Misty Rain of the Old Times

As the sun began to set, those who were close to Chen Xuan arrived one after another. After exchanging pleasantries, they took their seats. There weren't many people; only three tables were set up.

After the food and wine were served, Chen Xuan and the little princess exchanged a knowing glance, then got up and walked to the table where Madam Gao and the others were seated. Almost everyone there was from the older generation.

Taking the tea offered by Du Juan, Chen Xuan raised the cup above his head with both hands, bowed deeply, and said, "Master and Madam, you have worked hard these past few days. I am deeply grateful. I offer you this cup and wish you both good health and longevity."

Without changing his posture, Chen Xuan slightly tilted his head and introduced, "My lady, these two elders are Master Gao and Madam Gao. They have shown me great care over the years and are among the elders I respect most. Please remember not to neglect them."

“What my husband says is absolutely right. We are husband and wife, and your elders are my elders,” the little princess nodded and said, showing her knowledge and manners without putting on any airs of a princess, as if she had forgotten her status.

She then picked up the wine glass from the tray in Yunlan's hand and bowed deeply to the two elders, saying, "This junior, Zhou Qianning, daughter-in-law of the Chen family, greets Master Gao and Madam Gao. I am grateful for your care of my husband over the years. I have no way to repay you. Please let me know if you need anything in the future, and I will do my best to help. I toast you both, wishing you happiness and good health."

The newlyweds performed the rites of a junior, with the husband leading and the wife following, which, to anyone who saw it, showed genuine respect for Master Gao and his family.

Seeing the two young people's attitude, Old Master Gao naturally wouldn't put on airs as an elder. Rong Guanghuan stood up and quickly waved his hand, saying, "There's no need for that. We're all family. Don't be so formal."

He also benefited from Madam Gao's influence. Over the years, he had only spent a few days with Chen Xuan. Otherwise, he wouldn't have received such treatment.

Mrs. Gao rose with a loving smile and said, "You are all good children. Live a good life from now on. If anything happens, just let us know. If we, as your elders, don't worry about you, who will? Try to have a big, healthy boy soon."

"Thank you, sir and madam. Please, I'll drink this first," Chen Xuan said, bowing again before downing the wine in his cup.

The little princess was the same, though her cheeks were slightly flushed. As a new wife, she was a little embarrassed to talk about childbirth, but her demeanor was still graceful and poised. She was not good at drinking alcohol and could have used tea instead, but without the Gao family's help, she might not have her current husband, so she had to drink this cup of wine.

After everyone raised their glasses, Chen Xuan said apologetically, "Please sit down, sir and madam. My husband and I will excuse ourselves for a moment to consult with the two elders later."

Madam Gao laughed and said, "Xiao Xuan, you're too polite. Go on, go on. It's a little unusual for you to be so serious."

Then Chen Xuan introduced Mr. Yushan to the little princess, saying, "My lady, this is Mr. Yushan. He has enlightened me, enlightened me, and helped me find peace of mind. He has also shown me great care and kindness. We must not neglect him. Let us toast him."

Nodding, the little princess respectfully raised her glass and said, "Thank you for your care and concern for my husband over the years. I toast you."

"I have difficulty walking, please don't mind. I'll accept this toast as a courtesy. I wish you a happy marriage and many children," Mr. Yushan said with a smile, raising his glass. He sighed to himself, "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. The little kids from back then have all grown up and started their own families. Time really flies."

Chen Xuan bowed and said, "Sir, you flatter my wife and me. Please."

Then Chen Xuan introduced his wife to Steward He and Geng Hong, toasting them one by one with impeccable manners.

From Chen Xuan's perspective, the little princess genuinely respected them, so she drank without any hesitation, one cup after another. Even though Chen Xuan felt sorry for his wife and tried to soothe her after drinking, her pretty face was still flushed.

Then came Gao Jingming and his friends. It was much more casual with them, so they introduced themselves and toasted. This was also an opportunity for the little princess to get to know Chen Xuan and integrate into his life.

When it was Erdan's turn, a hint of sadness flashed in Chen Xuan's eyes. He said earnestly, "Wife, this is Erdan, that's just his nickname. His real name is Luo Heihu. Do you remember when I told you, we went through thick and thin together when we were kids? We were so hungry back then that we felt lightheaded, and he kept us alive with half a piece of bread. All that is in the past now, and we're all better off, but we haven't forgotten a thing about what happened back then. Let's toast him."

The little princess naturally knew about these things. Thinking of her husband's tragic childhood, she felt extremely distressed and grateful to Luo Heihu, whom she had never met before. She nodded and earnestly raised her cup in a gesture of respect, saying, "Young Master Luo, thank you so much for your help to my husband back then. I am deeply grateful. I toast you. If you ever need anything in the future, just let me know, and I will do my utmost to repay you."

For a moment, Erdan was at a loss for words. He was not good with words to begin with, and his face turned red, though it wasn't so noticeable because of his dark skin. He stammered, "Your Highness, please don't be like this. I'm not very good with words. I didn't do anything wrong back then. On the contrary, Ah Xuan has taken great care of me in recent years. I... well, I'll just drink. I hope I haven't made a fool of myself."

No one laughed at him. Almost everyone present knew about what they had gone through as children, and the memories were filled with heartache.

After the three raised their glasses, the little princess smiled gracefully and said, "This is a family banquet, Brother Black Tiger, there's no need for such formalities. And please don't call me Your Highness, just call me Sister-in-law."

Although he is now more robust than Chen Xuan, he is actually younger than Chen Xuan. These little princesses all know this. They had the same experience when they were young, so the little princesses will not look down on or distance themselves from him because of his status.

As Erdan watched with trepidation and unease, Chen Xuan patted him on the shoulder and smiled, "Listen to your sister-in-law, don't be so distant."

"Hey, sister-in-law," Erdan said with a smile, scratching his head.

After exchanging pleasantries, Mr. and Mrs. Chen moved on to the next place and introduced Qinghe, Qingyu, Qingdou, and their families. The little princess humbled herself and politely offered toasts from the perspective of Mr. Chen's wife.

This is a family banquet, and all the guests are people Chen Xuan has been close to since childhood. Guests like Ling Yun, Xiang Qi, Guo Qingxue, and others are not here; they may have already left the capital after Chen Xuan's wedding to attend to their own affairs.

However, there are exceptions. He Hongyi is here. She is now a neighbor in Yang County. She has been staying at Chen Xuan's residence for the past few days, helping to take care of Xiao Miao and her brother.

When it was He Hongyi's turn, Chen Xuan introduced her frankly: "My lady, this is He Hongyi, a top-tier martial arts expert in Yuhua Kingdom, a revered heroine. She is currently residing in Yang County, and we are neighbors. She has come from afar to congratulate us, so we should naturally offer her a toast."

The first-rate masters Chen Xuan referred to were not those with high cultivation levels, but rather those with a good reputation and influence in the martial arts world. Although they were related to cultivation level and strength, they were not the same thing.

She naturally knew some things about Princess He Hongyi. She didn't deliberately investigate Chen Xuan's privacy, but things that were common knowledge naturally reached the princess's ears. So she knew that He Hongyi was in love with her husband and even went to great lengths to pursue him.

There was no need to bring up such matters in this setting, nor would it embarrass her husband. The little princess smiled gracefully and said, "Guests are always welcome. Thank you, Miss He, for coming to congratulate us. Please don't refuse this cup of celebratory wine."

Facing the little princess's gaze, He Hongyi felt inexplicably nervous, as if the other party was scrutinizing and appraising her. Before this, she hadn't deliberately hidden her feelings, so whether she could enter this family in the future depended on the little princess's approval. How could she not be nervous? She quickly stood up and tried to remain natural, saying, "Your Highness is too kind. I'll drink it, you can drink as you like." As a woman of the martial world, she should be decisive and straightforward. Even though she had tried to be gentle and well-mannered to please Chen Xuan, she was too nervous to utter many eloquent words. Being able to say such a simple sentence was already an extraordinary performance.

She then downed her drink in one gulp. No one around was blind; they could vaguely sense that she was trying to curry favor with the little princess, but they didn't show it. Everything was understood without words.

As a top-tier master, He Hongyi knew that her performance was somewhat lacking, but she couldn't avoid it. She wished she could disappear into the ground and force herself to remain calm. She was anxiously wondering what kind of impression she had on the little princess, as this was a matter of whether she could enter the family in the future.

After drinking the wine, the little princess smiled and said, "Miss He is my husband's friend, there's no need to be so formal. We can just call each other sisters, or you can call me Qian Ning, whatever you prefer."

"How can this be?" He Hongyi said nervously, her heart pounding with anxiety, truly unable to fathom the little princess's thoughts.

The little princess smiled and said, "It's settled then, Miss He. Enjoy your meal, and we'll talk again later."

Chen Xuan nodded, then introduced the two siblings, Xiao Miao and Zhou Fugui, to his wife, saying, "Wife, these are Zhou Xiao Miao and Zhou Fugui. We met when we went to Mocheng. They are both very sensible and hardworking, and we have kept in touch all these years. They came to congratulate us on our wedding."

As he spoke, Chen Xuan noticed that his wife gave him a half-smile. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but it seemed to be saying, "Husband, you have good taste. I haven't disappointed you, have I? But don't get too cocky."

He truly understood the meaning from his wife's fleeting glance, and for some reason, he felt both amused and exasperated.

Don't be fooled by the little princess's demure demeanor in front of Chen Xuan. As a princess, she has naturally developed a keen eye for people through her upbringing. Her brief conversation with He Hongyi and her subtle observations have already given her a good idea of ​​who she is.

In her initial impression, He Hongyi was a decent person. She had a strong sense of chivalry and was the kind of person who was decisive, passionate, and didn't easily change her mind once she made up her mind. She wasn't complicated or scheming, and she was straightforward and honest but not stupid.

Most importantly, her appearance and figure are impeccable; she has large breasts, a slim waist, round hips, and long legs—she looks like she's easy to raise.

With this impression in mind, the little princess thought that she would observe and get to know him for a while longer. If her husband was satisfied, she would arrange a date to bring him into the family. After all, her husband was single and wanted to have children. How many children could she have on her own?

So when she said they were sisters, she was actually subtly expressing her attitude, but He Hongyi wasn't that perceptive and didn't realize it at first.

Of those present, only Madam Gao seemed to grasp the little princess's underlying meaning. Although her family was harmonious, Master Gao had a lot of concubines, and she was very familiar with the intricacies of the inner court. She glanced at He Hongyi without leaving a trace, thinking to herself that this woman was probably a lucky one, and that she would likely serve Xiao Xuan in the future.

When introducing the Xiao Miao siblings, Chen Xuan did not recount their hardships. Even when introducing them, Chen Xuan would not do anything that would reopen old wounds.

Many thoughts flashed through her mind, but after Chen Xuan finished speaking, the little princess temporarily put them aside and looked at Zhou Xiaomiao and her brother with a loving expression, saying, "Little Miao, little Fugui, I've often heard my husband mention you. It's so nice to finally meet you! Have you had a good time these past few days? If you've neglected us in any way, please don't take it to heart. Thank you for coming to offer your blessings. Your brother Chen and I are very happy. Here, let me toast you with this glass of celebratory wine. You're still too young to drink alcohol, so please have some tea instead."

As the saying goes, "love me, love my dog," the little princess knew that Xiao Miao and her brother held a great place in Chen Xuan's heart, so she genuinely liked them and treated them as her younger siblings.

Xiao Miao, not wanting to be shy, quickly said, "Hello, sister-in-law! You're so beautiful. I should be the one toasting you. I'll offer you tea instead of wine. I wish you and Brother Chen a long and happy life together, many children, good health, and a large family."

The little girl hadn't been to school for long and wasn't very good at speaking, but she had secretly memorized all of this in the last few days and recited it all in one breath.

The little princess was overjoyed to hear this heartfelt blessing. She took her hand, raised her glass, and said, "Thank you, Xiao Miao. Come on, let's toast!"

"Cheers, sister-in-law," Xiao Miao said sweetly, feeling a little embarrassed because her hands were too rough. She instinctively wanted to break free from the little princess's grasp, but the little princess's sincere eyes warmed her heart. She thought to herself that Brother Chen was so good, and the sister-in-law he married was also one of the best in the world.

At this moment, Zhou Fugui, who wasn't quite right in the head, also stood up, grinning and saying, "Greetings, Brother Chen, Sister-in-law, great! Happy! You'll definitely be happy in the future, a match made in heaven! I'll drink too!"

After stammering out this sentence, he picked up a bowl of soup and gulped it down.

Everyone present knew his situation, so no one laughed at him; they were both moved and genuinely happy.

After finishing one glass, the little princess took another, looked at Zhou Fugui, and smiled, "Fugui calls me sister-in-law, so I must drink this wedding wine. Thank you for your blessings, please."

"Hmm, hehe," Zhou Fugui put down the soup bowl, scratched his head, and grinned foolishly.

After going around in circles, Chen Xuan introduced all the people he was close to, and from this moment on, the little princess would gradually integrate into Chen Xuan's life.

The atmosphere then became lively, with much conversation and lively discussion.

None of them were outsiders. Emboldened by the alcohol, Master Gao announced some good news: he had received an imperial decree and would be taking office as the governor of Huizhou in a few days. As soon as the news came out, regardless of the court's intentions, everyone offered their heartfelt congratulations. After all, it was a promotion. The governor of a prefecture, a powerful official in charge of a region, was a position that countless officials could not reach in their entire lives. Moreover, Master Gao was in his prime, so it was a great thing.

They chatted happily until late at night, and the guests and hosts left one after another in high spirits. The banquet, which could be called a family feast after Chen Xuan's wedding, finally came to an end.

This was the first day after their marriage. The little princess had not yet recovered, and even though Chen Xuan was young and vigorous, he tried his best to restrain himself and did not bully her. The two hugged each other and said some blushing and heart-pounding words.

Everyone has their own life to live. Originally, after Chen Xuan's wedding, everyone was going their separate ways, but no one brought up such a disappointing topic during the family banquet.

There was no rush; Chen Xuan had originally planned to spend a few days sightseeing in the capital with Xiao Gao and the others after finishing his business. However, plans changed. The morning after the family banquet, Gao Jingming rushed over to tell Chen Xuan that there was an emergency in Zhoushan County, and since his vacation wasn't over yet, he had to leave to go back and take charge of the situation... (End of Chapter)