Mythical Three Kingdoms-Chapter 624 - 590: Inevitable

Liu Bei had been taking care of Lady Gan at home, and now there were quite a few concubines in his courtyard, but the only ones who truly caught Liu Bei’s eye were his Lady Gan, whom he had been with since before Mount Tai was established, and when he was not yet the overlord of the world. As for the members of the Zhang Clan, apart from sharing a common language, there were other factors involved.

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Chen Xi had been taking care of Chen Lan at home. All the maids from the Mi Family had been taken away by Cai Yan. This was the first time Chen Xi had seen Cai Yan in his own home. The cold and indifferent expression mingled with a touch of solitude gave rise to unusual thoughts in Chen Xi. It seemed that only a person with such bearing and talent could be remembered by name and for her beauty through the ages.

However, it was clear that Cai Yan wasn’t particularly interested in Chen Xi, and he didn’t have any deep thoughts either. The two merely exchanged greetings, and Cai Yan said she would discipline Mi Zhen strictly before taking the group of girls and leaving. Her icy demeanor made Chen Xi’s entire inner courtyard lose its luster.

"It feels strange without those maids," Chen Xi said unnaturally as he glanced at the quiet courtyard and then sighed. He realized that he too suffered from the common male affliction. Although he knew he would likely not interact with them in the future, all men still appreciated beautiful women.

"Husband, there is no need to worry about this. Although Zhen’er has been impulsive, since I became pregnant, she hasn’t been running around the courtyard much," Chen Lan said with a smile. "She may be a bit rash, but she hasn’t done anything bad," she added, as if she were worried about something.

"I would rather have Zhen Mi come over than her. Last time, I let the matter of my study being burned slide because she was young," Chen Xi thought about Mi Zhen’s situation and decisively refused. Although his study didn’t hold valuable books like those of other families, it wasn’t a place for just anyone to enter. The last time he had allowed their entry, there had been some other factors at play.

"Thank you, husband," Chen Lan said, covering her mouth and smiling. "Zhen’er did indeed overstep last time, but thank you for not telling the Mi Family about it."

"Just this once, not again," Chen Xi touched Chen Lan’s forehead and said. "Mainly because once mentioned, it would be difficult to handle. Other families are not like ours. Although I inherited a third of the Chen Family’s property, compared to the rest of the Chen Family that moved here, I am still separate, only providing them with the necessary conveniences."

Chen Lan nodded silently, not responding, but simply holding the quilt and listening to Chen Xi’s words.

"The reason I live alone is that with more people, there needs to be rules. These rules apply not only to the Chen Family but also to me. Even as the head of the household, I must adhere to certain rules," Chen Xi sighed. Now, as the head of the Chen Family of Mount Tai, living together with the Chen Family would mean many, many rules—the rules of a large clan can be quite burdensome.

Chen Lan nodded. She was well aware of these matters, having lived with Chen Xi for over a decade. She was extremely familiar with the Chen Family’s rules. Living together with the Chen Clan members would bring certain benefits, but it would also bring many troubles, and to protect Chen Lan and the others, Chen Xi eventually chose to live separately.

"Here I can make decisions on my own. Many things can be overlooked, but when the whole family is together, many issues become quite troublesome," Chen Xi sighed again. "Being part of a noble household is desirable, but it also restricts too many things."

Chen Lan nodded as if she understood. Chen Xi patted her and said, "If you’re tired, just sleep. Don’t push yourself; it’s not good for your health."

"Mhmm," Chen Lan acknowledged softly and then obediently turned to lie on her side.

Chen Xi had much left unsaid. If he had really lived together with the Chen Family from the beginning, Mi Zhen, Zhen Mi, and the others would almost certainly not have come. Similarly, if they were living under such circumstances, even if Mi Zhen and the others were to visit, they would need to maintain the demeanor of noble young ladies with every move governed by proper etiquette.

That is why, many times, Mi Zhen and the others lingered at the households of Chen Xi, Jia Xu, and Cai Yan—because only there could they relax without restraint. Although Cai Yan was particular about manners and etiquette, during breaks, she would turn a blind eye to Mi Zhen and the others’ impolite behavior, as she too had been similarly afflicted in the past.

As for Jia Xu’s family, it was the same as Chen Xi’s family, not many rules, and there was also a Jia Yun of the same age.

If Chen Xi and the Chen Family were living together, probably only the illiterate maid who cleaned the study, along with Chen Lan who was now pregnant, and distinguished guests invited by Chen Xi could enter his study. Anyone else who tried to enter would likely be punished according to the family rules!

The ancestral hall and the study, these two places, are off-limits in any family. The legitimate daughters and the matriarch are the exceptions during certain times but are otherwise forbidden areas, especially for women from outside the family.

In such a case, even if Chen Xi’s study had nothing of value in it, if Mi Zhen entered, the Mi Family would still owe the Chen Family an explanation.

As for a situation where the study was burned, not only would Mi Zhen have to be handed over to the Chen Family for discipline, but the Mi Family would also need to provide a response. No matter how close Chen Xi and Mi Zhu’s private relations were, the family’s honor could not be slighted!

This is why Chen Xi never mentioned the incident about Mi Zhen burning down the study and forbade anyone from bringing it up again. Mi Zhen’s ignorance did not mean Mi Zhu was ignorant. If this matter were disclosed, no matter how much Mi Zhu doted on Mi Zhen, he would still have to hand her over to Chen Xi for punishment. If it escalated to that extent, Chen Xi would have to harden his heart, so it was better to act as if nothing had happened.

Seeing Chen Lan asleep, Chen Xi slowly withdrew from the room. After instructing the maid, Chen Xi headed toward the outside door.

Glancing at Fan Jian, who was embroidering baby clothes, Chen Xi shook his head. Ever since Chen Lan became pregnant, Fan Jian had changed a lot. She rarely went to study with Cai Yan nor invited girls from other families to the Chen Family home. She spent most of her time reading and embroidering baby clothes.

"Jian’er, I plan to go to Linyi. You stay at home and take good care of Ran’er," said Chen Xi with a sigh. He had always wanted to tell Chen Lan this, but found it hard to start. In the end, he let Fan Jian know, hoping she would relay the message to Chen Lan.

"…" Fan Jian was startled, and the once joyfully embroidered robe fell into the basket without her realizing.

"Are you going to war again?" Fan Jian asked.

"Yes, I am going to war," Chen Xi said calmly. Ever since he rose up from Mount Tai, he and Chen Lan, along with Fan Jian, had spent more time apart than together.

"Is it possible not to go?" Fan Jian’s eyes were slightly red.

"Probably not," sighed Chen Xi. "I chose this path, and I must follow it. It’s just that I owe you and Ran’er an apology, sorry."

"Can you come back before the New Year?" Fan Jian hesitated for a long time before speaking.

"I’ll do my best," Chen Xi said with a sigh, having finally decided to accept the call, after all, he was the only one with the qualifications in Mount Tai. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)