After listening to everyone, Xiao Shi said: “Gentlemen have been here for so long, you must be hungry. This palace has already had lunch prepared at the Linbo Pavilion, and Jinyang is also waiting for you there. Please follow this palace there.”
Everyone naturally agreed repeatedly. After waiting so long, they could finally see the legendary princess. Although Empress Xiao was incomparably beautiful, she was the empress after all—no matter how beautiful, she had nothing to do with them. But the princess was different. As long as they gained the princess’s favor, they could win the beauty and from then on be together like lovebirds. Just thinking about it was wonderful.
The Linbo Pavilion was right next to the Nine Provinces Pool, used for imperial concubines to gaze into the distance, rest, and store books. It was an ordinary building, but in this Purple Forbidden Palace, with carved beams and painted pillars, it was as exquisite and magnificent as other palace buildings. Only those who had truly stepped into the Purple Forbidden Palace would understand that in this palace, even a corner exuded luxury.
Upon entering, everyone immediately felt a cool breeze that quickly dispelled the heat in their bodies. Looking carefully, they saw ice blocks placed around the entire Linbo Pavilion. At the same time, they saw a woman sitting in the place of honor. This woman wore an azure silk embroidered palace dress with light gauze covering her face, making it impossible to see her features clearly. They could only glimpse a pair of eyes as clear and beautiful as mountain spring water. This must be Princess Jinyang.
While everyone was secretly speculating, Yunyi had already bowed to Xiao Shi: “Greetings to Mother.”
After Xiao Shi gestured for her to rise, the remaining nineteen young gentlemen all bowed to her: “We pay our respects to Your Highness the Princess. May Your Highness be well.”
Yunyi glanced at them casually and said indifferently: “All rise.”
After the two took their respective seats, palace attendants immediately presented various delicacies and a pot of imperial wine bestowed by Yang Guang. Having experienced the earlier ordeal, everyone ate this lunch with extra care. Even someone as unconcerned with etiquette as Pei Qiancheng ate very carefully.
Taking advantage of the palace attendants pouring wine, Xiao Shi asked softly: “Well, is there anyone who catches your eye?”
Yunyi sipped the sweet wine and said coolly: “In this daughter’s view, these people all look the same, with no differences.” She had never looked carefully at these nineteen people, so naturally hadn’t noticed Du Ruhui sitting at the very last seat.
Xiao Shi knew it was because of Li Shimin, and shook her head slightly: “Don’t forget what you promised Mother.”
Her words made Yunyi pause in her movements, then she set down the white jade wine cup in her hand: “This daughter naturally remembers. In fact, this daughter has already prepared a method to test them.”
Hearing this, Xiao Shi felt relieved. After lunch, Yunyi glanced at Ruyi, who nodded understandingly and called over a nearby palace attendant. They brought out nineteen chessboards and placed them before everyone. After setting them up, palace attendants took black and white chess pieces and began placing them on the boards. Soon, all the chessboards displayed identical game positions.
After all the chess pieces were placed on the boards, Yunyi said: “Yesterday I was playing chess with my maid and was careless for a moment, allowing the maid’s white pieces to force me into a corner of the board. Although I felt there was still a chance to reverse the situation, I couldn’t think of how. Since all you gentlemen are here today, why don’t you help me think about how to break free from the white pieces’ siege. You have the time of one incense stick. Begin.” With her words, Jixiang took an incense stick, lit it, and inserted it into the incense burner to begin timing.
Among music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, chess ranked second. These people had more or less studied the art of chess. Upon hearing this, they immediately lowered their heads to carefully study the chess positions, all wanting to be the first to solve the puzzle to please Yunyi.
After examining the situation on the boards, everyone frowned. The black pieces occupied very little space, while the white pieces were the opposite—not only occupying most of the board but also firmly trapping the pieces in one corner. To reverse this situation… how could this be possible?
The clearer they saw, the deeper their frowns became. Several people tried placing pieces, but the result only made the board situation worse, even completely cutting off the black pieces’ chance of survival, creating a dead game.
Seeing the incense burning shorter and shorter, those people became increasingly nervous, staring intently at the boards looking for that slim chance. Pei Qiancheng was among them. His chess skills could only be considered passable—to solve such a puzzle was truly beyond his ability.
Of course, not everyone was struggling without solution. Several people had already placed a few pieces and were showing smiles, apparently having solved the puzzle.
Seeing time running short, Pei Qiancheng quietly said to Du Ruhui beside him: “How is it? Have you figured it out?”
Du Ruhui stared at the chessboard without blinking and said: “Give me a little more time.”
Pei Qiancheng glanced at the incense stick with only a short section remaining and urged in a lowered voice: “Hurry, it’s almost time.”
Du Ruhui paid him no more attention. Indeed, the black pieces on this board still had a chance to escape the deadlock, but he kept failing to find where this opportunity lay.
Just as Pei Qiancheng was sweating anxiously, Du Ruhui’s eyes brightened and he quickly picked up a black piece and placed it on the board. Strangely, just one piece caused subtle changes to the board. Although it hadn’t completely come alive yet, the black pieces had regained a chance.
“Left two, down five.” After Pei Qiancheng placed that piece according to Du Ruhui’s secret instruction, the incense in the burner had just finished burning. Ruyi said: “Time is up. Please stop, gentlemen.”
Those still struggling with the puzzle sighed. They knew in their hearts that they had lost their qualification to compete for the next round.
Yunyi took Ruyi’s hand and rose to examine everyone’s chess positions. When she encountered someone who had solved the puzzle, she nodded slightly, signaling Ruyi to note it down. After looking at the first seventeen people, she had nodded five times total, apparently five people had brought the game back to life.
When she saw the chessboard in front of Pei Qiancheng, a soft exclamation came from behind the veil: “Oh, it can be played this way too?”
After Ruyi examined it carefully, she said softly: “Princess, although placing this piece didn’t completely revive the black pieces, it clearly gave them another chance to fight. And among so many people, only he changed the game situation with just one piece. In this servant’s opinion, his chess skill is even above those other gentlemen.”
Her words made Pei Qiancheng’s heart leap with joy. It seemed Du Ruhui’s move was very clever. Looking at this, advancing to the next round shouldn’t be a problem.
Yunyi didn’t respond to Ruyi’s words but walked to Du Ruhui. At this moment, she finally saw Du Ruhui’s appearance clearly and exclaimed: “It’s you?”
Du Ruhui looked at Yunyi in confusion: “Does Your Highness know this minister?”
Yunyi said nothing, only looked at Du Ruhui in surprise. He… wasn’t he supposed to be in Honghua Commandery? How could he appear here? Yes, she remembered now. Du Ruhui had once said he wanted to take the imperial examinations, and this selection of suitors included not only young masters from noble families but also the top ten from imperial examinations within three years. It seemed Du Ruhui had achieved his wish and passed the imperial examinations. It was just unfortunate… Meixue was long gone.