Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 776

The road in front of the city gate was wide, about twenty or thirty feet across. The knights galloped through the middle, and people quickly moved aside to avoid collisions and trampling. After a brief period of noise, the city returned to its usual bustling tranquility, leaving only billowing dust that gradually dissipated.

However, the cold gazes and chilling spears of those knights lingered in people's minds. Yet, since it didn't concern them, they were indifferent. As long as it wasn't aimed at them, no one cared and would only mutter a few words about what had happened somewhere else.

Ordinary crimes are dealt with by constables and yamen runners, and even more serious disturbances by江湖人士 (jianghu figures) are dealt with by the Martial Arts Control Bureau. However, this time cavalry has been deployed. Anyone with a brain knows that this is no small matter. Could it be a rebellion? Or perhaps they've gone out to suppress bandits? Otherwise, there's absolutely no need for this!

Although the governor of a prefecture holds supreme military and political power, troop deployment is not a simple matter, especially for cavalry. Arbitrary troop movements are extremely sensitive and involve complicated procedures. Necessary reasons must be reported to the capital and approved by the Ministry of War before any troop movement can proceed. Otherwise, arbitrarily deploying troops could lead to accusations of rebellion and result in the confiscation of property and the extermination of one's entire family.

Of course, that's under certain circumstances. As the governor of a prefecture, the regional official still has the authority to act expediently within a certain scope, and can simply provide a legitimate reason afterward.

Mobilizing a hundred or so cavalrymen isn't a big problem; it's like exploiting a bug. In an emergency, one must act expediently, with a legitimate reason, to quell a rebellion or quell a uprising. There might even be rewards afterward...

Turning his gaze away, Chen Xuan walked towards the little princess and her companions on the opposite side of the road, which was about ten feet away. Apart from the little princess, they were all skilled in martial arts, including Xia Mei and Du Juan, two innate masters. The dust from the passing cavalry could not get close to them.

Clearly, compared to the army that keeps strangers away, it is the rare sight of beautiful women that attracts people's attention. However, Xia Mei and Du Juan's seemingly indifferent eyes are too frightening, and even trying to peek at them makes people tremble with fear.

Chen Xuan may be selfish, but he wouldn't go so far as to lock up his beautiful wives. They are living, breathing people with their own joys, sorrows, and normal lives. The idea of ​​them showing their faces in public doesn't exist for him; on the contrary, it makes him envious and happy.

"Huh? There really are some ignorant fools trying to strike up a conversation. Look, someone's walking towards those young ladies."

"He looks presentable, but he's probably all show and no substance. Who does he think he is? Does he think he can make those young ladies look at him differently?"

"Haha, that guy's going to be embarrassed. I wonder which year he's from, I've never seen him before, how dare he be so bold?"

"Just wait and see. Those young ladies are clearly not ordinary people, especially two of them. Their gazes are chilling; I've only ever felt that kind of menacing aura when the teachers at the academy are angry."

The little princess and her entourage were so conspicuous that Chen Xuan's direct approach was immediately noticed by those watching, who then began to scrutinize him with expressions of anticipation.

To everyone's astonishment, Chen Xuan's approach was not met with coldness; instead, the beautiful women they never dreamed of all showed bright smiles. They were all stunned and surprised, and their faces changed beyond recognition. They felt envious and jealous, wishing they could take his place.

What's even more heartbreaking is that not only were those brides all smiling radiantly, but they also took the initiative to show affection to Chen Xuan. No, what right did he have to do that?!

Of course, people aren't stupid; they quickly realized that they clearly knew each other and that their relationship seemed to be quite special, which only made things worse.

"Husband, are you done chatting? I saw you two having a great time from a distance," the little princess said, gently straightening Chen Xuan's collar.

Nodding, Chen Xuan said, "Well, I ran into an acquaintance from before, and we chatted for a bit. What brings you guys down here?"

"I got bored in the car, so I just wandered around," the little princess said with a smile.

Nodding slightly, Chen Xuan helped her stroll towards the city gate: "Alright, I'm quite familiar with Mo City. You can ask me anything you don't understand."

"Is the master more familiar with you than Sister Juan?" the little maid suddenly asked.

"This is incomparable," Chen Xuan choked for a moment, then rolled his eyes and said, "You talk too much. Your punishment is to wash my socks for a month."

"Oh, isn't this what I've always done?" The little girl blinked, indicating that this was some kind of punishment.

Seeing them leave chatting and laughing, some people in the crowd couldn't sit still. No matter where you are, there are always self-important people. Not everyone has the intelligence to judge the situation. Perhaps they were blinded by jealousy, and some of them immediately wanted to chase after them.

A handsome young man dressed in fine clothes stared intently at Chen Xuan's back, thinking to himself, "That guy has a good appearance but wears coarse linen clothes. How can he win the affections of those young ladies? What do I lack compared to him? If he can do it, so can I. Even if they know each other and seem to have a special relationship, I might still have a chance!"

This man is also one of the most prominent figures in the academy in recent years. He comes from an extraordinary family and his knowledge has been recognized by the teachers of the academy. He is at the peak of his life.

With a flicker of thought, he gritted his teeth, put on a smile, and stepped toward Chen Xuan and the others, thinking to himself that as long as he was nice, they couldn't possibly hit a smiling person, right? He'd give it a try; what if there was a chance to get closer?

However, he was stopped by his companion as soon as he took a step. He turned around in confusion, frowned at his speechless companion, and asked, "Why are you pulling me?"

His companion bluntly asked, half-laughing and half-crying, "What are you trying to do? Do you want to chase after them?"

"Why not?" the young man, who was about to chase after them, said matter-of-factly, thinking to himself, is it really that obvious?

Then his companion decisively let go of him, shook his head and put away his smile, saying, "Go if you want to. As a friend, don't blame me for not reminding you, do you know who the men with those brides are?"

Silently retracting his leg, the young man cupped his hands and humbly asked, "May I ask who you are? I've been in Mo City for over a year, and while I wouldn't say I know everyone, I certainly haven't seen that person before."

Looking at Chen Xuan and his companion's retreating figures, his companion said respectfully, "Him? Don't be fooled by his plain clothes. I'm sure that coarse linen garment he's wearing is worth more than all of your clothes combined. Didn't you notice the stitching at all?"

"Um, I overlooked that. Could you just say so?"

"I saw him at the academy a few years ago. At that time, he was the pageboy of last year's top scholar. Now, although he is just a commoner, he still has another identity. He is the son-in-law of the retired emperor. That's all I have to say. Now do you know who he is?"

Upon hearing this, the richly dressed young man shuddered. Despite the sweltering heat, beads of cold sweat poured down his forehead, instantly waking him up. He took a deep breath and bowed deeply to his companion, saying, "Thank you for reminding me. It almost caused a disaster. You're a lifesaver! From now on, you're my brother, my dear. Let's go back to Mo City. Today, I want to become sworn brothers with you. I'll book the top courtesan at Bai Xiang Ge to keep you company—no, let's take a detour back to Mo City!"

"No, are you serious?"

"Of course! Brother, your one sentence saved my whole family!"

“Look, I’m not trying to be mean, but didn’t you see how many people didn’t dare to offend him? It’s precisely because they recognized him that they dared to do so. I dare say, if you had chased after him today, the academy teacher would have fired you tomorrow, and your family would be in deep trouble the day after. Of course, if you hadn’t done anything offensive and he hadn’t pursued the matter, that would be a different story.”

"Wow, it seems you know that guy quite well, brother. Could you elaborate?"

"That's a long story. Shall we find somewhere to chat?"

"It's a package deal, didn't I just say, let's go to Baixiang Pavilion..."

Chen Xuan and his group entered the city smoothly without encountering any disturbances that might spoil their mood. The clever little princess noticed something amiss and looked at Chen Xuan with a smile, saying, "Husband, it seems many people in Mo City know you. I noticed many people bowing to you from afar just now."

Hearing this, Chen Xuan looked around blankly and said, "Really? They're clearly looking at you, but you two are too dazzling, they're so ashamed they don't even have the courage to come forward."

"If you say so, then so be it. My husband just knows how to say nice things to make me happy," the little princess said, covering her mouth with a gentle smile as her eyelashes curved.

Chen Xuan knew perfectly well, but he simply didn't want to deal with those he was on good terms with, finding them troublesome.

With Xia Mei and the others around, no one dared to cause trouble as they paraded through the city. With Chen Xuan's witty banter, their attention quickly shifted to every tree and blade of grass in Mo City. Chen Xuan was very familiar with the direction leading to the academy and could recount past events about every place.

Mo City is very large. They wandered around for half an hour but didn't see much of the area. They found a hotel that Chen Xuan remembered as having excellent environment and food, had a meal, and then continued their stroll.

The little princesses and the others remained enthusiastic and persistent, seemingly tireless. Chen Xuan had stayed here for so many years, and it seemed they wished they could revisit every place he had ever been.

Before they knew it, it was already afternoon. They arrived at an area with low-rise buildings, where the noise subsided and there were fewer pedestrians on the street.

As they walked, the little princess suddenly glared at Chen Xuan and pinched his bottom hard.

Her sudden action startled Chen Xuan, who jumped three feet high, turned around, scratched his butt, and asked blankly, "Oh dear, what are you doing, wife?"

"Hmph, husband, why are you criticizing me? I remember you were only eleven or twelve when you came to Mo City, weren't you? Were you already eyeing Sister Juan back then?" The little princess rolled her eyes at him and said coquettishly, her hands itching to give him a good slap.

Completely bewildered, Chen Xuan looked around and then said, both amused and exasperated, "Wife, what are you saying? Everyone knows I was only eleven or twelve years old back then. How could I possibly have designs on Sister Juan? I wasn't even fully grown yet. How could I possibly have that kind of ability?"

He said that the surroundings seemed so familiar, like he was revisiting a familiar place. "Isn't this the place from 'Neko Atsume'?"

Then the little princess also knew about Dujuan's situation here back then, so she teased him a bit. She was probably a little jealous, after all, she could only correspond with Chen Xuan by letter back then, while Dujuan could spend every day with Chen Xuan.

"Husband, you'd better be..." The little princess rolled her eyes at him, thinking to herself that he really didn't have any feelings for Sister Juan back then, but now she's still in your hands. Thinking about how Du Juan and her husband had been seeing each other all those years, she felt a little sour. She wished she could be in his shoes.

She may be generous, but she could never have had too few shared experiences with her husband.

Chen Xuan was speechless, then looked around and chuckled, "To be honest, back then Sister Juan didn't know I was hiding right across from her door. It was quite amusing to see her pretending to be a ghost and scaring people late at night. And many times I was actually less than two feet behind Sister Juan."

Upon hearing this, Du Juan blushed. She was so ashamed of the embarrassing incident from back then that she wished she could disappear into the ground. In those years, she often crawled into the ground, and the first time Chen Xuan saw her voluptuous figure going in and out of a fist-sized hole, he was stunned.

Everyone already knew the details of what happened back then, and laughter filled the air.

Du Juan blushed, stamped her foot, and said awkwardly, "Thinking back now, the master was really wicked back then. When I was trying to get rid of people, he was like... following me everywhere. I felt something was wrong many times, but I just couldn't find the source, which made me paranoid and terrified."

"I just thought it was fun back then, I didn't think too much about it, I really didn't mean to scare Sister Juan," Chen Xuan said embarrassedly.

Now, Du Juan no longer seemed to care, but rather found it quite amusing. She looked at Chen Xuan with tender affection and said with relief, "Speaking of which, I should thank Master. In those years, I often faced life and death, returning many times severely injured. If it weren't for Master's secret help, I definitely wouldn't be alive today, I just didn't know it. Especially the last time Master left, my injuries were so severe that I couldn't have survived. I just wanted to return to my hiding place and wait to die. But when I woke up, not only was I alive, but my injuries were also healed. Master even left behind some pills to help me break through. It was only after reading the letter Master left that I realized Master had been living around me for several years."

“Alright, it’s all in the past. I wonder what’s become of that abandoned courtyard now. It brings back so many memories. Why don’t we just buy it and keep it as it is? It would be quite interesting to come back and reminisce about the past when we have time,” Chen Xuan said, suddenly becoming interested.

Du Juan whispered, "Well, sir, actually I had someone buy that place half a year ago. It's still exactly the same as when we left, unchanged."

Hearing this, Chen Xuan paused for a moment, then stepped forward, put his arm around her waist, and laughed, "No wonder we're on the same page."

"Alright, my husband and Sister Juan have plenty of time to relive the past. It's getting late, let's settle down first," the little princess said with a knowing look. Having slept in the same bed for so long, she knew without a doubt that her husband would definitely take Sister Juan to the place where they used to live tonight to do something naughty.

Nodding, Chen Xuan said seriously, "Yes, let's settle in first, and then we'll go to Master Gao's place for a free meal tomorrow morning."

As he spoke, he secretly gave Dujuan a look, and Dujuan immediately blushed and lowered her head, knowing what he meant.

Xia Mei spoke up at the opportune moment: "Master, Madam, the accommodations have already been arranged. Shall we go over now?"

“Let’s go. My wife is pregnant and has been out shopping for so long. She should rest,” Chen Xuan decided decisively.

The group then boarded the carriage and headed to their lodgings. The further they walked, the more familiar Chen Xuan felt with the surroundings. When the carriage stopped, they arrived at the entrance of the small courtyard where he and Xiao Gao had lived for many years.

Seeing his surprised expression at the door, the little princess came to his side with a radiant smile and said, "How is it, my husband? Are you happy? I've already had someone buy this place back, and I've even found the craftsmen from back then to restore it to how it was when you were here... um..."

As she spoke, Chen Xuan's gaze swept over the riverside courtyard, his eyes filled with reminiscence. Less than two years had passed, and the place was almost unchanged from before.

Touched, before she could finish speaking, Chen Xuan turned around, embraced her, and kissed her. His lips parted slightly as he watched her blush and reproachfully ask, "My wife is so kind. I'll go check on her first."

He immediately released the little princess and eagerly entered the courtyard, looking around inside and out. Returning to the familiar environment, it felt as if 'yesterday' had never left.

When Chen Xuan arrived at the riverbank behind, he immediately burst into laughter.

On the other side of the river, Aunt Rong, a woman of large build, was seen violently beating her husband in a large wooden basin used for washing, like a chick, with water splashing everywhere and screams echoing throughout.

This was a favorite pastime of Chen Xuan back then, and seeing this, he couldn't help but chuckle and greet her, "Aunt Rong is beating your husband again, what did he do to offend you this time?"

...(End of this chapter)