Si Chen froze in place, and everyone else was equally stunned. Si Chen and Si Ye were the personal guards of the Prince of Qin, commanding respect from everyone in the Imperial Capital. Yet, Xiao Qin, with his arrogant disposition, acted as if they were invisible. Given the Prince of Qin's tyrannical nature, Xiao Qin would likely end up floating in the moat tomorrow!
What a pity, what a pity. The crowd lamented. Who else could he have offended, but the Prince of Qin? Was he someone an ordinary citizen could afford to offend?
On the other side, Zhu Yun wished he could rush down and drag Xiao Man back. You scoundrel, didn't you play chess at the Chess Pavilion just to attract the Prince of Qin's attention? Now that the Prince of Qin had sent someone to invite you, you actually ignored them and left. You truly are an unreliable charlatan!
"My lord, Xiao Qin must have been too engrossed in his own amusement!"
Nangong Yan did not reply. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Have Xiao Qin's credentials been verified?"
"They have been verified. He is indeed from Jingzhou, with deceased parents. He came to the Imperial Capital for the imperial examination but missed the spring session due to encountering bandits. He is now waiting in the Imperial Capital for the autumn session to take the exam again."
Nangong Yan nodded slowly. "Since his identity is confirmed, this matter can be entrusted to him. I believe he will know what to do."
"Is Your Highness perhaps too trusting of him?"
"Zhu Yun, those involved are often blind. He stands within the game, yet can see the entire board with utmost clarity. I need someone like him, someone clear-headed, to be by my side and constantly remind me not to be blinded by arrogance." Nangong Yan said slowly.
Zhu Yun frowned in confusion but did not press further. He could not fathom his master's thoughts, nor Xiao Qin's. All he could do was protect his lord.
On the third day, the Chess Pavilion was still packed. Everyone gazed expectantly towards the entrance, hoping to see Xiao Qin's figure. However, by noon, Xiao Qin had still not appeared. The crowd sighed.
"It seems Xiao Qin won't be coming."
"In my opinion, he won't be able to." Someone immediately whispered, "Dare to snub the Prince of Qin like this, can the Prince of Qin allow him to live?"
"The Prince of Qin isn't that petty!" someone corrected.
"Hmph, you clearly don't know how brutal the Prince of Qin is!" A group of onlookers began discussing the Prince of Qin's extraordinary exploits. "Did you know? The Prince of Qin went to war at fourteen, a bloodthirsty killer. By sixteen, he dared to confront the Empress Dowager of Yunqi. It is said that at that time, the Empress Dowager of Yunqi, alone on horseback, charged into the enemy ranks and unhorsed the Prince of Qin. Fortunately, the Prince of Qin was fated to live and survived. He then trained diligently and from then on, fought in countless battles, never suffering a defeat."
"Then how is the Prince of Qin brutal?"
"Because those who offend him, die by his hand."
"So Xiao Qin is dead too?"
"It's already noon, and Xiao Qin still hasn't arrived, he must be..." The person made a throat-slitting gesture. Pity, such a chess master, how could he have offended the Prince of Qin so blindly?
Just as everyone was engrossed in lively discussion, Xiao Man arrived, her wooden clogs making a rhythmic clatter. Upon seeing her enter, the crowd reacted as if they had seen a ghost, frantically rubbing their eyes to confirm if it was a person or a spirit!
Xiao Man walked in, biting into a meat bun she was holding. The shopkeeper quickly stepped forward. "Young Master Xiao, you've finally arrived. What tea would you like today?"
"Junshan Silver Needle," Xiao Man mumbled around her bun.
"Certainly, please wait a moment." The shopkeeper escorted Xiao Man to the arena and hurried to prepare the tea. The onlookers watched Xiao Man, who was seated calmly on the arena, exchanging glances amongst themselves. They were all eager to defeat Xiao Man!
The shopkeeper brought the tea and snacks, by which time Xiao Man had already soundly defeated a chess player, who left covering his face. Just as the crowd was about to step up, a path suddenly opened in the throng. The Prince of Qin, handsome as a surging tide, as if descending on auspicious clouds, strode in step by step, landing steadily on the arena.
Show-off! Xiao Man couldn't help but think, but her expression remained unchanged. Seeing Nangong Yu sit before her, her smile did not waver.
Nangong Yu picked up the white pieces and said slowly, "I have heard of your profound chess skills, Your Highness. I have come to seek your guidance."
"Guessing who goes first?"
"Your skills are exceptional, you wouldn't mind if I take the first move, would you?" Nangong Yu said, placing a piece.
Xiao Man smiled, picked up a piece, and followed suit.
Nangong Yu was filled with resentment. He had waited two days to send someone to invite her, and she had completely ignored him. Fine, then he would openly challenge her on the arena!
Nangong Yu's chess skills were superb, making him a formidable opponent. Although he had played against Xiao Man before, he always felt she was holding back. Today was the perfect opportunity to see who's chess skills were superior!
The crowd marveled at their game. Xiao Qin's play was cunning and unpredictable, while the Prince of Qin's was bold and strategic, with a balance of offense and defense. The two seemed like sworn enemies, fiercely battling on the chessboard. For a time, it was difficult to determine a winner.
"Who will win today's match?"
"The Prince of Qin, perhaps. Three incense sticks have burned, and this game is still not finished. Xiao Qin has finally met his match!"
"I think Xiao Qin looks quite relaxed, he might win."
"Even if he can win, does he dare to win against the Prince of Qin?"
The crowd nodded in agreement. For the sake of their lives, yielding to the Prince of Qin was understandable!
However, reality always proved them wrong swiftly. Not only did Xiao Man not yield, but at the crucial moment, she made the Prince of Qin lose three consecutive moves. The Prince of Qin's face darkened considerably!
"Another game."
Xiao Man gathered the pieces, smiling, as if mocking Nangong Yu's act of cheating.
In the second game, Nangong Yu still had the first move. At the beginning, they were evenly matched, but Xiao Man always loved to set up intricate traps unnoticed. A seemingly insignificant move would often turn into a fatal blow at the end! Every time the crowd thought Xiao Man was about to lose, she would play a surprising move, utterly defeating the Prince of Qin. The onlookers broke into cold sweats, truly bold to dare to shame the Prince of Qin like this, as if she didn't care about her own life!
In the second game, the Prince of Qin lost by seven pieces. The spectators swallowed hard, looking at Xiao Man's smiling face, and then at the Prince of Qin's stormy expression. They could already foresee Xiao Man's bloody end on the arena.
"Again!"
Nangong Yu refused to concede defeat. He lost by three pieces in the first game, and seven in the second. Xiao Man was directly challenging him! Moreover, he felt he had figured out Xiao Man's chess strategy. This third game would surely be his comeback!
To his surprise, in the third game, Xiao Man's play changed. She only defended, making no offensive moves, remaining unmoved by Nangong Yu's provocations and probing. She even forced Nangong Yu to make a wrong move. In this third game, the Prince of Qin lost by ten pieces!
The entire Chess Pavilion fell silent. Everyone lightened their breath, afraid that if the Prince of Qin lost three games in a row, he would fly into a rage and take them as scapegoats!