Misty Rain of the Old Times

After a long while, the room quieted down, and the dim light flickered gently, emitting an orange-red glow.

After rinsing her mouth carefully, the little princess nestled in Chen Xuan's arms, and the couple embraced each other under a thin blanket.

Recalling the previous events, Chen Xuan looked down at his wife in his arms and asked incredulously, "Is this the surprise you were talking about, my wife?"

"Mmm," the little princess nodded gently, not daring to look at him, her voice a little hoarse.

Chen Xuan gently hugged his wife, saying with heartache, "Why do you have to wrong yourself, my wife?"

Listening to his heartbeat, the little princess whispered with a gentle smile, "I'm not wronged at all. As long as my husband is happy, I'm willing to do anything. We're husband and wife, it's only right."

Before Chen Xuan could say anything, taking advantage of his current mood and state, the little princess knew the time was ripe. She pursed her lips, mustered her courage, and suddenly said, "Husband, I am pregnant. On the second day of the martial arts tournament, I privately consulted a renowned physician, and the diagnosis is confirmed."

The words had already been spoken and could not be taken back, but the little princess's heart began to tremble. She didn't know whether her husband would be happy or unhappy after hearing the news. The couple had agreed not to have children for the next few years, and she hadn't expected to get pregnant so suddenly. It was as if she had made the decision on her own behind her husband's back.

Chen Xuan, who was still immersed in surprise, suddenly felt a buzzing in his mind when he heard her words, as if something had exploded. He stared blankly at his obedient wife in his arms.

Not hearing his reply, the little princess's heart tightened. Suppressing her disappointment, she looked up and forced a smile, saying, "If my husband is displeased, I can have an abortion and then... in a few years..."

"My wife, you do it!" Chen Xuan blurted out, his head buzzing. This was the first time he had spoken so harshly to her since they met.

He paused for a moment, then, instead of being surprised, he was delighted. The little princess slowly raised her head and stared at him blankly. Just those few words instantly swept away the gloom of anxiety and uncertainty she had felt for days.

Unable to resist cupping her pretty face in his hands, Chen Xuan seemed a little flustered and said, "What a wonderful thing! How could I not be happy? I'm overjoyed! Why didn't you tell me sooner, my wife?"

"The reason I kept it a secret was because I was worried that my husband would be unhappy. After all, we haven't been married long, and we agreed from the beginning that we wouldn't have children for the next few years," the little princess said shyly, relieved.

Excited like a child, Chen Xuan couldn't help but laugh and complain, "Wife, you should have told me this right away! You've been avoiding me for days because of this, making me overthink and think you're disgusted with me."

Seeing that his excitement was genuine, the little princess said apologetically, "It's not that I'm deliberately avoiding my husband, I just don't know how to tell you. How could I dislike my husband? I like him too much."

Hearing this, Chen Xuan felt incredibly guilty. His wife, whom he held in his arms, was like a rare treasure. He blamed himself, saying, "My wife must have been suffering these past few days. I deserve to die. If I had known this would happen, I would have been so reckless."

As he spoke, Chen Xuan gently put her down and slapped himself hard. His wife was pregnant, and he was still thinking about that kind of thing. Although he didn't know, if it affected the fetus, he would be guilty of a terrible crime.

With a sharp crack, the little princess was heartbroken. She rose slightly, grasped her husband's hand, and wept with joy, saying, "My lord, please don't do this. It's all my fault. I should have told you beforehand."

He quickly helped her lie down, his movements gentle and flustered. "My wife, lie down. The baby in your womb is the most important thing. If you were to bump into anything, I would never forgive myself, even if I were to be torn to pieces."

Amused by his words, and feeling happy, the little princess subconsciously touched her lower abdomen and said, "It's not that fragile."

"My wife, please don't be careless. I've heard that the early stages of pregnancy are the most crucial," Chen Xuan, who had almost no experience in this matter, warned with a serious expression.

He didn't even dare to touch his wife, as if she were so fragile that she would break if touched.

Seeing his serious, concerned, and cautious expression, the little princess felt it was all worthwhile and said happily, "With my husband here, nothing will happen."

The saying goes, "Concern leads to confusion," and Chen Xuan thought about it and realized it made sense. Could he really not protect his wife and the baby in her womb? Scratching his head sheepishly, he said, "My wife is right. With me here, even if it's a mountain of knives or a sea of ​​fire, I won't let you get a single hair on your head. Hehe, I'm going to have a baby."

Then he couldn't help but complain, "Why didn't you tell me sooner, my wife? Such a joyous occasion! The sooner I knew, the happier I would have been. When did this happen?"

He was laughing so hard he was practically incoherent. The little princess smiled faintly and said, "That day when we went to the martial arts tournament together, my husband and Miss Zhang Yu were bickering, teasing her about whether she was on her period. That's when I realized I hadn't had my period since we got married, so I had some suspicions, but I wasn't sure. Afterwards, I asked Wanqian to secretly find a famous doctor to diagnose me..."

After hearing her words, Chen Xuan said with a wry smile, "My wife, you've kept this from me for so long! You almost made me think you didn't like me anymore. In other words, until now, no one but me knows you're pregnant?"

"Yes, I didn't know beforehand what my husband's reaction would be, so I didn't say anything," the little princess nodded.

He couldn't bear to blame her; after all, it was his own fault for not caring enough. If he had paid closer attention, how could he not have noticed? Chen Xuan felt guilty and then asked curiously, "By the way, my wife, is it a boy or a girl?"

The little princess rolled her eyes at him, then touched her lower abdomen, laughing and crying at the same time, saying, "I'm only pregnant for about half a month at most. Even the best doctor couldn't tell."

"Yes, yes, I was too hasty, but it's alright. At most, it will take three months. I'll be able to tell whether it's a boy or a girl. No, these things should be done in a blind box, otherwise there's no sense of anticipation," Chen Xuan said incoherently.

Blinking, the little princess hesitated and asked, "Does my husband prefer boys or girls?"

Throughout history, this question seems inescapable when it comes to the next generation. Chen Xuan replied without hesitation, "Boys and boys are the same. Actually, I prefer girls a little more because daughters are considerate. If it were a boy, I'm afraid I'd be driven crazy many times."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but scratch his head, his feelings quite complicated. It seemed that he was still a child himself, yet he was about to become a father.

Unsure if he was being insincere, the little princess didn't dwell on it. With a blissful, dreamy expression, she said, "Whether my husband prefers boys or girls, I'm still young. I'll have many children in the future, and I'll definitely have both a son and a daughter."

“That would be too much suffering for my wife. One is enough,” Chen Xuan waved his hand with concern. To him, having a son or a daughter was the same. There was no throne to inherit, so why should he care so much?
After waving her pupae twice in his direction, the little princess said in a daze, "With my husband's cultivation level, surely childbirth wouldn't cause me any suffering?"

"That's right," Chen Xuan slapped his forehead, realizing that concern had clouded his judgment. What level of cultivation did he have? His wife had managed to give birth without any pain, and it was a natural birth.

He immediately pressed his head against his wife's belly and said, "Let me hear if the little guy is making a fuss in my wife's belly. If he's restless and makes my wife suffer, I'll spank him when we meet."

"It's still early, what kind of noise can we hear? Little Bao will definitely be good. Will your future husband be willing to do that?" The little princess said speechlessly, but she did not stop him.

Indeed, there was no sound. It would have been better if he hadn't known. But now that he knew, Chen Xuan could feel a little life growing inside his wife's belly.

After a moment, he kissed his wife's belly, calmed down, patted his forehead, jumped off the bed and paced back and forth, saying, "Things are different now. My wife's health is the most important thing now. How about we stop heading south and head straight back home?"

Amused by his words, the little princess propped herself up, and Chen Xuan gently helped her lean against the headboard. She said earnestly, "My lord, there's no need for this. I'm not that fragile. We promised to see everything, how can I give up halfway and return disappointed? Besides, with you by my side, is there anywhere in the world safer than being with you? I'm serious; I want to see the vastness of the sea with you, leave our footprints on the snow-capped mountains, and witness our silhouettes in the boundless desert."

Sitting beside her, Chen Xuan nodded and said, "Alright, I'll do whatever you say."

Although there is still a long life ahead, it is always better to leave behind more beautiful memories in your youth than to have regrets in the future.

"My lord, it's so wonderful to have married you in this life. In the next life, and the life after that, I want to be with you," the little princess said happily, nestled in his arms.

"It's my honor to have married you, my wife. Life is long, so please don't find me annoying." "I won't."

While chatting, Chen Xuan suddenly grinned and looked north, saying with a smile, "Look how smug Xiao Gao was after his wife got pregnant. Now that I have a child too, I'll have to go show off to him later."

"Husband, why are you acting like a child? What's the point of comparing these things? Speaking of which, you suddenly mentioned Brother Gao. It just so happens that Madam Gao is pregnant but hasn't given birth yet. You're not thinking of arranging a marriage between children from the opera, are you?" The little princess suddenly asked with great interest. Given their relationship, it was quite possible.

Chen Xuan was speechless and said, "I must be out of my mind to play such tricks. Our children and grandchildren have their own lives to live, why should I worry about it?"

"Husband, why are you reacting so strongly? I was just saying."

"Have it?"

"There is"

Shrugging, Chen Xuan laughed, "Alright, well, who can predict the future? Arranging marriages for the next generation from infancy is absolutely unacceptable. For example, if we have a son and the Gao family has a daughter, I can't handle them coming to break off the engagement and slapping me in the face."

"What are you talking about, my husband? You've been reading too many storybooks. It was you who suggested writing this kind of plot in a storybook a few years ago, which caused quite a stir," the little princess said, both amused and exasperated.

The couple only talked about the pregnancy behind closed doors and didn't really think about it.

They chatted until late at night before the little princess finally fell into a deep sleep. Chen Xuan, however, was so excited that he couldn't sleep all night, keeping watch over the little princess as if she were a priceless treasure.

Now that I have a child and am going to be a father, how can I sleep?
The next morning, Chen Xuan, who hadn't slept all night, practiced the Qi-cultivating exercise in his room to stretch his muscles and bones, staying with him every step of the way.

When the little princess woke up, and Yunlan and Yunxin knocked on the door to help her wash up, Chen Xuan subconsciously instructed, "Xiaolan and Xiaoxin, be careful and don't let anything happen to Madam. Hmm, don't use the rouge and powder anymore, put them away."

Having served the little princess for many years, they dared not be careless in the slightest. His words left them completely bewildered, but they still answered earnestly, "Don't worry, sir, we will be extremely careful."

Even the sleepy little princess couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, finding it amusing and thinking he was making a mountain out of a molehill, but she didn't refuse her husband's kind concern.

After washing up, the group went downstairs for breakfast. Ever since he learned last night that his wife was pregnant, he had been smiling so much that it was hard to suppress his smile, which made Du Juan and the others very curious. What happy thing had happened to the old man?

Isn't this incredibly joyous occasion exciting enough? Chen Xuan can't keep secrets either, unlike the little princess who intentionally hides things from others so that no one can tell the difference.

Halfway through the meal, he put down his chopsticks and looked at everyone. Du Juan and the others subconsciously stopped eating and focused their attention on him.

Amidst the little princess's mixed feelings of amusement and exasperation, he forced a light cough and said, "I have some incredibly joyous news to share with everyone. Listen carefully, my wife is pregnant! May everyone rejoice!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was stunned into silence. In an instant, everyone's face was filled with excitement and joy.

"Congratulations, sir and madam."

"That's wonderful! Our family is going to have a young master or a young lady!"

Each heartfelt blessing was offered, and everyone was overjoyed, almost jumping for joy.

How could I not be happy? This is already great news. Besides, with the master having an heir, the family is more stable. It's like an invisible pillar has been added, and there's something to look forward to in the future.

After everyone calmed down a bit, Chen Xuan said seriously, "Madam is pregnant, this is no small matter. I have three points to make, please remember them carefully and implement them. First, our itinerary remains unchanged, but this ship is not like home, so I will give instructions later to carefully check and secure everything that needs to be fastened, and smooth out any sharp edges. There must be no mistakes. Second, regarding Madam's safety, I will trouble Aunt Mei and Xiao Lan and Xiao Xin to stay by her side at all times. There can be no mishaps. I, your master, will also be keeping a close eye on her. Third, as I just said, Madam's pregnancy is a cause for celebration, and there will be celebratory funds in the capital and the fiefdoms. Please do so according to the rules."

"Rest assured, sir, we will keep it in mind," everyone nodded, even more seriously than Chen Xuan himself. It concerned the future young master or young lady, so how could they dare to make any mistakes?

After thinking for a moment, Chen Xuan added, "By the way, we also need to adjust the diet. Send a letter to the capital; don't we have an imperial chef? Have him come over quickly. Also, invite a few imperial physicians to accompany us, just in case."

"Yes, sir, I will arrange it immediately," Xia Mei said, getting up without wanting to delay even a single moment.

Although there's no rush, I'll let her be.

Then Chen Xuan looked at the little princess and asked, "What do you think of this arrangement, my lady? Is there anything I should add?"

"My husband can arrange it, but isn't this making a mountain out of a molehill?" the little princess said, both amused and exasperated, her heart filled with happiness.

Shaking his head, Chen Xuan said, "I still feel it's far from enough. There are many things I haven't thought of yet. We'll add them later."

"Yes, whatever my husband says."

Then Chen Xuan thought of something else and asked the little princess, "By the way, Madam, now that you are pregnant, should we send a letter to your father to tell him the good news?"

Although he didn't know where Lao Deng was living a carefree life, he felt it was still necessary to let his wife's family know.

She glanced at him speechlessly, then pursed her lips and said, "Husband, there's no need for that. Announcing the good news is something to do after the baby is born; it's too early now."

Chen Xuan thought about it and agreed. It was inconvenient to make a big fuss about it at the moment, but it was still necessary to inform the old man. It would be best to say it in person, but where could he find him?
After the meal, everyone on the ship got busy, carefully checking and eliminating any potential hazards as instructed by Chen Xuan.

Now Chen Xuan had no other thoughts. He stayed by the little princess's side without leaving her side. He was not idle either. He even put down the concealment array that he had been thinking about for a long time and took out precious materials to seal the method to ensure his wife's safety as much as possible. He didn't care how much he consumed. He would only feel at ease if his wife was safe if she was threatened by a Grandmaster in the event that he was not by her side.

Haozhou is located on the southern border of Jing Kingdom. Chen Xuan and his group traveled down the Qingping River and gradually approached the border.

The banditry that had been rampant due to the war in Rongguo was probably because too many people died at the martial arts tournament that day, so they encountered no trouble when they set off from Yinlong County.

Chen Xuan is currently in a sensitive period; anyone who dares to cause trouble is practically courting death. Fortunately, such a thing has not happened.

That afternoon, Xia Mei came to report: "Master, Madam, in another thirty li, we will pass through the border pass between the two countries."

Chen Xuan nodded to indicate that he understood. He used to travel alone, but now he was leading a large group of people. He pondered for a moment and asked, "Aunt Mei, is there anything we should pay attention to when crossing the border?"

...(End of chapter)