Inside the room!
Zi Yue and Li Wei looked at Yaoguang with some surprise; they hadn't expected the Princess to be so direct.
In fact, Yaoguang regretted her words as soon as she spoke them, realizing there was a hint of ambiguity.
They weren't even married yet, and her words just now sounded like an active invitation for Xia Chen to come to her home. Regardless of her intention, it was easy for people to misunderstand.
Thinking this, Yaoguang couldn't help but secretly glance at Xia Chen, but found him still calm, with a faint smile on his face, seemingly not misinterpreting anything.
"If the Princess isn't afraid, then naturally, I'm not afraid either!"
Xia Chen smiled brightly, his demeanor composed.
Next, both of them tacitly avoided continuing the conversation on that topic.
Yaoguang slowly ate her breakfast, her small, elegant movements giving Xia Chen a pleasing sensation.
However, Yaoguang felt a little unnatural under Xia Chen's gaze.
It was her first time eating while being stared at so directly, and the feeling was very strange, a new experience for her.
Yaoguang couldn't help but silently quicken her eating pace, though her movements remained elegant.
...
Breakfast thus concluded.
The entire process was largely uneventful. Xia Chen kept himself composed, constantly telling himself not to overthink it, and to treat it as a unique blind date.
"Does the Princess need a moment to prepare? Perhaps I can go ahead to the literary gathering and take a look!"
Xia Chen watched Yaoguang finish eating and wipe her vibrant lips with a silk handkerchief, then spoke up.
He was quite interested in Tianlong Temple and Tianshi Mansion.
Yaoguang pondered for a moment, then looked at Xia Chen, her voice clear and cool.
"It's about time, let's go together!"
After speaking, she stood up. Xia Chen looked at her back, momentarily unable to figure out what she intended.
There hadn't been such a grand literary gathering in the capital for nearly five years. Princess Yaoguang spent so much time and effort organizing this event.
It certainly wasn't just for fun.
She wanted to use this literary gathering to gather heroes and recruit advisors and subordinates.
Xia Chen was well aware of this.
And if he were to appear with Yaoguang, it would certainly have some impact on her recruitment efforts, making it harder for her to cultivate an image of an independent and strong woman to the outside world.
That's why he tactfully offered to go ahead.
Unexpectedly, Yaoguang showed no qualms about their relationship; their joint appearance would undoubtedly send a message to the outside world.
"Such as, their relationship is good, Yaoguang and Xia Chen are both satisfied with this marriage, and perhaps they will get married soon!"
These thoughts flashed through Xia Chen's mind as he caught up with Yaoguang and walked with her towards the outer courtyard.
Who cares? If Yaoguang isn't avoiding it, why should he? He wasn't keeping a mistress outside...
"Who came from White Deer Academy? And Tianshi Mansion."
Xia Chen walked side by side with Yaoguang, but Princess Manor was truly vast, so Xia Chen took advantage of the gap to ask Zi Yue, who was behind them.
"From White Deer Academy came the Great Scholar Lu Tong, who brought a group of his disciples down the mountain and arrived in the capital a few days ago. From Tianlong Temple came Master Tianhai. If there are no surprises, Tianshi Mansion should be represented by Xuanzhenzi Daoist Priest."
Zi Yue answered one by one. Xia Chen nodded, understanding.
After arriving in this world, he had done his homework and knew some famous figures in Great Wu and across the land.
White Deer Academy was a renowned Confucian academy in Great Wu, with a history of a thousand years and a long heritage.
Lu Tong was quite a legendary figure. He studied diligently for fifteen years, passed the imperial examination at 20, and entered officialdom.
He was a famous young genius.
But at 32, he submitted a memorial to Emperor Wen, advising him to let the people rest and recover, and to engage in fewer wars.
Because at that time, the Great Wu Dynasty, after the Huaiyang Battle and the Southern Barbarian Battle, was like oil poured on a fire; the people's taxes were increasing daily, and chaos was rampant...
However, this memorial drew Emperor Wen's wrath. Ultimately, Lu Tong indignantly resigned from his official post, returned to White Deer Academy, and devoted himself to studying the classics of the sages. At 45, he finally became a generation's Great Scholar.
And now, 20 years have passed since Lu Tong resigned and left the capital; the officialdom has long since changed dramatically.
"Did Lu Tong pledge allegiance to Yaoguang at this literary gathering, or was Lu Tong's arrival in the capital at this time, re-entering officialdom, a result of Yaoguang's machinations?"
Xia Chen knew this Lu Tong, or rather, his past life.
Because this Lu Tong, during the Empress's reign, rose steadily, eventually entering the Grand Secretariat and becoming a Grand Secretary.
Afterward, he consistently focused on developing the people's livelihood, implementing many policies. The economy of the Wu Dynasty began to improve under Lu Tong's leadership, laying a solid economic foundation for the later Great Wu Iron Cavalry to sweep across the land and annex Qing Country and Great Feng...
And Master Tianhai of Tianlong Temple was also very famous in this era. He was eloquent and proficient in Buddhist principles. Although he was born in Tianlong Temple, he was not exclusive and had studied Confucianism and Taoism, mastering all three: Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.
He was also one of Abbot Longshu's six direct disciples, ranking third, and frequently entered the palace to discuss Buddhism and Buddhist teachings with Emperor Wen...
As for Xuanzhenzi Daoist Priest of Tianshi Mansion, he was the most famous Daoist Priest among the second generation of Tianshi Mansion, besides the Old Celestial Master's few direct disciples.
Although this Daoist Priest's fame and recognition were not as great as the previous two, Xia Chen dared not underestimate Xuanzhenzi Daoist Priest in the slightest.
Because this was a person of great wisdom who appeared foolish, and who accumulated strength to erupt later.
Xuan Zhenzi lived until the early period of the spiritual energy recovery. When the spiritual energy of heaven and earth revived, Xuan Zhenzi forged his own path from the Daoist methods of Tianshi Mansion, thereby opening another Daoist lineage for Taoism and becoming a powerful figure...
"A small literary gathering, yet it's full of hidden talents; many future heroes who will shake the world will step onto the historical stage from this gathering!"
Xia Chen's heart was filled with awe. He had previously dismissed it and almost overlooked this literary gathering; fortunately, he didn't miss it.
"I wonder if those two from White Deer Academy and Imperial College have arrived. By their age, they should be just over 20 years old, right?"
Some future information flashed through Xia Chen's mind. During the Great Unification period, Confucianism flourished, even suppressing Buddhism and Taoism for a time.
Confucianism even became the orthodox ideology at one point.
Among them, the most dazzling were two scholars, named Xu Xingchen and Fang Zhiru!
These two were born from Imperial College and White Deer Academy respectively. One became the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet at 29, achieving the feat of being the youngest Grand Secretary in the Great Wu Dynasty.
And Fang Zhiru, at 31, broke into the second-grade realm of Confucianism, setting a new record for the fastest to reach the second-grade realm in the Great Wu Dynasty.
These two, one with unparalleled talent and wisdom, the other with astonishing talent in Confucianism, were even discussed and compared by people throughout the land because they came from White Deer Academy and Imperial College...
Both of them had received favors from the Empress and pledged loyalty to her. I wonder if they were recruited by Yaoguang at this literary gathering!
A short path, but Xia Chen's thoughts had drifted far, traversing the river of time, deducing the present from the future, trying to find a correct path suitable for himself.
He was also thinking about how to maximize his own interests.
Soon, the group passed through layers of courtyards and arrived at the front hall, where it was bustling with people. Many had already arrived and some were seated. Hearing footsteps, everyone's gaze simultaneously turned towards them.
They immediately saw the peerless Yaoguang and... Xia Chen standing beside her!
...<br>PS: Thank you to 【Hui Liyi Miao】 for the 【Explosive Update, Scatter Flowers】 reward. Thank you very much. I was originally going to add an extra chapter specifically for this brother, but these two days have been busy, and I haven't finished it yet.
This chapter is owed for now; it will definitely be repaid ٩(๛ ˘ ³˘)۶♦
Tomorrow, I'll be returning home from school. Starting the day after tomorrow, I'll begin a small explosive update mode (I've said it now, hope I don't get slapped in the face).
Haha, finally, thank you to all my brothers for your support ٩(๛ ˘ ³˘)۶♦ Also, shamelessly asking for some free rewards, thank you brothers ♦(｡￫v￩｡)♦