Misty Rain of the Old Times

The meal was finished in a slightly somber atmosphere. After tidying up a bit, Chen Xuan took the princess to Zhoushan County as he had previously discussed with her.

Some things are destined to happen, and we are powerless to change them, so we can only face them, and life must go on.

The young girl was still depressed and anxious. Having suffered hardships, she was afraid of disasters. Although life was better now, she still had the mindset of an ordinary person. Peace and safety were enough for her. She would rather be a dog in times of peace than a human in times of chaos. Fortunately, she was busy and didn't have time to think about so much. She needed to take the time to adjust her emotions.

In other wealthy families, if a little girl were to affect everyone's mood, they would be beaten to death without hesitation. But Su Roujia is different; they are already family, and family members should naturally care for and understand each other.

Not long after Chen Xuan and his group left their residence, He Hongyi arrived with a jar of fine wine. However, the house was empty, so she had no choice but to return. She knew that Chen Xuan was a big man and could disappear at any time. In any case, this was his home, and he would come back sooner or later. She could visit again when he returned.

He Hongyi's visit was not because of Yan Quan's circling around Yang County. She had already heard about it and roughly knew that it was Chen Xuan's doing, but she didn't care. It was Yan Quan's fault for provoking Chen Xuan and bringing trouble upon himself.

She came to see Chen Xuan mainly because she was nervous and worried that he would misunderstand her. Although she had already made it very clear yesterday, she still felt it was necessary to explain to Chen Xuan privately.

She was originally a smart, calm, and remarkable woman, but she had long since lost her composure in the face of love. Ever since she fell for Chen Xuan in the Misty Marsh, she had been utterly defeated...

On his way to Zhoushan County, Chen Xuan wondered when he would be able to master the levitation formation. It would be even better if he could use it at will. That way, it would be convenient to build a flying ship and go anywhere, instead of having to use his lightness skill to gain leverage from the ground at a distance to take off, as he did now.

However, he hasn't even figured out how to create a concealment array yet, and the floating array will have to wait until later; he probably won't be able to do it for another three to five years.

It is said that Jing Kingdom has floating ships, but Chen Xuan has never seen them. They are national treasures and are not easily shown to others. Of course, with his current connections, it shouldn't be difficult for him to see them, but he wouldn't make such a request. He is very careful with his words and actions. Although he and Lao Deng are usually quite unreliable, they actually keep things within a certain range. The father-in-law and son-in-law have a tacit understanding and have not touched on any sensitive topics.

Traveling swiftly through the clouds, with the mountains and land rushing past beneath their feet, Chen Xuan, mindful of what the little girl had said, asked the princess nestled in his arms, "By the way, my wife, our conversation was interrupted the other day, and I haven't had a chance to ask where our fiefdom is yet."

The little princess, with her eyes closed, said, "Brother Xuan, don't you know? Fuyao County is our family's fiefdom. Oh, by the way, Fuyao County was renamed because of my title. It's located about two hundred miles north of the capital. The entire Fuyao County is our family's fiefdom, with a population of over three hundred thousand. So, Brother Xuan, do you need any help? If so, just tell Aunt Mei."

Shaking his head and secretly clicking his tongue, Chen Xuan said, "No, I was just asking casually. If a county with a population of over 300,000 is your fiefdom, does that mean you have complete control over everything?"

"Of course, but Brother Xuan is wrong. Now it's your turn to make the decision," she nodded gently.

Chen Xuan didn't feel like he was about to "soar to the sky" at all. He thought it was better to ask for clarification and continued, "Isn't that equivalent to a country within a country? In other words, we have the final say on things like management and taxation?"

The little princess thought for a moment before answering, "It seems so. We can directly appoint and dismiss the staff of the government offices within our fiefdom. Although it's autonomous, it's still subject to the court's control, so we can't act too arbitrarily. However, we decide on taxes and don't have to hand them over to the court. After all, it's my fiefdom, and all the produce belongs to me. To be precise, every blade of grass and every tree there is mine, unless the court takes it back. Oh, and there's something I need to tell Brother Xuan. Because I'm marrying you, the fiefdom, until the court takes it back, is only valid while I'm still alive. In other words, it can't be passed down to our children."

Chen Xuan understood this. When a princess marries out, the fiefdom is a benefit given to her by the royal family, but it will not actually fall into the hands of outsiders. In a dynasty where imperial power is supreme, the territory cannot be divided in the slightest.

Nodding, Chen Xuan said, "I see. Do you know what the main products of the fiefdom are, and how much tax revenue it generates?"

Hearing this, the little princess said somewhat embarrassedly, "Brother Xuan, you're putting me in a difficult position. I don't usually pay attention to these things; it's all done by Steward Hua and the others. I haven't even finished looking at the accounts, so I don't know the specifics."

It's fortunate that no one dared to do anything reckless, otherwise, they might not even know if their wives were tricked into emptying their pockets.

Since he couldn't get any answers from his wife, Chen Xuan had no choice but to say, "Alright then, I'll ask Steward Hua later."

"Why is Brother Xuan asking these questions?" the little princess asked curiously.

Chen Xuan said frankly, "My wife, you heard what Roujia said before. What I mean is, if a major drought really occurs later, we can't control other places, but we should still be considerate of the people's suffering in our own little territory and try our best to alleviate the survival pressure on the people within our fiefdom."

"Yes, I understand what you mean, Brother Xuan. You can make the decision. I'll listen to you. Besides, the taxes from the fiefdom only account for less than half of our family's income. The majority comes from various industries. Reducing the living pressure on the people in the fiefdom won't be too devastating," the little princess said considerately.

That's true. The little princess doesn't rely on exploiting the people in her fiefdom to live a comfortable life. Not to mention she owns many businesses, she earns a lot of money just from writing stories. Her pen name, Tingfeng Jushi, is one of the best in the storytelling circle of Jing Kingdom.

Chen Xuan wasn't good at following established practices, so he wouldn't act recklessly. However, he did understand human nature to some extent, so he said, "Let's discuss it with Steward Hua later. We don't oppress the people, but sometimes being overly kind doesn't necessarily earn gratitude. The specific measure will depend on the actual situation."

"Although I don't understand these things very well, I know that Brother Xuan means well. No matter what, I will cooperate with you, Brother Xuan. We are husband and wife, and what is mine is yours," the little princess said gently.

Nodding, Chen Xuan put aside these concerns for the time being and asked expectantly, "Since you've said so, does that mean the pink paper we co-wrote a few years ago is still with you...?"

Before he could finish speaking, the little princess interrupted him warily, "I already said I'd keep it safe for you, Brother Xuan. What, Brother Xuan, don't you trust me?"

"No, no, what I mean is, my wife, you can spend whatever you want. Anyway, what's mine is yours," Chen Xuan quickly said, his heart bleeding. That's all my money. Once it's in my wife's hands, I probably won't get it back. He thought to himself that he knew there was no hope. Other people's wives take away their money before they even have a chance to warm it up, but he's never even seen his money.

Then he thought, judging from the current trend, should he stockpile grain? After all, he had such a big family to support, and the money was just sitting there anyway. But was it too late? Since he could think of this, many skilled traders probably had already acted like hungry wolves smelling blood.

Chatting, they soon arrived in Zhoushan County. Instead of rushing to find Xiao Gao (it was still before noon, so they figured he was probably still at work), they landed and started sightseeing. Zhoushan County is mountainous with a well-developed water system, so they simply chartered a boat.

However, due to the lack of rain for several months, the water level in the rivers of Zhoushan County has dropped significantly, and in a few more months, they may dry up completely. This is the will of Heaven, and it is beyond human control to change.

The drought situation here is relatively better, with numerous rivers and waterwheels set up along the riverbanks. Even siphon irrigation is being used, probably thanks to Xiao Gao. Chen Xuan had forgotten how much basic material knowledge he had inadvertently taught Xiao Gao a few years ago. That guy is smart and can apply what he learns.

However, Xiao Gao had only been in office for a few months, and everything hadn't been fully implemented yet. But with such examples, the working class would naturally start using it spontaneously after seeing the tangible benefits. Perhaps Chen Xuan and his group were lucky, or perhaps Xiao Gao acted swiftly; in any case, they didn't encounter any trouble during their trip, and they didn't encounter any of the bandits they were supposed to be dealing with. On the contrary, it should be said that those criminals were just lucky.

Beautiful girls are often the source of trouble and danger, especially since Chen Xuan is surrounded by a group of stunningly beautiful girls. It's amazing that he hasn't encountered any trouble.

Perhaps due to the change of environment and the favorable surroundings, the little girl's low spirits improved, and she was no longer as depressed and apprehensive as she had been when she set off; a smile even appeared on her face.

They continued sightseeing until the afternoon before entering the city, disembarking, and heading to Gao Jingming's residence.

"Get out of the way, all of you get out of the way! The imperial court is expediting the issuance of documents. If any official business is delayed, you will all be arrested and imprisoned..."

On the way to Xiao Gao's residence, Chen Xuan and his group encountered a group of people galloping wildly through the city. Their words were cold and they showed no intention of slowing down. In an instant, people and horses were thrown about in the streets. Fortunately, people had a strong sense of danger and avoided the area in advance, so there were no collisions.

Standing on the street watching the group of people walk away, probably towards the prefectural government office, Chen Xuan noticed that they were wearing jet-black eagle-patterned robes. They were clearly imperial messengers, enjoying privileges wherever they went. No wonder they dared to barge around the city so recklessly and in such a hurry. Could something important have happened? The question was, if something really important had happened, why would they come to Zhoushan Prefecture?

Although no one was injured, the little princess was still somewhat displeased as she watched their retreating figures, saying, "I never imagined these people would be so arrogant and domineering in the local area. Didn't they ever think about the possibility of harming innocent people?"

"You naturally side with whoever you work for," Xia Mei said in a deep voice. "They have disturbed His Highness. Should they be arrested and punished?"

"Never mind, it's not that serious. As long as no civilians are hurt, it's fine," the little princess shook her head.

Continuing on their way, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Perhaps they really do have something important to discuss. I'll complain to my father-in-law later and ask him to keep his men in check. Honey, it's not convenient for you to bring this up, but I don't have those concerns."

"It's really nothing, I'm not that petty. Brother Xuan, there's no need to go to Father Emperor just because of what I said, or you'll get a beating again," the little princess said, covering her mouth with a smile.

Chen Xuan said nonchalantly, "Anyway, Old Deng doesn't like me, so he doesn't need a reason to beat me up."

Soon after, they arrived at Xiao Gao's residence. The sharp-eyed guards at the door spotted them from afar and immediately went to inform them.

As they arrived at the door, Xiao Gao, dressed in casual clothes, came out from the main entrance and exclaimed cheerfully, "It really is Ah Xuan! I thought I misheard when someone reported it. And sister-in-law, please come in quickly. It's been a few days. Let's have a good drink later!"

The two brothers weren't so particular. Gao Jingming addressed the little princess as his sister-in-law. If he were to call her Your Highness, he would have to perform a grand ceremony and even set up an incense table to welcome her. There was no need to make such a fuss, as it would only make everyone feel uncomfortable.

The little princess said gracefully, "Brother Gao, how have you been lately? I hope I haven't bothered you?"

"Sister-in-law, you're too kind. I'm overjoyed. I apologize for leaving in such a hurry last time. I'll punish myself with three drinks later," Gao Jingming said with a smile, punching Chen Xuan on the shoulder and winking as if to say, "You've been having a good time lately, haven't you?"

Chen Xuan, beaming with pride, returned the gesture with a smug expression—a special way the two brothers communicated. He said, "Don't be shy, we're not strangers. Hurry up, we're all starving. We came here specifically to freeload."

“Ah Xuan, what are you saying? Don’t look down on me just because I’m poor. Do you think you’ll starve if you come here?” Gao Jingming said, patting his chest.

Chen Xuan was both amused and exasperated. "I know your family situation perfectly well, yet you're trying to play the poor card with me. To be honest, Gao Jingming's salary is really low. Don't be fooled by his position as a prefect; he only earns less than two thousand taels of silver a year. Compared to his large family, that's a meager salary. Of course, if he's making extra money, that's another story. But he probably doesn't care about embezzlement or bribery. After all, he's a top scholar; he can easily make a fortune just by writing something. Uh, isn't that a form of bribery?"

Walking towards the courtyard, Chen Xuan casually said, "By the way, young master, how's that thing you rushed back to deal with last time? Anyway, I'm free, so just let me know if you need any help."

"It's just a trivial matter, why would Ah Xuan need to take action? It's already been settled. I must say, Ah Xuan, the fog array you gave me is really useful. There were actually two innate masters among the biggest bandit gang. They fell into the array like fish out of water and were easily dealt with. Now the trouble has subsided, and the civilians who were taken hostage have been settled. It was only dealt with yesterday. If you had come yesterday, I wouldn't have had time to greet you yet," Gao Jingming waved his hand and said nonchalantly. Goodness, he was so calm about losing two innate masters. He has really cultivated a great demeanor.

Just then, Madam Gao's cheerful voice came from ahead: "Ah Xuan is here! You silly child, why didn't you give me a heads-up?"

Before Chen Xuan could answer, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from behind, and a loud voice called out from afar: "Where is Lord Gao Jingming?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan's heart skipped a beat. Weren't these the same people who had been running amok on the road earlier? They must have come to the yamen but couldn't find Gao Jingming, so they came straight to his house.

Gao Jingming, not bothering to greet Chen Xuan, turned around, cupped his hands, and asked in confusion, "I am the official. What business do you have with me?"

The men had already arrived. The leader dismounted and, without exchanging pleasantries, immediately said, "It's an urgent imperial edict! Lord Gao, please receive the decree quickly and then relay it to your jurisdiction without fail!"

The little princess standing next to her suddenly felt a tightness in her chest for some reason.

Unaware of what was going on, Gao Jingming quickly turned around and ordered, "Quickly, prepare an incense table to receive the imperial decree."

With the imperial edict in front of them, there was no time to entertain Chen Xuan and his group. After some preparations, everyone knelt down before the incense table, including Chen Xuan and his group. This was no child's play; they had to take it seriously.

The messenger then produced an imperial edict and proclaimed: "By the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people, the Retired Emperor abdicates, and the new Emperor ascends the throne. From this day forward, the reign title shall be changed to Chongwen..."

Upon hearing this, the little princess couldn't help but exclaim, "Father..." (End of Chapter)