Misty Rain of the Old Times

"...Then why don't you take your hand out?" The little princess gave Chen Xuan a reproachful look.

He coughed lightly, reluctantly pulled his hand away, and asked in confusion, "Who turned on my auto-pathfinding?"

She gave him a playful punch, then stood up, straightened her collar, and gracefully walked away, saying, "Brother Xuan, I'll go make some arrangements first. See if there's anything I need to take back so I can have it prepared."

After a moment's thought, Chen Xuan said, "There's nothing I need to bring. I'll think about it later. It won't take much time to go back and forth."

"Alright then," the little princess nodded, already used to her husband's unpredictable nature.

After she left, Chen Xuan lazily lay back down and waited. Then he looked around and, seeing no one, secretly raised his hand and smelled it. It smelled really good.

Soon after, everything was settled for the little princess. It was really easy to have a wife taking care of things at home.

"Brother Xuan, this is for you... but let Roujia and the others take it," the little princess said, taking a beautifully crafted, palm-sized bag from Yunlan after finishing her work.

The small pouch, made of some kind of leather, looked rather heavy. Chen Xuan asked in bewilderment, "Wife, what is the meaning of this?"

"My husband, your allowance is all little gold coins, each weighing a coin or two. It's convenient for everyday spending and tipping. You can't be stingy when you're out and about, or people will look down on you," the little princess said matter-of-factly.

Using gold coins for everyday spending and tipping? Is this Princess's... husband's usual spending philosophy?

Feeling like he was living off a woman, Chen Xuan scratched his butt and chuckled, "My wife really gives me pocket money? Isn't that a bit too extravagant?"

"Didn't my husband ask me to manage the money? It's only right. Besides, it's not like I'm trying to impress people with money. It's just ordinary spending. If the amount is too small, it won't be presentable," the little princess said matter-of-factly after a moment's hesitation.

Okay, Chen Xuan reflected on himself. He was no longer that stingy little bookworm. He needed to change his spending habits, otherwise people would think he had fallen on hard times. He also needed to catch up in terms of his demeanor... To hell with it, he would do whatever he wanted and be happy.

Nodding, he said nonchalantly, "I'll do whatever you say, my wife. Keep the soft armor safe. Just ask for it if you need anything in the future; we'll go almost everywhere together anyway."

As they were talking, Chen Xuan noticed that Yun Lan also had a similar money pouch on her waist. It seemed that the little princess had arranged Chen Xuan's spending according to her usual habits, without making her husband feel wronged at all, unlike many couples where the man's pockets are emptier than his face, and he carefully hides a little stash of money and still manages to plunder it all.

The little girl usually managed Chen Xuan's money, and when she took the money bag and opened it, she exclaimed in surprise, "So much?"

The bag was more than half full of gold beans, which were dazzling in the sunlight. She estimated that there were about forty or fifty taels. She had seen so much money before after following Chen Xuan, even though it was just her usual pocket money. She still found it a bit unbelievable.

She quickly realized that this was perfectly normal given her master and mistress's status, nothing to be surprised about. Realizing she'd probably made a fool of herself, she blushed and said, "I will keep it safe for you, Master."

"It's alright, don't blame yourself for losing it. Master's dignity is the most important thing. In Master's heart, your soft armor is not something that can be compared to this little bit of money," the little princess said nonchalantly, easily defusing the little maid's embarrassment. She was subtly showing the demeanor and vision of a first wife. She knew in her heart that the little maid would undoubtedly be Chen Xuan's bedmate in the future.

The young maid nodded, her expression moved. She secretly resolved to serve the master and mistress even better in the future, as the money she had was enough to buy several of herself...

This kind of allowance should be Chen Xuan's routine from now on. I just don't know if it's a daily allowance or a monthly allowance. Extra expenses aside, who cares? It's no big deal.

After confirming that everything was arranged, Chen Xuan led her away from the capital and quickly headed towards Yang County. Accompanying them were Yun Lan, Yun Xin, Du Juan, Su Roujia, and the guard commander Xia Mei. Their home in Yang County was too small to accommodate many people, and it wouldn't need to accommodate too many people either.

They brought some changes of clothes and daily necessities with them, so that if they needed anything, they could buy it or even come back to get it.

After Chen Xuan and his group headed south to Yang County, Steward Hua immediately arranged for a group of people to go there and stay permanently. They wouldn't bother Chen Xuan and his group normally, but they would have someone to serve them if needed. They couldn't expect Chen Xuan and his group to do everything themselves.

Returning south, this wasn't the first time the little princess had traveled freely with Chen Xuan. She wasn't surprised at all; instead, she was more excited about being away from the capital for the first time. Everything she saw along the way was new and exciting. To avoid making her feel unwell or suffer from motion sickness due to the fast speed, Chen Xuan deliberately slowed down.

When they arrived in Yang County, it was almost afternoon. They stopped occasionally to enjoy the scenery. At each stop, Chen Xuan told the little princess about his and Gao Jingming's experiences when they went to the capital. She listened with great interest, wishing she could have been there at the time.

When the little princess mentioned encountering Zheng Wanqian at Niushou Mountain, she joked that if Chen Xuan had been a little soft-hearted back then, that beautiful and rich woman would probably have beaten him to it, and the two of them wouldn't have had their current relationship. Just thinking about it is scary.

However, Chen Xuan said that was impossible. The bond between the two of them, formed through years of correspondence since childhood, could not be compared to a beautiful young lady who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He was not the kind of person who would be unable to move when he saw a pretty woman.

The little princess expressed her doubts, analyzing everything from the man's character to the Zheng family's wealth, thus sparking a heated discussion...

They happily returned home, and Chen Xuan even took them to stay in Jinxia County for a while, but unfortunately it was the wrong season, so they missed seeing the beautiful scenery of 'golden clouds' covering the mountains and fields.

"Brother Xuan, this is our home? The environment is beautiful, quiet amidst the hustle and bustle. Although it's not luxurious, it has a peaceful and elegant atmosphere. I like it here."

Upon returning to Yang County, they went straight to their own courtyard. As soon as they landed, the little princess couldn't wait to look around and fell in love with them at first sight. She even imagined the couple dressing up together in front of the mirror, which made her very happy.

Chen Xuan guessed that part of her affection for the house was due to her love for the house, so he nodded and said, "Yes, this is our home in Yang County. It was only built last year. It's a bit small, but it has everything you need. We'll be staying here often in the future. I hope you won't feel wronged, my wife."

"Brother Xuan, you can't say things like that anymore. Wherever you are, that's the best place. I'd be happy even if we lived in a cave and ate coarse food," the little princess pouted and said unhappily.

In his previous life, Chen Xuan wouldn't have believed a single punctuation mark of this statement, but in this world, it's almost always true: once you marry a chicken, you follow the chicken; once you marry a dog, you follow the dog; you can't get rid of them even if you chase them away. This isn't just a saying.

Chen Xuan wouldn't speculate about things that didn't exist; that would only make things harder for himself. He smiled and said, "Let me show my wife around. There are a few vegetable sheds in the back, so we can have fresh vegetables all year round."

"Okay, by the way, Brother Xuan, where is the peach tree you planted? You've been telling me about it for years, but I've never seen it," the little princess asked impatiently, showing a strong desire to explore her little home.

At this moment, Chen Xuan tilted his head slightly and said, "Sister Juan, Roujia, please help Yunlan, Yunxin, and Aunt Mei arrange their rooms first. I'll show Qianning around the area."

"Yes, sir. It's getting late. We'll cook once we're settled in," the little maid nodded obediently. This wasn't the capital, after all, and the twin sisters Yunlan and Yunxin were a little nervous and reserved at first. However, thinking that they would all be the master's people in the future, they gradually relaxed and carefully observed everything around them, knowing they would be staying here often in the future.

Xia Mei remained calm throughout. As a guard, she didn't think about so many things; her primary concern was safety and whether anything had been overlooked—that was her duty.

Then Chen Xuan turned around and gestured, "Look, my wife, the peach tree I planted when I was little is over there..."

"I'll go take a look," the little princess said before he could finish, lifting her skirt and hurrying over. She squatted down beside the small peach tree and looked at it in surprise, saying, "It really is as Brother Xuan said! The plant is as vigorous as a dragon, and the leaves are lush and green. It hasn't grown tall at all over the years. It's truly special."

Walking over and squatting down beside him, Chen Xuan looked at the peach tree and smiled, "I don't know what happened either. When I was little, I was always looking forward to planting it so I could eat peaches in a couple of days. So many years have passed, and not a single flower has bloomed. I wonder when my wish will come true."

This was brought by Chen Xuan from his 'hometown'. Its stunted growth is probably related to his time travel. When he was a child, Chen Xuan wondered if this thing was his cheat ability. However, it turns out he was overthinking it. Now that he has reached the Grandmaster level, it is still the same. It's frustrating to think about.

Whether or not it will bear fruit is clearly a long way off. Chen Xuan is determined to outlast it. If it doesn't work in ten years, surely it will give some kind of response in a hundred or several hundred years.

“One, two, three… one hundred and eight leaves, no more, no less, perfectly matching the numbers of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. It can’t be a coincidence. Brother Xuan’s peach tree is definitely an extremely rare and precious species. It’s quite bold of Brother Xuan to plant it in the yard like this. I’ll have to tell Aunt Mei and the others to keep an eye on it later.” The little princess was incredibly surprised as she counted the peach tree leaves. Then she comforted her, “Brother Xuan, don’t worry. Even iron trees bloom eventually. There are almost no plants in the world that don’t flower and bear fruit. It’s just that the time hasn’t come yet. We’ll definitely be able to eat peaches in the future.”

"Perhaps. I don't care whether it can flower and bear fruit or not. As long as it can live well, that's enough," Chen Xuan said nonchalantly.

When the topic of peaches came up, his eyes unconsciously drifted to his wife's taut buttocks as she squatted down. That's Peach, honey peach.

Unaware of Chen Xuan's gaze, otherwise the little princess would have rolled her eyes again. She turned around and asked a question that had been on her mind for a long time: "Brother Xuan, this peach tree seems to have special meaning for you?"

"Well, back then, I was pulled out of the water completely naked, with only this peach tree seed in my hand. My other memories are all blurry. Since planting it, it's been my only companion all these years," Chen Xuan said frankly. There was nothing he couldn't tell his wife. Considering that the time travel story was too bizarre and his wife probably wouldn't be able to accept it right away, Chen Xuan didn't tell her proactively. If she asked out of curiosity, Chen Xuan wouldn't hide it from her.

Husband and wife are one, their lives are intertwined, and they are the people they trust the most.

Upon hearing this, the little princess truly understood the significance of the peach tree to her husband, and became even more attentive to it. However, she let nature take its course and did not actively interfere with the tree's growth. So she comforted him, saying, "Brother Xuan, what's past is past. Don't dwell on it. Let's go see other places."

"Yes, there's a small grove of trees around, and a vegetable shed in the back; it's not a very big place overall."

It didn't take the little princess long to familiarize herself with the place. Back in the front yard, she said wistfully, "This must be the idyllic life so many people dream of! It's really wonderful. I want to learn farming from Roujia when I have time; things you grow yourself are definitely different."

To enjoy idyllic rural life, you first need to have a hundred million; otherwise, it's not as wonderful as it seems. Chen Xuan, of course, wouldn't say something so discouraging, and smiled, saying, "As long as my wife is happy."

After strolling around for a while, the two chatted and laughed as they arrived at the pavilion. After the maids brought tea, Xia Mei hesitated for a moment and came over to ask for instructions while they were chatting: "Master, Madam, I paid a little attention to the surroundings earlier and found that this little Yang County is not simple. I sensed no less than five innate masters, not including us. Should we be careful?"

Are there that many? Ten years ago, there wasn't a single master of innate cultivation in the entire Yang County. Once you opened up your Ren and Du meridians, you could walk sideways with impunity.

Chen Xuan waved his hand dismissively, saying, "There's no need. Let them be as they are, since they haven't provoked us. Actually, it's quite normal to have so many innate masters. Ever since Young Master Gao became the top scholar, people have been flocking to Yang County to pay their respects. It's not surprising that some of them are innate masters who have come specifically to see him."

As long as it wasn't directed at him, Chen Xuan didn't pay much attention. He went to the capital for a while and pretended that a few innate masters had emerged in Yang County.

Since he had said that, Xia Mei naturally wouldn't cause any trouble. As long as they didn't come with malicious intent, she wouldn't bother them. So she nodded and said, "Your subordinate understands and will not disturb you, sir and madam."

This is also a responsible thing to do. If Chen Xuan says to keep an eye on them, Xia Mei will have to find out about those people's backgrounds through the government.

The sun was already setting when the meal was ready. Presumably because it was the little princess's first time here, it was exceptionally lavish, and the maids were eager to welcome their mistress.

Here, we don't need to be so formal. Chen Xuan invited them to sit at the table and eat together. The little princess not only didn't object but was also very happy, saying that this was the taste of home.

After having a few drinks, Chen Xuan suggested after dinner, "Wife, it's still early. Why don't we go for a stroll in the county town? It can't compare to the bustling capital, but small places have their own unique charm."

The little princess showed great interest and said impatiently, "Husband, let's go now! I've never left the capital before!"

“Okay, we’ll go right away, but let me make this clear first: the quality of some people at the bottom of society in small towns may need improvement. If you see anything unpleasant later, my wife, don’t take it to heart,” Chen Xuan said in advance.

The little princess immediately laughed and said, "Husband, don't always think that I'm out of touch with reality. I've been writing stories for so many years, and I've collected a lot of material. I probably know more about the underworld or the dark side than you do. Otherwise, how could I have achieved such a great reputation as Listening Wind Hermit by simply making things up without any basis?"

Chen Xuan hadn't really thought of that, and immediately gave a thumbs up, saying, "I underestimated my wife."

The couple went out hand in hand, and Xia Mei and the others naturally followed.

The little princess proudly tilted her chin up and said, "I'm not bragging to my husband, but when it comes to medicine, martial arts, alchemy, formations, poisons, and all sorts of exotic techniques, if I hadn't seen them with my own eyes, how could I have written them so vividly in my stories? To be frank, I don't even know how many so-called superior martial arts techniques in the martial world I have in my head, but I only use them as material for my stories. I have no interest in practicing martial arts. Uh, I'm getting a little carried away. My husband is the real expert in martial arts, so don't laugh at me!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan secretly clicked his tongue in amazement. His wife was quite something! Did she mean that if one paid close attention to her stories, one could learn something real from them? He wondered if anyone who had read her stories had noticed this.

Before they had even left the grove of trees around their house, they heard an angry voice, almost roaring, "Why? I've loved you for so many years, given you my whole heart. In terms of family background and social standing, how am I not good enough for you? What have I done to displease you? Even if your heart is made of stone, it should have warmed up by now after all these years!"

At the sudden shout, Chen Xuan's lips twitched. What was going on? It seemed he had encountered something dramatic and entertaining before even stepping out the door?
Looks like there's some juicy gossip out there. Shall we go check it out?

The little princess was also drawn to the sound, and looking in that direction, she said in a daze, "Brother Xuan, judging from that voice, it seems to be an accent from the Yuhua Kingdom."

Hearing her say that, Chen Xuan suddenly remembered her previous warning and wondered if it would implicate him... (End of Chapter)