Yunyi suppressed her complex emotions and shook her head: “I don’t know you, but you look very much like an old acquaintance of mine. At first glance, I mistook you for him.” Then she said: “What is your name?”
Du Ruhui stood up and said: “In response to Your Highness, this minister’s surname is Du, given name Ruhui.”
“Du Ruhui…” Ruyi repeated softly, then suddenly understood: “Princess, this servant remembers—he was last year’s top scorer in the palace examination. Even His Majesty praised his exceptional learning, but…” Ruyi glanced at the untouched chessboard and said quietly: “His chess skills are not very good.”
Yunyi smiled slightly and said: “Could Young Master Du please extend your left hand?”
Du Ruhui’s expression changed slightly as he bowed: “This minister’s skills are inadequate, unable to solve Your Highness’s chess puzzle. I have failed to meet Your Highness’s expectations.”
Regarding his words, Yunyi said again: “Please extend your left hand, Young Master Du.”
Seeing her insistence, Du Ruhui had no choice but to extend his left hand as she requested. In his palm was clearly a black chess piece. He said matter-of-factly: “This minister was nervous just now and forgot to put the chess piece back. Please forgive me, Your Highness.”
Yunyi looked at him with a half-smile and pointed to Pei Qiancheng: “When solving the puzzle just now, I noticed he kept looking anxiously in your direction, as if you had exchanged words. When the incense was about to burn out, you moved slightly, and immediately after he picked up a piece and placed it. Also, when I came over, your left hand swept across the chessboard. The only things on the chessboard are chess pieces, so I figured you must have taken a piece and hidden it in your palm. As it turns out, I was right. Let me guess—the one who really solved this puzzle wasn’t him, but you, Du Ruhui, correct?”
Du Ruhui never expected that his small movements had all been observed by this princess. He stood there stunned for a while before reacting: “Your Highness misunderstands. This puzzle was definitely solved by Brother Pei himself and has nothing to do with this minister. As for this chess piece, I already explained just now.”
Yunyi smiled: “It’s simple to find out whether Young Master Pei solved the puzzle—just have him play a game with me and everything will be clear.” Then she said to Ruyi: “Go bring a chair.”
Before Ruyi could respond, Pei Qiancheng had already stood up: “There’s no need for such trouble. Your Highness is correct—the one who really solved this endgame wasn’t me, but Brother Du.” He knew his own abilities clearly. Once they played, Yunyi would immediately discover the truth of his mediocre chess skills. Rather than humiliate himself, it was better to admit it early.
After saying this, he bowed deeply to Yunyi and Xiao Shi seated at the head: “This minister lied. Please punish me, Your Majesty the Empress and Your Highness.”
“For your elder brother’s sake, this palace forgives your cheating this time, but you no longer have the qualification to continue competing.” These thirty-nine people were all personally selected by Xiao Shi, and she had investigated all their backgrounds thoroughly. Among them, only one was surnamed Pei—Pei Qiantong’s younger brother.
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s mercy.” While Pei Qiancheng felt relieved, he also sighed secretly. He had originally wanted to win Princess Jinyang’s favor and become His Majesty’s son-in-law, but who knew he would be unable to continue after just this step. It seemed he was destined not to have the fate of being a prince consort.
After Pei Qiancheng stepped aside, Yunyi stared at Du Ruhui: “Why did you take away that chess piece and disqualify yourself? Don’t you want to marry this princess?”
Du Ruhui bowed: “Your Highness is of noble birth while this minister is just a humble subject. I truly dare not aspire to marry Your Highness!”
Hearing this, those young gentlemen all showed expressions of amazement. Princess Jinyang, a daughter of heaven—how many people sought her hand but couldn’t obtain it, yet someone actually didn’t want to marry her. It was truly extraordinary news.
“Is it that you dare not aspire, or that you simply don’t want to?” The veil’s obstruction prevented everyone from seeing whether Yunyi was angry or not; they could only judge from her voice.
Du Ruhui didn’t directly answer her question but said: “Your Highness embodies all the beauty and goodness between heaven and earth. There should be someone better than this minister to marry Your Highness.”
“Forget it. Since you’re unwilling to speak, I won’t force you. Please sit down.” Her words made Du Ruhui breathe a sigh of relief as he bowed: “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Yunyi smiled and turned to look at the five young gentlemen who had solved the puzzle: “A few days ago, I had a dream about a pavilion suspended in mid-air, with white jade as the platform and ivory as pillars, surrounded by clouds and mist, overlooking all the beautiful scenery in the world from above. This scene remained firmly imprinted in my mind even after waking, making it impossible to forget. I really want to build such a pavilion. Tell me, is there any way to do it?”
The five looked at each other. White jade platforms and ivory pillars were one thing, but to build it suspended in air, with no foundation or support—how could such a pavilion be built? This was simply impossible.
However, they dared not say such words directly. Since the princess had spoken, no matter how impossible it seemed, they had to think of a solution.
While everyone was racking their brains thinking about how to build a suspended pavilion, Xiao Shi called Yunyi over and said softly: “A pavilion in the sky is undoubtedly like flowers in water or moon in mirror—completely impossible to achieve. Why pose such an unsolvable problem?”
Yunyi shook her head: “Mother is wrong. Though this problem is difficult, it’s not unsolvable.”
Xiao Shi said in surprise: “Not unsolvable? Is there really a way to build a pavilion in the sky?”
“Mother, just watch.” While they were talking, Pei Qiancheng, who hadn’t yet left, frowned and said to Du Ruhui beside him: “A pavilion in the sky—is this possible?”
Du Ruhui glanced at him: “Everything has its reason. When have you ever heard of fish swimming in the sky or birds in the sea?”
Pei Qiancheng was startled, then shook his head: “Never. I’ve never seen such things.”
“So this is simply impossible.” Du Ruhui looked at Yunyi seated in her chair and said slowly: “The princess’s true intention probably isn’t in this question.”
Pei Qiancheng became more confused the more he listened: “She posed the question herself. If not in the question, then where?”
Du Ruhui thought for a while, then shook his head: “I don’t know if my guess is right. Let’s just watch.”
While they were talking, one of the five had already answered: “Reporting to Your Highness, we could choose a high mountain peak surrounded by clouds and mist, and build the pavilion there according to what Your Highness saw in the dream. Looking down, one could see beautiful mountain scenery. Places like Mount Emei, Qingcheng, and Yellow Mountain would all be good choices.”
Before Yunyi could speak, someone already scoffed: “Didn’t you hear the princess clearly? The princess said it should be built suspended in air. How is building on a mountaintop considered suspended?” These two knew each other and came from similar backgrounds. Neither submitted to the other, and they often competed openly and secretly. Hearing his poor answer, the other immediately mocked him.
The man blushed with embarrassment and said angrily: “If you’re so capable, then build a suspended pavilion yourself.”
The one who had just spoken smiled and bowed: “Your Highness, a suspended pavilion sounds incredible, but it’s actually not difficult to build.”
“Oh?” Yunyi raised her eyebrows and said: “Then please tell me about it, Young Master Dugu.”