After sizing him up, Hailin secretly praised him, "What a handsome man."
No wonder there are not only men in the main hall of Lanxin Pavilion, but also many women, some of whom are even famous young ladies from the capital.
After a moment of reflection, Hai Ling turned her gaze to the round table in front of the man.
The game on display was the Zhenlong Chess Set. A game was completed, and at first glance, it seemed fraught with danger and filled with overwhelming killing intent.
Although the black pieces were the killers, the white pieces' domineering aura enveloped the entire chessboard, creating a suffocating atmosphere that forced players to retreat before the battle even began.
Hai Ling carefully examined it for a few moments, secretly amazed. This exquisite chess game was so ingenious, a rare sight in the world. No wonder no one could pass the three levels. However, the person who set it up was so young, which showed that he had a wealth of knowledge and experience. This person was either a future emperor or a general.
Upon seeing such an exquisite chess game, Hai Ling felt a surge of fighting spirit. Regardless of strategy or reputation, she only wanted to test whether her chess skills could pass the three levels or if she could break through the game by chance.
"I'll give it a try."
Hai Ling plopped down, and the people around her were stunned for a moment before forgetting her status as the Crown Princess and swarming around her, wanting to see if this Crown Princess could pass the three tests.
She is the most talented woman in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and she might actually be a master of chess, able to solve this intricate chess puzzle.
Everyone held their breath and watched.
The man who had set up the game calmly raised his eyebrows and gestured with one hand, inviting the opponent. His sleeves swept across the board, releasing a delicate fragrance that captivated many around him.
Hailin began to play chess. Although she only had thirty-two black pieces, she was not without a chance of winning.
This intricate chess game is very similar to the struggle between the Chinese and the Japanese invaders. It seemed impossible, but in the end, the Chinese army defeated the Japanese. What did the Chinese rely on? Guerrilla warfare.
Hailin's mind raced, and a strategy formed in her head. She began to carefully place her pieces...
Chapter 55 Undercurrents
Inside the main hall of Lanxin Pavilion, the crowd was so dense that not a sound could be heard.
Several distinguished guests were sitting in the private room on the second floor.
In the center, a person with hair tied up with a brocade ribbon, black hair as dark as ink, beautiful eyebrows and eyes, exuding a domineering aura, every move he made carried a strong presence. He lazily held a cup of tea, his slender fingers gently touching the exquisite white jade porcelain cup, elegant and alluring.
He appears casual and lazy, but when he raises an eyebrow, a terrifying light flashes in his eyes, making people tremble with fear and dare not underestimate him.
Separately in the private room sat several other people. One of them had an ordinary face, but his eyes were deep and mysterious. Under the light, they reflected a chilling and captivating gaze, yet they were like a giant magnet, drawing people in and making them unable to resist, deeply immersed in his eyes, creating countless illusions.
He wore a crimson brocade robe, with silver threads outlining auspicious clouds on the lapel, cuffs, and hem, each piece vivid and adding to his elegance.
The others were also more outstanding than ordinary people. Among them, the most eye-catching was a man wearing a silver-white robe. He was tall and slender, with a face like jade, and long, narrow eyes that seemed to blend into the colors of the sunset. He exuded a captivating charm. Although he was dressed simply and his black hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, he looked incredibly noble.
Among this group of outstanding and dazzling figures, the one at the very center, exuding an air of domineering languor, is none other than Feng Zixiao, the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
The people sitting closest to him were, without exception, the Left Prime Minister Xi Lingfeng, the Seventh Prince Feng Zihe, and the cabinet physiognomist Yan Zhan.
As for the man in the silver-white robe who exuded an evil aura, he was Feng Zixiao's friend, the world-renowned divine physician Shen Ruoxuan.
Shen Ruoxuan was not only handsome and charming, but also highly skilled in medicine. He practiced medicine to help the sick and was deeply loved by the common people. Not only in the Great Zhou Dynasty, but also in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, people liked to seek his treatment.
He would treat almost anyone who wasn't extremely wicked, earning him the reputation of a divine healer who saved all living beings. On the other hand, if someone was extremely wicked and sought his treatment, he wouldn't treat them even if offered ten thousand taels of gold. Neither coercion nor bribery could make him do it. Moreover, he was extremely skilled, and if he didn't want to, ordinary people simply couldn't get close to him.
Inside the private room, Crown Prince Feng Zixiao looked at Shen Ruoxuan with a solemn expression and asked in a deep voice, "Ruoxuan, what about my father's illness?"
The emperor was seriously ill, and the imperial physicians in the palace were helpless. That's why Feng Zixiao sent people to find Shen Ruoxuan, hoping that he could save his father's life.
"I will do my best, Your Highness, please rest assured."
Shen Ruoxuan spoke elegantly, his voice clear and pleasant, like a cool afternoon breeze that refreshes the whole body.
"That's good."
With Shen Ruoxuan's assurance, Feng Zixiao finally felt a little relieved.
The private room fell silent, but suddenly cheers came from downstairs. Feng Zixiao's face darkened, and he said in a deep voice to the door, "What's going on? Why is it so noisy?"
The door was opened, and someone walked in. It was Ruan Ye, the Crown Prince's personal guard. Ruan Ye was lean and wiry, yet he moved with incredible speed and silence, demonstrating his exceptional skill. As soon as he entered, he respectfully said, "Your Highness, has the Crown Princess arrived?"
"Princess?"
Feng Zixiao was somewhat taken aback, then his face was filled with shock, and his dark eyes were filled with cold ferocity. This woman actually came to Lanxin Pavilion. Doesn't she know where this place is? As the future Crown Princess, she dares to tarnish the Crown Prince's reputation. Damn woman. If he didn't need to use her, he would have immediately had the engagement annulled.
Inside the private room, the expressions on the faces of the others changed. Upon hearing that Hai Ling had arrived, the Seventh Prince, Feng Zihe, wished he could go down and find her immediately.
However, upon noticing his elder brother's darkened expression, he held back.
Left Prime Minister Xi Lingfeng looked thoughtful, his long, jade-like hand gently playing with the cup, his eyes gleaming with an unusual light, and a faint smile playing on his lips. If you didn't look closely, you wouldn't notice it at all. Then, his magnetic, wine-like voice rang out.
"Could it be that she has figured out how to solve that intricate chess puzzle?"
He was becoming more and more interested in this girl. She could write poetry, paint, and play the flute. Now she could even play chess. He had glanced at this Zhenlong Chess Game before, and it was not something that ordinary people could play. In particular, women could not understand the intricacies of the game. Because what seemed like a simple game of chess actually concealed the strategies of two armies facing off. How could a woman understand these things?
As soon as Xi Lingfeng finished speaking, interest appeared on the faces of many people in the private room. The Crown Prince also calmed down a bit. If it was really to solve the Zhenlong Chess Game, it could be forgiven, because someone had set up this chess game in Lanxin Pavilion, and someone had to solve it. If that woman knew chess, she would naturally want to challenge him, and there was nothing wrong with that.
The people in the private room all looked at Ruan Ye, who was standing in front of the door.
Ruan Ye nodded calmly: "Yes, Prime Minister, the Crown Princess is working on the Zhenlong Chess Game and I heard she has passed the third level."
"Passed three tests?"
Several voices rang out in the private room. They knew about the Zhenlong Chess Game. They had heard that no one had ever broken through all three levels. They never expected that Jiang Hailing could actually break through all three levels.
Feng Zixiao raised his long, narrow eyebrows, a hint of interest appearing in his eyes. He hadn't expected Jiang Hailing to be such a surprise. Although she wasn't likable, he had to admit that she was indeed quite capable and exceptionally talented. Now she could even play chess, and her chess skills were superb.
Xi Lingfeng frowned slightly. Judging from the Crown Prince's expression, he seemed to have taken a liking to the little girl. His eyes turned slightly cold, but he said nothing.