After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

"good!"

Upon seeing the chessboard, the old crane with white hair, white beard, and white eyebrows clapped his hands and laughed loudly, "Good! Good! Good! Checkmate! Checkmate! Checkmate again!" The old man's face was rosy with laughter, and the bark-like wrinkles on his face relaxed considerably.

The middle-aged scholar, with his feet on the chair and a long, thin braid in his hand, frowned and stared intently at the chessboard.

After a while.

Having studied chess for only a year, yet already sweeping away the north, defeating the Northern Dynasty's top chess player from the Imperial Academy three months ago, and having challenged the chess fanatic monk Huizhen to a ten-game winning streak last month, Emperor Wenzong of the Northern Dynasty solemnly declared:

"Take back a move".

"Take another step back."

Ning Nan rolled his eyes: "Hey, you said it yourself. I'll let you take back five times when we play a game of chess. If I win, we won't talk about revising the poem anymore. If I lose, you can write something like 'Ning Nan's move, Nalan's revision' on your revised poem and publish it in the North."

"Clang! Clang!"

Ning Nan curled his fingers and tapped the chessboard, saying, "Brother Nalan, you've taken your back seven times!"

"call……"

Nalan Ruo tossed aside a chess piece, sighed, and said, "Just as Monk Huizhen said, the most skilled player in the Southern Dynasty's chess game isn't that so-called Chess Saint Wu Yanchou, but rather you, Ning Baixuan, who's not very famous. Oh, and there's that fourth son of the Marquis of Zhenguo, Shangguan Zhao. But Shangguan Zhao is a step behind Huizhen, and Huizhen is a step behind me... Hmm... Uh... Oh dear..." Nalan Ruo frowned, then suddenly relaxed.

Ning Nan narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected that when he went to the Zhenguo Marquis's residence to watch the ceremony, he saw the Northern Dynasty chess fanatic playing chess with Shangguan Zhao. After they both left, he felt an urge to play and moved a piece, but unexpectedly, the two returned. Moreover, the chess fanatic somehow knew that he had moved the piece!

Last year, after learning chess, Nalan Ruo of the Northern Dynasty mastered it in just three months, but he was still far behind the chess saint and chess fanatic of the Northern Dynasty.

But to my surprise, this person's progress was so rapid.

Old Crane said that three months ago, the Northern Dynasty's literary emperor had already defeated the Northern Dynasty's chess saint. Last month, after the chess fanatic left Daliang and returned north, Nalan Ruo came to challenge him to a match, winning all ten games and decisively defeating the chess fanatic!

After their game, the chess enthusiast told him about the characters in Southern Dynasties chess. He said his biggest regret on this trip south was not finding someone to play a game with. Then, Nalan Ruo came looking for him.

Nalan Ruo tossed the long, thin braid behind her and said with a smile, "Nalan has always prided himself on being unparalleled in poetry, wine, and chess, calling himself one of the Four Sages of the Thatched Cottage in the Wind and Rain. Now, I have defeated you in one aspect of wine, and you have defeated me in one aspect of poetry. Just now, you also defeated me in one aspect of chess. Bai Xuan has two wins and one loss, and now, there is only one left."

Ning Nan looked at his thick, tied-up hair and the little braid that he had just tossed out, and felt a pang of emotion.

When Ning Nan heard him introduce himself, she was surprised and pointed at his tied-up hair, saying, "Why don't you have a braid?!" As a result, the man pulled out a long, thin braid from his tied-up hair.

Ning Nan's eyes widened, a sense of déjà vu washing over him. He asked the old crane and the brocade-clad elder, "Does the Northern Dynasty still allow this?!"

The old man in brocade robes sneered, "After my master showed this braid to the Northern Emperor, no fewer than thirty people in the capital followed suit."

"And then?" Ning Nan asked.

The old man in brocade robes said, "Their heads were piled up neatly."

Ning Nan stared wide-eyed at the audacious Emperor Wenzong of the Northern Dynasty.

Nalan Ruo immediately looked somewhat innocent and said awkwardly, "His Majesty said that their braids were not as beautiful as mine, so he cut off all their heads." Ning Nan immediately took a deep breath.

Nalan Ruo, who was already in her forties, squatted down with her feet on a rosewood stool, took a sip of aged Fenjiu wine served in an ancient rattan cup, and looked at Ning Nan with a smile.

Two wins and one loss… Ning Nan frowned: “Brother Nalan, I’ve wanted to ask this for a long time. Poetry, wine, and chess—aren’t those three things? Where did you get these four perfections? And what are these ‘Four Sages of the Thatched Cottage in the Wind and Rain’?”

At this point, the old crane beside him immediately showed a face full of shame, and slowly exhaled from his heart... He had been greedy for an ancient inkstone today, and had lost to his opponent in this very matter. The two had also agreed beforehand that if one lost, the other would do something for them, and since he had lost, he had no choice but to lead the way. "Please bear with it, young friend Bai Xuan, I will make it up to you later."

"Oh, well."

Nalan Ruo held up two fingers, "Because of chess," he said leisurely, a broad smile on his face.

"There are two."

……

……

"Elephant chess and the Nineteen Card games."

Seeing that Wu Shangmei and some of the younger officials were somewhat puzzled, Chen Yuezhi stroked his three strands of fine beard and explained with a smile.

"Nalan Ruo's self-confident chess game is divided into Chinese chess and Go."

Everyone then realized why they were called the Four Wonders and also the Four Saints.

Xu Long chuckled and said, "In the past, Nalan Ruo's four perfections were poetry, wine, calligraphy, and chess, with chess being only Go. As for calligraphy, he boasted that his regular script was the best among living people, his running script was the third best of all time, and his cursive script was the eleventh best in Jiangbei... But last year, after seeing the calligraphy of Ning Jiexiao from Jiangbei, he said that Ning Jiexiao was probably more than just skilled in Wei stele calligraphy. So he dropped the 'calligraphy' perfection. From this, we can see that his previous claim of being the 'eleventh best in Jiangbei' was all self-deprecation. I'm afraid that in his heart, he was confident that he was the best in the world, but after seeing Ning Jiexiao's calligraphy, he felt that he had fallen short and no longer boasted that he was the best in the world."

Chen Yuezhi shook his head and smiled, saying that Nalan Ruo thought "Three Wonders and Three Saints" didn't sound good, so he simply went to learn Xiangxi opera. After three months, he became a master again.

Wu Shangmei, a handsome young scholar who had passed the imperial examination, immediately bowed and admitted that he had learned a lot.

Then, the young and handsome scholar seemed to muster his courage and bowed to Prince Xin above him, saying, "Your Highness, rest assured, if Emperor Wenzong of the Northern Dynasty uses elephant music to provoke Jiangnan, I...I will do my utmost to let the Northern Dynasty witness the elegance of Jiangnan!"

Zhu Cuiwei's lips immediately curved into a smile, revealing a satisfied look in her eyes. She said, "Good, Minister Wu is very talented. Regardless of the outcome, your courage will always be there. I congratulate Minister Wu."

Wu Shangmei's eyes welled up with tears, and she immediately bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you!"

Chen Yuezhi and the others watched this scene with satisfaction. If they could really bring about a happy ending, then they would truly be considered the best matchmakers in the world!

Speaking of Nalan Ruo's fourth masterpiece.

Liu Zhi's expression finally brightened a bit, and he said confidently, "Regarding the Nineteen Paths of Heaven and Earth, everyone can rest assured!"

Liu Zhi spoke with a firm and resolute tone, and said with a smile, "To be honest, I have already invited the headmaster of Bailu Academy to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet!"

"Really?" "Is the headmaster of Bailu Academy willing to attend the banquet?" "Is Headmaster Gongsun truly willing to help?" "If so, Liu Zhongyun's contribution will be immense!"

In an instant, the hall erupted in commotion. Everyone's eyes lit up, and many officials stood up abruptly, their joy evident in their expressions.

Zhu Cui's slightly tense expression finally relaxed a bit at this moment.

If Master Gongsun is willing to take action, then this Path of Nineteen Directions will truly be unafraid of Emperor Wenzong of the Northern Dynasty.

Xu Long chuckled and cupped his hands, saying, "I imagine Liu Zhongyun must have gone to great lengths to persuade Headmaster Gongsun to come down the mountain."

Liu Zhi smiled bitterly and cupped his hands, saying, "I have given away my family's treasured painting, 'The Tang Emperor's Battle Formation.'" Everyone was immediately shocked and repeatedly cupped their hands, saying that Liu Zhongyun had truly sacrificed his family's wealth to relieve the country's difficulties.

At this moment, Chen Yuezhi laughed and said, "Liu Zhongyun has really gone all out. If I had known, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths to invite Elder He."

"Old Crane?!"

Ok? ? ?

The assembled officials immediately stood up and exclaimed in surprise.

Liu Zhi's eyes widened, and he strode forward a few steps, saying, "Did Young Master Chen ask Elder He for help?"

Chen Yuezhi smiled and said, "That's right. As you all know, Old Man He has never liked the court. In recent years, he has also been fond of poetry and has become too close to a few people, such as Scholar Liu."

"As for the Nineteen Strategies of the Sword, which made Old Man Crane famous in his early years, he has only practiced them with Grand Scholar Liu and Master Gongsun for many years, and it is difficult for others to witness them. However—"

He drew out his words with a laugh, "Old Master He is fond of antique inkstones. I, Chen, found an excellent Zhao Chu antique inkstone, which moved Old Master He to agree to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet..."

When He Weng reached the age of fifty, he was undefeated in the Southern Dynasty, having mastered nineteen different moves. He then went to the Northern Dynasty and defeated eighteen great masters in succession. In the art of chess, he greatly brought honor to the Southern Dynasty!

Upon hearing Chen Shaozhan's announcement that Old Man He would be assisting at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, the assembled officials breathed a sigh of relief, their expressions brightening considerably. Zhu Cuiwei, who had heard tales of Old Man He since childhood, was also greatly relieved to hear that he was willing to lend a hand!

Liu Zhi gave a wry smile and said, "If you had said so a moment earlier, Chen Shaozhanshi, wouldn't my painting 'Tang King's Battle Formation' have been saved?!" Everyone burst into laughter.

Chen Yuezhi laughed and said, "No problem, no problem! After Master Gongsun defeats this Northern Dynasty Nalan, he can then have a duel with Elder He. Wouldn't that be even more wonderful?!" Everyone immediately laughed and echoed, "That's right, that's right, that's exactly right!"

……

It will be midnight.

The night was as dark as ink

Under the protection of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhu Cuiwei returned from the Prince Xin's residence to the nearby Ning residence.

When we arrived at the flower hall.

Seeing that the room was brightly lit and filled with shouting sounds, she frowned, wondering what was going on inside.

Qin Yuanyao and several Imperial Guards, including Qian Sijin, stood guard outside the flower hall.

Zhu Cuiwei frowned at Qin Yuanyao, who came to greet her, and asked, "What's going on? Isn't the young master asleep yet?"

Qin Yuanyao's eyes were also bloodshot. When Prince Xin asked her, she said with some resentment that a few people from the literary world had come to visit her son-in-law and had been making a ruckus in the flower hall all afternoon. They hadn't even had a meal, and they had been making a ruckus all night. She didn't know what they were doing.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cuiwei frowned even more deeply. Then, she pursed her pink lips, called out, and ordered the two maids who were swaying sleepily on the chairs outside the flower hall to go inside and bring some tea, to see what the young master and his family were up to.

The two maids, Chunyu and Qiumu, immediately stood up and ran off.

They brought in a tray of tea, and after a while, two maids came out.

Chun Yu reported: "Madam," she nodded her little head and said, "Master is learning to play Go with the guests."