celebration. But from now on, Xiao Xuan, you'll have to call me sister-in-law."

That's right. Prince Qing is the little princess's brother, so he should address her as "sister-in-law." Chen Xuan was used to it, and quickly apologized, "I misspoke, please don't be offended, sister-in-law, let me toast you."

"Yes, I'll drink this glass of wine. You go ahead and do your work. Don't worry about me," Gao Jingyu said with a smile after drinking the wine in his glass.

After a brief exchange, Chen Xuan moved on to the next family member, making sure to show respect to each little princess's family.

Those who were paying attention had been keeping an eye on Chen Xuan, after all, he was the groom. They were secretly amazed and impressed. He had drunk seven or eight jars of wine, and he hadn't even gone to the toilet once, let alone gotten drunk. He truly deserved to be called a Grandmaster.

After the banquet ended, it was already dark. The guests didn't linger, and Chen Xuan saw them off to the door one by one.

However, this did not mean the end. Even though Chen Xuan wanted to see his wife, his guests had not yet left, and he had to suppress his feelings and keep them happy.

The wine seemed to be endless. Of course, Chen Xuan wasn't drunk at all. Instead, he got a lot of the guests drunk and many of them had to leave because they couldn't hold their liquor.

After most of the guests had left, it was already late at night. Chen Xuan thought to himself that getting married was really not easy. Fortunately, it was only this once. If he had to say something, even if he took other women into the family in the future, it wouldn't be this intense. Otherwise, if the concubines were treated the same as the principal wife, how would the little princess feel? What would the whole world think?
In this era, it was impossible to treat everyone equally. The treatment of concubines depended on whether they were favored. Otherwise, their status was even lower than that of some servants. They could be beaten or killed at will, or even given away like cattle or horses. Many men who became concubines had a miserable old age. Of course, many men still had their pride and could not bring themselves to beat or kill their concubines or give them away.

Once the still brightly lit mansion quieted down, Chen Xuan rubbed his hands together, thinking to himself, "My wife, here I come!" and quickly headed towards the bridal chamber.

"Master, master, would you like to take a bath and change? The bathroom is all ready," the little maid called after him, lifting her skirt as she chased after him.

After circulating his true energy, Chen Xuan felt refreshed and invigorated. Despite drinking so much wine, he didn't even smell of alcohol. He waved his hand and said, "No need. With Qian Ning's phoenix coronet and wedding robes, how can I change out of my groom's attire beforehand? Of course, I'll wear it to the bridal chamber for auspicious dragon and phoenix tidings!"

"That's true, but we need to prepare cleaning supplies in advance," the little girl nodded, her cheeks turning red as she spoke, as if she had thought of something.

Turning back, Chen Xuan lightly flicked her forehead and laughed, "Go and rest. You're not needed here anymore."

"Roujia, let's go rest. Let's not disturb the master's wedding night," Dujuan said, pulling the little maid aside.

From now on, it won't be the three of them relying on each other anymore. The princess's mansion has brought so many people as part of the dowry that it almost fills this huge residence. In fact, there are even more people arranged elsewhere, otherwise there simply wouldn't be enough room for them. The princess's mansion is fully aware of the situation here, and all the dowry members have been arranged in advance.

Today is a joyous occasion, but the specific arrangements inside and out have not yet been finalized. Chen Xuan and his wife will have to discuss it themselves later. In any case, Du Juan and Su Roujia, Chen Xuan's two personal maids, will not be moved elsewhere. Apart from the fact that there are more people in the family, things will not be much different from before.

"Greetings, Master!" At the entrance to the bridal chamber, the maids waiting there greeted Chen Xuan in unison.

They came as part of the princess's dowry, so they had to call him "Master." From now on, Chen Xuan's life and death would be decided by a single word. If Chen Xuan were the prince consort, they probably would dare to give him attitude, since being a prince consort is equivalent to marrying into the family, and the status of a son-in-law is sometimes worse than that of a dog.

Chen Xuan nodded and said, "Yes, you should go and rest too."

Upon hearing this, the maids exchanged glances, naturally not daring to disobey. They bowed and left. Chen Xuan didn't want anyone outside the bridal chamber. He wasn't used to the change in status and couldn't take it for granted. He guessed he would gradually adapt. He had heard that some wealthy families had someone help push his buttocks during the wedding night.

The door was right in front of him, and Chen Xuan felt inexplicably nervous. He took a deep breath before pushing the door open, then turned around and closed it again. Inside the bedroom, small dragon and phoenix candles were burning, a large red "double happiness" character was pasted on one wall, the curtains were red, and the sheets, blankets, and chairs were all red—everything was in festive colors.

Most importantly, there was the little princess who always sat upright on the bed, dressed in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe.

Walking towards her step by step, Chen Xuan seemed to have a thousand words to say, but only uttered one sentence: "My lady, you have kept me waiting. Thank you for your patience."

The little princess had been sitting there for an hour or two, and Chen Xuan felt very guilty.

Hearing this, she shook her head and comforted him, "The guests have all left, haven't they? My husband has worked hard. I'm not tired at all. When I was learning etiquette, I sat for much longer than this, and I couldn't move at all. This is actually quite good."

With a smile, Chen Xuan suddenly said, "Judging from your tone, my wife, you seem quite nervous?"

Naturally, she was both excited and nervous, but Chen Xuan's words suddenly eased her tension, and she chuckled, "Oh dear, husband, please don't tease me. We're about to lift the veil, and we'll be drinking the nuptial wine together."

"Oh right, right, right. It's my first time getting married, so I have to remind you, my wife," Chen Xuan said apologetically. Then he took a deep breath, picked up the jade ruyi he had prepared beforehand from the table, and slowly lifted the red veil.

When the veil was lifted, the little princess's stunningly beautiful face came into Chen Xuan's view. She had applied exquisite makeup, making her even more beautiful than before. Her eyes were shy and hesitant, yet also inviting. Chen Xuan was immediately mesmerized.

Faced with Chen Xuan's unwavering gaze, the little princess looked away shyly and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that, my husband?"

"My wife, you are so beautiful, I can never get enough of looking at you," Chen Xuan said subconsciously.

The little princess felt a sweet warmth in her heart knowing her beauty had won her husband's favor, and shyly said, "Husband, it's time for us to drink the nuptial wine."

“Yes, my wife, come with me,” Chen Xuan nodded and took her hand.

The two walked hand in hand to the table, where a table of food and wine had already been prepared. Chen Xuan poured the wine, and under his questioning gaze, the little princess picked up a silver needle.

Seeing his puzzled look, the little princess explained, "The nuptial wine is to be infused with our blood; this symbolizes sharing life and death, and being inseparable in life and death."

"Is that even a possibility?" Chen Xuan hesitated, "It will hurt a lot. I can't bear to see my wife get hurt."

“I’m very happy that my husband cares about me, but it’s okay, just a little bit,” she sweetly comforted him.

Chen Xuan could only nod and say, "Alright then."

Then the two of them pricked their fingertips and dripped their blood into two glasses of wine, thus becoming one with each other.

It was fortunate that Chen Xuan did it himself; otherwise, with his cultivation level, he wouldn't have even broken the skin, let alone used silver needles or a knife.

The two raised their glasses, linked arms, gazed at each other, and drank the nuptial wine, completing the final step of the wedding ceremony.

The next moment, Chen Xuan quickly put down his wine glass, grabbed the little princess's hand, and put her pricked finger in his mouth.

His sudden action made the little princess's heart flutter. She didn't dare look at him and lowered her head, saying, "Husband, I'm really fine, it's so itchy!"

A moment later, Chen Xuan released her fingers and examined them, saying, "The bleeding has stopped. Are you feeling better now? What a idiot I am; all my cultivation has been wasted."

As Chen Xuan spoke, he chuckled to himself. He circulated his true energy to nourish her fingertips, and soon the tiny wound healed. Her delicate, boneless hand, as soft as a spring onion, was like a work of art, and Chen Xuan couldn't bear to part with it.

Covering her mouth and giggling, the little princess said shyly, "I told you everything was fine, husband, you're making a mountain out of a molehill." As she spoke, her cheeks burned, and she didn't dare to look at Chen Xuan, saying weakly, "Husband, it's late, we should go to bed."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan's heart trembled. Just then, the little princess's stomach made a gurgling sound, and her face turned even redder, almost red enough to boil water.

Chen Xuan felt sorry for her but smiled, saying, "My wife isn't going to run away anymore. Let's eat something first; there's plenty of food."

"Yes, I'm sorry to have made you laugh, my husband. I am indeed a little hungry," she nodded apologetically, and then ate under Chen Xuan's gaze, feeling happy and sweet.

Chen Xuan didn't just look at her. Thinking of something, he asked curiously, "By the way, my wife, you told me at the beginning of the year that you would give me a surprise when we met again. I still don't know what the surprise is. Can you tell me now?"

The little princess ate gracefully, blushing at the thought of the so-called surprise, and shook her head, saying, "A surprise isn't a surprise if it's told. Father didn't let us be alone together for a while, so I couldn't keep my promise. I can't tell you now either, but my husband will know later."

"Alright then, I won't ask anymore," Chen Xuan said with a smile, quite curious about what the so-called surprise was.

She had a small appetite; a small bowl of rice and some vegetables were enough to fill her up. After rinsing her mouth and exhaling to make sure there was no unpleasant odor, she said nervously and shyly, "My husband, I've finished eating. We should rest now. I hope you will take care of me."

As she spoke, she lowered her head and bit her lip, her delicate body feeling somewhat weak.

Chen Xuan swallowed hard, but didn't rush. Instead, he magically produced a fruit, about the size of a walnut, perfectly round and snow-white, like a work of art carved from fine jade, emitting a faint fragrance, and seemingly shimmering in the candlelight.

Handing the fruit to the little princess, Chen Xuan said, "My lady, you should eat it first."

"What is this? It's so pretty. Can I eat it?" the little princess asked curiously, taking the food and examining it closely.

Chen Xuan said, "A senior gave us this as a wedding gift: a 'youth-preserving fruit.' It's said that eating it will keep my wife looking beautiful forever. Today is our joyous day, and also the most beautiful time of my wife's life. On this special day, I hope to preserve my wife's most beautiful appearance forever."

Every girl loves beauty, and the little princess was no exception. She had worried about growing old one day, and moved by this, she said, "There's only one fruit, my husband. Let's share it. I also hope my husband stays young forever."

Chen Xuan laughed and said, "If you give me half, it won't be as effective. My wife, please eat it. Not to mention that with my cultivation level, I don't have to worry about my appearance. I can find more in the future. If one day my wife's appearance remains unchanged while I grow old, I hope my wife won't despise her husband."

“How could that be? Then I won’t eat it. I’ll grow old with my husband,” she said, her eyes reddening.

Chen Xuan gently pinched her cute nose and said, "Just kidding, my wife, eat quickly, it's getting late, you should rest. Or should I feed you?"

After hesitating for a moment, she nodded and hummed in agreement, then took a small bite of the anti-aging fruit. She smiled and said, "It's so delicious, so sweet! It makes me feel cool and refreshed, so comfortable."

Chen Xuan immediately exclaimed in surprise, "My lady, you're glowing! Your skin has a hazy, shimmering light, clearly the effect of the Youth-Preserving Fruit. You're so pure and beautiful, like a fairy!"

"Really? That's amazing!" she exclaimed, raising her hand to examine the object with a look of surprise.

She gasped in surprise as Chen Xuan swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. Chen Xuan's gaze was intense as he said, "My wife, it's time to retire for the night."

My wife is glowing! I have to take this opportunity to experience it.
"Yes, my love is so tender," the little princess whispered, her body going limp as she buried her head in his arms, knowing what was about to happen.

Reaching the bedside, Chen Xuan gently laid her down, then turned back and chuckled, "Guys, you've been eavesdropping for enough, haven't you? Hurry up and get out of here, or I might just throw you out."

"Haha, Ah Xuan, you've discovered this! Let's just leave, don't make a move," Gao Jingming's hearty laughter came from outside.

Deng Lingfeng said, half-laughing and half-crying, "I told you we couldn't hide it from Ah Xuan. He was just playing along with us."

"Let's go, let's go have a drink, we won't bother Ah Xuan anymore."

The little princess was so embarrassed that she didn't dare to open her eyes.

With a wave of his hand, the crimson curtains fell. Gazing at the coy princess, Chen Xuan said with burning eyes, "My wife, I've offended you."

"Husband, what are you saying? Human relations are a matter of course, it's only natural... Oh dear, the brocade handkerchief is on the mat, and the lights are off," she said shyly with her eyes closed, her voice trembling.

Chen Xuan reached out to unbutton her dress, pretending not to hear. Such a beautiful wife, wouldn't it be a huge loss to turn off the lights?

She carefully removed her clothes as if peeling an onion; they were all festive red, even her bodice was red, embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water.

"Husband, don't look. You've seen it before," the little princess said shyly, turning her head away, her voice filled with a plaintive, tearful tone.

Chen Xuan said with burning eyes, "That's different, I can never get enough of looking at it."

As he spoke, he quickly stripped himself naked, and the little princess secretly opened her eyes, her heart pounding like thunder.

The red candles dimly lit the silken curtains, and even the crescent moon in the sky seemed too shy to hide behind the clouds… (End of Chapter)