Chapter 318.1: Honor
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S T E L L A R C L O U D
[Azurixa] [Celeste S.] [Christine G.-L.]
O R A N G E S T A R
[Fazzienaz] [K.Rom]
[Manon] [Tori D.] [Ziana K.-P.]
Y E L L O W S T A R
[Chlaudette P.] [Jia Y.] [Maria P.] [Mel Melz] [Passerby] [Smurfinbatik]
G O L D S T A R
[Cindy] [Debra W] [Nanashi D. Y.] [Nicole] [Reece P.]
R A I N B O W S T A R
[Allie] [Amanda] [Book W.] [Britnae M] [Christigale M.] [Haruka N.] [kuroneko_chan]
[Leticia P.] [Lily J.] [Liznel M.] [Malinkat] [Michelle K.][Philomena N.] [Sweetlove]
T H E S U N
[onepiece]
Also, many thanks to everyone who bought me coffee (*≧∀≦*)
Imperial palace, with the moon shining on its roofs.
The Crown Princess sat on the wooden floor emitting a faint woody scent. In front of her was a small long table, on which a chessboard was prominently placed.
The Crown Princess didn't particularly enjoy noisy environments, and the East Palace was usually quiet, except for when Qin Chuyu was around, but Qin Chuyu had moved to the Emperor's Huaqing Palace in recent days.
Hence, the East Palace was once again as calm as water.
The palace maids stood by the Crown Princess's side, observing her every move without making a sound.
Suddenly, with a crisp sound, a chess piece landed on the chessboard, and the Crown Princess breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "I did it."
Only then did the palace maids dare to look at her. A court lady who was serving her closely asked with a smile, "Crown Princess, what did you accomplish?"
The Crown Princess smilingly replied, "I finally solved this chess puzzle."
"What chess puzzle did you solve?"
Asked the Crown Prince who suddenly walked in with large strides.
The court lady and other palace servants all bowed and saluted, "Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
The Crown Princess also wanted to get up and pay her respects, but the Crown Prince quickly stopped her.
He held her hand, sitting down beside her and looking at the chessboard, "You're playing chess again?"
"Just playing around casually while this consort has nothing to do." The Crown Princess replied.
The Crown Prince smiled and said, "I see you playing every day. Do you really like playing chess that much? You spend more time with the chessboard than with me."
The Crown Princess said in a warm voice, "The Crown Prince is jesting."
"I'm not joking at all. I'm truly jealous." The Crown Prince responded. His words were playful, but his eyes and actions towards the Crown Princess were full of tenderness. He held her hand tightly and asked her, "You still haven't answered my question. What chess puzzle did you solve?"
The Crown Prince wasn't particularly interested in playing chess, but if it was related to the Crown Princess, he would take it seriously.
The Crown Princess pointed to the chessboard with the finger of her other hand he wasn’t holding and said, "This one, the Kun puzzle."
The Crown Prince was taken aback. "The Kun puzzle? Which Kun puzzle? Old Master Meng's Kun puzzle?"
As far as he remembered, in the world of chess, only Old Master Meng's chess puzzle was called the Kun puzzle.
Even though he wasn’t fond of playing chess, the Crown Prince had heard of Old Master Meng's name, as he was the well-deserved Chess Saint of the six states.
He set up countless chess puzzles in his lifetime, among which the eight major puzzles were the most famous. Few people were able to crack them, but the Crown Princess solved the first puzzle at the age of thirteen.
In the following years, she successively solved five more puzzles, which was very rare in the six states, especially considering her young age.
It should be noted that the chess masters of the State of Jin were already over forty years old when they cracked the six puzzles, but they still couldn't crack the final two puzzles, the Qian and Kun.
The Crown Prince excitedly gripped her hand and looked into her beautiful eyes, "Linlang, you have accomplished what no woman in the world has done! No, you have accomplished what no one in the world has done! Even men cannot match you!"
The Crown Princess lowered her head and smiled shyly, "During the days when I was injured, I focused on studying chess in the East Palace. Speaking of which, I was actually lucky to have been injured."
The Crown Prince said seriously, "Don’t say that, others cannot solve it even if they study it for a lifetime! No, I have to report this surprising news to imperial father!"
The Crown Prince kept his promise and immediately went to find the Emperor.
The Emperor was diligently attending to official matters, rising early and sleeping late. Even now, it was already late at night and he was still reviewing the memorandums.
When the Crown Prince came, the Emperor didn't show much change in his expression, just pinching his tired brows and asking, "Why are you here so late?"
Behind the screen was a small couch for the Emperor to rest. At this moment, there was a rhythmic snoring sound coming from it, which turned out to be Qin Chuyu who had played in the study until he fell asleep on the couch.
The Crown Prince looked away and asked, "Imperial father, should this son take Little Seven back so as not to disturb you?"
The snoring was simply too rhythmic!
The Emperor said, "No need, tell me what's the matter?"
"It's like this, Linlang just solved Old Master Meng's chess puzzle." The Crown Prince said proudly, "It was the Kun puzzle."
The Emperor paused reading through the memorandums and there was a flash of surprise in his eyes, "Really?"
"Really! If imperial father doesn't believe it, he can summon Linlang." The Crown Prince scratched his head and said with a slightly embarrassed smile, "I was in a hurry and forgot to bring the chessboard. Someone, go to the East Palace and bring the Crown Princess's chessboard over!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Outside the study, a eunuch answered the instruction.
The eunuch quickly fetched the chessboard and presented it to the Emperor’s imperial desk with both hands.
The Emperor was much more skilled at chess than the Crown Prince. He looked at the chessboard and understood the strategy at once.
He couldn't hide his amazement, saying, "So that's how it's solved... Why didn't I think of it?"
The Crown Prince proudly smiled and responded, "Father is busy with many affairs of the state and doesn't have much time to devote to chess. Meanwhile, Linlang has been recovering in the East Palace, so she had some free time to study chess."
This remark not only gave the Emperor an excuse but also praised Linlang's excellence in a roundabout way—- she hadn’t solved the puzzle before because she didn't have time, but now that she did, she solved it naturally.
Who else in the world could be so intelligent?
Perhaps his deceased cousin was one.
Cousin was ten years old when he cracked Old Master Meng’s first chess puzzle, but unfortunately he passed away at a young age.
However, even if he had lived, he might not have been able to do better than Linlang, who had already solved the Kun puzzle.
Not to mention that Lin Lang was a woman. There was no better woman in the world than her.
The Emperor nodded his head in satisfaction.
He had some hesitation about this daughter-in-law at first, as she had previously been engaged to Xiao Heng. But the Crown Prince refused to marry anyone else, and Linlang was indeed a talented woman. Moreover, Empress Xiao was also very much fond of her. Therefore, the Emperor agreed to the marriage in the end.
In the years after their marriage, the Crown Prince made rapid progress, growing from a reckless and ignorant youth into a restrained and calm young man, all thanks to the Crown Princess.
"En." The Emperor said with approval, "The Crown Princess did well."
"The Crown Princess is the first in the six states to solve this chess puzzle, isn't that right, imperial father?" The Crown Prince asked tentatively.
The Emperor nodded with a smile, "Naturally. Except for Old Master Meng, your wife is the first to solve the Kun puzzle. I will write to inform all the other countries of this great news."
The Crown Prince cupped his hands and said, "This son congratulates you, imperial father!"
Academics knew no national boundaries, and neither did the art of chess. This wasn’t only the honor of the Crown Princess alone but also the honor of the entire State of Zhao.
The Emperor was overjoyed, "I'll think about how to reward you both. You have benefited from her again!"
The Crown Prince straightened his back and said, "It is all thanks to this son having a discerning eye and finding a wife who brings good fortune!"
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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