Misty Rain of the Old Times

Suppressing her anxiety, the little princess casually suggested, "Husband, since we've run into Miss Zheng and the others, why don't we get out of the carriage and walk there together? It's not far anyway."

Chen Xuan was now certain that this was no coincidence; it was clearly an encounter deliberately orchestrated by his wife. Knowing her little scheme, he nodded and smiled, "Alright, let's just treat it as a stroll. After all, we're just spectators, no rush to get there."

They immediately got out of the car and walked towards Zheng Wanqian. Zheng Wanqian was also overjoyed to see Chen Xuan, as she had the same idea. They got out of the car and walked over at almost the same time.

As Chen Xuan moved forward slightly, Xia Mei, having followed the little princess for many years and practically watched her grow up, noticed something amiss and asked with concern, "Madam, are you alright? Are you tired from the journey?"

Hearing this, Chen Xuan turned around with concern, but the little princess shook her head and smiled as if nothing was wrong, saying, "No, I'm fine. A walk is good exercise." She then quickly stepped forward, past Chen Xuan, and greeted him, "Miss Zheng, Miss Zhang, we meet again!"

The little princess wouldn't reveal anything she wasn't certain about, lest she get excited for nothing.

In this era, the greatest of the three unfilial acts is having no offspring. After marrying Chen Xuan, although the two had discussed not having children for a short period of time and the little princess had agreed, knowing that her husband cared for her, she still wanted to have children for him. It should be known that being a good wife and mother is the greatest happiness in a woman's life, and she longed for it as well.

The group then walked to the venue. The little princess immediately took Zheng Wanqian's hand with a big smile. Anyone who didn't know them would think they were long-lost best friends. Zheng Wanqian was a little flattered and didn't understand why the little princess was so enthusiastic.

However, this was exactly the attitude Zheng Wanqian wanted from the little princess. It proved that the little princess did not reject her. It should be noted that the little princess's attitude would almost be the deciding factor in whether she could enter the Chen family. If she could not get past the little princess, even if Chen Xuan accepted her, her future life after marriage would definitely not be easy.

In this era, the status of a young wife is very low. No matter what happened in the past, if a young wife displeases the first wife, she has to endure being beaten and scolded at any time. If she is beaten to death, there is no way to seek justice. At most, she can pay some money to settle the matter. This cannot be resolved by the attitude of the head of the family. This is just the reality of the environment.

Seeing the two of them smiling and getting along so well, Chen Xuan didn't even have a chance to interject. However, he understood in his heart that his wife was looking for a concubine for him. He decided to let her be. After all, that day would come sooner or later, and who knew what the situation would be like then? When that day came, having someone to accompany him and someone to rely on was the best thing that Chen Xuan did not object to his wife finding him a concubine.

To put it bluntly, with Chen Xuan's martial arts talent, the tribulation is an insurmountable hurdle. Even he himself cannot guarantee that he can successfully overcome it, especially during the human tribulation, when his consciousness is clouded and he doesn't know who he is. What will his wife do if she is not by his side? Having someone with him can provide some psychological comfort.

In fact, girls are selfish when it comes to relationships. Regardless of the times, the little princess actively sought out girls for Chen Xuan for two reasons. First, she truly loved her husband and wanted the Chen family to have many children. Second, and more importantly, she did not practice martial arts. Even if she ate the Youth-Preserving Fruit and remained youthful, her lifespan was limited, and she could not stay with her husband forever. Therefore, by finding more wives for her husband, he would not be so sad when she passed away.

In short, aside from the general environment, the couple had their own considerations in this regard.

Seeing that he couldn't join their conversation, Chen Xuan looked at Zhang Yu, who was avoiding his gaze, and asked curiously, "Miss Zhang, why do you seem a bit strange today? You used to be so talkative, why aren't you saying a word now?"

"Where? Young Master Chen, you're supposed to be a scholar, yet you speak so rudely. Wouldn't it be extremely impolite to fart at your first meeting?" Zhang Yu immediately put his hands on his hips and glared at him.

The familiar feeling returned; this was more like it. They'd hit it off the very first time they met, and out of habit, Chen Xuan hadn't really treated her like a girl. He playfully waved his hand in front of his nose, feigning disgust, and teased, "With your big butt, your farts are bound to be smelly and long; you'd better not."

"I'll fight you to the death! Don't think I'm afraid of you just because you're skilled in martial arts!" Zhang Yu suddenly bristled and charged at Chen Xuan through gritted teeth.

Chen Xuan dodged and laughed, "Just talk, why are you getting so worked up? Slow down, slow down, be careful your big butt rips the seam of your skirt, hehe, I can't hit you."

The little princess, who was chatting with Zheng Wanqian, said embarrassedly, "Miss Zheng, please don't laugh at me. My husband is just like that, like a child who hasn't grown up. He's lazy, greedy, and doesn't watch his mouth when he speaks."

Covering her mouth with a smile, Zheng Wanqian looked at the two girls making a ruckus and said, "Young Master Chen is a man of genuine character; he has no ill intentions. It's easy to get along with people like that. Besides, Madam Chen, you might not know this, but Sister Zhang Yu said that they fought the first time they met. However, Sister Zhang Yu didn't win the fight; instead, Young Master Chen spanked her like a child. It would be strange if they could ever get along peacefully."

“I’ve heard my husband mention this before. It was Miss Zhang who tried to take my husband’s position by relying on her cultivation level. After she angered him several times, my husband taught her a lesson…”

The two continued their conversation on this topic.

After Chen Xuan and Zhang Yu had a bit of a tiff, Zhang Yu couldn't even touch the hem of Chen Xuan's clothes. She was so angry that she gritted her teeth. It was only after Chen Xuan said, "I was wrong, I shouldn't have said that to you," that Zhang Yu reluctantly forgave him.

After finishing, Zhang Yu snorted to herself, "So what if I have a big butt? I'll definitely have a son in the future." But then she thought of what she had said to Zheng Wanqian yesterday and wondered if she would be letting him have an easy time in the future. So her cheeks turned slightly red, and she seemed to find Chen Xuan, that annoying guy, more pleasing to the eye. No, she was even angrier and couldn't help but glare at him again.

Feeling bewildered by her glare, Chen Xuan felt as if he had done something wrong to her. Not knowing what she was thinking, he didn't delve into it. Instead, he asked curiously, "By the way, Miss Zhang, how many people did you invite to this martial arts tournament? It must have cost a lot, right?"

Forget it, I won't bother with him. I can't beat him now, but I'll probably have a chance to get revenge by beating up his son later. I'll beat him up three times a day. Who told this guy to be so infuriating?

Upon thinking this, Zhang Yu immediately became happy and said, "There must have been over a thousand invitations sent out, but there are definitely more than just these people. Everyone who received an invitation can bring people with them. As for the cost, it's quite substantial, totaling two to three hundred thousand taels of silver."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan clicked his tongue in astonishment: "Thousands of posts, if each person shouts and yells, wouldn't tens of thousands of people participate? Is this a large-scale operation to completely wipe out the bandits?"

"That's roughly the idea. Anyway, those lawless criminals deserve to die, but unfortunately, you can never get rid of them all. They just keep popping up like weeds in the field, so we can only have peace for a short time," Zhang Yu nodded.

Giving a thumbs-up, Chen Xuan continued, "We've already invested two or three hundred thousand taels of silver, and it'll definitely be more than that later on. Seriously, is it really necessary? I used to know someone who would brave wind and rain to help kill people for a meager living, all for just ten taels of silver."

The Zheng family is truly wealthy; their investments have undoubtedly helped countless people.

Zhang Yu shook his head and said, "What can we do? Otherwise, do you think those famous sects are really so righteous? They need to eat too, you know. Practicing martial arts is expensive. Do you think the saying 'the poor study literature, the rich study martial arts' is just a saying? Not to mention anything else, we just sent 50,000 taels of silver worth of various medicinal herbs and minerals to the Tai Xuan Sect. Otherwise, would Master Xuanqing have given us the face to personally bring people here?"

That makes sense, Chen Xuan nodded and said speechlessly, "Miss Zheng promoted this conference to eliminate evil and do good. Not to mention the current investment, the cost of spreading the grain in the future will be even greater. Wouldn't that be a huge loss?"

“No, not at all. There’s even a profit to be made. Although Sister Wanqian is doing a good deed, she’s not stupid. Why would she do something that loses money? That’s what I admire about her. Sometimes I wonder how she can be so smart. I feel like an idiot in front of her,” Zhang Yu said sincerely, glancing at the important figure in front of her.

I could tell you weren't smart a long time ago. Women with big butts usually have big breasts too. Big breasts mean no brains, right? Chen Xuan asked in surprise, "What do you mean?"

"Let me tell you something, but don't spread it around. After all, some things can't be said openly, and it's a bit taboo if word gets out," Zhang Yu greeted him first, then explained, "Actually, Wanqian is only initiating this martial arts tournament. Once we get some prominent figures in the martial arts world and prestigious sects involved, and things are actually going smoothly, those merchants and wealthy households who have long suffered under the guise of bandits and bullies will have to show their appreciation. After all, they'll be the beneficiaries in the end. Let me tell you a secret, we've already raised this much money under this banner. Not to mention the cost of holding the tournament, after calculating all the subsequent expenses, we still have nearly half left over."

As she spoke, Zhang Yu pointed two fingers at Chen Xuan.

"Two hundred thousand taels? Wow!" Chen Xuan raised an eyebrow and gave a thumbs up again.

However, Zhang Yu looked down on him and said, "Two million taels? I mean, Young Master Chen, can you broaden your horizons? If it were just a mere two hundred thousand taels, why would Sister Wanqian bother?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan hissed softly. It wasn't that he had never seen money before, but Zheng Wanqian's ability to make money was simply terrifying. What seemed like a losing proposition turned into a big business for her. She was a businesswoman, after all. How did she manage to think like that?

Although it's just a routine, how many people can actually pull it off? It's like the idea in Chen Xuan's memory that you could make a fortune by repairing a door and then selling the house.

So she looked at Zheng Wanqian, who was whispering to the little princess and occasionally turning around to look back with a blush, and said admiringly, "Amazing, truly amazing, I'm impressed. As long as you don't lose your mind, you can turn anything into a business and make a lot of money."

"That's right. Besides the sponsorship from wealthy merchants, many people in the martial arts world also spend a lot of money to buy a hero's invitation. Of the thousands of hero's invitations sent out, half of them were purchased voluntarily. The most expensive one sold for a full 30,000 taels of silver. It was bought by the foolish son of a nouveau riche who didn't like studying but loved martial arts," Zhang Yu told Chen Xuan.

At this moment, Chen Xuan was speechless except for admiration. This was just a small part of Zheng Wanqian's skills, not even her family's real business. So just how rich is the Zheng family?
Zhang Yu's eyes darted around, and she gave her best friend another boost, openly encouraging Chen Xuan, "Isn't Wanqian amazing? When it comes to making money, I've never seen anyone compare to her. Tempted yet? Let me tell you, Wanqian is as shrewd as a fox when it comes to business, but she's a bit naive in other ways and easy to fool. Why don't you just trick her into marrying you? That way, hers will be yours, and you can just lie on a mountain of gold and enjoy life. You couldn't spend it all in ten lifetimes. Even if you squander it all, you probably couldn't make as much money as she does."

Which man could resist such temptation? Besides, Zheng Wanqian is not only rich, but also a top-tier beauty with a stunning figure.

However, Chen Xuan retorted righteously, "Miss Zhang, do you think I'm the kind of person who lives off women?"

With Chen Xuan's abilities, let alone actively seeking money, even just letting slip a hint when he needed money would have countless people rushing to offer it to him. Yet, he probably still couldn't find a way in.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu realized that this approach was not feasible. Knowing that he had said the wrong thing, he was about to change his words and apologize when he saw Chen Xuan clutching his stomach in pain.

She paused, then asked worriedly, "Young Master Chen, what's wrong? Do you have a stomachache and need to poop?" Glancing at her dismissively, Chen Xuan still looked pained and said, "You called me rude? Do you want to hear what you're saying? I'm fine, just a sensitive stomach. Sometimes I crave a little something from a woman."

Zhang Yu, whose mind wasn't particularly sharp to begin with, pondered the meaning of the words for a dozen or so times before finally understanding what it meant. Her eyes lit up, and she thought to herself, "There's hope! Wanqian, that's all I can do for you."

However, thinking about what she had said to Zheng Wanqian, if Zheng Wanqian got her way, wouldn't she be forced to become a dowry maid and be bullied by this scoundrel? Her bottom would be spanked eight times a day! So, she subconsciously said something she didn't mean: "You wish! If you dare bully me, I'll sit on you and kill you! I'm ignoring you!"

With that, she turned and walked ahead.

Chen Xuan was completely dumbfounded. What did I do to offend you? Weren't we talking about dating a rich woman? Why did you suddenly turn on me like this?

“Wanqian, I’ve got it sorted out for you. How are you going to thank me?” Zhang Yu said smugly as she approached Zheng Wanqian.

Zheng Wanqian, who was chatting enthusiastically with the little princess, turned around and asked blankly, "Huh?"

How did you manage to get it done for me?
"We'll talk about it later. Anyway, it's a good thing, and you'll be ecstatic when the time comes," Zhang Yu said, trying to change the subject. She didn't dare to say to the little princess that Chen Xuan had already taken a liking to her. Although it was a bit dishonorable to tempt her with money, that didn't matter. The result was the key.

The place where they met was not far from the venue, and they chatted and laughed all the way to their destination.

Despite the lack of rain for several months, the lake did not dry up; groundwater continued to gush out, though the water level dropped slightly.

People have been stationed around the lake to prevent people without tickets from sneaking into the venue. There is a causeway leading to the island in the lake, so you can walk there without taking a boat.

When Chen Xuan and his group arrived, the area around the lake was already packed with people. They were all there to watch the excitement without tickets. Although they couldn't be there in person, they still felt a sense of participation, since such a grand event in the martial arts world was a rare occurrence.

After a quick look around, Chen Xuan smiled knowingly, thinking to himself that something was bound to happen here today. It seemed he had come to the right place; there was going to be some excitement.

There's a saying that goes something like this: when you gaze into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. It's a bit inaccurate, but the principle is the same.

Before even reaching the entrance, Zheng Wanxi returned to the carriage. She was not a member of the martial arts world, and as an unmarried young woman, it was inconvenient for her to show her face in public.

There were more than a dozen people guarding the entrance, all of them looking very energetic. They were responsible for checking and letting people through, and many of them were well-known figures in the martial arts world. They were quite prominent and very enthusiastic. I bet people would be willing to do this job even if they were paid to.

There were no experts guarding the gate. Few people would dare to cause trouble at such a grand event. Only those with innate cultivation could be considered experts, and such people would not be doing the job of guarding the gate.

Chen Xuan and his companions were allowed to enter after showing their invitation. They only recognized the invitation, not the person. Who you are is not their concern. The martial arts world is so vast that no one can possibly know everyone.

Chen Xuan's post wasn't his own name; he just randomly filled in "Big Knife Wang Wu." However, he wasn't carrying a knife; instead, he had a small wooden stick tucked into his waistband, which made the person in charge of letting him through take a second look.

After walking smoothly for a dozen steps, a string of stalls had already been set up along the roadside, offering free herbal tea and snacks. The organizers had done a good job in terms of showing hospitality. There was only one path, so there was no need to arrange for anyone to guide people.

The organizer was Zheng Wanxi, so she naturally received special treatment. Upon arriving on the island, she was immediately guided by a dedicated person, not to the venue, but to walk around to the side and back.

Having arrived here, Zheng Wanxi, who couldn't easily show herself, said expectantly yet nervously from inside the carriage, "Young Master Wang, if you don't mind, why don't you come with me? The view from there is excellent; we can see the whole place."

The island was full of sharp-eyed and discerning martial arts practitioners. She spoke with great tact. Chen Xuan and his group came in a low-key manner, so they used the pseudonyms on the invitation. If Chen Xuan's identity were accidentally exposed, he would probably become the focus of this conference. Of course, that would also raise the level of this conference significantly.

Since he was just there to watch the excitement, Chen Xuan had no interest in joining the crowd if there were good spots available, so he nodded and said, "If it's convenient, then I'll take my leave."

Knowing that something was going to happen here, Zheng Wanxi was practically already considered his future wife, but they hadn't officially confirmed it yet. Of course, Chen Xuan wanted to keep an eye on her. Although this tiny place didn't make much difference from anywhere else, being together was a different story.

"Young Master Wang, please don't say that. It's an honor. Please come with us," Zheng Wanxi said happily. Being able to be close to Chen Xuan made her less concerned about the martial arts tournament she was personally organizing.

This place was not originally a deserted island, but it is not privately owned either. There are some buildings here, so it can be considered a tourist area for sightseeing and enjoying nature, but it is not fenced off and there is no entrance fee.

Before the conference even started, the island was filled with groups of martial arts practitioners chatting and waiting, while others were sparring with each other to pass the time.

After circling around the edge of the island, Chen Xuan and his group arrived at a three-story pavilion with an excellent view; they could see the venue just by opening the window.

A clearing the size of a football field had already been cleared in the middle of the island, and quite a few people came. Even small businesses put up their own signs, as it was a rare opportunity to make their mark in the world. For a while, the clearing was filled with flags waving, each with its own unique characteristics.

Those who came with invitations were given seats as much as possible, and tea and fruit were provided. As for those who came just to join in the fun, they could only stand, since there weren't enough chairs for so many people.

There were a dozen or so sets of tables and chairs prepared at the front, clearly intended for prestigious sects and martial arts bigwigs, but they were still empty. Those kinds of people usually make their grand entrance at the end, and if they arrive early, all sorts of flattery and requests for advice can be incredibly annoying.

Not to mention Chen Xuan and the others in the attic, Zheng Wanqian had prepared a table of delicious food in advance, knowing that Chen Xuan was coming, so they could enjoy the food and drinks while watching the excitement.

Looking outside, Chen Xuan said with great interest, "So many martial arts heroes have gathered together for the purpose of suppressing bandits. It's like a temporary alliance. They should elect a leader later, someone like the alliance leader. Otherwise, they'll just be a disorganized bunch and won't amount to anything. There's a saying that there's no second place in martial arts. If no one is willing to admit defeat, will they choose a leader through a competition?"

"There won't be any fighting. We'll just sit down, eat and drink, and discuss how to decide on a leader in a peaceful atmosphere. Otherwise, the loser will lose face, it will damage the harmony, and it will be detrimental to our next move," Zheng Wanxi explained with a smile.

Zhang Yu, standing to the side, chuckled with an expression of disdain for a country bumpkin, saying, "Young Master Chen isn't a member of the martial world, so it's normal that he doesn't understand these social niceties. By the way, why do you think it's necessary to determine the leader through a martial arts contest? The subsequent operations are huge; brute force alone won't suffice. It's not just about who can fight; you've been reading too many romance novels."

It wasn't what he expected. It seemed he wouldn't be seeing any sword fights. He felt a little less excited. Chen Xuan, completely oblivious to the fact that he was making a fool of himself, said matter-of-factly, "That's how it's always shown on TV."

"Is there such a procedure in such a solemn occasion as the palace examination?" Zhang Yu looked at the little princess with doubt, wanting to ask for confirmation.

The little princess was also a bit confused, having never seen anything like it before. She shook her head and said, "My husband is just joking. He's probably talking about something like that on stage. Don't worry about him; he always says things that are hard to understand."

There was no way to explain it to them. Speaking of television, Chen Xuan was pondering whether he could ever recreate a Little Tyrant game console by hand in his lifetime. He had quite fond memories of it, but even if he could recreate it, he didn't know how to make games. So he decided to give up.

Time passed slowly, and as noon approached, a commotion arose from the surrounding area, indicating the appearance of a prominent figure. Chen Xuan glanced at the figure and recognized Qin Yun of the Flying Feather Sect with a group of disciples. He hadn't seen her near the arena yesterday, so she must have been away on other business.

Chen Xuan had met this aunt once before in the desert. She looked exactly the same as she had back then, showing no signs of aging. This time, however, she didn't come riding a strange beast as ostentatiously as before.

Gao Jingyu once studied under a master at the Feiyu Sect, so they were somewhat related.

As if it were a pre-arranged agreement, following Qin Yun's arrival, other renowned martial arts sects from the south of Jing Kingdom, such as the Nanlin Sword Sect, the Little Knife Society, Maple Leaf Manor, and the Tai Xuan Sect, followed one after another.

The arrival of these heavyweight forces signifies the official start of this martial arts tournament. Unfortunately, based on Zheng Wanqian's earlier words, it seems we won't be able to see the martial arts competition. But no worries, Chen Xuan, who had already sensed this, knows that the main event is yet to come.

None of the major sects that came this time had their sect leaders present; at most, there were elders like Xuanqing. It's highly likely that those major sects are now focusing their main efforts on the underground caves beneath Wanku Mountain, and that a mere bandit threat is not worth their time.

...(End of chapter)