Misty Rain of the Old Times

Although he did not make a big fuss about his trip, he did not deliberately hide his whereabouts either, so it was not surprising that his itinerary was known to those with ulterior motives, such as Prince Qing.

Zhou Xing has already declared himself emperor. After years of planning, he rose up in a single day and quickly seized a large territory, showing great ambition. However, Chen Xuan has been used to calling him Prince Qing since childhood. Moreover, his self-declaration of himself emperor has not been publicly recognized by the old man. Therefore, it is reasonable for Chen Xuan to stand on the old man's side and call him Prince Qing.

Chen Xuan didn't consider himself a smart person, and often joked that his brain wasn't working well, but he knew that every move a person like Prince Qing made was full of profound meaning.

So what was his purpose in sending someone to invite me this time? Was it to win me over, or was it simply a normal get-together between relatives? Or did he have some other motive?
Looking at the black-armored knights kneeling all over the ground in front of him, Chen Xuan secretly scratched his butt and sighed. Well, his brain was not working properly again. He didn't like to be with people who were always scheming. It was too tiring and made him feel like a fool.

He had no choice but to think about it; who knows what a person like Prince Qing was thinking about all day long?

To be honest, Chen Xuan was genuinely curious about Prince Qing, whom he had never met before. He had heard about him since he was a child, and aside from the Gao family relationship, they were now extremely close relatives.

Now that he has sent someone to invite him, he is hesitant about whether to meet Chen Xuan. Deep down, he doesn't like to associate with people who are full of scheming. He worries that his intelligence is not enough to keep up with the pace and that he might be fooled by them. He is aware of this much.

But then again, they invited you, and the relationship has progressed to this point. Wouldn't it be too heartless to refuse? Putting yourself aside, you have to consider the little princess's feelings. After all, he's your wife's brother, her family.

Seeing Chen Xuan hesitate, the cavalryman who had come to invite him remained kneeling on one knee with his head bowed, saying, "Your Highness, it is not that His Majesty was intentionally negligent by not coming in person, but rather that he is overwhelmed with state affairs and has no time to spare. We hope you will understand."

He thought Chen Xuan had misunderstood that Prince Qing was deliberately putting on airs, so he made a point of explaining that subordinates should naturally share the burdens of their boss.

Although Prince Qing has now established himself as emperor and holds a superior position, even if Chen Xuan is just a commoner, his cultivation and battle achievements speak for themselves. Who would dare to act arrogantly? Even putting all that aside, it wouldn't be right for a brother-in-law not to personally come to his sister's house. However, the other party does have a reason for not being able to come. You can't just abandon such a big business to come and greet him.

With a flicker of thought, Chen Xuan raised his hand in a gesture of respect and said with a smile, "Please rise, everyone. I am but a commoner and do not deserve such a grand gesture. Please lead the way."

Let's meet him anyway. We should at least give him this much face. I'm already very curious about Prince Qing, and besides, I want to meet him to confirm my suspicions.

Prince Qing isn't some ferocious beast with three heads and six arms. Does he think he can eat himself? There's nothing to worry about.

If the little princess were to intervene, she would simply wave her hand and say "Rise." Chen Xuan would not act recklessly, always remembering his status as a commoner.

A hint of surprise flashed in the cavalry leader's eyes, seemingly not expecting Chen Xuan to be so decisive. He quickly stood up and said, "Son-in-law, you flatter me. I humbly request that you accompany us."

"Please lead the way," Chen Xuan gestured, then returned to the carriage.

Then the cavalrymen mounted their horses and escorted Chen Xuan and his men to where Prince Qing was.

In the carriage, the little princess asked curiously, "Husband, are we just going like this? What do you think Fifth Brother wants with us?"

"I didn't expect him to send someone to invite us either. We can't just refuse him this small favor. As for why he came to us, who knows? My wife, you know I'm not very bright. What do you think?" Chen Xuan shrugged and passed the buck back.

The little princess covered her mouth and chuckled, saying, "Why should a woman like me worry so much about your men's affairs?"

Well, this wife is no hope. I was hoping she could give me some advice. Chen Xuan said dismissively, "Who cares? Let's talk about it when we meet. Fifth Brother wouldn't harm us, would he? Even if he had the ability, he'd have to ask Old Deng for permission first. If he dares to cheat us, Old Deng will probably come knocking on his door and break his legs."

"Husband, what are you thinking? We have no grudge against Fifth Brother. Why would he make such a fuss? Can't you think of the bright side?" The little princess said, looking both amused and exasperated.

Blinking, Chen Xuan said innocently, "I'm just being cautious because I learned a lesson the hard way when I was little. Honey, you're so smart, but you won't analyze things for me, so I can only guess."

"Can't you, as the brother-in-law, simply meet your brother-in-law?"

As the cavalry escorts Chen Xuan and his men departed, the disaster victims on the road avoided them like the plague, wishing they had more legs to stay away from trouble. They dared not get involved in such matters, fearing that even a glance would bring them trouble.

As they passed through, they went against the flow of disaster victims and approached the county town dozens of miles ahead. Whether it was to leave a good impression on Chen Xuan and his men, or because the army under Prince Qing was well-disciplined, they did not rush around and disturb the disaster victims. At most, they would loudly remind people passing by to keep their distance. The situation of whipping someone at the drop of a hat did not occur.

This alone made Chen Xuan think to himself, if all of Prince Qing's rule were like this, he would probably be able to achieve great things!
As they approached the county town, the number of refugees on the road gradually decreased until they could no longer be seen. After all, there was only so much time to escape the county town, which was about to be engulfed in war. Who would dare to leave the city once the enemy was at the gates? If they wanted to escape, they would have to go in other directions, but that depended on whether the defenders of the city would allow it.

From afar, Chen Xuan lifted the carriage curtain and could already see the county city ahead. The mottled city wall, ten feet high, lay like a giant dragon on the earth. The city wall was already filled with soldiers, ready for battle. However, it was clear that their morale was low, and the defending soldiers looked panicked, with little fighting spirit whatsoever.

According to Xia Mei, the only force occupying this county town is a rebel army of about 10,000 to 20,000 men. It's obvious that this number is exaggerated. They call themselves a rebel army, but they are actually just a group of rebels who rose up in rebellion after the drought in Rongguo caused widespread chaos. Their strength is only temporary, and their fighting ability is questionable. They may not be able to be easily defeated, but they certainly don't have much courage to fight to the death.

Outside the city was a flat plain, with no tall plants for thousands of meters. Five kilometers away from the city wall, the army of Prince Qing was stationed, with military tents like a forest, stretching as far as the eye could see. It was a sea of ​​people, and Chen Xuan didn't know how many troops Prince Qing had brought to the city. There were definitely forty or fifty thousand. But did a mere county town need so many?

At present, it seems that Prince Qing's side has no intention of attacking the city. There are only soldiers patrolling outside the military camp. Under the setting sun, the spears and halberds reflect a cold light, and the murderous atmosphere is oppressive.

Xia Mei had learned from the fleeing refugees that Prince Qing's army had arrived in the morning and was exhausted. They needed to rest and recuperate before they could be thrown into battle. Even if Chen Xuan didn't understand military matters, he knew this basic common sense. The emperor wouldn't starve his soldiers; he had to give them a good meal.

To be honest, Chen Xuan wasn't unfamiliar with grand scenes; he'd witnessed the near-endless beast tides in the underground cave. But this kind of two-army confrontation was truly a first for him. The invisible, chilling atmosphere, perhaps due to the overall ambiance, even made him feel somewhat oppressed. 'The defending side has a master of innate skill, probably their leader, who's panicking and frantic like an ant on a hot plate, showing little will to fight. On the other hand, Prince Qing's army is disciplined and unwavering. The two sides are on completely different levels in terms of both morale and combat strength; it's highly likely they could easily take the city, yet they haven't rashly launched an attack. Is Prince Qing playing it safe, or does he cherish his soldiers and not want to inflict heavy casualties on a mere county town, or is he employing psychological warfare, hoping to take it without losing a single soldier?'

With his mind racing, Chen Xuan, who knew nothing about military operations and warfare, could not see the intricacies of the matter and could only make wild guesses.

After a prolonged drought, the moat outside the city has dried up. Prince Qing has simply set up camp without deploying any troops or leaving one side open. Isn't he afraid that the defending army will abandon the city and flee? Well, Prince Qing probably doesn't want that to happen. He can take the city without losing a single soldier.

The little princess glanced at it and then looked away, her face solemn as if she were lost in thought. It's highly likely that seeing this scene made her realize that the wealth and luxury she had enjoyed since childhood were built upon the sacrifices of countless people.

Instead of going to the front camp where the two armies were facing off, the group climbed up the highest mountain ridge from the rear. They made no obstacles along the way, and the patrolling soldiers stopped and saluted wherever they went.

In Prince Qing's camp, Chen Xuan clearly sensed the auras of four or five innate masters, one of whom was quite familiar—Gao Jingyu.

This surprised Chen Xuan. She was actually traveling with the army? Now that Prince Qing had declared himself Emperor of the South, she was Empress of Nan Jing. Shouldn't she be staying in the rear to stabilize the harem? Or was it that Prince Qing was still in the stage of expanding his territory, and the couple were working together?

Collecting his thoughts, a strange light flashed in Chen Xuan's eyes. He did not sense the aura of a Grandmaster expert on Prince Qing's side, nor did he sense the aura of the black dragon. He wondered if he had guessed wrong.
If there were a Grandmaster-level expert on Prince Qing's side, with his Grandmaster-level senses, he shouldn't have failed to detect it at such close range. Furthermore, he had slashed the black dragon several times. If his Grandmaster-level will left on it hadn't been eliminated, he would have been able to sense it upon approaching. But now, there was no trace of its aura.

'It's possible that Prince Qing had made preparations before inviting me, sending away the Grandmaster-level experts in advance. Or perhaps his concealment techniques are so excellent that I couldn't detect him, just like my cultivation technique, Ze Yuan Jue. Unless I actively reveal my aura, even those of the same level wouldn't be able to tell I have cultivation; I appear like an ordinary person. Another possibility is that I'm wrong, and Prince Qing is simply a man of great talent and ambition. Whatever, why worry so much? I'm not involved in these matters. As long as he doesn't plot against me, let's just treat this as a normal meeting between relatives.'

As a multitude of thoughts raced through his mind, the carriage slowly came to a stop. The voice of the cavalry leader who had escorted them along the route came from outside: "Young Master, Your Highness, we have arrived. We humbly request permission to proceed."

"Thank you for your trouble," Chen Xuan said calmly, helping the little princess out of the car.

Before them stood a manor built atop a hill, covering dozens of acres. The once lush gardens had withered due to drought, and the manor was guarded by armored soldiers with spears and halberds, with sentries every three or five steps, each with sharp eyes.

Standing atop this mountain peak, one can see the vast military camps stretching below and even the layout of the distant county town. It's an unobstructed view. It must be said that Prince Qing truly chose a good position. Not only are the two sides on completely different levels, but one can also see the enemy's military movements. What can the county town possibly use to defend itself? Taking it is only a matter of time.

"Greetings, son-in-law, Your Highness. While on military campaign, I cannot remove my armor to bow."

As Chen Xuan and his wife stepped off the train at the main gate, the surrounding guards immediately saluted in unison.

"Greetings, everyone," Chen Xuan nodded.

Even in casual clothes, the little princess, having regained her princessly dignity, calmly nodded and gently waved her hand, saying, "No need for formalities, rise."

The cavalry leader accompanying Chen Xuan and his entourage bowed and said, "Young Master, Your Highness, this is a temporary central command tent, and the conditions are simple. If there has been any neglect, I apologize on behalf of His Majesty. His Majesty is currently handling military affairs, so please come inside and rest for the time being. His Majesty will be here soon."

Nodding, Chen Xuan said speechlessly, "It's alright, please lead the way. But is it proper for my wife and I to trespass into the central command tent?"

The central command tent doesn't necessarily have to be a tent; it's just a name for the command center. Logically speaking, it would be inappropriate for outsiders to be inside such an important military location. Here, "outsiders" refers to people who are not involved in the war, which is why Chen Xuan asked the question.

"You flatter me, sir. His Majesty's invitation is of no trouble at all," the other party said with a smile, gesturing with his hand.

Chen Xuan and his entourage then entered through the main gate. Although there was no grand procession to greet them, two rows of spirited soldiers did greet them, which was a great honor for Chen Xuan and his wife.

They were quickly taken to a private courtyard. The guard who brought them left, and another guard greeted them and served them tea.

Prince Qing is currently leading his troops on a campaign abroad. Even though he has declared himself emperor, he cannot possibly arrange for palace maids and eunuchs to accompany him. Otherwise, what would his soldiers think? Even the most incompetent person wouldn't do something so foolish.

Upon arriving here, the usually lively girl became unusually reserved, and Du Juan's pretty face was tense and she didn't smile, as if she had no sense of security at all.

This is quite normal. The place they are currently in is essentially the mobile palace of Prince Qing, who is also the current Southern Emperor. There are countless people guarding it, both openly and secretly. The atmosphere is relaxed, so it's understandable that they are not used to it.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Relax, we're here as guests, and moreover, we're family. There's no need to be nervous; just treat it like a normal visit."

That being said, they still couldn't let go. Who knew what kind of person the ambitious Prince Qing was? Not everyone had the big heart of Chen Xuan.

To Du Juan and the others, the fact that Prince Qing dared to declare himself emperor and conquer vast territories in a short period of time was more than just ambitious; it was downright audacious.

Before long, a hearty voice rang out from outside the courtyard: "Where are my little sister and brother-in-law? I've been waiting for you for so long! Today we're going to drink until we drop!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan's heart skipped a beat. He thought to himself, "They've arrived so quickly? And you're leading troops into battle, yet you're still drinking until you drop? Is that appropriate?"

...(End of chapter)