Ya She

Chapter 73 Xianyang Palace

【one】

Xianyang was the capital of the Qin Dynasty. It is located north of the Wei River and south of Mount Jiuzong. Both the mountains and the river are on the sunny side, hence the name Xianyang.

Since the twelfth year of Duke Xiao of Qin's reign, when the Qin state moved its capital to Xianyang, the construction of the Xianyang Palace began and was not completed until the reign of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, a process that took more than fifty years.

The successive Qin kings continued to renovate, expand, and remodel the palace. Even after Qin Shi Huang ascended the throne, Xianyang Palace remained an important place for him to hold court, conduct state banquets, and receive envoys from various feudal lords.

Subsequently, whenever the Qin state conquered a state, it would build a replica of that state's palace next to the Xianyang Palace to expand the imperial palace. Thus, the north bank of the Wei River became home to six distinct palaces representing different states.

These palaces were not built on a whim; the design of Xianyang was inspired by celestial phenomena. The numerous palaces resemble a multitude of stars, with the Wei River flowing from west to east across Xianyang, much like the Milky Way spanning the heavens. A bridge spanned the Wei River, like the Magpie Bridge connecting the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. The Epang Palace was built to replace the detached palaces, and the Ganquan, Zhangtai, and Shanglin Gardens, among others, all correspond to celestial constellations, like a dazzling array of stars surrounding the Purple Star.

The Xianyang Palace, located north of the Wei River, is the location of the Ziwei Star, the seat of the Emperor.

The Duanmen Gate of Xianyang Palace leads to all four directions, resembling the Purple Palace and the residence of the Emperor. The Wei River flows through the capital, symbolizing the Milky Way, and a bridge spans the south, representing the Oxherd.

Every October, the celestial phenomena in the night sky perfectly align with those of Xianyang City. The Milky Way and the Wei River echo each other between heaven and earth, and the lights of the palaces reflect the twinkling starlight in the sky. It can truly be described as a perfect harmony between heaven and earth, and a unity of man and nature.

The beginning of the year in the Qin Dynasty was the first day of the tenth month.

The boss still remembers that on New Year's Eve of the year when Xianyang City first took shape, he and his eldest son Fusu secretly ran away from the banquet, climbed up the gate of the Xianyang Palace, looked up at the celestial phenomena, and looked down at the night view of Xianyang.

The capital of Qin was designed to resemble the heavens, shining with the sun and moon, ushering in a golden age of peace and prosperity.

Unfortunately, it was all a mirage. Xiang Yu's great fire reduced these magnificent palaces to ashes.

The boss looked up at the palace, which was both strange and familiar. He never expected that he would see Xianyang Palace again, and even the main hall.

Speaking of which… he only found Chiwen, who's still fast asleep on the roof of the Silent House. As for Yaoying and Chaofeng, who knows which rooftop they're arguing about…

The boss was only distracted for a moment before he quickly regained his attention. They were now in the very center of the main hall of Xianyang Palace.

He lowered his head. The blue bricks under his feet were inlaid with jade, which were spoils of war from when King Zhaoxiang of Qin detained King Huai of Chu. They were also the only things that Qin Shi Huang did not demolish and preserved when he renovated and expanded Xianyang Palace after unifying the six kingdoms.

He looked up and, unsurprisingly, saw a bronze mirror hanging high on the beam of the palace.

This is a square bronze mirror, four feet wide and five feet nine inches high. It is said that this mirror can reflect a person's internal organs. In those days, it was rumored that the First Emperor would look into this mirror when he held court, and if anyone's courage increased or their heart beat rapidly, he would kill them.

If a doctor were here and heard him say that, he would definitely exclaim, "What kind of X-ray machine is this?"

Unfortunately, the First Emperor hung up this bronze mirror after he was nearly assassinated by Jing Ke. His original intention was to intimidate the assassin, and later to awe his ministers, demonstrating his keen insight.

Therefore, the phrase "a bright mirror hanging high" was originally called "the Qin mirror hanging high," referring to this Qin palace mirror. Of course, this is not the real Qin palace mirror, nor is this the real Xianyang Palace.

Looking around, the shopkeeper was surprised to find that even after more than two thousand years, he still remembered everything very clearly. He could even identify the approximate period of the Xianyang Palace in this illusion based on the furnishings.

The bronze sacrificial vessel inlaid with gold and silver placed before the throne was a spoil of war brought back from the Qi royal palace. The thirteen sets of chime bells behind the throne were a gift from the royal family of Yan after its fall. And the docile bronze deer lying beside the throne in the main hall… The shopkeeper narrowed his eyes, confirming that he had never seen this statue before.

Recalling the legendary story of "calling a deer a horse," the boss lowered his eyes.

Therefore, this should be an illusion of the Xianyang Palace after Qin Shi Huang had passed away and Qin Er Shi had succeeded to the throne.

"I had considered letting that illusion array determine whether the game would begin. If you haven't found it, I will find another way." A clear...
Loud voice interrupted the boss's thoughts.

The boss turned his gaze back to the Taoist priest in the green robe sitting in the center of the main hall, feeling that this master, whom he had not seen for a long time, was somewhat unfamiliar.

Tang Yuan had vanished without a trace. The white chess piece that had fallen onto the board was face down, with the words "Tang Yuan" written on it in cinnabar. The shopkeeper wasn't naive enough to believe that his master had mercifully sent Tang Yuan back to the Silent House.

It turned out that the illusion array in the courtyard was set up by Master himself. How ridiculous that he thought it was Zhao Gao's doing. The innkeeper was silent for a moment, then solemnly advised, "Master, I hope you know what you're doing..." "I know, I've been waiting for this game of chess for a long time." The Taoist in the green robe smiled, raising his hand to arrange the chess pieces.

Chess pieces scattered on the board.

The boss stared intently at the chessboard. When he first saw his master, there were only three or four pieces on the board, but somehow, there were now almost ten pieces...

Outside the hall, the sound of unhurried footsteps could be heard. A pair of pheasant tails could be vaguely seen rising outside the hall, trembling slightly with each step.

This must be the military crown worn by King Wuling of Zhao.

“Master, since you haven’t been trapped by him, then I won’t play this game with him either.” The boss quickened his pace.

"No, this game is between me and him, not you. You are just a piece in my game."

As the Taoist in the green robe finished speaking, the shopkeeper felt the chess piece he was tightly holding move and instantly break free from his control, flying towards the Liubo chessboard in front of the Taoist in the green robe.

The boss tried his best to see the expression on the Taoist priest's face, but found that the scene in front of him was blurred and distorted as if covered by a layer of mist.

When he regained his senses, he found himself sitting in the room of the Silent Shop, with a cup of fragrant hot tea in front of him.

The boss wouldn't be so naive as to think he'd truly returned to the Silent House; it must all be an illusion, just like the previous courtyard and Xianyang Palace.

He didn't act rashly, watching the rising steam from the teacup before him, lost in thought. A chess piece—if he was one of the pieces, then who were the others?

【two】

The towering brick-red palace walls, the dazzling glazed tiles, the endless stream of people in ancient costumes, and the palace-dressed girl looking at him with a surprised expression outside the gate of the Imperial Household Department across the street...

Standing in the dazzling afternoon sunlight of autumn, Lu Zigang felt a dizzying sense of unreality. Was he dreaming again?
But today's dream felt too real...

A pretty young woman carrying a small bundle walked across the street, stood in front of him, and looked up curiously, asking, "Master Lu, what are you doing here? Are you going back to find Si Zheng?"

The girl's smiling face before him overlapped for a moment with the tearful farewell in his memory. Lu Zigang immediately decided that, regardless of whether this was a dream or not, he could not let the girl in front of him fall into danger again.

Lu Zigang grabbed Xia Zhelan's wrist and said urgently, "Miss Xia, please come with me." "How do you know my surname is Xia?" A look of surprise flashed in Xia Zhelan's eyes, her almond-shaped eyes filled with both shame and anger.

Lu Zigang felt the soft hand in his palm struggle tentatively, and quickly revealed his identity, saying, "That fried rice ten years ago..."

Xia Zhelan was taken aback. Looking at the handsome jade carver in front of her, she felt he looked more and more familiar. She exclaimed softly, "Ah! You're the young man next door!"

Lu Zigang didn't have time to explain to her.

The impending palace coup tonight is unstoppable, and even if he prevented Xia Zhelan from returning to the palace to serve during his attempt to go back using the compass, Xia Zhelan would still be arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard as an accomplice. Therefore, it's best to start fleeing the capital now.

Lu Zigang, holding Xia Zhelan's hand, strode along the route he remembered. The time he spent with the girl, though only a few hours, was a beautiful memory he could never forget. He even later made a special trip to Beijing, following his memory to the small courtyard near Qianmen, trying to find some recollections, but it was now a renovated commercial street…

After wandering through the alleys for a long time, almost reaching Xia Zhelan's doorstep, Lu Zigang finally noticed the stares of passersby. He immediately let go of her hand and sincerely apologized, "I'm sorry for being so abrupt, Miss Xia. I have a secret I can't tell you."

"What on earth happened?" Xia Zhelan rubbed her wrist, where Lu Zigang had gripped her so tightly it had left a red mark, her expression utterly bewildered. Faced with that heartbreakingly beautiful face, Lu Zigang couldn't bring himself to tell her about the cruel future he was about to face, and could only turn away...

He took the lead and walked into the small restaurant next door.

After her parents passed away in the capital, Xia Zhelan didn't want to return to her hometown of Suzhou. Instead, she escorted their coffins back to her hometown and then returned to the capital. Unable to support the restaurant her parents had left behind on her own, she rented out the shop and, because of her excellent cooking skills, was recruited as a cook in the Imperial Kitchen. Lu Zigang knew that passing through this small restaurant and around the kitchen would lead to Xia Zhelan's small courtyard.

It wasn't dinnertime yet, and the small restaurant was empty; everyone was probably in the kitchen preparing ingredients for the evening. Watching Lu Zigang effortlessly navigate the hall and around the kitchen, Xia Zhelan bit her lip and could only hurry after him.

Lu Zigang, however, did not notice the girl's thoughts behind him. He pushed open the courtyard gate, and the narrow courtyard appeared before his eyes just like he remembered. There were stacks of soy sauce jars, neatly dried vegetables, skewered wild mushrooms, radish strips, and piles of cabbages, as well as strings of golden corn hanging from the eaves, giving people a warm feeling.

Lu Zigang allowed himself to indulge in his memories for three seconds, then turned to Xia Zhelan with a solemn expression and said, "Miss Xia, time is of the essence. Please pack your belongings. We must leave the city before dark."

Seeing Xia Zhelan's somewhat bewildered expression upon hearing this, Lu Zigang couldn't directly tell her that a palace coup would occur that night; even if he did, she wouldn't believe him. He could only insist that she pack her things quickly. Xia Zhelan couldn't refuse and went into the house, soon returning with a bundle only slightly larger than before. Although Lu Zigang wondered why she was only carrying so little, he didn't have time to dwell on the question as he watched the sun gradually move westward.

Because he realized a very crucial issue that urgently needed to be addressed: he didn't have a travel permit.

A travel permit was a kind of travel pass. The Ming Dynasty strictly restricted the movement of people, and a travel permit was required as long as one was more than 100 miles away from their hometown.

Moreover, applying for a travel permit is quite complicated. In modern terms, it's like if you're in Beijing and want to go to Nanjing on a business trip, you first have to go to the neighborhood committee where your household registration is located and fill out an application form. The application form has to specify your name, age, occupation, where you're going, what you're going to do, when you'll return, and so on, down to the smallest detail. Then you submit this application form to the relevant departments in the city for review, and only after a series of procedures and stamps can you apply for a travel permit, or travel permit.

In ancient times, a travel permit was normally required to enter or leave a city. Although so many people entered and left the capital every day, it was not certain that the soldiers guarding the city gates would check everyone. However, if someone was randomly selected to be unable to produce one, the consequences were very serious.

The Great Ming Code stipulates: "If soldiers or civilians travel more than 100 li without a permit, the soldiers will be treated as deserters and the civilians as those who illegally cross the border. Anyone who crosses the border without a permit shall be punished with eighty strokes of the cane."

Moreover, the Renyin Palace Coup was unprecedented and unheard of. After tonight, whenever they were on the road, they would inevitably have their travel permits and household registration documents checked.

The household registration certificate was similar to a modern ID card, which he didn't have either. Xia Zhelan's certificate was useless to her, since she would be a wanted criminal after tonight.

Lu Zigang hesitated for only a moment before saying firmly, "Come with me."

He led Xia Zhelan away from the cozy courtyard, through the small restaurant that was still empty, and across the bustling Qianmen Street. Lu Zigang searched for the route from the reincarnation memories he had seen before, until a quarter of an hour later, he finally saw the familiar signboard.

Although he knew that such blind trust was somewhat ridiculous, he just felt that as long as he found the Silent Shop, there was no problem that the boss couldn't solve.

Climbing the steps and pushing open the door, the Changxin Palace Lantern at the entrance of the Silent Shop was still burning brightly. Some of the antiques inside were familiar, while others were completely new to me. The only thing that remained unchanged was the owner behind the counter, reading a book. He wore a wide-sleeved, tight-fitting robe from the Qin and Han dynasties, embroidered with a lifelike, winding crimson dragon. At first glance, it looked as if the dragon was tightly coiled around the owner, afraid its prey would escape.

"Ah...you've come..." The boss heard the door open and looked up. His jade-like face showed no surprise, nor did he ask Lu Zigang why he should be upstairs carving jade, but instead walked in through the main entrance.

Upon seeing the boss's face, Xia Zhelan covered her lips in shock, suppressing the gasp that was about to escape her lips.

Lu Zigang didn't notice Xia Zhelan's strange behavior behind him. Instead, he took two steps forward and lowered his voice, saying, "Boss, I need two household registration certificates and travel permits. We need to leave the city before tonight."

He didn't say a word more, but the boss seemed to know everything. He pondered for a moment, sighed slightly, stood up, and walked towards the inner room of the Silent Shop.

Lu Zigang clenched his fist with a sigh of relief; he knew his boss had a solution.

Not long after, the innkeeper came out carrying a bundle and several sheets of yellow paper. "These are your household registration documents and travel permits. Miss Xia's name can no longer be used. Zigang, you will continue to use your original name. Miss Xia will pretend to be your sister and change her name to Lu Minglan. There are fifty taels of loose silver notes in the bundle, enough for your travel expenses. There are also two sets of men's clothing. It will be more convenient for Miss Xia to wear men's clothing when traveling..." It was unclear how the innkeeper had managed to prepare everything so thoroughly in such a short time, as if he had known they would come all along.

Lu Zigang took the household registration certificate and travel permit, glancing at the detailed descriptions of their physical characteristics. The travel permit stated the reason for the journey was to escort a bride.

This explains why some women were traveling long distances. "There's still an hour before the city gates close; you can leave through Chaoyang Gate..." the innkeeper carefully instructed Lu Zigang, adding...
He was introduced to the boat captain he knew.

Lu Zigang gratefully clasped his hands in a fist salute, knowing that saying more would be useless. He quickly took Xia Zhelan out of the Silent House, hired a donkey cart, and headed straight for Chaoyang Gate.

At this time, Beijing only had inner city gates. The outer city would be built ten years later in order to resist the Mongol cavalry's southward invasion. At this time, Beijing only had nine city gates. Later, there was a famous official position called the Nine Gates Admiral, whose full title was Admiral of the Nine Gates Infantry Patrol and Five Camps Commander. He was in charge of guarding and controlling access to the nine inner city gates of Beijing, as well as patrolling at night, fighting fires, and other matters.

Because of their different locations, the nine city gates were used by different types of vehicles. Chaoyang Gate was located on the east side of the inner city of Beijing. Grain transported from Jiangnan arrived in Tongzhou, passed through the Tonghui River and the moat, and was then hauled into Chaoyang Gate by grain carts. It was then stored in large granaries nearby for the use of officials and civilians in the capital. Therefore, Chaoyang Gate was known as the "Grain Gate".

Because of the developed canal transport, ships coming from Jiangnan carried not only grain, but also abundant local products and handicrafts. As a result, the area around Chaoyangmen was densely populated and commercially prosperous.

The boss directed them to leave through Chaoyang Gate, firstly because it was the closest gate to them, and secondly because it was also the closest city gate to Tongzhou Wharf, making it easier for them to take a boat south, with fewer checkpoints along the way.

Lu Zigang consulted numerous historical records and discovered that the initial chaos of the Renyin Palace Coup stemmed from Emperor Jiajing's injury and subsequent coma. Empress Fang took charge of the situation and used the incident to eliminate Consort Duan, who was greatly favored by Jiajing, thus causing a palace upheaval. After Emperor Jiajing regained consciousness two or three days later, the situation did not escalate further, and even Consort Duan's father and family were not affected.

Therefore, all they need to do is leave the capital in advance and avoid this storm.

As dusk fell, Lu Zigang led Xia Zhelan out of the capital through Chaoyang Gate, arriving at Datong Bridge before nightfall. The Tonghui River, located in the eastern part of the capital, was a canal built during the Yuan Dynasty for grain transport. The name Tonghui was given by Kublai Khan, the Yuan Dynasty emperor; "Hui" means benevolence, and also "Huiran" means compliant. The name Tonghui subtly revealed Kublai Khan's hidden ambition.

For over two hundred years afterward, the Tonghui River gradually silted up, and despite several attempts to dredge it, all failed. It wasn't until more than a decade ago, when the Jiajing Emperor ordered the Tonghui River to be dredged again for the construction of numerous imperial temples and ancient buildings, that the dredging was finally successful. As a result, the banks of the Tonghui River began to regain the prosperity of the Yuan Dynasty, with inns, restaurants, eateries, and teahouses lining the river, earning it the nickname "the Qinhuai River of the North."

Now, Lu Zigang and Xia Zhelan can take a boat directly from Datong Bridge, the starting point of the Tonghui River, through the Tongzhou North Canal, all the way south to the Suzhou and Hangzhou area.

Because the Tonghui River is a busy waterway, it operates day and night. However, all twenty-four sluice gates on the river have specific opening and closing times, so both those leaving and entering Beijing need to queue and wait.

Seeing their eagerness to travel, the boatman introduced by the boss arranged for them to board a grain transport ship departing at midnight that evening. This grain ship was fully loaded with grain heading to Beijing, and on its return journey, since the hold was empty, it had taken on some private jobs. A well-to-do family was moving from Beijing to Hangzhou, and many servants were unloading luggage and furniture onto the grain transport ship. The owners, naturally, would travel on the more comfortable passenger ship; the crew of this ship consisted mainly of servants, who turned a blind eye to the boatman's practice of selling tickets for a little extra money.

After agreeing on a boarding time with the boatman, Lu Zigang took Xia Zhelan to a nearby restaurant for a late dinner. The food wasn't particularly refined or delicious; it was barely edible. During the meal, Lu Zigang hesitated, wanting to explain to Xia Zhelan why they had left Beijing, but after several attempts, he couldn't bring himself to speak. Finally, he could only apologetically promise her that he would explain properly the next day.

Xia Zhelan remained calm as she picked up her teacup and took small sips.

As the moon rose and night deepened, the bustling activity along the Tonghui River at dusk gave way to a quiet, dimly lit atmosphere. Many of the patrons in the restaurants were simply killing time while waiting for the night boats to depart. Many tables, after finishing their meals, ordered tea or wine to continue their conversations. Lu Zigang and Xia Zhelan's table was quite ordinary, though the two didn't exchange any words.

Lu Zigang kept looking around. He couldn't remember what time the Imperial Guards went to Xia Zhelan's courtyard to arrest people. The darkness blurred his sense of time, so he had to be on high alert at all times, wishing that the grain transport ship outside the window would set off at any moment.

As the number of customers in the restaurant dwindled and their conversations grew quieter, the waiters eventually fell fast asleep on the counter before Lu Zigang heard the night watchman's drum.

"Thump—thump! Thump!" One slow, two fast, it was already past midnight.

It was time to board the ship. Lu Zigang breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and stomped his legs, which had gone numb from sitting. He subconsciously looked out the window again. But what he saw was a figure standing in the alley not far away, a figure that made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

The man had long, silvery-white hair like the moonlight, and a pair of crimson eyes staring at him without any emotion. He was dressed in a flying fish robe and had an embroidered spring knife at his waist, making him look like a member of the Imperial Guard!
No! That's not the point! Why is this person here?! A flash of shock and anger crossed Lu Zigang's eyes, and he finally slammed them shut. When he opened them again, it was already...
After calming down, he turned to Xia Zhelan and said gently, "Come on, I'll take you to the ship first. I'm going to buy something, and I'll be on board in a little while."

Lu Zigang walked out of the restaurant with a nervous heart, watching Xia Zhelan board the grain transport ship. No Imperial Guards rushed out to stop her along the way. Lu Zigang grabbed a sailor and stuffed a few silver notes into his hand. When he saw Xia Zhelan's figure enter the cabin, he finally couldn't help but clench his fists.

Hu Hai, who shouldn't have been here, reminded him that this wasn't a dream, but a game of chess.

If he wasn't mistaken, the moment he received that unknown chess piece, he had already entered the game. Although he didn't know why the background of this game was a familiar era, and that it included familiar people, the only thing he was certain of was that his opponent in this game was definitely Hu Hai.

Lu Zigang turned around and walked towards a dark alley. As he walked, he muttered to himself, "This is a game of chess, isn't it? It seems... this is the scenario I've always hoped for, so I should be the defender and you the attacker? Since it's a game of chess, there must be a winner and a loser. And the key to winning this game should be getting Xia Zhelan out of the capital smoothly, right? After all, this is what I've always hoped for."

With each step Lu Zigang took, he spoke a sentence, his voice so low it was almost a murmur, but he knew the person in the dark alley could definitely hear him.

"However, you have already lost."

The grain transport ship slowly started moving behind Lu Zigang. Originally scheduled to depart in ten minutes, the ship started ahead of schedule thanks to Lu Zigang's earlier bribe of silver.

Lu Zigang's feelings were very complicated. Although he was happy that Xia Zhelan had successfully left the capital, he had to realize at the moment Hu Hai appeared that this was just an illusory world, and everything was just a phantom of the game.

The girl he longed for had already died in the prime of her life. This was a fact he could never undo, no matter how hard he tried.

A silver-haired figure slowly emerged from the darkness, his cold crimson eyes fixed on Lu Zigang. Then, he raised an eyebrow and said arrogantly, "You and I had a game of chess many years ago that we didn't finish. Today, we'll continue that game."

Lu Zigang looked warily at the two Imperial Guards following behind Hu Hai, who appeared to be his subordinates.

Hu Hai slightly tugged at the corners of his lips, a complex expression appearing on his pale, reflective face under the moonlight. "Actually, I really wanted you to win. I've followed you all this way, from the Imperial Workshop to Qianmen to the Silent House, and then to Chaoyang Gate..."

Lu Zigang broke out in a cold sweat. It turned out he had been watched the entire way without realizing it. However, he...
He stubbornly retorted, "You're just making it sound nice. You had no reason to intervene before anything happened."

Hu Hai chuckled. If he wanted to, Xia Zhelan would have no way to leave Beijing just by virtue of his flying fish robe.

Although Hu Hai didn't speak, the sarcasm in his laughter was palpable. Lu Zigang immediately understood the unspoken meaning and his face stiffened. Indeed, why didn't Hu Hai intervene?
"You...you're not going to let me win, are you?" Lu Zigang found it laughable as soon as he said it. Although he didn't know the true rules of this game, he felt that Zhao Gao had set up such a large formation, and the loser, even if they didn't lose their life, would probably pay a heavy price. Could Hu Hai really be so kind?
Hu Hai snorted coldly: "Tsk, why? Because you can't win even if I don't lift a finger..."

Lu Zigang thought he must have misheard, but Hu Hai's words actually sounded like a tone of disappointment and frustration. "Don't believe me? Look back." Hu Hai slightly raised his chin, gesturing behind Lu Zigang.

Lu Zigang followed his gaze and saw a pretty figure walking quickly towards them. Lu Zigang was dumbfounded. Shouldn't Xia Zhelan have gone south with the grain transport ship? Why hadn't she left?
Meeting Lu Zigang's shocked gaze, Xia Zhelan smoothed her hair and walked confidently toward the Imperial Guards standing nearby. Although she noticed the strange hair color of the Imperial Guard leader as she got closer, it didn't stop her from loudly accusing him: "My lord, I am reporting this man for trafficking women."

Hu Hai almost burst out laughing upon hearing this. He glanced at Lu Zigang, whose expression had collapsed, coughed lightly, and asked, "Oh? Is that really true?"

“That’s right! This person is very suspicious. Although he looks very much like Master Lu, whom my daughter knows, he knows my daughter’s name as soon as they meet, which Master Lu does not.”

"Moreover, the clothes he wore were different from Master Lu's, and his accent was also very strange."

"This man even recognized my daughter's home and asked her to pack up her valuables. Unfortunately, the neighbor's restaurant was empty, so my daughter didn't dare to make any rash moves."

"And the 'Silent Shop' he took his daughter to was probably a fake too. The owner of the 'Silent Shop' couldn't possibly be that young anymore; so many years have passed..."

"My daughter dared not make a sound in the city, because there was probably a dagger in the cloth bag at his waist. She was even more helpless during city defense, because he held forged household registration documents and travel permits; no one would believe him."

What I said.

"My daughter intended to swim away across the river under cover of darkness, but unexpectedly, this person didn't board the boat. Just now, my daughter slipped off the boat from the stern."

I was just looking for a place to rest for the night before going into town to report to the authorities when I saw the official. "You must be here to arrest this person!"

Xia Zhelan's words were truly filled with tears and heartbreak.

Lu Zigang hurriedly pulled the knife from the cloth bag at his waist and explained anxiously, "This is a knife! It's a matching pair with your katana, Miss Xia, have you forgotten?"

Because the lights along the riverbank were dim, Xia Zhelan couldn't see the knife in Lu Zigang's hand very clearly. She didn't dare to approach him, but instead took a step back, getting closer to the Imperial Guard. Feeling more confident, she rebuked him, "You're not Master Lu at all! Otherwise, take out the piece of jade I gave you today to prove your identity!"

Lu Zigang's face instantly turned ashen; he truly couldn't produce it. That piece of jade should currently be in the hands of Lu Zigang during the Ming Dynasty, about to be carved into a longevity lock…

"Can't produce it, can you? You really aren't Master Lu!" Xia Zhelan was only 70% sure to be right, and now she felt even more certain that her judgment was correct.

Seeing this, Hu Hai shrugged, indicating that he hadn't done anything and that Lu Zigang had messed everything up all by himself. Looking at Xia Zhelan's wary gaze, Lu Zigang felt a chill run through him, and a desperate, bitter smile appeared on his face.

Yes, from the Hengwuxiang incident to now... he's still so self-righteous.

[In this game, Hu Hai (Black) wins.]

【Three】

"Poor knife, its only wish was to be with the Kun knife forever. But it failed once again." A flat voice rang out in the center of the main hall of Xianyang Palace.

On a checkpoint on the Liubo chessboard, two pieces, one black and one white, were placed side by side. Zhao Gao smiled confidently, and with a slender finger, ruthlessly removed the white piece, leaving only the black one beside it. After he placed the white piece off the board, the three characters "Lu Zigang" written in cinnabar on it slowly disappeared.

Although the Taoist in the green robe sitting opposite him lost a move, his expression remained unchanged. His eyes were closed, yet he still accurately reached out and grabbed the stone tablet on the table.

There are two ways to play Liubo. Originally, it was played with six bamboo chopsticks, and the number of moves on the board was determined by rolling the chopsticks. Later, the chopsticks were replaced with multi-sided dice, similar to dice in later times.

The game of Liubo already existed during the time of the First Emperor. The Liubo board used in this game was made of stone, with seal script engraved on the top and bottom narrow sides, while the remaining twelve sides were each marked with a number, representing the number of moves to be made.

The Taoist priest in the green robe stroked the patterns on the stone chessboard, then casually tossed it onto the board. "Oh dear, it's a two," Zhao Gao said with a grin.

The Taoist in the green robe reached out and touched the top of Shi Boqiong's head, saying casually, "It's been many years since we last met. Gao'er doesn't even know how to count anymore? This is clearly five."

Zhao Gao raised an eyebrow and said without any apology, "Oh, I must have been mistaken. It seems Master's eyes... aren't blind after all..."

Ignoring his probing words, the Taoist in the green robe reached out and accurately picked up a white chess piece. He moved it five times along the corner of the chessboard without stopping, placing it right next to a black chess piece.

“Tsk, when paths cross, the brave prevail…” Zhao Gao slapped the table with a mocking smile, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the docile bronze deer lying beside the imperial throne not far away, revealing a meaningful smile.

……

The boss reached out and removed the golden ghost mask from his face. He had secretly placed a golden mask in the main hall of Xianyang Palace, using it to spy on his master and Zhao Gao's chess game. Although he had pointed the golden mask at the Qin Palace Mirror directly above the chessboard, using the mirror's reflection to view the game, he was probably too far away to see the names on the chess pieces clearly, nor could he hear their conversation clearly.

All that's certain is that the master has already lost a move. It's unclear who has been eliminated...

The boss got up and tried to escape the illusion of the Silent Shop, but the carved door in front of him remained unmoved.

He should be a white piece, but there's still no change around him, so the piece the master moved shouldn't be him.

Then...who could it be?
【Four】

Tang Yuan finally met his master, whom he had been longing to see. His master didn't seem as miserable as he had imagined.

But after his master and senior brother exchanged a few words as if speaking in riddles, the scene before him suddenly returned to the small courtyard he had seen before.

The hot spring was still icy cold, indicating that this was still an illusion, but this time he was the only one trapped here, his master and senior brother were nowhere to be found.

Oh, well, he wasn't the only one left; the little white snake was still sleeping, wrapped around his wrist.

Tang Yuan adopted a "whatever comes, will come" attitude, crossed his arms, and sat cross-legged in the pavilion. Later, because he was too bored, he simply closed his eyes to rest.

He didn't know how much time had passed when Tang Yuan felt an irresistible force pulling him up and carrying him forward. Realizing he couldn't break free, Tang Yuan resigned himself to his fate and watched as this force carried him away from the courtyard.

Upon exiting the barrier, he was greeted by a palace that appeared to be shrouded in darkness, with lights still shining in several pavilions in the distance. Tang Yuan moved quickly and passively, keeping his eyes wide open as he observed his surroundings, until he stopped in front of the door of a large hall.

The massive palace doors opened by themselves without any wind, creaking open inwards. The interior was pitch black, as if a man-eating monster might rush out at any moment.

The small white snake on Tang Yuan's wrist twitched a few times, seemingly eager to try.

It felt like someone had gently but firmly pushed him from behind, forcing Tang Yuan into the hall. The door slammed shut behind him, plunging him into darkness. Tang Yuan could only hear his own breathing.

heartbeat.

"How can it be a child? There's really no one left to serve as Grand Minister..." A dull voice came from deep within the hall, sounding like it was coming from a robot.

"What's wrong with being a kid? Don't underestimate me!" Tang Yuan made full use of his "advantage" of being a minor, deliberately adopting a defiant and youthful attitude in hopes of lowering the other party's guard.

"Child, do you know where you are?" The voice in the darkness seemed to come from near and far, making it impossible to pinpoint the other party's true location.

"I don't know! I heard it's about playing a game of chess." Tang Yuan simply sat cross-legged on the ground, pretending to be clueless, and exclaimed, "Is my opponent you? What kind of chess? I'm good at Go, Chinese chess, military chess, and checkers! I'm also good at Ludo!"

The opponent was clearly a bit confused by the series of moves Tang Yuan had announced. After hesitating for a moment, he stammered, "It is... Liubo."

"Liubo? Never played it before. How do you play it?" Tang Yuan asked casually.

"It's not just the two of us playing Liubo; we are all just pieces among many." The voice from the darkness, though its tone was indistinguishable, still conveyed a deep sense of emotion.

"Oh, so how will we decide the winner between us?" Tang Yuan mimicked the other's tone, asking in return. "I'll be the defender, you'll be the attacker. I'll pose the question, you solve it," the other replied straightforwardly. "Since there's a winner and a loser, there must be rewards and punishments. What if I win? What if you win?" Tang Yuan tilted his head, feigning innocence.
His appearance was sinister, though the other party might not be able to see his expression at all in the darkness. "The victor lives, the loser dies." The voice in the darkness spoke each word with the cruelest cruelty.

Tang Yuan blinked his big eyes. Being young and fearless, he asked in a crisp voice, "So, what kind of question will you ask?" Suddenly, a flame leaped from the deepest part of the hall, illuminating the face of a round-faced youth who was holding a lamp...

The bronze human-shaped lamp, dressed in a bamboo-yellow robe, has smiling, curved eyes that give it a very friendly and likable feel, but its previous words were cold and ruthless, creating a strong contrast.

“My challenge is simple. My true form is a bronze weight, which is located in this hall. You have three chances. If you find the bronze weight, you win. Otherwise, I win.”

No one knows how the round-faced youth managed to do it, but as soon as he finished speaking, all the candles in the hall were lit one after another, illuminating the entire hall.

Tang Yuan then saw clearly that there were dozens of bookshelves in the hall, each filled with densely packed bronze weights of various sizes and weights.

Among these thousands of bronze weights, choosing the correct one with no hints and only three chances seems like an impossible task.

Tang Yuan did not raise any objections, but nodded to indicate that he understood. He then put his hands behind his back and started looking at each bookcase from the first one against the wall, examining each one very carefully.

The round-faced young man holding the oil lamp stared at Tang Yuan's small figure, suddenly feeling a sense of time travel. When the young master was this child's age, he was also very clever and adorable…

As Sun Shuo was immersed in sweet memories, the child suddenly turned his head and asked again, "By the way, there's no time limit for this question you asked, right?"

"Huh?" Sun Shuo wanted to mention a time limit, but there was no real flow of time in the illusion, so he couldn't calculate it. Remembering that the young master had previously instructed him to go easy on him if possible, he feigned hesitation and nodded, saying, "There's no time limit..."

"Oh, that puts my mind at ease. I'll take a closer look." Tang Yuan clenched his little fist, encouraging himself.

Sun Shuo was speechless.

With this room full of bronze weights, he had a premonition that the child would never be able to finish looking at them all…

【Five】

"The bronze weight, though ordinary, still wants to be recognized. It's a brilliant problem, but this kid found a flaw, and this time it's a stalemate." Zhao Gao sighed softly, his tone a mix of admiration and slight mockery. "Tsk, I should say, he truly is a fine disciple you've trained."

The Taoist in the green robe ignored his question: "So, shall we wait or continue?"

"Continue." Zhao Gao picked up Shi Boqiong with his middle and index fingers and smiled slightly. "We'd better speed things up."

The stone coin twirled between his fingers before being tossed onto the chessboard. It spun around a few times before finally coming to a stop. The topmost inscription was the largest number—twelve.

"Oh dear, now we can really speed things up!" Zhao Gao clapped his hands and smiled.

According to the rules they had previously agreed upon, Shi Boqiong's moves could land on one or more pieces. Zhao Gao calculated with his fingers and moved three black pieces, making a total of twelve moves. Each black piece he moved landed exactly next to a white piece.

“Let’s finish this quickly,” Zhao Gao said, revealing an eager smile to the Taoist priest in the green robe. “After all, I’ve been waiting for this day for far too many years…”

……

The boss, now wearing the golden mask again, couldn't see which three chess pieces were playing. Just as he was about to observe for a while longer, he heard someone knocking on the carved door of the Silent Shop.

"Hello! Is anyone there? Oh? Boss, you're here!"

A familiar voice rang out, the very voice the boss least wanted to hear.

The golden noodles were slowly removed, revealing the doctor's radiant smile to the boss.

(End of this chapter)