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

Feng Yu has thick eyebrows and big eyes, a handsome appearance, and a gentle temperament. He is regarded as a "good senior brother" by his classmates at Bailu Academy.

However, perhaps because he was at the prime age of thirty, he still failed the imperial examinations repeatedly and could only stay in the academy to study hard. His brows and eyes still showed signs of hardship and fatigue.

Seeing his junior sister make this move, his tired eyes grew even more somber, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

The reason I hesitated to make my move earlier was that I was too familiar with this opening move. I had discussed it with my junior brother Li Yanting many times, and I had a pretty good idea of ​​how my opponent would play next. So I mentally moved thirty moves ahead, thinking about the possible layouts of my opponent. I wanted to be able to block all ten possible ways my opponent could break through my defenses as soon as I made my move. In this way, I could avoid dealing with my opponent's tricks and successfully finish the game within seven or even five moves.

Unfortunately, he was interrupted by his junior sister.

Ning Nan picked up a black piece and placed it on the "Ping 72" position.

Gongsun Heng's phoenix eyes gleamed with a sharp light as she smiled faintly.

Dressed in men's clothing and without makeup, her smile captivated many students, including Wu Shangmei.

"Snapped!"

She placed her piece on "removing 91", continuing the momentum of the final round.

"good!"

"Gongsun's brilliant idea!"

"The dragon has formed! The black pieces are powerless to turn the tide!"

Even though the move wasn't actually that brilliant, the students from Bailu Academy and the Imperial Academy still cheered loudly, and many even clapped their hands.

Ning Nan's eyes were indifferent as he placed his third piece in the "entering the second and third positions".

Feng Yu's pupils contracted.

Gongsun Heng also let out a soft "Eh" and frowned slightly.

After thinking for a moment, she placed her piece on the "top 41" position.

This time, the cheers from the audience were a little quieter.

"Pingba 2".

"Shang Erliu".

"Up three one." With this move, Ning Nan calmly captured three of his opponent's pieces.

Gongsun Heng's face turned slightly pale, and the room fell silent.

"Go to the seventh and ninth days."

Gongsun Heng's move this time did not elicit cheers, but instead a few surprised and doubtful voices. When the onlookers turned their gazes toward the source of the voices, the men quickly fell silent, their eyes darting around nervously, and they felt guilty.

However, it was too late. Gongsun Heng had already heard these voices questioning her chess strategy, and her face turned from pale to flushed, her eyes showing some lack of confidence.

"Clap clap clap clap"

Seven steps later.

Ningnan broke through Bai's position to complete the endgame.

A moment of silence fell over the room.

Gongsun Heng stared at the chessboard, his pupils gradually widening, speechless with astonishment.

Everyone around turned their heads in unison, looking at Ning Baixuan with some shock in their eyes.

"Really? He really can?"

This person is already "invincible in name only" when it comes to chess, but I never expected that he would also be able to play Go!

Although there were some shortcomings in Miss Gongsun's chess moves just now, her family background and chess skills are top-notch. Yet, she was still defeated in just seven moves against this person.

Even Qin Yun, who was confident in his chess skills and ranked among the top ten in the Imperial Academy, couldn't help but look at him with surprise and doubt. He exchanged glances with his classmates who were of equal skill. If they were playing white, they might play better than Gongsun Heng, but if they were playing black, they would never be able to play better than Ning Baixuan!

"Miss Gongsun,"

Ning Nan smiled and tossed the remaining chess pieces into the chess box, making a tinkling sound like jade beads falling onto a plate.

"You flatter me," he said with a faint smile.

"Hmm,"

After staring at the chessboard for a while, Gongsun Heng's face gradually fell, and he said dejectedly, "Mr. Ning."

"Gongsun (a legendary Chinese philosopher and scholar) was showing off his skill before Lu Ban (another legendary Chinese philosopher and scholar)..."

Ning Nan smiled and said, "Miss Gongsun, you're too kind."

Li Yanting asked his senior sister for permission without expression. After receiving her permission, the bookworm silently reached out and grabbed a handful of chess pieces, beginning to recreate the Laurel Chess Game.

Feng Yu let out a soft breath, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table. Next, it was his turn.

As expected of Li Yanting's highly respected senior brother, Feng Yu, under the guidance of the bookworm, made Ning Nan feel relaxed and carefree, taking no more than ten breaths to think before making a move.

Playing against this Senior Brother Feng, the two of them had already reached the seventh move when Ning Nan had thirty breaths to think about each move. By the time he reached the thirteenth move, beads of sweat had appeared on Ning Nan's forehead.

He squinted slightly, stroking the translucent black chess piece in his hand; the once cold piece had become warm under his fingertips.

This time, he hesitated for a full sixty breaths before finally making his move.

With a soft "snap," Gongsun Heng's eyes suddenly lit up, and many chess experts couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Upon seeing this move, Feng Yu's pupils contracted, and he found himself taking longer to think.

Everyone looked at the chessboard, then at Feng Yu, and then at Ning Nan. They couldn't help but admire them secretly. Although they didn't know what kind of style Nalan Wenzong and Gongsun Shanzhang had when they played chess, seeing these two play today made them feel proud. Their chess skills far surpassed their own.

After a short while, about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the time was up.

"Snapped!"

Ningnan made his twentieth move, breaking the white pieces' winning handicap.

"call……"

The breaths that everyone had been holding released in unison, and they couldn't help but cast complicated glances at Ning Baixuan, who was renowned throughout the capital... It's broken... It's really broken... It's actually broken...

Ding ding ding.

Feng Yu sighed and dropped the white piece he was holding into the chess box.

He raised his sleeve to wipe a fine bead of sweat from his forehead, then cupped his hands in a respectful greeting to Ning Nan and smiled:

"A capable person can do anything. I have witnessed it today. Brother Ning's talent is well-deserved. I am humbled and admit defeat."

Ning Nan smiled and clasped his hands in greeting: "Brother Feng's chess skills are extraordinary; I have truly broadened my horizons."

Feng Yu smiled wryly and said he dared not, and asked if he could visit him sometime to learn a thing or two. Ning Nan saw that this man was upright and calm and had considerable chess skills, so he readily agreed. Feng Yu smiled and clasped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, Brother Ning."

Seeing this, the students looked at each other, their mouths dry, unsure of what to say. Praising Ning Baixuan was out of the question; that would be hypocritical, as Ning Baixuan already had plenty of praise. But criticizing Ning Baixuan was even more difficult to say, so they decided to remain silent.

The short, stout Qing Zude rolled his eyes and sneered, "Even if you beat Senior Brother Feng, who was playing white, in the Laurel Chess Game, you still can't figure out how to break the Laurel Chess Game."

Feng Yu smiled wryly and said, "Not bad, not bad. If it were a master from the academy who had written this, I wouldn't be in this predicament today."

Everyone immediately praised Senior Brother Feng again, saying, "Senior Brother Feng is too modest."

A fragrant breeze gently rises.

Gongsun Heng suddenly stood up, took a few steps back, and with a solemn expression, bowed deeply to Ning Nan, saying:

"Mr. Ning, we earnestly request that you accept Gongsun as your disciple!"

……

It was the hour of Chen (7-9 AM).

Dong Yunzhuo, accompanied by a large entourage of blue-robed attendants, officials of all ranks, and students serving him, entered Tianjin Tower in a grand procession.

It has been nearly two months since he was promoted from the magistrate of Dingjiang County to the capital.

He first entered the Censorate and served as an Imperial Censor, and later concurrently served as the Education Commissioner of Yingtian Prefecture, known as the Supervising Imperial Censor.

At just over forty years old, he was nearly ten years behind others in the past, but in the next twenty years, he might not necessarily be behind others. Dong Yunzhu smiled and chatted with the group of people. He was the first to step into Tianjinlou.