Misty Rain of the Old Times

Although his wife was very open-minded and generous, even actively helping him find suitable girls, Chen Xuan still felt inexplicably guilty for being caught in this situation. He awkwardly scratched his backside and tried to remain calm, saying, "Wife, I've already brought the jewelry box. I don't know which one you're referring to, so I brought all the ones I found. I was just about to have Sister Juan and the others deliver them to you."

While he was talking, he secretly observed his wife's reaction. He was worried that if she was unhappy, he would be in trouble. Fortunately, the little princess's anger did not happen as he had imagined.

She had something on her mind all along, but it wasn't obvious on the surface. As a princess, even though she was usually very obedient to Chen Xuan, it would be a lie to say that she had no cunning at all. When it came to hiding her emotions, few people could compare to her.

She hadn't figured out how to tell Chen Xuan about the pregnancy yet. After all, they had agreed not to have children for several years, and she was worried that Chen Xuan would be unhappy about it since they had only been married for a month or so and it would be inconvenient to have sex in the future.

Even before the marriage, she had planned to find several sisters to help the Chen family have more children. Now it seems that Chen Xuan has already seduced Zheng Wanqian, and they hit it off immediately, saving her the trouble of trying to bring them together.

'As expected of my man, we're thinking the same thing. But how can you say my husband is seducing her? He clearly went to great lengths to win Wanqian over. Yes, that's it. But now, in his words, he's in love. Looks like I'll have to prepare more allowance for him from now on.'

Thinking to herself, she walked over with light steps, looked at the two of them with a bright smile, and teased, "You know what? I was waiting to discuss how to dress up with Wanxi, but I couldn't find you. So you two were enjoying your time together under the moon. I hope I didn't disturb you?"

As she spoke, she raised her eyebrows slightly at Chen Xuan and secretly gave him a thumbs up, clearly saying that her husband was doing a great job.

Zheng Wanqian, who was already uneasy as if she had been caught in the act of adultery, trembled upon hearing this and said in a flustered voice, "Your Highness, please let me explain..."

Fearing the princess would blame her for seducing Chen Xuan, she panicked and even changed how she addressed him, losing all of her usual composure in business.

The little princess could easily understand Zheng Wanqian's feelings at this moment. She felt a little apologetic for disturbing them, since the two had just confirmed their relationship and it was rare for them to spend time together, but she had ruined it.

She covered her mouth and smiled, then came up to Zheng Wanqian and interrupted her with her hands behind her back, saying comfortingly, "Sister Wanqian, you don't need to explain. I understand. And you're being too formal. We'll be family from now on. Why are you still calling me Your Highness? Although you're a little older than me, you'll be my husband's woman from now on. Quickly call me 'sister' so I can hear you say that."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Wanqian was stunned for a moment. She hadn't expected the little princess to be so magnanimous and accept her without any anger. Her heart immediately settled down, and she blushed and squatted down to greet her, saying, "Younger sister greets older sister. I hope older sister will guide me in the future. If I do anything wrong, please feel free to use the family rules."

Zheng Wanqian called her "sister" so naturally and sincerely. She had secretly rehearsed it in her mind before, and now it had finally come true.

Hearing this, the little princess was delighted and gave a sweet "Eh!" She then took her hand and said, "Sister, there's no need for such formalities. We're all family now. There's no need for any talk of instruction. The important thing is to be tolerant and supportive of each other and live a good life together. Besides, you are my husband's darling. Even if you make a mistake, it's my husband's problem. If I acted on my own, my husband would be heartbroken."

"I wouldn't dare, from now on I'll leave everything to my elder sister," Zheng Wanxi said, still blushing. The fact that the little princess was easy to talk to didn't mean she didn't understand her place.

She was still a little dizzy. Not only had she gotten what she wanted, but she had also passed the little princess's test. All the results she had dreamed of had come true. Everything was developing in the beautiful way she had imagined. How kind God was to her.

Knowing that Zheng Wanqian needed some time to calmly adjust to her new status, the little princess winked at Chen Xuan, took her hand, and said, "Little sister, have you forgotten that we still need to discuss how to dress up? Let's go, ignore your husband. He's probably very happy right now. We can't let him be so smug. Let him enjoy his foolishness here."

Actually, the little princess also needs some time to calm down; she hasn't figured out how to tell Chen Xuan that she's pregnant yet.

So Zheng Wanxi was led away by the little princess in a daze, and Yunlan and Yunxin stepped forward to bow and congratulate the master, and then took the jewelry box he brought.

Chen Xuan was dumbfounded. My newlywed wife is gone! I haven't even had a chance to talk to her and build a relationship with her. What's with leaving me hanging?
The faint fragrance emanating from Zheng Wanqian lingered around his nose. Chen Xuan stood there dumbfounded for a moment, then grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. He felt a surge of joy in his heart. The good days of having two women on his left and right had finally come true. It was just that he hadn't even had a chance to 'bully' his little wife before she was taken away. No rush, she was already his woman anyway. He shouldn't scare her.

"Congratulations, sir! Congratulations on winning the heart of your beauty!" Du Juan and the others came in genuinely happy for Chen Xuan. It was only natural for their master to have all the beauties in the world. There was no reason for them to be jealous. Being able to serve him was already a great honor. They dared not ask for more.

The little maid said happily, "That's great! Master has finally come to his senses. There will be another mouth to feed in the family. When will Master take Miss Zheng—no, when will the second wife—into the household?"

Chen Xuan gave her a light flick on the forehead, then said with a wry smile, "What do you mean 'Master has finally come to his senses'? You have no manners! As for when to marry Wanqian, Master has his own plans. Don't worry about it. Just hone your skills. I'm counting on you to be good-for-nothings in the future."

"I will definitely hone my skills and not let Master down," the little girl nodded earnestly.

Looking towards the backyard of the manor, Chen Xuan scratched his butt, feeling that something was off. Oh well, everything was normal, why bother thinking about it so much? I'm in a good mood today, so I'll continue to laze around and bask in the sun. I need to give Wanqian some time to calm down.

Chen Xuan, resting his head on Du Juan's plump thighs like a lazy bum basking in the sun, was being massaged by the little girl when he suddenly remembered something. He slapped his forehead and said, "That's right, our house in Yang County needs to be expanded. It's still passable now, but Wanqian won't have anywhere to live when she moves in. Anyway, there's so much empty land, this needs to be put on the agenda. Then, we need to arrange a few reliable people to protect Wanqian. Zhang Yu, that big-butt guy, is really unreliable. Forget it, it's not appropriate to have my wife's people protect her. I'd rather leave her some means of self-defense. That's what we'll do."

Du Juan and the others naturally wouldn't act on their own; they would simply do as Chen Xuan instructed.

Upon hearing this, the young maid suggested, "Why doesn't Master simply expand the house into a courtyard? After all, Master won't just take Miss Zheng as a concubine in the future; wouldn't it be better to do it all at once?"

"Oh, little girl, you've really learned to share your master's burdens. Do you think I'm such a womanizer? But your suggestion is good, approved," Chen Xuan said with a wave of his hand.

With a giggle, the little girl massaged her legs even more vigorously, saying, "That's right, Master. Don't underestimate me just because I'm still young. I have a good eye. Master Gao already has nine wives and concubines. How can our Master be inferior to him? That way, the whole family will be more lively in the future."

When did Master Gao take two more concubines? I didn't know. Is it because his status has risen and he can't refuse the favors he has to do in official circles, or is it that he's old but still young at heart?
Poor Xiao Gao, he already has a bunch of younger brothers and sisters, and who knows, his grandfather might have to make him another bunch.

That being said, having many children in this era is actually a kind of 'investment'. When a family business grows large, it's inevitable that some descendants will squander it. So why not have more children? There will always be someone who can shoulder the responsibility. However, it's highly unlikely that Master Gao will be able to produce anyone more outstanding than Gao Jingming.

Thinking to himself, Chen Xuan's lips twitched, and he secretly touched his waist, saying, "Forget it, even if I were made of iron, there's a saying that a woman's waist is a killer knife. I still want to live a few more years." "That's true, but if you meet a woman like Miss Zheng in the future, are you just going to watch her slip away? It's not like you can't afford to support her," the little maid said innocently, blinking her big eyes.

Chen Xuan: “…”

He was speechless for a moment, and then he began to reflect on himself. When did he start to completely let go? He had always been restrained and chaste before he became an adult, or did he become addicted after growing up and couldn't stop?

No, that's wrong. To this day, I've only ever slept with my wife.

Just as he was lost in thought, a sneeze came from the doorway, and Zhang Yu stood there with one hand on his hip, looking fierce, and said, "Hey Chen, are you talking about me behind my back again?"

Her black dress couldn't hide her stunning figure, especially her full, round hips, which made one want to slap them and create ripples. She was curvy in the right places and slender in the right places. Only Du Juan could rival her figure.

Chen Xuan rolled over, pouted, and said irritably, "Which ear of yours heard me talking bad about you?"

"You still say you didn't? I could vaguely hear you, you lecherous bastard, talking about my big ass when I was still at the manor gate," Zhang Yu retorted, glaring at him.

"I think we did say that just now," Chen Xuan said speechlessly. "Do you have such sharp ears? Or are you plotting something against me and taking every opportunity to watch my every word and action?"

"Who's plotting against you? Stop being so conceited. Do you think you're a gold ingot that everyone likes? Wanqian sent me to call you for dinner. Eat it or don't, you won't even get a drop of soup later." Feeling inexplicably guilty, she threw down these words and turned to leave, her plump buttocks swaying alluringly.

Looking at the sunset, Chen Xuan thought to herself, "Time flies so fast! Even Master Zhang, who has been busy all day, has come back for dinner. It seems like just a moment ago, my wife took Wanqian to the backyard to study some kind of magical makeup technique."

Upon arriving at the dining room, a large table of delicious dishes was laid out, clearly arranged by Zheng Wanxi to celebrate this particularly special day for her.

No one knows how the little princess communicated with her, but when they met again, she was completely calm. Her gaze was no longer evasive, but rather affectionate, and she was both shy and timid yet poised and generous.

In just a moment, Zhang Yu seemed to have forgotten her inexplicable guilt. She sat down, her buttocks bulging, and looked at the sumptuous feast on the table with a touch of jealousy. But as her good friend, she seized the opportunity to offer her support, saying, "Sister Wanqian is usually quite frugal; it's only when you, Master Chen, come that she becomes so extravagant. Fortunately, it's not wasteful. I've figured it out; you, Master Chen, can eat any amount of food."

Chen Xuan sat down in the main seat naturally. Half a day ago, this seat belonged to Zheng Wanqian, since he was a guest then. Now, after he and Zheng Wanqian got engaged, although they hadn't gone through the formalities, he was practically the head of the household.

The little princess and the others thought it was normal, and Zheng Wanqian also took it for granted. In many other families, a concubine wouldn't even be qualified to sit at the table to eat, even if this was her manor.

Zheng Wanqian and the little princess sat on either side of Chen Xuan, with the little princess on the left, serving him rice and wine.

Picking up his chopsticks, Chen Xuan ignored Zhang Yu's teasing and said frankly, "You just want to call me a pig, so what? I've suffered a lot as a child, almost starved to death, and I can't stand waste."

Upon hearing this, the little princess and the others felt a pang of heartache. They wondered how Chen Xuan had endured that period of his childhood. Now that he was famous all over the world, his childhood experiences were no longer a secret. It was fortunate that the human traffickers died young, otherwise, who knows how many people would have made them wish they were dead.

As she served him food, Zheng Wanxi said softly, "Eat more. It's all over now. You'll never go hungry again."

With her wealth, she could have nearly thirty dishes on the table right now, and she could have a different dish every day. Even if Chen Xuan spent money extravagantly every day, he probably couldn't keep up with her earning speed. The Zheng family is known as being richer than a country. Although that's an exaggeration, do you think they're joking with you?
Zhang Yu, who had just returned, was unaware that Zheng Wanqian and Chen Xuan had already become engaged. Zheng Wanqian was thinking of telling her when she had time, and then instructing her to be more polite to Chen Xuan in the future. She had agreed to marry him together. Before the marriage, he wouldn't criticize her, but after the marriage, he would ask her if she was afraid of being punished by the family.

One thing that Zheng Wanqian only realized after she calmed down was that Chen Xuan actually gave her his hair as a token of their love. This touched her deeply, as it was equivalent to the treatment of a wife who had been married for many years. What concubine would have such an honor?

Hearing Chen Xuan's words, Zhang Yu opened her mouth but surprisingly didn't refute him. Usually carefree, she subconsciously sensed something was amiss. Looking at Chen Xuan with a puzzled expression, she couldn't help but glare and say, "Mr. Chen, you're really taking the initiative! That's Wanqian's seat, okay?"

She's a straightforward person, and she says whatever comes to mind to Chen Xuan. She feels a bit indignant for Zheng Wanqian. It's not a matter of status; the fact is, even if the emperor is a guest at someone else's house, he shouldn't take the host's place. To put it bluntly, it's pure humiliation. No matter how much Zheng Wanqian loves you, you can't treat her like this.

With his chin raised, Chen Xuan said smugly, "Wanqian didn't say anything, so why are you making such a fuss? What, you have a problem with that?"

Before she could continue to protest, Zheng Wanxi, her cheeks flushed, said, "Sister Zhang Yu, you don't understand, Chen Lang should have been sitting in this position all along."

"Wanqian, you just spoil him... Sister, what did you call him?" Zhang Yu, who was pouting and feeling disappointed, was instantly dumbfounded and almost petrified, thinking that she had misheard.

Zheng Wanqian, her cheeks flushed, nodded and said, "Yes, that's exactly what you're thinking, sister. I'll explain it to you in detail later."

Zhang Yu opened her mouth, completely dumbfounded. "I was only gone for half a day, and you've already won him over, little sister? How did you do that?" "Well, it must be my help that really got the credit."

"No, does this mean I really have to marry him as a maid and be bullied by him? He's always eyeing my backside; will he beat me every day? And after suffering so much at his hands without being able to get revenge, will I only be able to take it out on his children?"

For a moment, Zhang Yu was in a state of utter confusion, unaware that she herself was secretly pleased and expectant.

...(End of chapter)