Play Chess
Play Chess
"Hm?" Chu Liuyue recovered her senses and nonchalantly nodded. "We're not that close. I just… saw him a few times."
Lin Tianfeng's gaze was filled with grumbles. If you only saw him a few times, how can he have such an attitude toward you?! Rumors have it that 36 Respected Elder Ming doesn't really care about his Ming clan matters. If there really was nothing, how could he say such things to her?
Lin Tianfeng felt that he increasingly didn't understand this woman in front of him.
She seemed ordinary, but she could use her eighth-grade heavenly doctor status to treat Zhifei. She seemed like she had no background, but she had interactions with the most distinguished people in the Sky-Cloud Empire.
It was as if she had many secrets that nobody could figure out.
Lin Zhifei glanced at her with deep meaning. Then, his gaze lightly swept across Dugu Mobao. Perhaps… my guess is true…
…
Then, Yan Qing could finally continue reading the booklet smoothly.
Luckily, there were no more accidents later on.
When he was done reading, he closed the booklet and secretly heaved a sigh of relief.
Rong Xiu leaned against the chair lazily and calmly with an elegance that exuded from his bones.
"I usually like to play chess, and I also like women who are good at chess. Hence, the first stage is playing chess." He waved his sleeves as he spoke, and countless silver rays of light flew out.
The bright and dazzling light rays intertwined in midair, rapidly forming a gigantic chessboard in the middle of the palace.
"The person who can play with me to the end is the winner for this round!"
…
After a temporary silence in the hall, there were hushed whispers.
Nobody expected that the first stage for His Grace's contest was playing chess! However, there were indeed not many people who knew that His Grace liked to play chess.
It didn't seem wrong to do this…
Jiang Hetian smiled and glanced at Jiang Zhiyuan. "Don't you like this and are usually good at this? From this, you can see that His Highness still has you in his heart."
Jiang Zhiyuan's face flushed red in a rather shy manner. "Father, don't tease me!"
"Did I say anything wrong? You've learned chess from the clan leader since you were three, and you're superb at it. Very few people can beat you in this world. Who else can be first other than you?"
Jiang Zhiyuan's face turned red as her eyes glowed with more interest and happiness when she looked at the shining chessboard. It seems like he does remember it…
Yan Qing asked, "Who would like to be the first to try?"
The crowd immediately fell silent.
Very quickly, a voice came from the crowd. "I'm Cloud Mist Mountain's Pei Pei. I'm willing to try!"
The crowd looked in the direction of the voice.
That was a woman wearing a red robe; she was tall and slim. She had a naturally clean, melon-face, and her features were pretty. Amongst all the girls who meticulously dolled themselves up, she couldn't be considered a top beauty. However, the charm in her eyes gave her a different aura.
A broadsword was attached to her waist as if she was prepared for a battle anytime.
Then, she walked straight to the center of the palace and stood before the gigantic chessboard.
"Cloud Mist Mountain's Big Missy… Rumors have it that she's fiery and very passionate about the things she does. Now that we see her today, it indeed seems like the case!"
"She must be courageous if she dares to be the first! I wonder how many moves she can make. I heard that His Grace is very good at playing chess…"
"No matter how many moves she makes, at least she showed her face to His Highness. It's better than being quiet and silent, right?"
No matter how much the surrounding people discussed, Pei Pei acted as if she didn't hear anything as she raised her chin and stared at Rong Xiu.
Rong Xiu said, "Ms. Pei. you can go ahead first."
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Pei Pei acknowledged it and swiftly started.
Brown force gathered in her palm; then, she flung her wrist and sent that wave of force onto that chessboard!
Whir!
A soft sound could be heard—a circular brown chess piece instantly appeared on the chessboard!
"Your Highness, please!" But the moment Pei Pei said this, a golden piece rapidly appeared on the chessboard!
Rong Xiu said lightly, "This chessboard has all the chess scenarios I have seen and played, so the pieces can move automatically."
Pei Pei was dazed. "This also means that if I can't produce a new chess scenario, you won't personally take action?"
Rong Xiu nodded.
Sounds of regret could be heard in the palace.
Some women who were originally tempted were instantly taken aback. Doesn't this mean that if we won't even have a chance to fight with His Highness if we aren't at the same standard as him? Then, there will be no meaning for one to go up if they aren't capable. They would even be humiliated!
A hint of dazedness flashed across Pei Pei's face, but she soon returned to normal. She didn't speak further and continued.
But every time she made a move, the chessboard would rapidly react and present a corresponding piece. The more important thing was that with every move she made, the suppression on the chessboard became even heavier.
Pei Pei gradually felt the pressure, and she started playing the chess game slower.
Finally, Pei Pei could no longer tolerate this terrifying suppression after around seven minutes. No matter how much she tried, the force she executed would suddenly disappear inches away from the chessboard!
She couldn't place any pieces at all!
At this point, the crowd could also tell that this chessboard was clearly stronger and more complicated than they had expected.
After she failed again, Pei Pei swiftly chose to give up. "I surrender!"
Yu Mo was in charge of recording at the side. "Cloud Mist Mountain's Pei Pei made 11 moves!"
The crowd had various expressions.
Actually, Pei Pei was already considered one of the better ones out of all these women.
Even though Cloud Mist Mountain couldn't be compared to Fairy Water Mound, their capabilities and background made them one of the top few clans out of all the divisions.
Pei Pei was also a talented young woman that Cloud Mist Mountain had meticulously nurtured. She was just 21 years old, but she had already broken through to become a peak stage-nine warrior.
Even someone like her could only make 11 moves on this chessboard… let alone the rest.
Pei Pei didn't seem to mind it at all as she bowed to Rong Xiu and decisively went down.
"Next!" boomed Yan Qing.
The crowd exchanged glances and was hesitant for a moment, but the position of princess consort was too tempting. After much conflict, many women still chose to try.
However, most of them couldn't even be compared to Pei Pei. Some couldn't even land a chess piece on the chessboard.
Hence, though quite a few people had tried, they couldn't play for long.
Very quickly, everyone gradually stopped.
At this point, those who dared to go up had already gone.
Only two women were better than Pei Pei, but they only made fewer than 20 moves.
In the silence, quite a few people looked at Jiang Zhiyuan.