Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 285: Accomplishing Achievements Behind My Back
After returning to the Gao family and parting with housekeeper He, Chen Xuan still did not see Gao Jingming when he returned to his residence. However, he had noticed that the main hall of the Gao family was quite lively, so they should be hosting a banquet.

Originally, Chen Xuan was required to be present at Xiao Gao's banquet, but he had not participated in such events since he came back.

It's not appropriate anymore. Strictly speaking, they are no longer in a master-servant relationship. Although it is not stated explicitly, this is the fact. All that is missing is an official announcement.

However, considering Chen Xuan's current level of cultivation in the 'Innate Realm', it was not convenient to announce this matter publicly. It could only be lifted privately, and then naturally known to the Gao family. As time passed and personnel were replaced, the fact that Chen Xuan had been Gao Jingming's book boy for more than ten years gradually faded.

It's not that the Gao family wants to conceal Chen Xuan's cultivation level as a trump card at a critical moment. This is not something shameful. It is even more beneficial to the Gao family to publicize it. In fact, it is to take care of Chen Xuan's face. A congenital master who once worked as a book boy or servant, to put it bluntly, was a slave. After all, this is not a very glorious thing.

Now, only a few people in the Gao family know about his situation. Even if the whole Gao family gradually knows about it later, it will only be limited to those few people, and they are told not to talk about it carelessly, so the scope can be controlled very small. But once it is officially announced, Chen Xuan’s disgraceful past will soon spread far and wide, and then the whole world will know about it.

The very term "xiantian master" signifies attention. Imagine, when the shameful past of a young "xiantian" master like Chen Xuan becomes known to everyone, how will others view him? How will he face others of his level? Crucially, other xiantian masters will surely feel uncomfortable. Your Gao family treats such a master like a servant, where do you put us?
Don't doubt it, there are some people who are not mentally ill at all and will put themselves in the situation.

In fact, Chen Xuan himself doesn't mind, and doesn't care what others think. But the Gao family has its own considerations. There are so many people eyeing such a family business, and anything can be used by people with ulterior motives to cause trouble, so they have to be cautious and downplay the matter so that everyone will be better off.

Anyway, now Chen Xuan is just a special guest temporarily staying in the Gao family. He can leave at any time. Just like in the past few days, no one has asked him to arrange anything and allows him to come and go as he pleases.

It was just that on the surface, nothing had changed. When Chen Xuan's residence was completed, it would be the time for him to truly leave the Gao family. Some people knew it well...

Since Gao Jingming was not at home, Chen Xuan went back to the house to grind ink and started to write on paper, outlining the composition of the residence. No matter how much he thought about it, it would not be as intuitive as putting it on paper. The location had not been determined before, but now that it had been determined, it was natural to plan according to that piece of land.

When he saw the land, he had an idea that only a small part of the thirteen acres was written on paper, occupying the center of the land. As for the vast majority of the other area, Chen Xuan was not going to build a manor or palace, and he could not live in such a large space, so he simply turned the entire area into green space for simplicity and convenience.

He plans to build a lawn of about two acres next to the main building, plant seasonal flowers on the lawn, and plant trees in other places to surround the building.

In the place where he planted trees, he planned to plant mostly miscellaneous trees. There had to be diversity, otherwise it would be too monotonous. Then he planned to plant a small part of fruit trees and flowers. In spring, it would be a very beautiful sight to see the flowers blooming and falling. In summer and autumn, they could eat the fruits. Moreover, if there were children who tried to steal the fruits, he could pretend to scare them, which would also be a kind of fun.

As for the fruit trees, he decided to plant half of them as peach trees. After all, he had the title of Peach Blossom Prince, but not many people knew about it, so he had to live up to his title. In addition, in this way, the peach trees he had planted for many years would be inconspicuous after being transplanted.

After a few strokes of the brush, Chen Xuan gradually completed the composition of his future residence. The building was in the center, surrounded by a mixed forest with fruit trees and flowers. Then two bluestone paths meandered through the woods to two directions, and peach trees would be planted beside the two stone paths.

Chen Xuan has already thought of a name for the residence, it will be called Taoyuanju.

"It's really nice. My residence is surrounded by a small wood. There's a bustling city just outside. I can see green mountains when I look up, and the market is right outside my door. It's quiet in the hustle and bustle. How about putting up a sign at the intersection on the way home? I'll write that Taoyuan Residence is private territory and trespassers will be killed. And I'll give myself a nickname called Sang Biao... Forget it, that's just trying to cover up the truth. I'm just making myself uncomfortable." Chen Xuan was becoming more and more satisfied as he looked at the composition on the paper, thinking of all kinds of random fun things.

The general idea has been decided, but the details still need to be refined. This requires discussion with the craftsmen. Those people are professionals and will definitely do a better job than Chen Xuan himself.

"A Xuan, is this the residence you planned for yourself?" Gao Jingming asked curiously while looking at Chen Xuan's composition through the window.

He had been there for a while and did not disturb Chen Xuan. Chen Xuan also knew he had arrived, but he continued to paint until he finished.

Nodding, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Yes, Master. How is it? Not bad, right?"

Now Chen Xuan calls him Young Master just as a title. He is used to it and is too lazy to change it.

Gao Jingming picked up Chen Xuan's composition and looked at it and said, "It's more than good, it's so beautiful, it's even my ideal home. How about I just move in and live with you when the time comes?"

"Of course no problem. I'll reserve two rooms for you, young master. You can stay as long as you want. We can stay together," Chen Xuan agreed without hesitation.

Gao Jingming's eyes lit up and he said, "Let's just say this."

"That can still be fake"

That being said, Chen Xuan was sincere, but would Gao Jingming have the leisure time in the future? In fact, it was more of an expression of Chen Xuan's reluctance to leave, but as a man, he wouldn't be so blunt.

"Okay, Xuan, you go ahead and do your work. I'll go and have a rest first. I've been busy all day and it's more tiring than studying," Gao Jingming said, returning the picture to him and waving his hand.

Chen Xuan jokingly said, "Master, although the ban has been lifted, you still have to be more restrained. It's only been a few days, and I see that your steps are a little weak."

Hearing this, Gao Jingming turned around and glared, "I didn't, I didn't, Xuan, don't talk nonsense!" "Look, you're anxious again," Chen Xuan laughed.

Gao Jingming hesitated to speak, and finally gritted his teeth and said, "Ah Xuan, to use the nonsensical words you often say, I'm completely screwed. Can you even see that?"

"Young Master, isn't what you said obvious? Don't you think about my current level of cultivation and my perspective?" Chen Xuan said proudly with his chin raised.

After hesitating for a moment, Gao Jingming glanced around furtively and asked in a low voice, "Ah Xuan, tell me the truth, is it really that obvious? I'm not really walking on empty, am I?"

"I'm just trying to scare you, but young master, it's human nature to be lustful, but don't be too greedy. It's always better to be moderate. Besides, the young lady hasn't come home yet. You can't let me have a child before she comes home, right?" Chen Xuan shook his head and said seriously.

Gao Jingming breathed a sigh of relief, but still took the words to heart. He said, "Ah Xuan, stop scaring me. I almost took you seriously, and I know my limits. Finally, weren't you tinkering with alchemy and medicine in your free time in the past few years? Do you still have Xiaoyao Pills? Give me a box."

"You treat it as a meal? And a box of it? No, no, your bedroom is over there, come on," Chen Xuan almost rolled his eyes, stretched out his hand and pointed in the direction of the small building, "Go and cool off."

"It's settled," Gao Jingming said as he left with his hands behind his back.

Their relationship is even stronger than that of brothers. If their relationship was not so close, they would not joke about such things. However, Chen Xuan still knew his limits and did not mention Xiao Cai, Xiao Ye and the others. That would have been too much. No matter how good the relationship was, they could joke with each other, but they should not involve his wife, daughter and family.

Just as he was familiar with Gao Jingming, Gao Jingming also knew him quite well. Gao Jingming knew about Chen Xuan's alchemy, and even knew that the Xiaoyao Pills in Mocheng were made by Chen Xuan. He didn't ask for details, but so what? Would it affect their relationship?
In the end, Gao Jingming was not given the Xiaoyao Pills. He was still young, practiced martial arts, and had an excellent physique. He didn't need that kind of thing at all. It was just a joke to amuse him, and no one should take it seriously. However, if the other party really needed it when he reached the age, Chen Xuan would not be stingy.

The next day, Chen Xuan continued to busy himself with his own affairs. The head craftsman of the Gao family came to report to him early in the morning. He was a craftsman in his forties. After Chen Xuan asked him if he had eaten, he took him straight to the wasteland.

After the other party looked at the land, Chen Xuan handed over the composition he had drawn yesterday. The craftsman then reviewed it and made many suggestions for revisions to the details.

After all, they are professionals. After some modification suggestions, the overall look became more harmonious and natural. Chen Xuan accepted all of them and was looking forward to the final product.

After the plan was finalized, work began. A group of craftsmen employed by the Gao family were already on standby, and hundreds of people came directly. Most of them were definitely hired from outside. Even for the Gao family, having just a few craftsmen was enough, and there was no need for more.

Materials were delivered continuously, and hundreds of people were busy working in a bustling scene, which attracted people to stop and watch.

The Gao family manor was originally built under the leadership of the person in charge, and it was simply an overkill to deal with Chen Xuan's small residence.

He had the people and the materials, and Chen Xuan's ideal residence was gradually improving day by day. He ran to the construction site every day, leaving early and returning late, witnessing the completion of his real home. It was his own home, even if it was just his home, it was still a home.

In this world, some people are born with everything, while others have to rely on themselves for everything.

Judging from the workers' progress, the project will be completed in two months at most.

In fact, the craftsmen could finish building Chen Xuan's house in about ten days. The most troublesome part was the construction of the garden surrounding the residence. Hundreds of trees had to be transported and transplanted from far away, which was not an easy task.

This part is handled by the Gao family's gardener and most of the workers. They know where to buy the desired plants, how to transplant them so that they can survive, and how to coordinate with the surrounding environment.

According to the gardeners, if they take care of the trees around Chen Xuan's residence for a year, they will grow into a forest, just like they grew naturally. They are professionals.

Chen Xuan started working on this residence at the beginning of March. In a blink of an eye, a month has passed and the progress is more than halfway. As for the house, it is time to start buying furniture and moving in. However, Chen Xuan plans to wait until it is completely completed before considering it.

During this period, Chen Xuan focused his main energy on his residence. He was completely focused and no one disturbed him or assigned him any trivial matters.

In the evening of late spring, Chen Xuan returned to the Gao family home from the construction site. Before he even reached the gate, he saw a horse galloping towards him from afar. While the Gao family guards were slightly alert, the man dismounted and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Good news, good news! Congratulations to your young master Gao Jingming for winning the first place in the Jingting County Chunwei Scholar Examination this year..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan paused and blinked, thinking to himself, "Oh my god! I hadn't noticed for a month, and Gao Jingming actually went to gain achievements secretly without my knowledge."

Okay, okay, this is how you play it, right? You didn't even tell me, it's all gone. I'll just bury him someday...

(End of this chapter)