Welcoming banquets were minor affairs, but this time was different due to the presence of female guests. Setting up the banquet became a bit troublesome. Previously, regardless of whether Lady Gan was the principal wife, she would step in to host if there were female guests. But this time, things were more unusual.
Glancing at the women gathered in the inner chambers, Chen Xi couldn't help but shake his head. As expected, Lady Zhang was in charge of hosting. However, to maintain appearances, the wives and daughters of some civil and military officials were also invited.
"What's there to hide?" Chen Xi shrugged as he commented to Jia Xu.
"Well, she's not officially married yet," Jia Xu said, his somewhat plump body swaying slightly. Recently, Jia Xu seemed to be putting on weight again. It seemed that his recent workload hadn't been too taxing on his mental faculties.
"Wenhe, you've become more prosperous," Lu Su remarked, glancing at Jia Xu. Jia Xu looked slightly embarrassed. After all, he was living comfortably in Mount Tai—eating well, sleeping well, and with work not being too heavy, it would be strange if he didn't gain weight. However, looking at Lu Su across from him, he found himself at a loss for words.
"Kongming, you seem to have changed a lot," Fa Zheng said, stroking his chin as he habitually targeted Zhuge Liang.
"You've also changed—seems like you've matured," Zhuge Liang retorted lazily. Then, as if remembering something, he cupped his hands towards Fa Zheng and said, "Congratulations. It seems your wishes have been fulfilled."
Fa Zheng had been about to argue with Zhuge Liang, but when he heard this, he couldn't help but nod, a smile flashing across his face. "Yes, they have. I hear you're also getting married? When's the date?"
Zhuge Liang glanced at Fa Zheng, feeling slightly annoyed. "Next year, the date hasn't been set yet. You'll receive an invitation when the time comes."
On the other side, Lu Xun eyed Lu Yu. "It's been a while, Zijia. You seem to have gained some weight. What have you been eating lately?"
In reality, Lu Xun was being polite—Lu Yu hadn't just gained some weight, he had become noticeably plump. When Lu Xun saw him waving hello earlier, he barely recognized him; Lu Yu had become quite chubby.
"It's been a while for you too. That's my master over there," Lu Yu said, looking toward Jia Xu with a face full of respect. His round face gave a slightly dazed expression as he replied.
"He seems harmless," Lu Xun observed Jia Xu for a long time, unable to detect anything particularly remarkable about him. Jia Xu smiled warmly, and when he noticed Lu Xun looking at him, he even waved in a friendly manner.
"Yes, he's very harmless. My master is very kind. I've been learning from him as well. He often talks about 'losing is a blessing.' And see? I'm learning well," Lu Yu said, nodding repeatedly.
But Lu Yu had now turned into a little chubby man, and his nodding motion looked quite amusing, causing Lu Xun to laugh uncontrollably, trembling with mirth, while Lu Yu scratched his head and chuckled along.
"Your apprentice isn't doing too well. It looks like mine is about to outwit him," Jia Xu commented with a chuckle, pointing at Lu Yu and Lu Xun. He waved at them, showing them a plate of snacks on the table, only putting it down when Lu Xun quickly waved his hands in refusal. Then, Jia Xu turned back to Chen Xi with a sly smile.
"Tsk," Chen Xi huffed in dissatisfaction. "It's too soon to judge. You'll see what my apprentice is capable of soon enough. Mark my words—he'll be able to go head-to-head with Kongming."
Jia Xu remained silent for a long time, and just as Chen Xi was about to mock him, Jia Xu finally spoke. "If he beats Kongming, I'll eat this table. If he loses, you eat it."
"Let's not go that far," Chen Xi said, wiping the cold sweat from his brow. Zhuge Liang was already quite extraordinary, and he had only become more so recently. He believed Lu Xun could hold his own against Zhuge Liang, but winning? Did Jia Xu think anyone could outwit this embodiment of ancient wisdom?
"Thought so," Jia Xu said, glancing at Zhuge Liang and raising his cup to him. Zhuge Liang returned the toast, but the moment Jia Xu laughed heartily, Zhuge Liang felt a chill run down his spine—Jia Xu laughing never boded well.
"Choose your opponents wisely," Chen Xi said with a bitter smile. "You've spent quite some time with Kongming now, so you must have some sense of him. What do you think?"
"If Fa Xiaozhi is a genius, then Zhuge Kongming is a peerless prodigy. This guy can do everything on his own," Jia Xu said in amazement. His most distinct impression of Zhuge Liang was that the man never made mistakes.
"Exactly. Bo Yan might be able to match him in military strategy, Zijia could compete with him in political maneuvering, and Xiaozhi might outshine him in devising plans. But in a one-on-one comparison, none of us here could beat him," Chen Xi remarked, full of admiration.
Zhuge Liang's growth had been so rapid that it far exceeded Chen Xi's expectations. Initially, he had been worried about nurturing him too quickly, but in such a short time, Zhuge Liang had already become brilliantly outstanding.
"He truly is a prodigious talent. But at least we still have the right to sit here and evaluate him. Especially you—you're not that much older than them, yet you're the one always judging them," Jia Xu noted, his expression turning mischievous as he shifted his gaze from Fa Zheng to Chen Xi.
"This is what it means to conceal one's merit and fame. Geniuses fight on the stage, showcasing their glory, while we sit back and critique—after all, we've already fought our battles," Chen Xi said with a sly grin, passing his amusement to Jia Xu, who in turn spread it to the others.
It was indeed curious—Zhou Yu, Chen Xi, Lu Su, Liu Ye, and Guo Jia weren't much older, yet they were considered part of the older generation when it came to ranking. This was why they had the privilege of critiquing those around their age, or even older. The concept of ranking by seniority was quite amusing.
"By the way, enough about those guys. I've confirmed what you mentioned—five million qing of fertile land, though it needs to be reclaimed," Jia Xu said, lowering his voice cautiously, not noticing that Lu Su, seated nearby, had spilled his drink in shock. Farther away, Zhao Yun, who had been polishing his spear, suddenly froze.
"So soon?" Chen Xi was stunned. It hadn't been long, yet Jia Xu had already confirmed it.
"Five million qing of land—wouldn't I be quick about it?" Jia Xu said, waving his hand dismissively, his eyes shining with excitement. Even a man as composed as he couldn't resist the allure of five million qing of unclaimed fertile land.
By this time, Lu Su had stopped drinking entirely. He couldn't help but inch closer to Chen Xi and Jia Xu. With five million qing of land, what problem couldn't be solved?
With a thud, Lu Su leaned too far and nearly toppled over, drawing Jia Xu and Chen Xi's attention to him.
"Ahem, just curious," Lu Su said, rubbing his hands together eagerly. For the first time in a while, he showed some of the enthusiasm of his younger days, a stark contrast to the morose elder quietly drinking by himself earlier.