People who were engrossed in the chess game did not notice how that figure walked onto the ring.
They don’t even understand the other party’s identity.
In the end, the chess player who was still on duty nearby reacted first, his face changed, and he subconsciously wanted to scold the opponent, but he was afraid of disturbing the powerful player's thinking, so he had to hold it back.
"Who is this person?"
"How did he get up there? What did he want to do?"
The people in the distance couldn't hide their doubts and talked a lot. The government officials who were mobilized to take charge of public security were first stunned and then nervous.
Ji Ping'an ignored the noisy sounds behind him and walked calmly to the center of the ring. His steps were not messy in the process, as if he had measured them and the distance between each step was exactly the same.
"Chess King" Ke Qiao's slightly rounded face had a faint smile, and he looked at him doubtfully: "This is..."
Lian Congyun's forehead was covered with sweat. He leaned forward and stared at the chessboard, completely ignoring his arrival.
Ji Ping'an ignored the former, first looked at the chess game, and then said to the latter:
"Stop holding on."
His voice was not loud, but it was enough for the "referee" next to him and the chess players who were rushing forward to hear clearly.
"If you continue, you will only lose more. You should know this very well." Ji Ping'an said calmly.
A chess player's face changed slightly and he wanted to scold him, but the dean of the chess academy next to him grabbed him and shook his head gently.
They are the closest, so why can't you see that Lian Congyun is holding on? No way to save yourself?
Although I don't know the origin of this young man who suddenly appeared, but... at least I said for them what they wanted to say but didn't dare to say.
Honor is important, but no one wants a great player to die from exhaustion on stage.
Ji Ping'an frowned and was about to speak again. With an elegant temperament and a scarf on his head, this great national player who was over fifty years old was finally penetrated by these words.
With a sigh of relief, the black piece that had been held between the middle finger and the index finger for a long time fell off with a "snap" and rolled on the chessboard.
He seemed to have been drained of all his strength and said dejectedly: "I lost."
The fat young man named Ke Qiao held up his hands and smiled politely: "I accept."
Wow——
As soon as this statement came out, the crowd was in an uproar. The chess players around him felt sad, lost their souls, and felt that their faith had collapsed.
Lian Congyun tried his best to stand up, as if he was a big man who was a few inches shorter and took a step forward. His body suddenly swayed and he was about to fall.
At the critical moment, Ji Ping'an raised his hand to support him, and the spiritual essence in his body poured out from his palm, replenishing the old man's strength. The light green starlight was particularly eye-catching in the twilight sunset.
"Thank you." Lian Congyun thanked him gratefully, and then sadly left the stage with the support of the chess players.
Witnessing this scene, the noise in the audience fell silent.
At this time, people realized that after hours of fierce fighting, even the clouds were exhausted.
"Alas!" Someone let out a long sigh, and a huge feeling of disappointment and frustration enveloped the entire audience.
"Star officer?" A gleam flashed in the eyes of the fat young man wearing a large robe, and he recognized the origin of the spell.
He tried hard to recall the portraits in his mind about the young generation of geniuses in Qintianjian, but he couldn't find any that matched the person in front of him.
So... he is just an ordinary star official, his courage is commendable... He commented in his heart.
When Ji Ping'an heard this, he glanced at him lightly and said nothing, but his eyes fell on a spot on the chessboard like a dragonfly, and he immediately stepped off the stage.
"In this battle, Molinke Bridge wins."
The referee was silent for a moment and announced solemnly.
Then he looked at the "King of Chess", but saw that Ke Qiao, who looked ordinary, had lost his proud smile. He stared at the chess board, recalling Ji Ping'an's glance before leaving, feeling a little surprised.
Is it a coincidence? Or am I overthinking it?
When Ji Ping'an was leaving, that seemingly ordinary glance pointed out the only chance for a comeback in the entire chess game.
It's a pity that Lian Congyun didn't grasp it, and time can't be turned back.
…
…
The setting sun sinks into the ground, and the sunset glows like fire in the sky.
The crowd of onlookers left the scene in a dull and depressed atmosphere, spreading the news of the defeat to the entire divine capital.
If losing in the two battles of "painting" and "sound" was normal, the defeat in the Go match became the last straw that overwhelmed the pride of Shendu people.
Imperial Palace, Imperial Study Room.
"What did you say? Lost all three games?"
After listening to the old eunuch's report, Emperor Yuan Qing, who had shiny black hair and a majestic temperament, suddenly darkened his face.
The guard at the door was as silent as a cicada.
Eunuch Deng bowed his head and responded: "Yes. This year's Mo Lin disciples are extremely talented, the most talented in history..."
Emperor Yuan Qing slapped the case and said angrily: "I don't want to hear this. The first two items are fine. Where is Lian Congyun? Bring him to see me."
Eunuch Deng had a grim look on his face: "Your Majesty. Lian Guo's soldier worked hard for several hours and was exhausted when he stepped down. Fortunately, a star officer came to rescue him, but he was also seriously exhausted and fell ill."
Emperor Yuan Qing listened silently to the report, and his anger subsided slightly. He sat back on the big yellow silk chair and frowned: "What did Mo Lin say?"
The old eunuch said: "I promised that I would continue to compete for three days. If no one accepts the challenge, I will stop."
"Provocation! This is provocation!" Emperor Yuan Qing's veins appeared on the back of his hands, and then he sighed, unable to do anything.
Martial arts has always been a continuation of the struggle between the sect and the court. Putting it on the table like this is the most honorable way.
Although the court can ask the great monks to come forward and suppress the other party, an unequal contest will bring disgrace to itself.
…
…
At night, Chang'an Street is brightly lit and still bustling, but there is an atmosphere of sadness permeating the restaurants and restaurants everywhere.
"No one of the three arenas can win, why is this so? Could it be that our Great Zhou Divine Capital really has no one?"
In the restaurant, a scholar was drinking wine, his eyes filled with tears, and he looked up to the sky and sighed.
Next to him, a martial artist who came from out of town started to slap the case:
"This Lao Shizi 'acting in martial arts' is really unfair. Why don't you compete with me and others? It's all shady!"
A middle-aged drinker said:
"Not to mention the other two, the only one I feel dissatisfied with is the match in the chess academy. The Molin chess player did not treat himself as a son of a man, and he bullied even the national players into old age. It was extremely shameless!"
"You're right."
"Oh, Mo Lin must have a guilty conscience and worry about losing, so he resorted to this dirty trick."
"When I passed by a gambling house, I only heard the gamblers cursing the national player for losing. However, the great national player has tried his best. It is not a crime of war."
A famous drinker joined the discussion. Some lamented, some cursed, and some were indignant.
But in the end, it all turned into a helpless sigh.
"But... I still lost."
In the corner of the restaurant, a brother and sister dressed as gangsters ate in silence.
Listening to the comments, the short girl in a dark red sarong couldn't help but say:
"Brother, do you think the imperial court will tolerate this?"
The brother she mentioned was a young man dressed as a young hero with a scar on his forehead. He put down the bowl and chopsticks and frowned:
"So what if I can't bear it? Unless there are some powerful cards to play."
An old servant came over and smiled:
"What the young master said is true. But I heard that Mo Lin will also compete for three days. Crouching tigers, hidden dragons in the divine capital city. Maybe someone will come forward."
The girl's eyes were filled with longing, could anyone really do it?
…
The post house where Mo Lin is located is a unique and elegant courtyard arranged by the Ministry of Rites.
At this moment, the courtyard was brightly lit, and a string of lanterns hung under the eaves, illuminating the courtyard in all directions.
A group of "painters" and "musicians" in Molin were in a good mood. They held a banquet to celebrate the victory, and everyone had a smile on their face.
In sharp contrast to the sad city of God.
"Ahem," halfway through the banquet, Gao Mingjing coughed lightly, attracting everyone's attention, and said with a smile:
"This year's martial arts performance is a big win. Chu Chen, Tong Jun, and Ke Qiao performed extremely well. However, there are still three days left to show off. Remember not to relax to avoid losing the good situation."
Qu Chuchen, who had a handsome appearance and a gentlemanly demeanor, said seriously:
"Master Gao's admonition is very true, we will remember it."
Zhong Tongjun, who was wearing a simple and elegant dress and had a strong bookish air, pursed his lips and smiled softly, saying:
"I am looking forward to having a stronger opponent. Although the palace musician today is magnificent, he may have been trapped in the palace and played for the emperor for too long. Although his skills are strong, he has lost his aura. It is really a pity."
Next to me, a disciple joked:
"In my opinion, the Zhou court has exhausted all its cards. Even if they send more people, they will only be weaker."
Amidst the laughter, Gao Mingjing suddenly remembered someone and said with emotion:
"I won't mention the musicians. But the painters...there are really people with great potential in the city of God."
Qu Chuchen's eyes lit up and he was very interested:
"It must be extraordinary to be valued by a master. I don't know who is waiting for you. Is there a chance to learn from each other?"
"He..." Gao Mingjing held the wine bottle, Ji Ping'an's figure faded in his mind, shook his head and sighed:
"It's fate, that's all. After all, it's just that his potential is amazing. In terms of achievements, he's still not as good as you, so there's no need to worry."
After finishing speaking, he glanced at the "chess king" who was wandering around the world with his head lowered beside the table, and said curiously:
"Ke Qiao, why are you so dull today? It's not your character."
The fat young man came back to his senses and smiled subconsciously: "I'm a little tired."
No one noticed the difference. Compared to the first two, playing chess indeed consumes more energy.
Gao Mingjing gave him a few words of encouragement and told him to have a good rest.
Ke Qiao saw that all the teachers and fellow disciples were very interested, but he hesitated and said nothing.
…
State religion, Jiyuan.
The moonlight broke through the clouds, casting the cold starlight down, reflecting on the floor outside the corridor like frost and snow.
The female headmaster of the Taoist sect sat cross-legged in front of the window, holding the penholder between her slender jade fingers, copying scriptures.
The gorgeous feather coat is draped, and the temperament is cold and dusty.
"Da da." The footsteps came closer and closer, and a figure pushed the door open and sat next to her without saying a word.
Xin Yaoguang's movements were not affected and he did not say a word. The two masters and apprentices, one large and one small, carried each other.
In the end, Yu Yu couldn't hold it back anymore, and with a small face like porcelain, he handed it over and said aggrievedly:
"Master, you don't even ask me what happened."
Because I know you can't help it... Xin Yaoguang thought to himself, said "Oh" and said:
"what happened?"
Yu Yu fell to the floor and said dullly: "It's about Mo Lin's martial arts performance. In the three arenas, all the people sent by the imperial court were wiped out."
Xin Yaoguang didn't care much: "Victory and defeat are common matters for military strategists. Why should monks like us care about it?"
Yu Yu's face was straight:
"I'm just unhappy. The gods are our Taoist sect's territory. At most, we will give Qin Tianjian a small half. If Mo Lin comes over to show off his power, the disciples will not be very happy."
Xin Yaoguang raised the corners of her mouth beautifully, pretending to be helpless and said:
"So you came to the master to complain? But as the master, I can't take action and use the big one to bully the small ones."
Why not? You can do it secretly, pretending to be a mortal or something... Yu Yu muttered in his heart, she didn't care whether she "bullied the younger ones", thought for a while, and suddenly said:
"I heard that during his lifetime, the National Preceptor loved playing with the world the most. He often pretended to be a mortal and wandered around, regardless of his status. The National Preceptor had to take care of even the fights between cats and dogs in the village.
"By the way, the music played by the musicians in today's competition was also composed by the National Master based on the previous ones. It doesn't look like a big shot."
Xin Yaoguang smiled gently and said: "That's why he is the Grand Master of the Zhou Dynasty. He is unique and unparalleled in the world."
She put down her pen, looked at the bright moon outside the window, and said with some nostalgia:
"The song you are talking about is probably "Time". I used to listen to the National Master play it when I was a teacher."
"Play?" Yu Yu caught the key word.
Xin Yaoguang said "grace" and said:
"The national teacher once verified that this song was played by Liyang Zhenren by the river in the past, and was written down by the singer in the lake. Later, it was composed into a qin music and circulated in the world. Over time, it was rumored to be a qin music. It seems that Liyang Zhenren spent most of his life. How can you practice with a Yaoqin when you are wandering around the world? A flute that is easy to carry is normal."
Yu Yu raised his head and looked at the bright moon outside the window. He listened to his master telling stories about the past and said with some fascination:
"I really want to hear how the imperial master plays."
…
Qinglian Xiaozhu.
Ji Ping'an lay on the wicker chair and looked at the bright moon in the sky quietly, as if he could witness the waxing and waning of the moon on the moon.
This world also has a moon, but unlike in my hometown, the bright moon here has no uneven black spots and is as perfect as a mirror.
"Master." Huang He pushed open the courtyard door and called out of habit.
Ji Ping'an didn't look at him, and still kept looking at the moon: "In a bad mood?"
"Yes." Huang He moved a bench and sat under the eaves and said:
"Everyone in the prison is talking about Mo Lin's martial arts performance, and many young disciples are very excited."
Both Taoism and Qin Tianjian regard Shendu as their own territory, and they share the same sentiments as Yu Yu.
It's natural to feel uncomfortable letting outsiders show off in front of your home.
After listening to Huang He's story, Ji Ping'an said:
"Didn't you say that we will wait for three days? Let's wait for the court's follow-up measures. Maybe we can make a comeback."
Huang He was dejected and without any confidence, he got up and went inside to boil the bath water.
The night wind of early summer blew through the small courtyard, and the large bush of black bamboo rustling on the side. Ji Ping'an lay there for a while and suddenly waved.
A straight and delicate bamboo snapped and handed itself into his hand.
Ji Ping'an casually picked up the carving knife and cut off both ends of the bamboo. As the blade flew, the bamboo became smooth and smooth, with a row of holes on the surface.
Like a rough, unfinished bamboo flute.
…
In the next two days, there were still frequent reports sent to Qintian Prison, and masters competed one after another, but without exception, they all came back defeated.
This disappointed many people who had hoped that the imperial court would have backup, and finally recognized the fact that the martial arts exercise had failed.
The third day, noon.
Liang Yi Hall.
When Ji Ping'an closed his book, ended today's class, and stood up to leave, he was stopped by a talented girl ranked second only to Luo Huaizhu on the Heavenly Ranking.
Lin Qin's eyebrows were curved, looking like a good student: "Would you like to go to the canteen together?"
Ji Ping'an glanced at her unexpectedly, thinking that this court was really not up to par, so he had no choice but to bully the children as an old man.
There is only half a day left, so don’t waste it.
He could only shake his head and said, "I have something to do today."
(End of chapter)
