Misty Rain of the Old Times

Under his wife's ambiguous gaze, the image of the ethereal fairy Tingyin instantly appeared in Chen Xuan's mind.

The initial mystery and ambiguity, the baby-soft skin revealed after the veil was removed, the lively, childlike attire with tinkling ornaments and bare legs, the stunningly beautiful face, the perfectly proportioned and curvaceous figure, the alluring charm, and the calm and profound eyes that have weathered many storms...

It's hard to tell which side of her is the real her. She's versatile and can pull off any style, and all of them appear on her perfectly without looking out of place or awkward. It's as if she can satisfy any type of person you like.

These thoughts flashed through his mind, and Chen Xuan smiled frankly, "My wife, that's a good question. Well, from a man's perspective, it would be a lie to say I'm not attracted to her. I'd love to possess her and cherish her immediately... cough cough. But to say I'd fall in love at first sight is unrealistic. Feelings need to be cultivated over time. It's undeniable that love at first sight exists, but most of the time it's just lust at first sight."

He didn't pretend to be hypocritical; he spoke his truest thoughts and faced his heart directly, after all, it wasn't some shameful crime.

And to be honest, she's so beautiful that her age is really not worth mentioning.

After hearing what he said, the little princess smiled and curled her lips in disdain, saying, "As expected, all men are the same, and you, my husband, are no exception. But you are at least sincere, saying what's on your mind. Aren't you afraid I'll get angry?"

Shrugging, Chen Xuan said innocently, "It was you who asked, my wife, so I'm just telling the truth. You know what kind of person I am, don't you? If I were to say something high-sounding and righteous, wouldn't that make me look guilty?"

The little princess shook her head, both amused and exasperated, and said, "My husband is so boring. You don't even give me a chance to find fault; you've killed the conversation."

"Why don't you ask me again, my wife, and I'll rephrase my question and say I don't feel anything, and then you can tease me a bit?" Chen Xuan joked.

Waving her hand dismissively, the little princess indicated she wasn't that bored, and instead huffed, "Husband, I don't care about all that. Although I'm not a jealous or petty person, Tingyin is just too old. I can't accept that. No matter how beautiful she is, you can't bring her home. At most, you can keep her outside, and I'll turn a blind eye. Understand? I don't want to say this a second time. If you bring her home later, I'll really be angry."

"Wife, what are you talking about? How could that be possible?" Chen Xuan said, both amused and exasperated.

She remained serious and said, "Don't try to fool me. Nothing is impossible. Look at me carefully and answer."

"Alright, alright, I solemnly promise my wife that I will never bring her back, otherwise..." Chen Xuan said, both amused and exasperated, wondering why his wife was taking such an impossible thing so seriously.

Before he could finish speaking, the little princess immediately interrupted, "It's settled then. I trust my husband, so you can't say anything unlucky."

Without dwelling on these things, Chen Xuan, having eaten and drunk his fill, leaned back lazily and changed the subject, asking, "Wife, have you decided where we should go next?"

Newlyweds should enjoy their honeymoon sooner rather than later. Since there's nothing urgent right now, they'll gradually lose interest if they delay.

"There's no particular place I want to go. I'm fine with anything as long as my husband is there," she said with a radiant smile, and that's truly what she thought.

Hearing this, Chen Xuan chuckled and said, "My wife, you're putting me in a difficult position. I don't know where to go that would suit your taste. Why don't you think about it some more? We can't just wander around like headless flies; that would make us vagrants."

"Is that so..." The little princess pondered for a moment, then suggested, "Husband, how about this? We'll head south first, traveling all the way to the sea. I've never truly seen the vastness of the ocean before. I've heard that the south is like spring all year round, and many of the plants and animals are different from those inland. After we've had our fill of fun, we can travel west and then north along the coast, making a loop to see the world of ice and snow, and then head south again, passing through the vast deserts and grasslands. What do you think?"

Rainforests, oceans, snow-capped mountains, grasslands, deserts... To be honest, Du Juan and the others beside her were incredibly excited, as these were all experiences they had never had.

In this era, more than 90% of people have never even left their county, let alone "traveled the world." Even martial arts masters, most of whom spend their entire lives confined to a certain area.

Hearing her say that, Chen Xuan immediately made the decision: "It's settled then. Anyway, there's no rush. We'll just take our time and travel around as you suggested. Two or three months will be more than enough. I knew it! It's up to you to make the decisions, my wife. If you asked me, I wouldn't even have a clear goal."

No matter where you go or how far you go, you always have to go home. Two or three months of travel is already considered a long time. Actually, it doesn't matter. You can travel for three or five years. The reason for the three months is that Chen Xuan wanted to avoid missing the old man's last moments. He didn't have much time left.

"Okay, let's follow this route. Just head in the general direction; the exact location doesn't matter," the little princess nodded.

After discussing the matter, since we would be away for a while, Chen Xuan turned around and said, "Roujia, go and say hello to the Gao family later. Tell them we'll be away for a while and ask them to send someone to keep an eye on things. Also, say hello to Hongyi. She'll probably miss the opening of her wine shop, but it's not a big deal. We can make up for it later."

Chen Xuan could tell what was more important. Now that they were newlyweds, his wife was the priority. He could only apologize to He Hongyi. She wasn't a petty person; she would probably just feel a little resentful.

The young maid was about to agree when Xia Mei hesitated and said, "Master, there's really no need to trouble the Gao family. Our people have already arrived in Yang County. They were arranged by Steward Hua to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances like this. You prefer peace and quiet, and they didn't inform you that they would be disturbing your peace and quiet after they arrived and settled in."

It's not that they kept all the personnel changes at home from Chen Xuan, but there was really no need to mention such trivial matters in front of him. Otherwise, what would be the point of having people in charge? They could just have someone to order around when needed.

Chen Xuan was speechless. "This again? How many people did Elder Hua send over?"

"Let's have about a hundred people for now. If that's not enough, just give the order and we'll bring more," Xia Mei replied.

Nodding, Chen Xuan waved his hand and said, "Let's leave it at that for now. Let's make the arrangements. After we leave, have them keep an eye on the house. My idea is that since this is where our closest relatives live, we shouldn't let them set foot in the woods."

"Understood, I'll make the arrangements right away," Xia Mei nodded.

Just as she was about to get up, Chen Xuan said again, "Aunt Mei, don't rush. We're going on a trip for sightseeing, so there's no need to rush. We'll have someone arrange a boat for us to travel south along the Qingping River. I heard the Qingping River leads directly to the sea."

"Yes, sir, I understand. I'll go and give the order right away," Xia Mei replied and left. Traveling along the Qingping River to the sea would naturally take more than a day or two. A long journey by boat would certainly be tedious, but that wasn't a big problem. Although they could go ashore and change their mode of transportation, they had plenty of people under their command, so they could just make the arrangements. Otherwise, what was the point of spending so much money to support such a large group of people every year?

The young girl no longer goes to the Gao family's place. It's not that they've become estranged, but rather that Chen Xuan now has more than enough people under his command, so there's no need to trouble the Gao family. He can't just let his subordinates sit idle.

Then Chen Xuan looked at the little princess and said, "I've done some calculations, and today is an auspicious day for going out. Let's pack up and leave in a bit, what do you think?"

The others naturally had no objections, but the little princess was particularly excited, saying, "Yes, yes, I'll do whatever my husband says!"

"Okay, you guys decide what to bring. After all, it's not a matter of just a day or two, so it doesn't really matter. We can always get something if we need it later," Chen Xuan nodded. He knew that it was always a hassle for girls to go out, especially on long trips. He didn't have much to pack himself. He had been busy all night and planned to take a short nap while they packed.

Afterwards, they all went their separate ways. The girls first tidied up their housework, and then prepared for their trip. It was clear that everyone was full of anticipation for this journey.

Chen Xuan went to the pavilion for a spring nap. As he expected, the little princess and the others didn't finish preparing until noon. They packed a lot of small bags, probably considering every aspect of their trip, making it look like they were moving house.

Fortunately, they didn't need to carry anything themselves. Xia Mei, who had finished giving instructions, had already brought people to wait for them. There were about twenty people, including cooks, embroiderers, palace maids, and eunuchs. They were all going to accompany them. This time, Chen Xuan and his entourage were all women except for him, so it was not appropriate to arrange male guards and servants. Chen Xuan remembered all twenty of these people. He had met them once when the wedding ceremony was held the day after the wedding.

There were about ten people on the arranged boat. Xia Mei said they were all palace maids and eunuchs, since a boat always needs someone to steer and row.

Once everything was ready, Chen Xuan woke up at the right time, stretched, and felt refreshed. He waved his hand and said, "Let's go, let's set off! This time we're going to have a blast!"

To hell with the rest. Whether it's a change of power in the court, Prince Qing establishing himself, or the Black Tu Society, let them all stay out of your mood.

In addition, Chen Xuan wasn't unprepared. Even though his wife arranged for his daily necessities, he still brought a rather heavy suitcase. It was something he could handle with a wave of his hand, unlike the little princesses who had to prepare for a long time.

They carried mostly materials for setting up formations, and if they got bored on the journey, they would think about how to create a concealment formation to pass the time.

After locking the door, the group happily set off, with a carriage already prepared outside the courtyard.

As they passed by He Hongyi's wine shop, which had not yet officially opened, He Hongyi, who was directing people to move the wine, saw this scene and couldn't help but come to the side and ask in a daze, "Ah Xuan, Sister Qian Ning, what's going on here?"

Her heart sank. She thought to herself, "I haven't even finalized everything yet. Could Ah Xuan and the others have already moved? That shouldn't be the case."

The plan was to have the maid inform the Gao family when she went to them, but since the maid didn't go to the Gao family, she wasn't informed beforehand.

From inside the car window, Chen Xuan waved and greeted, "Good afternoon, Red Robe! We're planning a trip, oh, it's like a study tour, but just a simple vacation. We'll be gone for a while, so I'm afraid we'll have to miss your wine shop opening soon. I apologize for that, and I'll come to make amends later. I hope you won't take it to heart. I'll bring you a gift when I get back."

"Hello, Sister in red. My husband is so playful, just like a little kid. I can only go along with his antics. He's never serious and I don't know when he'll ever really grow up," the little princess greeted Chen Xuan. The car window was so small that their faces were almost touching, they were so intimate.

In this era, almost everyone is busy making a living, so who has time to travel? He Hongyi was surprised and a little envious. She also wanted to go, but unfortunately, their relationship wasn't at that level yet. She wondered how long Chen Xuan and the others would be gone. The thought of not being able to see each other for a long time made her feel sad.

But she hid her emotions well, saying gracefully, "It's alright, Ah Xuan. My little wine shop isn't a big deal. I didn't plan any grand opening. I'll just open on an auspicious day. I'll save some good wine for you. Have fun. It's getting late, so I won't keep you from your journey. Remember to be careful."

Although she didn't say much, Chen Xuan could still feel her deep concern, just like a wife's worried reminders when she leaves home.

'Why would I think like this? We haven't had any dramatic experiences together, but we've been seeing each other frequently lately. Could it be that the once decisive and ruthless He Hongyi has become gentle and considerate, and I've unknowingly developed feelings for her? They say it's easy for a woman to pursue a man; she's lowered herself so much, and I'm not a heartless person.'

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Xuan waved his hand and said, "Then I'll take your kind words. Red Robe, we'll head out now. See you later."

"Okay, see you later."

After they parted, the little princess inside the carriage nudged Chen Xuan's waist and said earnestly, "Husband, even a blind man could see how much the woman in red cared for you. Her reluctant gaze seemed to break her heart. If you ask me, listen to me, pick an auspicious day and bring her into the family. I truly think she's wonderful."

Chen Xuan was speechless for a moment. Why did this topic come up again? He said, both amused and exasperated, "My wife, we've only been married a short time. How much do you want to push me into the arms of another woman?"

"No, I just hope that my husband won't let down a girl's devotion to you. Put yourself in my shoes. If you didn't marry me, I would be heartbroken. So, I'm happy for you to accept any girl who truly loves you, provided she's a pretty girl I approve of. Otherwise, our children won't be good-looking. And, you're like a tireless ox, and I haven't been able to satisfy you many times. That's a wife's fault, and someone has to share the burden. Books say that men who aren't satisfied for a long time will have problems. You're the head of the household, and I'll have to rely on you for the rest of my life," the little princess said matter-of-factly, her cheeks slightly flushed and her expression a happy kind of distress.

Chen Xuan was immediately a little embarrassed. What could he do if he was in such good health? He quickly changed the subject, saying, "Let's talk about this later. I promised my father-in-law, and the next period is for just the two of us. My wife, please don't bring up this topic again."

"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. Sometimes I really don't understand you, my husband. You openly admit your lustful desires, yet you manage to control yourself. In other wealthy families, which one doesn't have three wives and four concubines? People who don't know better might think I'm just jealous."

"Then you still say?"

"I just can't do anything with you..." (End of Chapter)