The previously lively outer hall instantly fell silent.
Everyone's gaze rested on Yao Guang; at this moment, she was too dazzling.
But even so, it couldn't completely obscure the radiance of the man beside her.
He was tall and upright, standing like a verdant pine, his well-tailored clothes highlighting his excellent broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted physique.
His face seemed like a work of art meticulously carved by the heavens, with sword-like eyebrows slanting into his temples, and deep, expressive eyes that seemed to hold thousands of stars.
Below his high nose bridge, his thin lips had beautiful lines, and an noble aura was naturally inherent.
He stood there, a slight smile on his lips, like the spring sun breaking through ice, warm and charming.
His ethereal and transcendent demeanor was like a deity walking out of a painting; he was very quiet, not deliberately showing himself off, but the aura emanating from him drew attention, making people's eyes involuntarily fall upon him.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
Everyone bowed in unison, but their peripheral vision still gazed at Xia Chen, their hearts filled with curiosity.
"Who is this person? He's remarkably outstanding, standing beside the Princess. Is he one of the Imperial Princes?"
His Majesty does not have many heirs; there are only four Imperial Princes and three Princesses, and many people have not seen the Imperial Princes, so they speculated.
"This person is so well-matched with the Princess; they stand together like a golden boy and jade girl, equally matched!"
For some reason, this thought popped into someone's mind.
"There's actually such a remarkably handsome man in the capital? I didn't know about him before?"
Some also thought this in their hearts.
As everyone's thoughts ran wild, Yao Guang's clear voice reached their ears.
"You may all rise. There's no need to be restrained at today's literary gathering!"
Yao Guang raised her fair hand slightly, taking control of the entire scene.
Xia Chen quietly surveyed the scene; the entire front hall, including its courtyard, was vast enough to accommodate hundreds of people without feeling crowded.
On the other side of the main hall, there was a middle-aged eunuch directing the entire event, with beautiful maids and other eunuchs interspersed, serving fruit platters and drinks, efficiently and flexibly setting up the entire venue.
"That's Eunuch Sun, the steward of our Princess Manor; he's very good at management!"
Zi Yue noticed Xia Chen's gaze and whispered beside him.
Xia Chen nodded; although the Princess Manor was still in its developmental stage and many talents had not yet been recruited by Yao Guang, she still had some capable people under her at this stage.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
Just as Xia Chen was searching for his target in the crowd, a middle-aged man who looked over 40 and possessed an extraordinary demeanor walked over with three scholars dressed in scholarly robes.
"Master Lu, there's no need for such formality!"
Yao Guang quickly asked the middle-aged man to rise and invited him to sit.
At this moment, Yao Guang and Xia Chen were in a side hall, where they could see the entire literary gathering while maintaining a certain degree of privacy.
Xia Chen looked at the simply dressed middle-aged man and immediately knew his identity.
Lu Tong, the Great Confucian of White Deer Academy!
"It seems Yao Guang already had contact with this Lu Tong; his arrival in the capital this time should have been arranged by Yao Guang!"
Xia Chen thought to himself, and indeed, he then heard Lu Tong's voice.
"The Princess wrote to me to come to the capital; I believe it's not just for me to attend a literary gathering!"
"Naturally, the political situation in the imperial court has changed. Master Lu's extraordinary talent would be a waste if he merely taught and educated people.
Furthermore, Master Lu's Confucian Dao Realm has reached the Peak of the Fourth Rank, the Realm of Enlightened Mind, but to Breakthrough to the Third Rank, the Realm of Establishing Words, he will likely need to enter society. Currently, the position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites happens to be vacant, and I have already recommended Master Lu to Father Emperor!"
Yao Guang spoke slowly, sitting in the central position, her demeanor already showing the Prototype of an Empress.
"I resigned from office in anger back then, and His Majesty was very angry, so I'm afraid..."
Lu Tong pondered, expressing his concern. After he resigned, he went into seclusion at White Deer Academy, determined never to re-enter officialdom in this life. But as he entered the Fourth Rank, the Realm of Enlightened Mind, he understood his true self, purged distracting thoughts, returned to simplicity, and realized his inner aspirations, thus no longer rejecting official life.
But even so, he was not in a hurry, but waited quietly, and now the opportunity had arrived.
"Master Lu is a man of great talent. Although my Father Emperor was angry back then, he is a man of great magnanimity and will certainly not hold a grudge over this matter."
Yao Guang said with certainty. She understood her Father Emperor too well; as long as his interests were not violated or harmed, her Father Emperor was very much like an enlightened ruler.
Twenty years had passed, and with the passage of time, those past events had long since faded.
Lu Tong nodded upon hearing this, saying no more. After resigning for 20 years, he would re-enter officialdom as a Third Rank Minister, a position that had already entered the core of Great Wu Dynasty's power.
Lu Tong knew that if Princess Yao Guang had not recommended him this time, it would have been very difficult for this position to fall to him, even if he was a Great Confucian renowned throughout the land.
Thinking of this, even Lu Tong couldn't help but feel emotional. Twenty years ago, when he resigned, he was merely a Fifth Rank official. After 20 years of accumulation, he leaped to a Third Rank Minister.
Among their cohort from back then, the top scholar who had been continuously rising and falling in officialdom was still only the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
The three young scholars behind Lu Tong all showed joy on their faces; their teacher becoming a high-ranking official in the imperial court would be extremely beneficial to them if they passed the imperial examinations in the future. It's easier to be an official when you have someone in the court!
Lu Tong and Yao Guang continued to converse, not avoiding Xia Chen at all, everything appearing open and aboveboard, which showed that their current relationship was still very pure. Although Lu Tong had received favor, he had not completely sided with Yao Guang.
"May I ask who this Young Master is?"
After their conversation, Lu Tong finally couldn't hold back his curiosity and looked at Xia Chen.
He had noticed this man from the moment he entered; this man's demeanor and appearance were too outstanding. Even though he had been sitting quietly on the side without speaking, it was difficult for people to ignore him.
"This is Xia Chen, my fiancé!"
Yao Guang's words were concise and straightforward, without any concealment, openly introducing Xia Chen.
"So it's the Imperial Son-in-Law!"
Lu Tong was startled. He had not been involved in court affairs for many years and was not very familiar with some matters in the capital. The first thing he did after arriving in the capital these past two days was to understand the capital's officialdom.
And the name he heard most often in these two days was Xia Chen.
A rising star in officialdom, the legitimate son of Zhendong Marquis Manor, 17 years old. The military defense map case that shocked the entire nation a while ago was solved by him.
Xia Chen also rose rapidly due to this achievement, joining the Lantern Bearers and taking control of the Eagle Eye Division.
There was unofficial news that His Majesty intended for Xia Chen to take charge of the Lantern Bearers in the future, because Xia Chen belonged to an external relative, and His Majesty did not trust outsiders.
If the news was true, then Xia Chen might become the most powerful external relative in the Great Wu Dynasty's six-hundred-year history.
Regardless of whether the news was true or false, Xia Chen, being so young, undoubtedly had limitless prospects.
After all, one must remember that he was also of the legitimate Bloodline of the Xia family.
The three Disciples behind Lu Tong looked at Xia Chen with envy, nothing but envy, without any hint of jealousy or hatred.
People truly have different fates.
They were already in their early twenties, but were still only Juren (provincial graduates), while Xia Chen, at 17, was already a Fourth Rank official.
More importantly, he commanded one of the Nine Divisions of the terrifying Lantern Bearers, whose power far exceeded that of ordinary Fourth Rank officials!
