Chapter 986: Testing
"Thousand Household Wang, you've come at the perfect time!"
When Wang Chen's gaze fell upon Liang Shijie, the latter immediately raised his head and flashed a toothy smile at him.
The tone was so familiar as if they had known each other for a long time.
Wang Chen calmly greeted, "This humble official Wang Chen, greets Your Highness King Jing!"
"No need for such formalities!"
Liang Shijie tossed away the bone in his hand, wiped his greasy lips with his chubby hand, and smiled, "Have a seat, try this freshly cooked braised pork knuckle, it tastes really good!"
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Wang Chen sat down opposite Liang Shijie, with a distance of ten steps between them, the table filled with various delicious dishes, mostly meats such as roasted whole lamb, suckling pig, and veal.
Though it wasn't quite a pond of wine and a forest of meat, it wasn't far off!
"Let's talk later, filling our bellies comes first!"
Liang Shijie grabbed another greasy ham hock and said, "Thousand Household Wang, eat as much as you can, don't be shy!"
Seeing his attitude, Wang Chen began to suspect that King Jing had simply wanted a dining companion.
Two steaming plates of braised pork knuckles were immediately placed in front of him!
"Your Highness is too kind, this official shall comply."
Wang Chen nodded, reached out for a pork knuckle, and started eating.
For the same ham hocks, Wang Chen ate no slower than Liang Shijie, but his actions were much more elegant, calm and natural.
In a blink of an eye, a four or five-pound braised ham hock was cleanly devoured by Wang Chen.
Ordinary people would be filled to the brim by now, but he immediately grabbed a second one and ate it quickly and indifferently.
His lips hardly caught any grease.
Even King Jing was taken aback, surprise evident in his small eyes.
"Wonderful!" he suddenly applauded and laughed, "Thousand Household Wang is indeed extraordinary; the feast I hosted is not in vain."
"Your Highness flatters me."
Wang Chen took the cup offered by a maid and drank the wine in one gulp.
Liang Shijie said, "Eat, eat, let's talk after eating!"
As if he really had turned into a Gluttonous Beast.
But Wang Chen was not afraid.
His cultivation realm had already reached the sixth tier, his digestive capabilities were more than ten times that of ordinary people, enabling him to go without food and drink for a long time and also stuff a large amount of food in a short period.
Most importantly, Wang Chen could cheat.
By using the magical effects of the storage space, he could literally eat King Jing under the table!
Following that, Wang Chen ate half a roasted whole lamb and a roasted suckling pig, along with other delicacies, consuming enough to match the meals of a dozen people.
He also drank two jars of aged fine wine, sweating the attending maids with his demands.
Initially, King Jing was competing with Wang Chen, but as the meal went on, he touched his swollen belly and stopped bingeing.
When King Jing was full, Wang Chen also stopped eating, timing it just right.
"Clear everything away."
Liang Shijie waved his hand and said, "Bring two pots of tea."
He shifted his corpulent body and said to Wang Chen with a sigh, "Thousand Household Wang, you are the second most capable eater I've ever seen!"
Wang Chen just smiled and remained silent, not asking who the first was.
Liang Shijie couldn't help but reveal, "The first who can eat, of course, is I, the king!"
Wang Chen smiled and said, "This subordinate dares not compare with Your Highness."
Liang Shijie shook his head, "It's hard to find a kindred spirit in the world. Thousand Household Wang, although you are young, your appetite really suits mine. Unlike some who clearly can eat a lot, but pretend they can't, it's simply hypocritical!"
Wang Chen did not pick up on what the other party was saying and asked, "Your Highness, inviting me to Spring Moon Tower tonight, surely it's not to examine my eating capacity, is it?"
"Of course not!"
Liang Shijie laughed heartily, "I heard that Tiqi has a young hero who is powerful in slaying demons, and I couldn't help but want to invite you to see who this person is that has received His Majesty's favor."
As he said this, he suddenly changed the subject, "Someone with your talents, staying in Tiqi is really a waste. I can recommend you for a position in the Huben Army, the prospects there are much better than in Yiluan Office!"
Was he here to poach him?
Wang Chen was somewhat surprised and did not respond immediately.
Liang Shijie spoke earnestly, "Thousand Household Wang hasn't found a place yet, right? The strife within the Yiluan Office is endless, with several commanders each harboring their own thoughts. I heard that some individuals can't bear to see young people making progress and always try to stir up trouble."
"Thousand Household Wang, Royal Capital is unlike other local prefectures and counties, you must be careful!"
Wang Chen nodded, "Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness, I will surely bear it in mind!"
He might be right, but to fully trust his words would be foolish.
Wang Chen was not foolish!
Regardless of his intentions for inviting him tonight, as long as Wang Chen doesn't take bait, there should be no problems.
Liang Shijie said a few more words, which Wang Chen dodged with Tai Chi pleasantries.
The atmosphere at the scene inevitably cooled down.
The rest is hardly worth mentioning, and the banquet hastily concluded.
After Wang Chen bid his farewell and left, Liang Shijie waved his hand commanding all the servant girls and musicians to leave, leaving him alone on the brocade mat, his expression fluctuating uncertainly.
After a while, the king clapped his hands.
A person in grey appeared beside him like a ghost, bowing and asking, "Your Highness, what are your orders?"
"Go and thoroughly investigate this Wang Chen."
Liang Shijie said solemnly, "Dig up his ancestry back eighteen generations, especially the past two years, and comb through everything carefully without any omissions!"
The person in grey bowed his head and obeyed, "Yes, Your Highness!"
Liang Shijie's gaze then turned to the left, where the cloth hanging down silently opened, revealing an old Taoist with white hair and a youthful appearance in a green robe sitting inside.
"Taoist Master Shen, what do you think?"
Liang Shijie's attitude towards the old Taoist was quite respectful, even containing a trace of reverence.
The old Taoist in green pondered for a moment, then replied, "This person has a regulated and calm energy, a steady and prolonged breath, and no trace of demon corruption. If there is an issue, it definitely isn't with him."
"However, his fate is extremely murky and unfathomable, please forgive my inability!"
"You overstate, Taoist Master,"
Liang Shijie shook his head, "Humans are not immortals, no one can understand everything. Your words are already enough."
After thinking for a moment, the old Taoist said, "It is best to have this person as a friend. If he becomes an enemy, swift and thunderous strikes must be applied without giving him any chance to escape, the consequences otherwise are unpredictable!"
"It's a pity..."
Liang Shijie seemed to think of something, and heaved a deep sigh.
Being in this world, one is not always free to act—even those of the Royal Family have no exception, and many matters are beyond his choice!
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The second update is presented.