Qiao Jinniang smiled and said proudly, “I’m not bragging, but I have no opponent in the whole of Lin ‘an. After coming to Chang ‘an, I seldom play chess. In the past, Mr. Zhu of the Chess Hall and I wanted to pay for free drinks, but in the end, we obediently paid for the drinks.”
Qiao ruoyi had no choice but to put on 120% of her energy. However, when it came to the 30th stone, the black and white stones on the board were symmetrical.
Obviously, Qiao Jinniang was learning from Qiao Ruoyi’s playing style.
Qiao Jinniang’s first stone occupied the position of Tianyuan, so it was very difficult for Qiao Ruoyi to win this game.
Qiao Ruoyi was stunned when she saw this. “Sister, are you imitating my playing style?”
Qiao jinniang said, “Why, can’t I?”
Qiao ruoyi shook her head and mumbled, “Yes, no wonder your first move is Tianyuan.”
Qiao Jinniang had played chess for so many years, but apart from losing to Lu Chen in three games, she had never lost to anyone else.
Qiao ruoyi stared at the game and placed the piece in the middle. As long as she ate Qiao Jinniang’s Tianyuan piece in the middle, she would not be able to imitate her own way of playing chess.
Qiao ruoyi heaved a sigh of relief when she ate Qiao Jinniang’s Tian Yuan white piece.
Qiao Jinniang placed a chess piece on the chess piece beside Qiao Ruoyi. It was obvious that she had occupied more territory.
Qiao ruoyi glanced at the chess board and calculated the next moves. No matter how she played, she was obviously powerless to turn the situation around. She could only admit defeat and say, “Sister, I admit defeat.”
Qiao jinniang smiled and said, “Lin ‘an Baiwei restaurant’s little chess saint is not undeserved.”
Qiao ruoyi asked curiously, “How did sister come up with such a way to play chess?”
Qiao Jinniang clearly knew how to play chess. Even if she was not a saint, her chess skills were considered pretty good among ordinary people. Otherwise, how could she be able to win with one move when she cracked her imitation?
Qiao jinniang said, “This started when I was young. When I was very young, no one could beat me when I played chess. But later, I met Miss Xie, also known as Xie Yun.
“After he invited me to play chess, I lost three games in a row. Later, I figured out this method. As long as I was the first to go, I can definitely win by imitating the opponent’s playing method.”
“Then, will the person who played with you later still play with you?”Qiao ruoi asked curiously, then muttered in a low voice, “Isn’t your playing method cheating?”
Who would be able to tolerate such a way of playing chess?
Qiao jinniang said, “Yes, those uncles in Lin ‘an like to play chess with me.
Only Lu Chen would rather play chess with those officials than with me.
He must be afraid of losing face to me, so he played chess with those officials who flattered him. I wonder what’s the point of winning a chess game by relying on his unreal ability.”
Qiao Ruoyi stood up and bowed behind Qiao Jinniang. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”
Lu Chen looked at Qiao Jinniang and said, “Let’s play a game. I’ll show you what real skills are and not just flattery.”
Qiao jinniang said, “Okay, I want to play White Chess.”
Lu Chen gave the white stone to Qiao Jinniang. Qiao Jinniang continued to imitate Lu Chen’s style of playing chess. Halfway through the game, Lu Chen gently placed a stone. When Qiao Jinniang was about to play, she stopped.
She raised her eyes to look at Lu Chen. “You! You…”
Lu Chen smiled faintly and said, “Admit defeat.”
Qiao Jinniang took a sip of water and said, “I’ll give you a chance to regret your move.”
Lu Chen said, “I’ve never done anything to regret my move.”
Qiao Jinniang lightly tapped the table with the white piece and said, “Your Majesty, if I lose today, I’ll be in a bad mood. If I’m in a bad mood, I’ll feel unwell. Since I’m Not Feeling Well, your majesty, why don’t you rest in Taiji Palace today and not come to Changle Palace?”
Lu Chen silently took back the chess piece he had just played and casually made a move. “Speak properly.”
Qiao Jinniang happily added another chess piece to the area that she had overlooked earlier. “Continue, continue.”
Qiao ruoyi, who was watching from the side, was dumbstruck. So there were chess pieces that could be played like this? She was too short-sighted.
In the end, Qiao Jinniang won by half a glance and ended the game.
Qiao jinniang said happily, “Fortunately, I still managed to keep my title as the chess saint of Lin ‘an Baiwei brothel.”
At the birthday banquet, Qiao Ruoyi did not dare to drink any more alcohol. She did not even dare to drink fruit wine today after such a big incident happened last time.
In the afternoon, Lu Xi brought a group of children to the North Mountain Horse Farm to ride horses.
Little Nichang was also going. Qiao Ruoyi was a little worried. The Qiao family’s daughter had learned to ride horses since she was young. Qiao Ruoyi had learned to ride horses since she was five years old.
Little Nichang was still younger, and she had never learned to ride a horse before.
But Nichang also went to ride a horse, so Nichang followed.
Princess Fu Lu advised Qiao ruoyi, “There are so many officials in the horse farm. What are you afraid of? Girls in Chang ‘an city should learn to ride horses at Nichang’s age.”
Qiao ruoyi sighed. “Okay.”
Qiao Ruoyi did not have many playmates when she was young. It was only when she grew up and became famous that she gradually had playmates who shared the same ideals. When she was young, she envied her sisters for having so many good friends.
Now that niching had so many playmates, it was a good thing. Moreover, Lu Xi was there. She should have been relieved.
Consort Chu smiled at the side and said, “I know Lord Qiao’s worries. Back then, I also valued Yun ‘er more than my life. But children have to grow up. You should relax.”
Qiao ruoyi smiled at Consort Chu and said, “Thank you for your advice, Consort Chu.”
Consort Chu said, “Yun ‘er comes back every day and tells me that recently, the academy in the palace has an extremely good-looking younger sister. She is young but has a photographic memory. She despises his biological sister. She tells me every day that it would be great if Nichang was his biological sister.”
Qiao ruoyi gave a faint smile and said, “It would be Nichang’s fortune if she could have a brother like Jun Yun.”
“Nichang is about the same age as my younger daughter. You can bring her to the Chu royal residence to have fun.”
Qiao Ruoyi agreed. “Alright, then I’ll have to trouble you, Consort Chu.”
After consort Chu left, Fu Lu said, “My cousin-in-law of the Chu King has a good idea. Yun ‘er is only ten years old. She has already found a Jun consort so early.”
Qiao ruoyi also knew what Princess Chu meant. “Nichang is so young. It’s too early.”
Fu Lu smiled and said, “Then you don’t know that my cousin-in-law of the king of Chu has already chosen a few husbands for her little princess.”
“So early?”Qiao Ruoyi asked.
Fu Lu said, “Princess Chu probably thinks that if she is too late, all the good second husbands will be taken away. Some families in Chang ‘an have already decided on a marriage since they were young.”
Qiao ruoyi smiled and said, “That’s too early. I need to go to the toilet.”
Qiao ruoyi went to a small courtyard in the horse farm where nobles could rest. Before she entered, she heard the conversation between Princess Chu and her servant girl.
“Princess, why do you have to praise Nichang in front of Princess Fu Lu and not Princess Nihon? and isn’t it better to decide on a marriage for Princess Nihon?”
