Xie Xuan presents a sword, Dao Yun is curious

Chapter 86 Xie Xuan presents a sword, Dao Yun is curious

After removing his sword, Xie Xuan stood up straight, his gaze falling on Liang Shanbo, and called out, "Liang Shanbo."

""

Liang Shanbo rose from his seat, his robes fluttering slightly.

Xie Xuan said, "Come forward."

Liang Shanbo walked up to him, clasped his hands, and stood respectfully.

The two were only two steps apart, so close that they could see each other's expressions.

Xie Xuan held his sword in his left hand and raised his right hand to gently stroke the scabbard, as if he were caressing a precious memory, or as if he were saying goodbye to an old friend who was about to embark on a long journey.

This is a Han-style sword, slightly shorter than a regular sword, yet heavy in the hand. The scabbard is made of sharkskin and lacquered in black. The mouth and end of the scabbard are inlaid with copper. The pommel is made of copper and is disc-shaped. The guard is also made of copper, with slightly upturned ends. The hilt is wrapped with silk rope.

After stroking it for a moment, Xie Xuan solemnly said to Liang Shanbo, "My uncle Anshi once gave me a sword, with the words 'Waiting for the Right Time' engraved on its blade. My uncle taught me that one should keep such a sword sheathed and sharpened, waiting for the opportune moment to draw it."

He looked down at the sword in his hand, a fleeting look in his eyes, as if through this sword he saw another sword, and himself when he received that sword from his uncle.

Then he raised his head and presented his sword to Liang Shanbo, continuing, "This sword before me is not the one my uncle gave me, but the one I have carried with me throughout the past year, weathering many storms alongside me. Today I give this sword to you. Although it is not inscribed with the words 'Waiting for the Time,' you may still call it the 'Waiting for the Time Sword.' When you graduate from Wansong Academy, come to see me with this sword."

This means that from now on, there will be two swords waiting for their time in the world.

One sword was given to Xie Xuan by Xie An, with the words "Waiting for the Time" engraved on its blade, representing an uncle's expectations for his nephew; the other sword is the one Xie Xuan is now giving to Liang Shanbo, but it does not have the words "Waiting for the Time" engraved on its blade.

Xie Xuan's actions were not surprising.

In the three rounds of testing Liang Shanbo just now—in philosophical conversation, poetry composition, and military strategy—Liang Shanbo performed brilliantly in each round. In philosophical conversation, he calmly discussed history, neither arrogant nor humble; when composing poetry, he could compose a poem in a short time, and the poem had substance; especially in the round on military strategy, he discussed the world with great insight and vision, which greatly impressed Xie Xuan.

Both Meng Wenlang and Zhu Tao praised Liang Shanbo for his literary and martial talents and upright character, and Xie Xuan now believed that these assessments were indeed true.

Furthermore, Xie An had taught Xie Xuan that a general should have the insight to recognize talent and the courage to employ people. When Xie Xuan served as an aide to the Grand Marshal in Huan Wen's staff, he had already developed the vision and magnanimity to make the best use of each person's talents.

In Xie Xuan's view, the sixteen-year-old Liang Shanbo, a boy from a poor family, was already worthy of his sword and the phrase "waiting for the right time."

Liang Shanbo was overjoyed.

He knew perfectly well the significance of this Waiting Time Sword. It was not a gift, nor an ornament, but a token, equivalent to Xie Xuan presenting him with an extremely important "letter of engagement".

This means that he has passed the test today, and a new door has opened on his path. Behind that door lies Xie Xuan, the Xie family of Chenjun, and the Northern Prefecture, the history he knew from his previous life.

He quickly regained his composure and did not rush to take the sword. Instead, he turned to look at Meng Wenlang.

This glance is a matter of courtesy. With the teacher present and having made the recommendation, the disciple must first consider the teacher's opinion.

Meng Wenlang's gaze met his briefly, a faint smile playing on his lips, and he nodded slightly.

Having received his master's permission, Liang Shanbo carefully extended both hands and took the Waiting Time Sword, which felt solid in his hands. He gripped the sword with just the right amount of strength—not too loose, lest he appear disrespectful; not too tight, lest he appear impatient.

He held the sword with both hands, took a step back, and bowed deeply to Xie Xuan.

He solemnly said, "Thank you for your generous gift, sir. I am ashamed to accept it. I am grateful that you did not abandon me because of my humble origins and gave me this sword, hoping that I will wait for my time. This sword is as my will is; this sword is as heavy as your expectations. From this day forward, I will take your words as my guide, devote myself to my studies, and wait patiently for my time. After graduation, I will surely use this sword to respectfully visit your home."

After saying this, he bowed again and straightened up.

Xie Xuan nodded, but did not sit down immediately. He smiled slightly and said, "Although I have already given you this sword, I still want to test your wrestling and archery skills to see your abilities in martial arts."

Unexpectedly, Liang Shanbo did not immediately respond to the words "Shanbo dares not disobey," but instead lowered his head slightly and pondered for a moment. Then he raised his head and smiled at Xie Xuan, saying, "Sir, you have given me this Waiting-for-Time Sword too early."

Xie Xuan was slightly taken aback: "Is it too early?"

Liang Shanbo smiled and said, "Shanbo hasn't even demonstrated his wrestling and archery skills yet, and you've already gifted him this 'Waiting for the Time' sword. So, even if Shanbo doesn't undergo your wrestling and archery tests, he can still use this sword to respectfully visit your door after graduation. Isn't that right?"

Xie Xuan paused for a moment, then realized what he had done. When he presented the sword, he had only thought that three rounds of testing would be enough to prove Liang Shanbo's talent and insight, so he generously gave it to him. Now, he thought that the sword was indeed given too early. The wrestling and archery skills had not yet been tested, and the "letter of appointment" had already been sent out.

Further testing in wrestling and archery became an additional test. Whether Liang Shanbo performed well or poorly, it wouldn't affect the fact that he had already obtained the Waiting-for-Time Sword. If Liang Shanbo was unwilling to accept the test, it would be reasonable.

He couldn't help but laugh out loud, and said to Liang Shanbo, "You're right, I did give you this sword a little too early. What do you intend to do about it?"

Behind the blue silk curtain, Xie Daoyun couldn't help but smile, though she didn't laugh out loud; the smile was just a hint in her eyes. She found Liang Shanbo's courage and resourcefulness in saying "it was too early" after Xie Xuan had given him the sword quite interesting.

At that moment, she even wanted to lift the blue silk curtain in front of her to see what Liang Shanbo looked like. However, she restrained herself, only leaning forward slightly and listening intently.

Meng Wenlang looked at Liang Shanbo, a hint of confusion on his face. He wondered why his usually composed disciple was suddenly "threatening" Xie Xuan like this. But he didn't say anything, just waited quietly.

Liang Shanbo's smile faded, replaced by his previous respectful demeanor. He bowed slightly to Xie Xuan and said, "Shanbo wishes to continue to be tested by you, sir, in wrestling and archery. However, I have one request."

Xie Xuan looked at him, feeling both amused and annoyed. This young man not only possessed both literary and martial talents, but was also remarkably composed. And now, he was suddenly negotiating terms with him. A poor boy daring to bargain with Xie Xuan was a rare sight indeed.

He smirked and asked, "Oh? What is your request?"

Liang Shanbo respectfully said, "If I satisfy you in both the wrestling and archery tests, I will have a favor to ask of you. If you believe it is within my capabilities, I will beg for your help; if you find it difficult, I will naturally not dare to force you."

This statement is quite well thought out.

First, you must block your own escape route, ensuring both exams meet your expectations; failing either one is unacceptable. Then, you must leave the other party ample room for maneuver; if they find it difficult, you don't need to help, and you will never force them to do anything against their will.

Xie Xuan's curiosity was piqued. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze lingering on Liang Shanbo's face for a moment before asking, "What do you wish to ask?"

Liang Shanbo became even more respectful, bowed again, and then met Xie Xuan's gaze: "Please forgive me, sir. This matter is not convenient to discuss now."

Xie Xuan looked at Liang Shanbo, whose eyes met his with unwavering honesty and sincerity.

Their eyes met, and silence fell over the quiet room for a moment.

Even Meng Wenlang became curious, his gaze lingering on Liang Shanbo's face as he carefully examined the disciple's expression, trying to glean something from it, but he couldn't.

Behind the blue silk curtain, Xie Daoyun was also intrigued. This young man had just spoken eloquently in conversation, composed poetry with ease, and discussed the world's affairs with composure, every step of his actions open and aboveboard. Yet here, he said, "It's inconvenient to say it out loud."

What is he hiding? What is it that makes him dare to ask Xie Xuan for help, yet choose not to reveal it at this moment?

Xie Xuan hesitated for a moment, but considering Liang Shanbo's extraordinary talent and the fact that he held the Waiting-for-the-Time Sword that Xie Xuan had just given him and was being so honest with him, he finally nodded: "Alright. But as you said, if I find this matter difficult at the time, I will not help."

Liang Shanbo nodded calmly, "Of course."

He bowed again, his voice sincere: "Thank you for your kindness, sir."

This bow and thank you gesture is like completing a ritual.

A pact was made between a poor boy and a powerful general in the quiet room of Wansong Academy.

At this moment, apart from Liang Shanbo himself, no one knew what was "inconvenient to say out loud" about him.

But everyone present could see that the matter must be extremely important to him.

Xie Xuan turned and walked to the blue silk curtain, bowed slightly, and said to Xie Daoyun behind the curtain, "Sister, I'm going outside now to test Liang Shanbo's wrestling and archery skills. Would you like to wait here, or rest somewhere else?"

Xie Daoyun couldn't help but feel a little depressed.

She longed to see for herself just how skilled Liang Shanbo was in wrestling and archery, but as a member of a powerful family, it was inconvenient for her to go, especially since Wang Ningzhi's trusted maid, Aqi, was watching her.

She paused for a moment, then said in a calm tone, "I will wait here."

Then she added, "Jie, give me the poem you just wrote."

With just this simple instruction, Xie Xuan understood. His elder sister must really like the poem "Ode to the Winter Pine" and want to keep the manuscript for her own enjoyment.

Xie Xuan immediately picked up the manuscript of the poem "Ode to the Winter Pine," but instead of handing it to Xie Daoyun right away, he said to Liang Shanbo, "I will keep this poem. Would you like to make a copy for future reference?"

Liang Shanbo said, "Please keep it in mind, sir. My memory is still good; I have already memorized it."

Xie Xuan nodded, then handed the poem to Xie Daoyun behind the tent, before turning to Meng Wenlang and saying, "Mr. Meng, please."

Immediately, Xie Xuan, Meng Wenlang, and Liang Shanbo left the quiet room.

Outside the quiet dwelling, the autumn sunlight was bright and dazzling.

Birds chirped in the woods in the distance, their voices clear and melodious.