Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chen Xuan didn't go anywhere that day. He stayed at Xiao Mingju and found some ordinary materials. He planned to make a small gadget. It was a very simple thing without any complicated craftsmanship or techniques. One day was more than enough.

While busy, he also observed Gao Jingming and felt a headache.

Gao Jingming, the top scholar, was really glorious, but his social engagements were endless. He had been busy since morning, with invitations and visiting cards coming in baskets, and countless people who had nothing to do with him came to visit him one after another. After dealing with one wave of people, there was another wave of people coming to visit him.

He finally got some free time, but he was dragged out for a party by someone he couldn't get away from...

"If this happened to me, wouldn't I be annoyed to death? Fortunately, I didn't take the imperial examination to become an official." Chen Xuan felt relieved.

The day passed quickly, and the gadgets were completed. After adjustments and experiments, the results were good. Late at night, Chen Xuan, who had nothing to do, prepared a table of good wine and food and drank alone in the pavilion under the bright moon.

Because of Gao Jingming, Xiaomingju was never deserted that day, but Chen Xuan was in the backyard, which was also quiet.

While eating and drinking, Gao Jingming came back, reeking of alcohol, his eyes blurry with drunkenness, supported by Wei Song. It was obvious that he was pretending. Although he was only in the acquired realm, his internal strength was pure and solid, and quite strong. As long as he was not drugged, he would be fine no matter how much he drank.

As expected, he went to the backyard to circulate his internal energy, and his whole body became energetic. He walked towards Chen Xuan and joked, "Xuan, didn't you go out to play today? Isn't it boring?"

"With the breeze and bright moon as our companions, delicious food and fine wine, we drink together as a pair. How can you see that I am bored, young master?" Chen Xuan raised his glass to him and smiled.

Gao Jingming laughed heartily and said happily, "It has to be you, Xuan, who expresses loneliness and boredom in such an elegant way. Sometimes I wonder why you always say you're not very smart, but what you say is so full of meaning."

Did Chen Xuan signal him to continue drinking? As Xiao Gao nodded, he said confidently, "Young Master knows I'm not good at speaking and can't say anything nice. I can't speak, but can I plagiarize? There are always other people's good words that I can't use up."

Gao Jingming was speechless. He sat down, shook his head and sighed, "Xuan, you are so comfortable. I envy you. I have been so busy all day."

"Master, you made the choice yourself. You should have known this day would come when you took this path... What's with that look in your eyes? Put away your resentment. Don't count on me. I've served you for more than ten years. Now that I've finally retired, I don't want to get involved in your social engagements that are so taxing." Chen Xuan was the first to end the conversation.

As Gao Jingming was at a loss for words, Chen Xuan asked curiously, "By the way, Young Master, haven't you already been appointed? I saw you welcoming guests today, but didn't you show up to take up your post?"

"It's not that urgent. His Majesty has given us three days of vacation to settle down," Gao Jingming said, raising his glass.

After finishing one, Chen Xuan thought about it and realized that who would start working right after being confirmed as a successful scholar? He then asked, "You've already become the top scholar, so why don't you take some vacation to return home and show off?"

"That's not the case. We don't have such a saying in Jingguo. Without experience in being an official, one has to seize the time to observe politics and learn after taking the imperial examination. However, Yuhuaguo does have such a system. New scholars will have a one-month vacation," Gao Jingming said after thinking for a while.

Chen Xuan curled his lips and said with a smile: "In this regard, the Yuhua Kingdom is much more humane. If you become the Prime Minister in the future, remember to find a way to change the system and seek benefits for those who come after you."

"A Xuan, you are getting off topic. I have just entered the officialdom, okay? Prime Minister, without a strong background and support from interest groups, no matter how capable I am, my chances are slim," Gao Jingming said speechlessly.

"Young Master, don't underestimate yourself. Everything depends on human effort. Who can predict the future? Let's not talk about this. Didn't you say that you would get married this year? When are you going to prepare?" Chen Xuan changed the subject.

After a moment's hesitation, Gao Jingming said, "After the grand court meeting at the end of the year, there will be half a month of leave to visit relatives. Then I will ask my superiors for permission to arrange the wedding during a month's leave. It won't be too difficult for me to deal with such a major event in my life."

Scratching his head, Chen Xuan jokingly said, "It's the end of the year, tsk, don't I have to give gifts again? Young Master knows I'm a poor guy, so I'll just bring a pig's head as a token of my appreciation. Young Master, please don't despise me."

"No need for your stupid head, Axuan. Just go there. I will need your help to snatch the bride when the time comes. With your help, no matter how many people there are, they can't stop us." Gao Jingming had already made a good plan.

"That's no problem, I can save a lot of money," Chen Xuan agreed.

Xiao Gao is probably the only one in the world who can easily get a grandmaster to help him snatch a bride. For someone else, it would be a great honor for them to have a grandmaster attend their wedding.

Changing the subject, Chen Xuan put away his smile and asked, "By the way, Master, have you gotten any results from Lord Lu and the others?"

"There's a result. My father-in-law was dismissed from office and suspended for future use. He was also fined one year's salary. They have returned home safely, which is pretty much as expected," Gao Jingming said with a smile.

Chen Xuan raised his eyebrows. He didn't know how it was done, nor did he understand how many twists and turns there were. He said dumbly: "Isn't this just raising it high and then putting it down gently? There are a few words to be used later. It's clearly a holiday."

"That's about it. It's how my brother-in-law operates, and I don't know the details," Gao Jingming said frankly. He had nothing to hide from Chen Xuan.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan's heart moved, and he thought to himself that although Prince Qing has always been away from the court and guarding the border, it seems that he has a lot of connections in the court.

Then he asked, "What about the other people in the Ministry of Revenue?"

"This time, the Ministry of Revenue was checked and found to have a huge deficit in money and grain, which could not be reconciled with the accounts. The Minister of Revenue will sentence them to exile five thousand miles away and never to be employed again. Their property will be confiscated and their families will be demoted to low status. The rest of the corrupt officials will be beheaded and their property confiscated!" Gao Jingming's light words affected the fate of hundreds of people.

The Wu family wanted to plot against Gao Jingming, but he plotted against them. Not only would they suffer heavy losses, but they would also definitely bleed heavily. How much effort would it take to get the position of a Shangshu?
Chen Xuan did not comment on this. He was too lazy to think about whether the things in officialdom were right or wrong.

Late at night, the two brothers gathered for a short while before going their separate ways. Gao Jingming remained as busy as ever for the next two days, while Chen Xuan, as usual, could barely find time to relax. During these two days, Chen Xuan had arranged for the little princess to go on an outing, visiting many places in the capital, leaving behind their footprints and laughter. As they parted, Chen Xuan casually mentioned the time of his departure. The little princess said she knew and would see him off when the time came. But then, looking back, she felt incredibly distressed, tears welling up in her eyes, which she didn't let Chen Xuan see...

Gao Jingming's three-day vacation passed in a flash. In the middle of the night, Xiao Mingju became lively because Xiao Gao was about to take office and officially embark on his official career. As a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, he was a Beijing official and had to go to court. He could not go early, and since it was his first time on the job, he naturally had to perform actively.

Chen Xuan didn't understand or care about the things in the officialdom. When he realized what was happening, he turned over and continued to sleep with his butt sticking up.

After daybreak, he got up as usual and practiced calming and health-preserving exercises to stretch his body. After that, he had breakfast as normal and then went back to sleep for a while. He didn't get up lazily until noon.

Then he took a shower, changed his clothes, packed a small bag, and took some time to walk around the Xiaoming Residence where he had lived for a few months. He left a letter in the room, and then, when no one was paying attention, he quietly left with the horse that Mrs. Gao had given him from Yang County.

Xiao Gao has already embarked on his own path in life, and it is time for Chen Xuan to say goodbye.

They have been together for more than ten years and grew up together. They are more like brothers than brothers. Because their relationship is so good, Chen Xuan was too lazy to say goodbye in person. He is not the type of person who likes to be fussy. Instead of saying goodbye reluctantly and shedding tears, it is better to sneak away to save trouble.

The two grown men looked at each other in silence, with a loving look in their eyes. One of them said, "Don't leave," and the other said, "I won't leave." Chen Xuan felt a chill just thinking about it.

Leading the horse, Chen Xuan left Xiaomingju and strolled on the street. He waved towards the direction of the imperial palace as a farewell to Gao Jingming.

"Xiao Gao, they say that even if you travel a thousand miles, there will always be a farewell. I've been with you for over ten years, so it's more than ten thousand miles. You'll have to walk your own path from now on. Just let go and do what you want. If things don't work out, you can still live a prosperous and comfortable life in Yang County..."

Walking around the street corner and bypassing the puddle, Chen Xuan heard the little princess calling: "Brother Xuan, this way"

The carriage stopped on the side of the street. The eunuch who was driving the carriage was like a puppet sculpture, and the guard Xia Mei rode his horse closely beside him.

The little princess lifted the curtain to reveal half of her body. She was dressed in white as white as snow and with light makeup on, she was incredibly beautiful.

Leading the horse over, Chen Xuan greeted Xia Mei and handed the reins to her before going up the driveway. "Has Xianning missed me after not seeing you all night?"

"Brother Xuan, you are... a bad guy. You only know how to bully me on the street. How can I say that?" The little princess hit him with a red face. It was difficult for her to let go of her girlish reserve.

Her face was tender, so Chen Xuan stopped teasing her and said dumbly, "Didn't we meet at the city gate? Why are you here?"

"Hey, Brother Xuan, don't be so proud. I just thought that your journey out of the city must be particularly easy, so I came to bother you specifically," she said with a smile.

After spending two months together and dozens of times together, she had unknowingly found her whole heart filled with Chen Xuan's presence. Now that Chen Xuan was leaving the capital, she felt particularly sad and reluctant to let him go. However, because she cared about him too much, she did not show it and make things difficult for him.

At this time, the carriage had already started and was heading towards the south gate of the capital. The speed was not slow, otherwise it would not reach the south gate before dark. Chen Xuan would not be able to leave the capital after walking for a long time, but he did not feel any bumps in the carriage.

As she glared at him, thinking, "How dare you be so rude to me? I'm magnanimous and won't bother with you," Chen Xuan took her hand and said, "Xian Ning is so kind to me. She's worried that I'm bored, so she keeps me company. Okay, I'll give you a little toy. When I'm not around, take it out and listen to it whenever you miss me."

As he spoke, Chen Xuan took out a small box he had made two days ago from the package and handed it to her.

It's just a small wooden box the size of a palm with a small handle on the side. It's so ordinary that no one would even look at it if you threw it on the street.

Holding the small box, the little princess asked curiously, "What is this?"

"Listen to it after I leave. Come, I'll teach you how to use it first, not now. You'll know then." Chen Xuan kept her in suspense and taught her the uses of the wooden box step by step.

After figuring it out, the little princess put away her treasures and took out a beautiful little box. She handed it to Chen Xuan and said, "Brother Xuan, I also have a gift for you. Please keep it well and take it with you wherever you go in the future, okay?"

"Okay, I'll carry it with me all the time, just like Xianning is always by my side. Can I open it and take a look?" Chen Xuan asked curiously.

She didn't refuse, and said expectantly: "Well, Brother Xuan, see if you like it."

So when Chen Xuan opened the box, he found a small bell inside. It was made of green jade and could be used as a pendant. It would make a crisp sound when shaken gently. He immediately smiled and said, "A bell? Who would give this to a boy?"

"Oh, Brother Xuan, just tell me whether you want it or not. By the way, this was made by skilled craftsmen from the Ministry of Works. Even though it's made of jade, it won't be damaged unless you deliberately destroy it," she instructed.

Chen Xuan immediately took it out and hung it around his waist, saying, "Yes, of course. I'll be furious if anyone dares to snatch it from me. I understand..."

"Shut up, Brother Xuan, don't say it," she said, covering her face.

Chen Xuan smiled but didn't finish his words. "I present you with a bell. It rings with every step you take, and with every step you take, you think." He understood the little princess's intentions... (End of this chapter)