Inside the private room!
"Brother Xu is a student of the Imperial College. Princess Yaoguang is holding a literary gathering today, why didn't you attend?"
Xia Chen asked with a smile, Xu Xingchen smiled indifferently.
"My talent is meager, so I won't go there to make a fool of myself!"
Xu Xingchen shook his head, his demeanor natural.
Xia Chen's star-like eyes sparkled as he smiled and said, "I don't agree with that statement of yours!"
Xu Xingchen looked at Xia Chen in surprise. What he had just said was merely a modest excuse. He had expected Xia Chen to perhaps smile, or nod and change the subject, not saying anything more. But he hadn't expected Xia Chen to directly say he disagreed, which piqued his curiosity. So he paused, wanting to hear what Xia Chen would say next.
"If Brother Xu had gone to the literary gathering, then perhaps no other scholars would have had a chance to shine. Brother Xu is giving other scholars a chance, not wanting to steal the limelight!"
Xia Chen took a sip of the wine in his cup, his gaze calmly fixed on Xu Xingchen.
Xu Xingchen was stunned. Intelligent as he was, he hadn't expected Xia Chen to say such words.
Was this his assessment of himself?
But how could this be? Although he had been in the capital for many years, he had never displayed his intellect, and even his close friends didn't know the depths of his thoughts.
How could this Xia Chen know?
"Hahaha, Young Master's words are so pleasant to hear, you're too good at giving emotional value. I'm already 22 this year, but I've taken the imperial examination three times and am still only a Xiucai. If I had talent, how could I not even have passed the Juren examination, still wasting my life at 22!"
Xu Xingchen feigned a bitter shake of his head, his acting skills superb.
"I heard that in the distant Northern Darkness, there is a fish called Kun, whose body is immensely large, living in the icy depths. This strange fish can transform into a bird, named Peng.
The Kun observes the world's great trends, waiting for the opportune moment. Finally, it leaps out of the water, transforming into a Peng bird. The Peng bird is immensely vast, striking the water for three thousand li. It flies all the way from the Northern Darkness to the Southern Darkness, letting people know its ability. Finally, it soars ninety thousand li on a whirlwind!"
Xia Chen said with a smile, telling an allegorical story. Xu Xingchen, sitting opposite him, finally showed a slight change in his expression. He hadn't heard of such strange fish or bird, but that didn't prevent him from understanding the meaning of the words.
"I also heard of a bird that doesn't spread its wings for three years, nor does it sing for three years. Everyone thought it was a weak bird, a foolish bird. But someone with a Wisdom Eye recognized its potential and said to the crowd with a smile: 'It doesn't spread its wings for three years to grow its feathers; it doesn't fly or sing to observe the ways of the common people. Though it doesn't fly, when it flies, it will soar to the sky; though it doesn't sing, when it sings, it will astonish people.'"
When Xia Chen finished this story, Xu Xingchen's expression finally changed completely. He looked sharply at Xia Chen. This was definitely not an accident, nor was it said casually, and it was certainly not flattery.
"I think, Brother Xu is like this bird: if he doesn't fly, he'll soar to the sky; if he doesn't sing, he'll astonish people."
Xia Chen burst into laughter, his demeanor hearty and his bearing unparalleled, making others feel inferior.
His words did not stop, but finally delivered a heavy blow to Xu Xingchen, ending the battle!
"When the Peng migrates to the Southern Darkness, it strikes the water for three thousand li, and soars ninety thousand li on a whirlwind. All things are born from Yin and Yang.
Brother Xu is like this Kunpeng, currently still a Kun, though lurking in the icy depths, he has the ambition to soar to the sky. He only awaits the opportune moment, then he can, by virtue of the sea wind, strike the water for three thousand li, and then ascend ninety thousand li, reaching the Southern Sea, achieving the transformation from 'Yin' to 'Yang'!"
Xu Xingchen, hearing these words, remained silent for a long time. He felt a chill throughout his body. He had never truly regarded the heroes of the world.
He had always considered himself to be well-hidden and dormant, transforming into a spectator, watching the various famous actors on the capital stage perform this grand play.
He enjoyed the feeling of lurking in the shadows, observing the world's great affairs, and waiting for the opportune moment.
But today, someone forcefully, directly, and domineeringly tore through his disguise. His so-called dormancy seemed like a joke.
"Hahaha, I always considered myself to be supremely intelligent, and thus I was complacent, not putting anyone in the world in my eyes. Today, upon meeting Young Master, I realize I was like a frog in a well, looking at the sky from the bottom of a well!"
Xu Xingchen laughed self-deprecatingly, then stood up and bowed respectfully to Xia Chen.
Xia Chen did not dodge, calmly drinking his wine and accepting the bow. At this moment, he gave Xu Xingchen an unfathomable, inscrutable, and profound image.
If you don't cultivate, you see me like a frog at the bottom of a well looking up at the moon.
If you cultivate, you see me like a mayfly seeing the clear sky!
"Mr. Xu possesses world-shaking talent, yet you have always remained dormant. Are you perhaps searching for a good master?"
Xia Chen asked calmly again, and Xu Xingchen's heart was startled once more.
He knows this too? What kind of monster is this Xia Chen!
Can he see through people's hearts? I've never spoken of these things to anyone!
"I merely feel that my knowledge is not yet sufficient, and the Great Wu Dynasty is currently peaceful and prosperous. Whether I am there or not makes no difference, so I am simply not in a hurry."
Xu Xingchen was silent for a long time before speaking. His words became much more cautious, but he still dared not open his heart and talk freely with Xia Chen.
He felt his current situation was too dangerous. This Xia Chen seemed to know him like the back of his hand, while he knew nothing about Xia Chen except for common rumors.
For example, what kind of personality the other party has, whether his mind is broad, whether he has the capacity to tolerate others, and also, can he trust him?
He is currently a Lantern Bearer, the head of an espionage organization!
To entrust his future, fate, and life into his hands was too dangerous.
"Oh, is the world peaceful? But how do I see it? The world is full of suffering, the common people are struggling, unable to pay taxes, and in some specific places, there are even instances of selling daughters. This is a sign of the end of a Dynasty!"
Xia Chen's expression was frivolous. At this moment, he truly seemed like a noble Young Master. Although his words were alarming, he spoke them casually and naturally.
Xu Xingchen's pupils contracted. He looked up, now truly looking at Xia Chen directly, his gaze no longer dodging or retreating. His entire demeanor completely changed; he no longer concealed his sharpness, and he seemed like a completely different person.
"What do you mean by that, Young Master Zhang?"
"Just call me Xia Gongzi. We're both smart people. You specifically came for me. It's so boring for us to pretend to be confused!"
Xia Chen's lips curled up. He stopped playing roles; he wanted to deliver a huge shock to the heart of this young man who considered himself supremely intelligent.
As expected, Xu Xingchen's eyes changed again. He was extremely wary of Xia Chen in his heart. Who exactly was he? Why did he know everything!
Are the Lantern Bearers truly omnipresent?
But he had clearly never told outsiders many of these things?