Misty Rain of the Old Times

Realizing what had happened, Zhang Ao's legs went weak and he was about to kneel down when he said nervously, "Master Chen, Your Highness, I was out of my mind just now. Please forgive me if I have offended you."

Back then, in order to curry favor with Wei Ziyan and others and try to integrate into the elite circle, he went so far as to belittle Xiao Gao and his group, which created a grudge between them. Even after he withdrew from the limelight, he was still worried that Xiao Gao and his group might remember him and seek revenge someday. So he has always been trying to keep track of Chen Xuan and his group's information. How could he not know about Chen Xuan and his group's current situation?

Therefore, he didn't dare to set foot in the capital for many years. However, after living in a small town for so many years, he still ran into Chen Xuan. The key point was that Chen Xuan took the initiative to greet him, but he didn't react at first. With that kind of attitude, if Chen Xuan had been even a little petty, it would have been troublesome.

Now that Chen Xuan has married Princess Fuyao, he is just a commoner, so calling him "Prince Consort" is inappropriate. He can only be addressed as "Master Chen." At this moment, he wanted to kneel, but an invisible force prevented him from doing so.

Chen Xuan would have forgotten those childhood incidents if he hadn't met him. They were nothing to worry about. In a great mood, he waved his hand and laughed, "Brother Zhang, there's no need for that. Although I was of low rank back then, we studied together at Liuyu Academy. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call us classmates. Why be so formal?"

The bond between classmates in this era is one of the four pillars of life; it's even more reliable than fellow villagers when you're away from home. Hearing him say this, Zhang Ao immediately felt relieved, knowing that Chen Xuan probably wouldn't blame him.

However, the fact that Chen Xuan is easy to talk to doesn't mean he doesn't recognize his own position. Back then, Wei Ziyan and others taught him a good lesson. If you're not good enough, forcing yourself to integrate into certain circles is just asking for humiliation.

At this moment, Zhang Ao still cautiously said, "I dare not accept such praise. Master Chen is too kind. It is already an honor to meet Master Chen and His Highness. I wonder if you would deign to come and let me have the pleasure of being a good host?"

He was already extremely grateful that Chen Xuan didn't hold it against him. His intention to entertain Chen Xuan wasn't to flatter or curry favor, but rather to show the proper attitude; otherwise, he would have lived in vain all these years.

If it were a normal reunion of old friends, even if they were just nodding acquaintances, Chen Xuan would be happy to sit down and have a drink together. However, was Zhang Ao someone he could get along with? If they actually sat together, Chen Xuan would find it boring, and Zhang Ao would probably feel awkward too. So he smiled and said, "I have something to do right now, so I won't bother you any longer. How about we get together another day if we happen to meet?"

It was just polite talk, and Zhang Ao, nearing thirty, naturally understood. He breathed a sigh of relief. Actually, he didn't know how to face Chen Xuan, but he wasn't lacking in social skills. He said regretfully, "I see. I was being presumptuous. May I ask if Mr. Chen needs any help? Perhaps I can offer some small assistance?"

He dared not take on too much responsibility. He knew Chen Xuan's level and that Chen Xuan probably couldn't help him if something happened. He was also very clear about his own abilities, so after greeting the princess, he didn't dare to take the initiative to talk to her.

"It's nothing important. I'm new here, and it's getting late, so I'm looking for a place to stay," Chen Xuan said with a smile. Then, he asked curiously, "By the way, what did Brother Zhang want with Miss Zhang earlier? If it's inconvenient, just pretend I didn't ask."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ao's heart stirred. With the idea of ​​seeking no merit but avoiding mistakes, he took the initiative to say, "As far as I know, there have been many visitors from all directions to Yinlong County recently, and the inns are almost all full. It may not be easy for Master Chen to find a place to stay at the last minute. If you don't mind, I have an empty courtyard that is regularly cleaned and is quite clean. Why don't you and Your Highness make do with it?"

That's indeed the case. Du Juan went out to look for an inn but couldn't find one available, so Chen Xuan pondered, "Wouldn't that be too inconvenient?"

"What are you saying, Master Chen? The courtyard is just sitting empty anyway. If you would deign to grace us with your presence, it would surely be an honor," Zhang Ao said cautiously. If he could, he would gladly give it to Chen Xuan. It was just a courtyard; he wasn't trying to curry favor with him. He would be grateful if Chen Xuan didn't bring up old grievances.

However, he dared not offer to give her anything; it would be too shabby. Given her status, he couldn't possibly offer anything worthy of her, and he couldn't offer anything that matched her status either.

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Xuan looked at the little princess and said, "My lady, do you think we should go back to the ship, or stay at Brother Zhang's courtyard for the night?"

"My husband can decide," the little princess said with a smile. When they were out in public, her thoughtfulness as a virtuous wife was impeccable.

They had already agreed to stay in the city for one night and then attend the martial arts tournament the next day, so Chen Xuan turned around, cupped his hands, and said, "Brother Zhang's hospitality is too kind to refuse, so my wife and I will be imposing on you."

"You're too kind, Mr. Chen. Please follow me," Zhang Ao said with a hearty laugh. He was finally relieved. As the saying goes, "He who eats another's food is bound to him, and he who takes another's money is bound to him." In this way, Chen Xuan would not be able to cause him any trouble.

As he spoke, he gave his attendant a wink, signaling him to hurry back and make arrangements.

He genuinely had a spare courtyard; it wasn't a last-minute idea to curry favor with Chen Xuan. He had originally set his sights on a courtesan and was currently plotting to redeem her and secretly keep her outside the home, but he hadn't finalized the plan yet. It just so happened that Chen Xuan and his group had nowhere to stay, so what a coincidence!

After Chen Xuan and the others stayed there, even if he successfully won over that young lady, he didn't dare to keep her there anymore, for fear that Chen Xuan and the others would find out and break a taboo. He didn't even dare to live in that courtyard himself; he had to keep it as a sacred place. If someone caused trouble in the future and he couldn't handle it, he could hide in the courtyard and say, "Who has lived here before? You dare to come in and try." If he did it well, it would be like having a protective charm.

With this, Chen Xuan and the others now have a place to stay for the day.

He handed the stack of silver notes that Zhang Yu had stuffed into his hand to the little maid, indicating that she should keep them safe. Roughly estimated, it was at least eight thousand taels, if not ten thousand. No wonder he followed that rich woman Zheng Wanqian; he could casually pull out a sum of money that countless people couldn't earn in ten lifetimes.

Chen Xuan's personality was such that he would reciprocate kindness tenfold. He and Zhang Ao didn't have any deep-seated hatred for each other, and their past minor frictions were long gone. Not wanting to take advantage of others, he continued the conversation, which had been diverted earlier: "Brother Zhang hasn't said why he's seeking Miss Zhang's company. Would you mind telling me? It seems you have something to discuss with her. I have a fairly good relationship with her, so perhaps we can speak on her behalf."

He didn't dare ask Chen Xuan for help with his own affairs, but since he had been asked, Zhang Ao thought for a moment and replied, "I appreciate Master Chen's kindness, but I wouldn't dare trouble myself. Actually, it's nothing much. I just shamelessly ask Miss Zhang for a hero's invitation, and then I'll take it to the martial arts tournament tomorrow to see what it's like."

"Do you need a hero's invitation to go to the martial arts tournament? No, Brother Zhang, you asked her for a hero's invitation?" Chen Xuan asked doubtfully, genuinely confused. He could understand needing a hero's invitation to participate in the martial arts tournament, but asking Zhang Yu for one seemed a bit far-fetched. Could she possibly control who gets to participate in the martial arts tournament?

Nodding, Zhang Ao, who had gradually calmed down, led the way while saying matter-of-factly, "Of course, you need a hero's invitation to participate in the martial arts tournament. You can't just let anyone sneak in, right? Otherwise, it would be chaos. As for asking Miss Zhang for a hero's invitation, it's because she's one of the people who distributes them."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan looked at Zhang Ao with suspicion. "Hey buddy, do you want to listen to what you're saying? You're just someone who hangs out in the academic circle, what are you doing getting involved in the martial arts tournament? You don't even have internal strength, okay? With the meager skills the academy has..."
Facing Chen Xuan's gaze, Zhang Ao roughly understood what he meant and awkwardly said, "I also quite admire such a grand event, especially since it's being held right here in my hometown. Naturally, I'd like to go and witness it. Whether I'm a member of the martial arts world or not is unimportant; as long as I have a hero's invitation, no one can stop me."

That makes sense, but Chen Xuan still asked doubtfully, "That big-butt... no, how did Lady Zhang become one of the people distributing the invitations? I don't remember her being the head of any famous sect."

Zhang Aoxin hissed inwardly, thinking to himself that only this guy would dare to address Zhang Yu as a female knight-errant so casually. After all, she was a master of innate cultivation. If it were anyone else, they would probably be chopped into mincemeat. The key point was that Zhang Yu hadn't been angry when he said that to her face before.

Then Zhang Ao said matter-of-factly, "Master Chen may not know this, but the initiator of this martial arts tournament is none other than Miss Zheng, who is like a sister to Heroine Zhang Yu. It was with Heroine Zhang's help that I shamelessly asked her for a hero's invitation."

He paused for a moment, then said helplessly, "I am neither a member of the martial arts world nor do I possess any cultivation. As you saw, Master Chen, Lady Zhang clearly doesn't like me and has even displeased me. She wouldn't budge even if I offered to contribute funds. It seems I'm out of luck for this martial arts tournament."

Hearing this, Chen Xuan was even more puzzled. What the hell? This martial arts tournament was actually initiated by that rich woman Zheng Wanxi? Isn't that ridiculous? How could a merchant's daughter have such abilities?
However, on the other hand, nothing seems impossible, because there's a saying that money makes the world go round. The Zheng family may not have much else, but they certainly have a lot of money. In terms of wealth alone, the Zheng family is second to none in Jing Kingdom. With the Zheng family being so wealthy, and their youngest member being only Zheng Wanqian, countless people are eyeing them.

To be fair, Zheng Wanqian is about the same age as Chen Xuan, maybe two years older, yet she managed to organize a martial arts tournament that had an impact that extended to the southern part of Jing Kingdom, with even the Tai Xuan Sect sending people to participate. Her abilities are truly extraordinary.

Wow, these young people are all so capable these days. Xiao Gao is already in charge of a region at such a young age, and Xu Yun defeated the sword god from Rongguo with a single sword strike. Zheng Wanqian, with her stunning beauty, has managed to bring about such a grand event, so she's probably already taking over the Zheng family business...

I don't seem to be an easy person to deal with either, so never mind.

These thoughts popped into his mind, and Chen Xuan smiled and said, "So that's how it is. So you need a so-called hero's invitation to go to the martial arts tournament venue? If we hadn't asked Brother Zhang, we wouldn't have known. If we had rushed there excitedly tomorrow, we would probably have been turned away. It seems we need to get one too. So we should go and visit the Si Luoyang Villa that Zhang Yu mentioned later. If all goes well, we can get one for Brother Zhang as well. If not, we'll have to think of another way. Besides, does Brother Zhang know of any other channels to get a hero's invitation?"

As it was just a side matter, Chen Xuan didn't mind returning the favor by staying overnight in someone's courtyard.

Deep down, Chen Xuan was still somewhat hesitant to go to Zheng Wanqian. She had taken the initiative to be nice to him several times. Chen Xuan wasn't stupid; how could he not know her feelings? The key was that she was a rich woman, and it was hardest to resist the kindness of a beautiful woman. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist. As a normal person, even He Hongyi, under her gentle offensive, Chen Xuan was almost unable to resist.

The little princess has teased Chen Xuan more than once, saying that if it weren't for the fact that the two had been corresponding since childhood, Chen Xuan probably wouldn't have had a chance to become Zheng Wanqian's wife.

That's why he asked Zhang Ao if there were any other options.

Zhang Ao shook his head helplessly and said, "Either you have a good reputation and the organizers will invite you, or you have to go to their door like I did and shamelessly beg for it. And this is only because the event is held in Yinlong County, where my family still has some influence. Otherwise, we wouldn't even have the right to go there."

Actually, there are ways, but Zhang Ao, or rather the Zhang family, doesn't have the connections.

To avoid such trouble, Chen Xuan simply said, "Then let's go pay a visit. It shouldn't be a problem. We'll arrange a share for Brother Zhang as well."

"I wouldn't dare trouble you, Master Chen. Whether I go to the martial arts tournament or not is of little significance to me. At most, I'll just go to join in the fun," he quickly waved his hand and said. If he could, he would be happy for Chen Xuan to make the request as a matter of course. He didn't ask for anything in return, after all, many times what's free is the most expensive.

Chen Xuan disliked taking advantage of people he didn't know well, and said directly, "It's settled then."

Chatting idly, they wandered through the streets and arrived at Zhang Ao's quiet little courtyard in the south of the city. The courtyard had two sections and the environment was quite nice. Zhang Ao had clearly put a lot of thought into it; there was only cleaning and no signs that he had lived there.

After bringing them here, Zhang Ao wisely led his men away without disturbing them further. He originally wanted to send some servants over to serve them, but Chen Xuan politely declined. However, he left someone outside to be ready to relay messages at any time.

When no one else was around, the little princess teased, "My husband is truly capable! Whenever you want money, someone will readily give you silver. It must be at least eight or ten thousand taels. He's so generous!"

"Sister Juan, Roujia, please go and buy some daily necessities, such as bed sheets and blankets. When it's time to eat, please also prepare a feast," Chen Xuan arranged, as she was used to instructing her two personal maids whenever she needed something.

Even if it's just for one night, everything we need must be provided. We can't let my wife suffer. Anyway, we're not short of money right now.

Having accepted Zhang Yu's money was no different from accepting Zheng Wanqian's, so wouldn't that count as owing her a favor? Chen Xuan couldn't feel at ease about it; this was different from the dozen or so cartloads of gifts he received at his wedding.

Relationships between people always begin with small things.

After making the arrangements and seeing Du Juan and the others leave, Chen Xuan turned back with a smug smile and said, "That's right, my wife, don't you know who I am? I'm respected wherever I go. I was just a little short on cash, but it's easily within my grasp."

The little princess chuckled and said, "Look at you, so confident! Yes, yes, my husband is always a guest of honor wherever he goes, isn't he?" Then she changed the subject and looked at Chen Xuan with a half-smile, "Husband, Zheng Wanqian's current residence is called Si Luoyang Villa, right? Don't you think it's quite interesting?"

“It is indeed this name, I haven’t misremembered it, so what? Why does my wife have that expression?” Chen Xuan nodded and said speechlessly.

The little princess poked Chen Xuan's chest with her finger and rolled her eyes at him, saying, "Husband, you're usually so shrewd, how come you're so oblivious when it comes to girls? And what's wrong with that? It's just like at the Si Luo Yang Villa, isn't Zheng Wanqian's feelings obvious?"

"I thought this was pretty normal," Chen Xuan said, puzzled, still not quite understanding.

The little princess, with an expression of utter exasperation, asked speechlessly, "Where do we live? To be precise, where do you register your household, my husband?"

“Yang County, huh?” Chen Xuan suddenly realized something. Wasn’t the intention behind naming the villa where Zheng Wanqian was staying so obvious?

The little princess immediately nodded and smiled, "That's right, just as you think, my husband."

Scratching his butt, Chen Xuan said with a wry smile, "We're thinking the same thing, so shouldn't you be unhappy, my wife?"

They've been married for ages, and the little princess reached out and scratched him a couple of times, saying matter-of-factly, "Why should I be unhappy? I'm happy to see it happen, okay? Our family is small, and we'd love for our husbands to have three wives and four concubines to make the family more lively and numerous. It's just that you yourself aren't very enthusiastic."

Then she joked, "At the age when love is just beginning to blossom, you can't meet someone too stunning, otherwise you won't be happy for the rest of your life if you can't stay together. You're the one who told me that, my husband. Zheng Wanqian has been hopelessly infatuated with you ever since she met you. Fortunately, I'm not a rigid person, and I'm quite lustful, so Zheng Wanqian might just get what she wants. The key is that she's a rich woman, hehe, my husband, aren't you tempted? Didn't you tell Brother Gao when you were little that you wanted to marry a rich woman and live off her when you grew up?"

How do you know about the things you braggarted when you were a kid?
Chen Xuan, speechless and bewildered, looked up at the sky. "No, wife, why do we always end up talking about this when we're together? Every outstanding girl you see, you want to bring home. Should I be happy to have a wife like you, or should I be happy...?" (End of Chapter)