Misty Rain of the Old Times

Breakfast ended in a subtle atmosphere. Afterwards, the little princesses went to visit the manor together again early in the morning, leaving Chen Xuan standing there, which left him quite speechless.

Throughout the entire process, Zheng Wanxi avoided eye contact with Chen Xuan and barely spoke, which was unlike her behavior yesterday.

So what did my wife and she talk about last night that made the girl seem so dazed, like a frightened little rabbit?
Chen Xuan couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

He quickly realized that his wife might have been trying to set him up with her by asking her thoughts abruptly, and she hadn't been prepared, which was why she was feeling so conflicted and at a loss this morning.
After thinking it over, Chen Xuan felt it was highly likely. His wife was definitely capable of doing such a thing. They had slept in the same bed for so long; didn't he know her personality well?

No wonder Zheng Wanqian was in a bad mood early this morning. She probably didn't know what to do either. She was completely unprepared. It was too sudden.

Girls are easily embarrassed. Even if they are in love with you, how will they face you if you suddenly reveal your feelings?

The more Chen Xuan thought about it, the more he felt that way. He thought to himself that his wife was just making things more complicated. Although it was just a matter of time before they made things clear, it was still a bit awkward for the two of them after she interfered.

'I need to find some time to talk to my wife; let things take their natural course, and don't make things worse by overdoing it.'

Thinking to himself, Chen Xuan realized that their relationship was clearly on the rise and they were now chatting and laughing while touring the manor. He didn't want to pull his wife aside to talk about this kind of thing, so it was best to leave it for now.

Looking back at the little girl and Du Juan, Chen Xuan shrugged and said, "I don't know how long they're going to keep touring. Let them be. Let's just find a place to sunbathe."

Since they were guests, they couldn't just barge into someone else's home. So Chen Xuan and his companions found a nearby pavilion and idly waited. Fortunately, the manor was large enough that every step revealed a new scene, and every place was pleasing to the eye.

With nothing else to do, Chen Xuan took out the materials and continued to study the concealment array. Time slipped away unnoticed, and it was already noon. His wife and the others were still not finished. Yunlan came over and told them that there were still many places they hadn't carefully observed. Chen Xuan even ate lunch by himself. Fortunately, he had the little girls with him, so he wasn't bored.

'It seems Zheng Wanxi and my wife are deliberately avoiding me. If my wife had said something to her last night that left her feeling awkward, then Zheng Wanxi avoiding me would be understandable. But why hasn't my wife even said hello after all this time?'

Even though he was usually carefree, Chen Xuan sensed something was wrong. However, he was also easygoing and didn't dwell on it. Instead of guessing, he decided to find an opportunity to ask his wife what was going on.

After most of the day had passed and the sun was already setting, Chen Xuan had even taken a nap in the middle of the day. There was still no progress on the concealment array. He rested his head on Du Juan's soft lap, looked at the sky, and wondered if he would have to stay here for another night. After all, it was already afternoon, and they had invited him to stay for a meal. If he was delayed, it would be dark again.

"Husband...husband, you're here. Did we disturb you?"

Just as Chen Xuan was hesitating about whether to take the initiative to talk to his wife about saying goodbye, the little princess came to find them.

Standing up and looking at his wife, Chen Xuan smiled and asked, "Wife, have you finished watching? What did you think?"

The little princess was already used to her husband enjoying lap pillows, so she didn't mind at all. She smiled brightly and said, "Wanxi's manor is truly ingenious. It's the work of a master, and there are many things worth learning from it."

She paused for a moment, and before Chen Xuan could say that it was time for them to leave, she added, "Oh, by the way, husband, could you please go back to the ship and fetch my jewelry box? Wanxi and I need to discuss how to dress up. Thank you!"

When girls get together, it's inevitable that they'll discuss these kinds of issues. Chen Xuan didn't suspect anything. Originally, it would have been easier for Du Juan and the others to make the trip themselves, as it would have taken only a short while.

So he stood up and said, "Very well, I'll go." But then, thinking that his wife might have said something last night that made the young lady feel awkward, he hesitated for a moment and asked, "Where is Miss Zheng?"

At this crucial moment, the little princess, oblivious to the unusual tone in her husband's voice, blurted out, "Wanqian is going to handle a few business matters now, it won't take much time. She's traveled all over the country and knows a lot about fashion styles. I'll learn some from her later and dress up for you, my husband."

"Then I'll wait and see. I'll go get it for you right away. You weren't here last night, I missed you so much. Hug me," Chen Xuan said, opening his arms wide.

The little princess immediately threw herself into his arms, hugged him tightly, and even stood on tiptoe to kiss him. She patted his back and comforted him, saying, "My husband isn't a child anymore. You still can't live without me? I'll make it up to you later. We're at someone else's house, so it's a little inappropriate to share a bed. Be good."

"Yes, yes, I'll be right back," Chen Xuan said contentedly.

He then told Dujuan and the others to wait there, released the little princess, and slipped away to return to the ship to retrieve the jewelry box for his wife.

Seeing Chen Xuan leave, the little princess felt a little anxious, knowing that her husband would probably return in a moment. However, she remained outwardly calm and said to Du Juan and the others, "Sister Juan, I'm going to find Wanqian now. When my husband returns, could you please bring the jewelry box over? It's not appropriate for my husband to go to Wanqian's boudoir in the backyard."

"Madam, you flatter me. It's only right," Du Juan nodded.

As she finished speaking, the little princess lifted her skirt and headed towards the backyard. Du Juan keenly noticed that the lady seemed to be in a hurry, but she didn't think much of it, assuming that the lady probably didn't want to keep Miss Zheng waiting.

In just a couple of breaths, Chen Xuan was back on the ship moored on the Qingping River dozens of miles away. His attendants greeted him and entered the couple's room. After glancing around, he began searching for his wife's jewelry box. She usually didn't pay attention to these things and couldn't find it at first. So he started rummaging through the drawers and cabinets. He felt a little guilty, wondering if his wife would be angry after he messed things up.

Chen Xuan, who usually doesn't pay much attention to details, was surprised after searching for a while. He thought to himself, "Wow, my wife actually brought so many odds and ends with her on this trip?" Several boxes of clothes, almost all brand new. Then he thought, "Oh right, my wife doesn't seem to wear the same clothes twice." And then there's this bellyband and underpants... I've never seen my wife wear them before. They're so revealing.
'What are you thinking about? I'll have my wife wear it for me later. We're here to pick up jewelry boxes, five or six of them. That's a lot of jewelry! Which one should we take? Maybe we should just bring them all.'

Without even looking at his wife's underwear, Chen Xuan hastily packed everything up and took it all with him. He once again understood why wealthy women would casually pluck jewelry from their heads as a reward. The jewelry in the several boxes weighed a dozen or twenty pounds. Luckily, his wife didn't usually wear that much at home, otherwise it would definitely be dazzling in the sunlight.

Although he traveled very quickly, the search for the jewelry box took him a while.

Inside the manor, after sending Chen Xuan away, the little princess rushed back to a side hall near the back gate in the backyard, where the divine physician Yan Wangchou, whom Zheng Wanxi had invited for her, was already waiting.

This was an elderly man with gray hair, dressed simply, and with a faint, lingering smell of medicine emanating from him. He had an air of aloofness between his brows and was not very approachable. He was accompanied by two attendants carrying medicine boxes.

He's a legendary doctor, so it's normal for him to have a personality and temper since he's usually the one being asked for help. But here he was very restrained, meek and obedient, and didn't even sit down to wait for the person in charge to arrive.

Originally, Zheng Wanxi sent someone to invite him, but he didn't give her any face at all and didn't want to make the trip. What good is money? He knew plenty of high-ranking officials and even martial arts masters. However, when he heard that it was Princess Fuyao who had discreetly invited him to help diagnose the Emperor Emeritus's health, he immediately ran away quickly and didn't even ask about the consultation fee.

The little princess arrived at the side door of this side hall, and her heart suddenly became uneasy. She quietly took a deep breath and said to Xia Mei, who was protecting her closely, "Aunt Mei, you heard my conversation with Wanqian yesterday. I wanted to ask this Mr. Yan Wangchou to diagnose Father Emperor's health. Whether he is willing or not is still uncertain, so it is not advisable to make a fuss. Therefore, I would like to trouble you to keep watch outside and not let anyone disturb us. It is best not to let your voice be heard."

There are no small matters concerning the Emperor Emeritus, so Xia Mei nodded and said, "Your subordinate obeys."

Nodding, the little princess hesitated before taking a step and added, "Xiao Lan, Xiao Xin, why don't you stay outside too?"

“But Madam, your safety is at stake,” Yunlan asked hesitantly.

With her smile unchanged, the little princess calmly said, "Could someone possibly dare to harm me? Besides, Aunt Mei is outside the door."

"Please forgive me, Madam," Yunlan said, her heart tightening and her head bowed. Despite the princess's usual approachable demeanor, the slightest display of her authority at this moment was enough to instill immense pressure in those around her.

"Aunt Mei, don't eavesdrop. I'll call you if anything happens," the little princess instructed again before entering the house.

Although she had some doubts, Xia Mei didn't ask any questions on her own initiative, and nodded to indicate that she understood.

Stepping inside, the door closed, leaving only the little princess and a few others in the side hall. However, the little princess did not appear to meet them, as there was a screen separating them.

Carrying the soft couch, the little princess said through the screen, "Thank you for your trouble, sir. Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way."

"I dare not. It would be an honor if Your Excellency could find any use for me," Gui Jianchou said, bowing his head. He dared not look up at the screen. Since the princess did not act like one, he addressed her as Your Excellency, thus saving himself the trouble of kneeling and bowing.

The little princess behind the screen remained calm and said, "Sir, someone must have already told you why you've come here. What do you think?"

Yan Wangchou, of course, knew that the little princess meant to diagnose the Emperor Emeritus's health. He was overjoyed, even somewhat excited, and nodded, saying, "I dare not disobey."

"Thank you for understanding my filial piety. Someone will escort you to the capital. I will make sure you are not too tired. When the time is right, I will trouble you again," the little princess said calmly.

King Yama bowed and said, "I will do my utmost."

At this moment, his hands clenched excitedly under his sleeves. Although this matter should not be publicized, this experience would undoubtedly elevate him to a higher level in all aspects.

He originally thought that the matter would be settled after those two sentences, but then the little princess behind the screen said, "There is another matter that I need to trouble you with, sir..."

Sensing the princess's hesitation, and knowing he'd seen similar situations many times before, the King of Hell immediately understood and said sternly, "Please speak freely, my esteemed lady. We physicians have our own principles."

The little princess wasn't worried that he would dare to say anything out of line once they were outside, but when the time came, she hesitated. What if it wasn't what she thought? How disappointing it would be to be disappointed if she got her hopes up for nothing. If it was confirmed, would her husband be happy?
While waiting patiently, Yan Wangchou secretly exhaled, remained silent for a moment, and then said without hesitation, "I would be grateful if you could take my pulse, sir. It is inconvenient for a woman like me to receive guests. Is there any other way?"

Upon hearing this, King Yama's heart tightened, and he understood what was going on. Ordinary people were fine, but were those behind the screen ordinary people? The outcome could very well be a matter of life and death!
But he has no choice now, and that's the most agonizing part.

Clearly aware of his concerns, the little princess calmly said, "Sir, please proceed with the pulse diagnosis. There's no need to worry about anything else. Just pretend nothing happened once you've left this room."

Despite saying that, Yama was still uneasy, but he still forced himself to say, "This old man knows a little trick of pulse diagnosis using a suspended thread, which can help you, sir."

He's a divine physician; this kind of skill is really just a minor trick. It's just that his cultivation level isn't high enough. If he were at the Innate Realm, he could judge 90% of the pulse characteristics just by listening to the pulse vibrations from a distance.

"Then I'll trouble you, sir, to use your skillful hands," the little princess said calmly, determined to get an answer.

Yama bowed and said, "I dare not. My humble servants will then deliver a golden thread to the side of the screen. Please trouble you to gently tie it around your wrist."

"please……"

When the gold thread was tied around her wrist, the little princess was far from calm on the surface; her hands were clenched into fists with nervousness.

Yan Wangchou held the other end of the golden thread, his fingers resting on it. In just two breaths, he made a clear judgment. With a thought, he took a deep breath and said, "Your Excellency is in good health, without any ailment. In my decades of medical practice, I have never seen anyone healthier than you."

Although there was an element of flattery involved, it was the truth. The little princess certainly knew this. If she had done anything wrong, how could her husband not know?
She said nervously, "Sir, you should understand the meaning behind my actions. Please explain."

At this moment, Yama was extremely conflicted, as the outcome concerned his life and fortune. However, he had no choice but to answer, and dared not hesitate. He mustered his courage and said frankly, "Congratulations, Your Excellency, the pregnancy is confirmed. However, it is still too early to determine the exact timing."

There's no way to tell the sex of an embryo, even if he's a miracle doctor.

However, at this moment, the little princess could no longer hear anything else. Her whole mind was filled with the words "pregnancy," and she felt that the whole world had become brighter. The happiness that came from her soul was indescribable.

I'm pregnant! I'm carrying Xuan-gege's child! All the anxiety I felt throughout the day has finally been confirmed.

Suppressing her excitement, she trusted that the other party wouldn't lie to her. She calmly untied the gold thread from her wrist and said, "Thank you, sir. Someone will bring a thousand taels of silver for the consultation fee later; please don't tell anyone."

"I wouldn't dare, this old man will keep my mouth shut," Yan Wangchou said, his heart finally at ease. Money didn't matter, he had passed this hurdle. In those short moments before, he felt as if he had been jumping back and forth between the gates of hell.

By this point, the little princess, having received confirmation, no longer cared about keeping it a secret. However, she didn't know how her husband would react upon hearing the news, so she had to suppress it for the time being.

We had already agreed not to have children for several years, so if I suddenly get pregnant, will he be happy?

"Yes, thank you for your trouble, sir. Someone will escort you to the capital and settle you in. We will not let you down," the little princess behind the screen said as she stood up. Having received confirmation, there was no need for further pleasantries.

"Respectfully seeing off our distinguished guest..."

The little princess, who had just left from the other side, still acted as if nothing had happened. At this point, she remained tight-lipped and casually asked Xia Mei, "Aunt Mei, where is Wanxi?"

She was pregnant and it would be inconvenient for her husband to have sex with her for the next few months, so she needed to find him a concubine as soon as possible. Fortunately, there was one available.

Even though she tried her best to hide it, Xia Mei, who had watched her grow up, could clearly sense that the little princess was in a better mood than ever before. Staying true to her place, she didn't ask any further questions and replied, "Madam, Miss Zheng is in the inner courtyard ahead; she must have finished her work already."

"Yes, let's go out. Oh, and arrange for someone to escort the doctor to the capital. There must be no mishaps," the little princess nodded.

Chen Xuan retrieved his wife's jewelry box and landed just as he saw Zheng Wanqian and the young girl Du Juan chatting and laughing. Unaware that his wife and he had deliberately stalled for time, he greeted her with a smile, "Good afternoon, Miss Zheng. Are you done with your work?"

Hearing Chen Xuan's voice, Zheng Wanxi felt a shiver run down her spine, remembering the embarrassing things she and the little princess had talked about last night. Her face flushed, and she dared not look at him, feeling an urge to run away. She stammered, "I'm...I'm done with my work. I have something to do, oh no, I just have something to say to Young Master Chen."

Seeing this, Chen Xuan thought to himself that his wife must have said something to her last night. As a man, he naturally had to take the initiative and face the situation positively, so he said, "Perfect timing, I also have some things I'd like to discuss with Miss Zheng."

...(End of chapter)