In the side hall!
Xia Chen, Lu Tong, and Yao Guang were chatting, with Zi Yue occasionally interjecting. Each time, she managed to hit the nail on the head, which greatly surprised Lu Tong. He hadn't expected a mere maid by the Princess's side to possess such talent.
As for Li Wei, she wasn't interested in such a scene. She sat quietly to the side, enjoying the pastries on the table with great interest.
Meanwhile, in the main hall.
News of Xia Chen's identity had already spread. Earlier, when Xia Chen appeared with Yao Guang, he immediately captivated everyone.
Naturally, everyone started inquiring.
"What? That person is Xia Chen, Your Highness the Princess's husband?"
Everyone was astonished; they had heard too many rumors about Xia Chen these past two days.
A fourth-rank official at 17 years old was a rare sight in the entire history of the Great Wu Dynasty.
"With such a good background, reaching such a high position at a young age, and being betrothed to Princess Yao Guang, and most importantly, being so handsome—how are we supposed to live?"
This thought involuntarily popped into the minds of the young talents present, their hearts heavy, feeling that they had a formidable rival in the future!
"I heard that Young Master Jing Xuan, one of the Four Great Handsome Men, will also be coming today. He comes from the Jiangnan Xiao families and loves these literary gatherings the most."
Someone said with sparkling eyes. The Xiao families were scholarly families, and it was rumored that the Xiao families had the Bloodline of the former dynasty's imperial family.
This was not false. In the previous dynasty, the Xiao families often intermarried with the imperial family. Empresses throughout generations mostly came from the Xiao families, and the main wives of the Xiao families were often princesses.
Later, when Great Wu replaced them, the Xiao families also suffered heavy losses in the war of annihilation. Afterwards, they retreated to Jiangnan. The Great Wu imperial family did not pursue them to extinction. Now, after eight hundred years of change, the imperial Su families firmly rule the world and do not fear the Xiao families.
"That's the one known as one of the Four Great Handsome Men, and Princess Yao Guang is one of the Four Great Beauties. I wonder how pleasing to the eye they will be when they stand together!"
Someone couldn't help but blurt out the words as soon as they imagined the scene.
"Damn it, brother, watch your words! This is the Princess Manor, and Young Master Xia is still here. You can't secretly gossip!"
Someone's face changed drastically, and he quickly distanced himself from that person. Well, he wasn't familiar with this person!
Someone nearby also heard this, but their expression was a bit strange.
Finally, he couldn't hold back and spoke: "Actually, I had the good fortune to meet Young Master Jing Xuan once. Young Master Jing Xuan's appearance is indeed outstanding, elegant and ethereal, but... to me, in terms of appearance and temperament, he is still inferior to Xia Chen!"
Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances. Young Master Jing Xuan was a recognized one of the Four Great Handsome Men of Great Wu. How could his appearance and temperament be inferior to Xia Chen's?
They were about to refute, but the face of Xia Chen they had just seen flashed in their minds.
Then they fell silent. This peerless face and demeanor... it seemed... not impossible!
Everyone was somewhat looking forward to Young Master Jing Xuan's arrival. Who was more handsome? As long as the two appeared at the same time, it would be clear at a glance!
"The Young Grand Secretary is here!"
With a shout, everyone's gaze turned towards the entrance.
It was Young Master Lin Zihan, from Prime Minister Minister Lin's family!
Lin Zihan was also very famous in the capital. He was 25 years old this year and was already a fifth-rank official!
Currently, he worked in the Grand Secretariat. Of course, he was not a Grand Secretary himself, but rather equivalent to a clerk, working under the Grand Secretaries, helping to transmit documents, draft official papers, and other such tasks.
Small official, great power!
Although most of it was errand work, he had actually entered the core of Great Wu's power.
Many Grand Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat had worked in this position when they were young, so some said that this position was a Crown Prime Minister. After twenty or thirty years of hard work, there was a great hope of entering the Grand Secretariat in the future.
Furthermore, because Lin Zihan's father was the Prime Minister, everyone called him the Young Grand Secretary!
Lin Zihan had an extraordinary demeanor and was not wearing his official uniform. He had specifically taken a day off today to attend the literary gathering.
As soon as he entered, his gaze swept over everyone present, as if searching for someone.
"Young Master, he has arrived and is with the Princess and Great Confucian Scholar Lu Tong in that side courtyard."
Someone walked up to Lin Zihan and whispered in his ear.
"Great Confucian Scholar Lu Tong is also here?"
Lin Zihan's eyes narrowed, but he quickly relaxed. Yesterday at his home, the Minister of Rites came to discuss with his father, and he was present.
Through their conversation, he learned that Great Confucian Scholar Lu Tong had been reinstated and was about to become the Vice Minister of Rites, and Great Confucian Scholar Lu Tong was recommended by Princess Yao Guang.
It was perfectly normal for him to attend the literary gathering hosted by Princess Yao Guang today!
"Young Master, why don't we go in now?"
"No hurry, one must be patient. If we go in now, outsiders will naturally think I'm going after him, and they'll say my Lin families are narrow-minded and petty. My reputation doesn't matter, but my father's reputation cannot be damaged. The banquet is about to begin, and a literary gathering is about making friends through literature. There will be plenty of opportunities to test him later!"
Lin Zihan shook his head, very composed. Although his goal today was indeed Xia Chen, he was not impatient.
He walked to the side and quietly drank wine. Immediately, some Young Masters and scholars came forward to talk to him.
Their words were full of flattery.
Lin Zihan appeared calm and collected, accepting everyone. Soon, a circle formed around him as the center...
Just as everyone's attention was drawn to Lin Zihan, a handsome monk walked into the Princess Manor.
He looked to be around 30 years old, with a smile on his face and sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. Although he wore a monk's robe, he was very refined.
Although he moved silently, he still attracted everyone's attention as he walked.
"It's Great Master Tianhai! He's here too!"
Everyone exclaimed. Tianhai became famous at a young age. From the age of twelve or thirteen, he was called Little Monk Tianhai, and now, everyone called him Great Master Tianhai.
He often frequented the homes of high-ranking officials and nobles, lecturing on Buddhism and spreading Buddhist principles, and was very well-known.
At 15, Tianhai, who was already somewhat famous in the capital, left the capital to travel the world.
He became an ascetic monk, begging along the way to temper his Buddhist nature.
No one knew where he went, what flowers he saw in what places, or how many thousands of miles he walked barefoot. They only knew that when Tianhai was 25, he returned to Tianlong Temple.
After ten years of cultivation, Tianhai had cultivated a Buddhist heart, its magnificent radiance faded, untainted by worldly dust. On that day, the entire Tianlong Temple was bathed in brilliant Buddhist light, and the sound of chanting scriptures resounded throughout the capital...
"Greetings, Great Master Tianhai!"
Even though there were many scholars present, facing such a Great Master of Buddhism, everyone still showed respect.
"Greetings to all benefactors!"
Tianhai had a smile on his lips, and his eyes were bright, as if they could see through people's hearts.
"Xuanzhenzi Daoist Priest is here too!"
Tianhai looked over and saw a middle-aged man in a plain Daoist robe appear behind him. The middle-aged man held a wine pot in his hand and carried a long sword on his back.
His demeanor was casual!
Upon seeing Tianhai, Xuan Zhenzi nodded to him, then, ignoring everyone's gazes, walked to a table in a corner of the hall and sat down.
In the side hall, Xia Chen, Yao Guang, and the others witnessed this scene.
"Zi Yue, it's almost time. Go announce the start of the literary gathering!"
Seeing that most of the guests had arrived, Yao Guang pondered to Zi Yue beside her.
...
【"Xuan Zhenzi first met the Great Ancestor at a literary gathering. Xuan Zhenzi had always been uninterested in literary gatherings, so he quietly sat in a corner, dressed in ordinary clothes, drinking wine alone. Everyone else chatted and laughed happily, no one paying him any mind. Only the Great Ancestor went over and conversed with him, and they became friends."
— Xia History, Volume 52, Biography of Xuan Zhenzi, Chapter 71】