The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 1150 - 623: Defeating the Female Chess Player, Treasure of the Former Dynasty (Part 2)

Chapter 1150: Chapter 623: Defeating the Female Chess Player, Treasure of the Former Dynasty (Part 2)

As both sides reached the middle of the game, Zhao Douan calmly said, "You’ve lost."

Princess Chen remained silent, her eyes filled with astonishment as she looked at this mysterious and powerful man, realizing that his chess skill was the best she had ever seen.

She bit her lip, gazing at the sun outside the chess house and said, "Let’s have another round."

Zhao Douan nodded, "Alright, but according to the rules of the chess society, the loser has to pay, right?"

The Princess did not hesitate. She took a golden leaf from the purse at her waist and slid it toward Zhao Douan.

The second game began.

This time, Princess Chen didn’t dare to be the least bit careless. She proceeded cautiously, her demeanor incredibly focused, as if the chessboard was a matter of life and death. Zhao Douan, however, remained calm and casual. This time, before reaching the middle of the game, the Princess admitted defeat and offered a second golden leaf.

Then the third game began...

Initially, the guests in the chess society were merely curious about the identities of both players, so some looked over with curiosity. But as the first few games progressed, the chess players inside were completely drawn by their duel, attracting an increasing audience.

Gradually, the two players battling in the hall were no longer receiving any attention. All the chess players in the society became spectators, and some enthusiastic individuals even transcribed the match, evoking waves of exclamations from the crowd.

Yet, the male and female chess players engrossed in the match seemed entirely oblivious.

The reddish sunset pouring in through the slanted windows outside the chess society gradually sank beneath the horizon, piling up the golden leaves by Zhao Douan’s hand.

When Princess Chen lost the tenth game, Zhao Douan calmly stood up, dusted off the hem of his robe, and yawned, "Let’s leave it at that for today."

At this moment, Princess Chen no longer maintained her composure, like a gambler on a losing streak, the civet cat from her lap having long been discarded to the floor, her gown and back soaked, with beads of sweat on her nose. At his words, she swayed, the chess piece falling from her fingertips, nervously glancing at the setting sun outside, "There...there’s still time...I still..."

"I said that’s enough." Zhao Douan turned and walked out, leaving her his tall silhouette.

"Then..." Princess Chen truly felt a bit flustered. From what she knew, Yama Zhao was capable of anything.

The thought of today’s probing, likely backfiring disastrously, caused a rare spark of fear in the heart of this female chess master who considered her strategic mind on par with the top figures at court.

"Since Prince Chen is ill, he should recuperate well." Zhao Douan tossed out the remark and walked away.

Upon hearing this, the noblewoman let out a long exhale, her tension easing, and fatigue overwhelming her. The exhaustion of playing ten games relentlessly clouded her vision, causing her startled attendant to rush forward to support her, "Madam... madam..."

The Empress stood up, collected all the golden leaves from the table and tucked them into her sleeve before following him out. From beginning to end, the Empress did not utter a single word.

All that was left was a chaotic chess society.

...

...

In the alleys bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Xu Zhenguan caught up to Zhao Douan, a grin on his lips, "What do you think of Princess Chen’s demeanor? Was playing with her entertaining?"

Zhao Douan inexplicably felt a chill down his spine, his previously composed and grand chess master image crumbling, bemusedly saying, "What demeanor? I have face blindness, can’t tell beauty from ugliness."

The Empress: "..."

Zhao Douan righteously replied, "This Princess Chen has some cleverness, but she still exposed her timidity. She wanted to probe and contact us, but after being nurtured in the mansion for so many years, even if she controls Prince Chen as a puppet and can mobilize the Marine Road, she hasn’t undergone the real bloody grind of the court and battlefield. No matter how shrewd she seems, she has flaws everywhere."

The Empress, her face stern, replied, "Oh? What did you observe?"

Zhao Douan paused in thought, "Now I suspect that crowd from Zuo Tang might not have been orchestrated by Qingshan. Before, I thought, like Your Majesty, that it was Prince Jing sowing discord, but after meeting this Princess today, I doubt it. Perhaps Princess Chen, thinking herself clever, orchestrated this play, deliberately leading us to such assumptions, causing us to fight with Prince Chen’s Mansion stuck between them to avoid disaster. However, she was too impatient, perhaps fearing we wouldn’t see through this level, thus hastily directing disaster toward the east, only for cleverness to instead reveal its genius."

Is that so? This woman stage-managing her own drama? With the goal of driving a wedge between tiger and wolf? ... Xu Zhenguan suddenly understood.

Zhao Douan sincerely praised, "Of course, I know Your Majesty had already seen through this layer, just chose not to expose it. It only seems now that I talk too much."

"..." Xu Zhenguan maintained his composure, nodding slightly, "It’s good that you understand."

The sovereign and his minister fell into momentary silence.

Continuing their quiet walk.

After a while, breaking through the bustling street, Zhao Douan quietly asked, "Is anyone still following us?"

The fact Princess Chen could locate them accurately indicated numerous spies on Daluo Island.

The Empress calmly replied, "Yes. But they are quite distant. We can lose them after ascending the mountain."

The pair had not forgotten that their venture was to retrieve Master Gu Huo’s treasure.

At that moment, they raised their heads, finding a carved mountain path leading straight up. Yutou Mountain had arrived.

...

As the monarch and his minister ascended Yutou Mountain, the sun completely extinguished, and darkness swelled.

Along this mountain path, every few hundred meters, lights would unexpectedly illuminate. Clearly, Yutou Mountain was considered a local ’sight’ with dedicated upkeep.

Indeed, despite the night, a few tourists were still present on the mountain.

But the further the gray wolf and the fox climbed, the fewer people they encountered.

"Almost there." Zhao Douan softly remarked.

The Empress responded with an "En" before subtly moving her sleeve-hidden hand. Instantly, the two spies secretly trailing them far behind gasped their last breath, collapsing weakly.

The Empress retracted her hand, saying calmly, "The spies are off our tail."

So quickly? Truly the work of a Heavenly Human? Zhao Douan was immensely envious.

At once, he pointed a direction, and the Empress swiftly grabbed him. Abandoning any pretense, they flew over directly, descending on a hill resembling a burial mound, and in the darkness, slipped into a dense forest.

In the dark, thick forest, Zhao Douan frowned, "This should be it, but I can’t find the entrance. Perhaps it’s hidden with some spell."

Xu Zhenguan, hearing this, calmly pressed two fingers together, lightly touching his brow center.

"Buzz!"

At the Empress’s brow center, an imprint of a Jade Seal glowed, a surge of Divine Thought expanding in all directions.

Soon, fog rose in the forest, revealing an originally invisible arch. Behind the arch, the ground split open, forming a passageway.

"Let’s go in." Xu Zhenguan commanded in a domineering voice, leading Zhao Douan inside.

All along, every defensive array was forcefully dismantled by her.

Soon, the two steadily descended the passageway, pushing open a stone door. In the darkness, light suddenly appeared as the Luminous Pearls embedded in the stone walls lit up.

The view widened dramatically.

To their surprise, it was a natural cave within the mountain’s belly, renovated, with Lighting Pearls around the walls.

There were simple stone beds, stone tables, and shelves, along with several large chests piled in the corner.

"Bang." The Empress with a palm at a distance pushed open the chests sealed with restrictions, bursting forth with dazzling treasure light!

"This is..." Zhao Douan exclaimed joyfully, "It’s the Magic Artifacts! So many Magic Artifacts..."

Inside the chests were at least several hundred varying Magic Artifacts, though many appeared ancient, like old creations.

"Weapons and armor as well..." Zhao Douan was further astonished to discover a kind of weapon with array patterns inscribed from another chest.

"The warrior weapons also have array patterns. This integration style of Magic Artifacts and weapons was popular in the previous dynasty of the Great Qi Dynasty."

Zhao Douan picked up an Ancient Sword, its blade without a trace of rust, reflecting a cold gleam. The sharp edge mirrored his eyes.

"Also very well preserved..." Zhao Douan remarked in surprise, "Where did Master Gu Huo find these?"

The Empress also lifted a pure black chain armor, silently, before saying, "This must be resources left from the previous dynasty back then. Do you remember, historical records mention that six hundred years ago, before the previous dynasty collapsed, the Imperial Family of Qi Country evacuated with large amounts of supplies, and it’s even recorded, suggesting a special army transferred immense amounts of rare treasures from the Imperial Palace..."

Zhao Douan nodded, saying, "I know, it’s said that the troop supposedly entered the Southwest Territory."

He recalled that Yu Xiu had once ventured into the Liao Clan’s domain seeking treasure.

"So, Master Gu Huo somehow found those ancient items..."

Zhao Douan marveled.

At this point, the Empress arrived at a shelf, lifting the lid of a delicately crafted box, exclaiming in surprise, "Oh, it actually has this!"