This man was none other than Prince Yong, whom Li Chen had previously seen with his own eyes.
He looked about forty, with handsome, dignified features. A fine beard beneath his chin lent him a scholarly elegance-the very image of nobility admired by the people of this age.
Given such ostentatious pomp, Li Chen had assumed the palanquin would be furnished for extravagant indulgence. In truth, aside from an exceptionally beautiful concubine attending him closely, there was only a Grand Confucian of gracious bearing inside, expounding on the classics.
As coincidence would have it, the text that Grand Confucian was explaining was precisely the half of the Analects Li Chen had deliberately spread a few years earlier.
The Grand Confucian had just finished a section. He paused to sip his fragrant tea and said with some feeling, "I wonder which Grand Confucian wrote these Analects. They are exquisitely profound. If Your Highness has the opportunity, you must respectfully invite him to serve as an Attendant and humbly seek his guidance."
Prince Yong smiled. "Sir, you have mentioned this to me more than once, which shows how highly you esteem him. But I already have you. With your talents, you could serve even as Chancellor of the Kingdom. How could that Grand Confucian, whose identity remains unknown, compare with you?"
The Grand Confucian said, "Your Highness is mistaken. I might be fit to serve as Chancellor of the Kingdom, but that man possesses the wisdom of a supreme sage and could enlighten ten thousand generations. We cannot possibly be spoken of in the same breath."
Prince Yong looked faintly moved. "Is that truly so?"
The Grand Confucian said, "How would I dare speak in jest?"
Prince Yong sighed. "Then this world truly does harbor hidden dragons and crouching tigers."
The Grand