Pei Zhi's gaze was too direct; it had been many years since Emperor Xiao had been looked at so directly.

Emperor Xiao coughed twice, interrupting Pei Zhi's blunt inquiry.

Pei Zhi asked, "May I ask what brings you here, sir?"

Just as Emperor Xiao was about to pick up his teacup to drink, the word "Uncle" startled him, leaving him frozen in place.

Emperor Xiao frowned and looked at Pei Zhi: "Uncle?"

Was that "old man" being called to him?

"Then how about I address you as 'Old Sir'?"

Emperor Xiao was the emperor, and no one dared to mention the word "old" in front of him.

Seeing that Emperor Xiao remained silent, Pei Zhi assumed that Emperor Xiao was still not satisfied with the title.

"Then should I call you old man?"

The palace servant standing nearby couldn't stand it any longer, "How dare you!"

Pei Zhi waved his hand, signaling the palace servants to leave.

"Just call me sir."

Of the three titles, this is the only one that's barely acceptable.

Pei Zhi readily agreed, saying, "Sir, we are complete strangers. May I ask what brings you here?"

Emperor Xiao naturally couldn't reveal his purpose right away.

"I heard you're Mr. Yuan's student?"

Pei Zhi humbly replied, "I am a student who has only recently started studying this field; I cannot be considered a disciple of Master Yuan."

"I...perfect timing. I'm quite knowledgeable about chess. How about we play a couple of games?"

Pei Zhi flattered, "Old sir, you are clearly a master of chess. I'm afraid my daughter is no match for you."

Emperor Xiao was somewhat smug from the flattery, "Hey, it's just for fun, don't take it seriously."

“Alright then.” Pei Zhi nodded in agreement and was about to have the servants prepare the chessboard.

Emperor Xiao waved his hand, and the servants behind him took out a box and placed it on the table.

Pei Zhi took the damp towel handed to her by a servant, wiped her hands, and sat down facing Emperor Xiao.

Before Emperor Xiao arrived, he had naturally inquired about the girl Pei Zhi.

He was nominally Mr. Yuan's student, but in reality, he was just a student in name only.

Emperor Xiao was initially nonchalant and even intended to show mercy.

To avoid going too far and making the girl cry, Xiao Chengci, that unfilial son, would probably blame him later.

After making a few moves, Emperor Xiao's expression gradually became serious. Then, with his next move, he frequently looked up at Pei Zhi.

Pei Zhi rested her chin on one hand and casually held a chess piece in the other, playing chess as if it were a game.

Emperor Xiao held a chess piece in his hand, already hesitant.

After that, Emperor Xiao made every move extremely slowly.

Emperor Xiao stared at the chess pieces on the board, and finally dropped the piece in his hand.

"I lost this round, let's play another round."

Emperor Xiao was convinced that he had gone too far in the beginning, which was why a little girl could easily defeat him.

Pei Zhi chimed in, "The old gentleman must have been careless at first. Let's play another round."

Emperor Xiao felt much more at ease, and the palace servants beside him quickly came forward to pick the chess pieces back into the box.

In the second round, Emperor Xiao did not let Pei Zhi go first, but instead used a coin toss.

Emperor Xiao guessed correctly; he went first.

From the start of this round, Emperor Xiao became much more cautious, and his expression was also very solemn.

Pei Zhi still had that indifferent expression. After Emperor Xiao pondered for a long time and placed a piece, Pei Zhi immediately followed suit and put down her piece.

From the very first game, Pei Zhi could tell Xiao Di's skill level.

Considered to be of above-average skill, Pei Zhi figured out Xiao Di's strategy in the first game, and made his moves even more skillfully in the second game.

After less than fifty moves, Emperor Xiao put down his chess piece.

Emperor Xiao murmured, "I've lost again?"

Emperor Xiao looked at Pei Zhi in disbelief. How could this girl be considered a mere amateur?

Pei Zhi thoughtfully found an excuse for Xiao Di, "Sir, you may not have found your rhythm in the second game yet. How about we play another game?"

Emperor Xiao felt inexplicably humiliated by a little girl.

Emperor Xiao refused to believe it either. He simply couldn't believe that he would be so disrespectful to a mere maid.

A new game was started, and this time the guessing game was not used; Emperor Xiao was allowed to make the first move.

In this game, before thirty moves had passed, Emperor Xiao was already finding it difficult to make any progress.

After Emperor Xiao pondered for a long time, Pei Zhi took the initiative to speak, "Old sir, should we change our strategy?"

"What are you saying?" Emperor Xiao was displeased. "I... really, do I look like someone with such poor sportsmanship?"

Pei Zhi had just been waiting for too long and was starting to get impatient.

After Emperor Xiao made a move, Pei Zhi immediately made a checkmate move, and Emperor Xiao lost again.

Emperor Xiao sullenly tossed the chess pieces into the box, his face showing signs of defeat.

Emperor Xiao was the emperor, and no one had ever dared to beat him three times in a row.

Moreover, the pace of each game is getting faster and faster.

What's even more infuriating is that the little girl's relaxed expression made Emperor Xiao feel even more uncomfortable.

This girl, how come she doesn't know how to respect her elders at all?

Pei Zhi picked up the chess pieces and asked Emperor Xiao, "Shall we continue?"

"I'm not playing anymore. I wasn't in good form today, which is why I lost to you, you little girl."

Pei Zhi nodded knowingly, "I think so too. After all, my chess skills have been scolded by my teacher, and I know absolutely nothing about it."

Emperor Xiao's expression turned even more grim.

Emperor Xiao ordered the palace servants to put away the chessboard: "Besides chess, what else do you know?"

Pei Zhi shook her head: "My daughter knows nothing about anything else."

Emperor Xiao gets a headache whenever he hears the phrase "completely ignorant".

"Have you read any books?"

I've skimmed through it.

Emperor Xiao pressed further, "Do you know any musical instruments?"

I know a little bit about it.

How's your calligraphy?

"I have a slight understanding of it."

Emperor Xiao refused to believe it and waved his hand. Immediately, palace servants prepared writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

"Then write down these four characters, 'River Gate and Sea Mouth,' and give them to...me." Emperor Xiao paused, "so I can admire them."

Pei Zhi asked, somewhat rudely, "Old sir, who are you?"

"They came to my house, wanting to play chess with me and test my knowledge."

Since Emperor Xiao was traveling incognito, Pei Zhi did not intend to be polite.

If she doesn't confront him now, she won't be able to speak up once she finds out Xiao Di's identity.

"You still want me to write? What's wrong with that? You think I'm beautiful and want to test my knowledge? You want to find me a husband?"

Pei Zhi shrugged. "That's unfortunate, I already have a husband."

"You...you." No one had ever dared to defy Emperor Xiao's opinion.

Emperor Xiao always spoke to everyone in a commanding tone.

Pei Zhi originally intended to give Emperor Xiao some face.

As a result, Emperor Xiao directly ordered Pei Zhi to write down the four characters: "River Gate and Sea Mouth".

Isn't this just mocking Pei Zhi for bragging? Pei Zhi didn't bother pretending to be polite anymore.

After finishing her retort, Pei Zhi walked to the table, picked up a calligraphy brush, and dipped it in ink.

On the paper laid out by the palace servants, he swung his arm and wrote four large characters.

After Pei Zhi finished writing, a palace maid came over and read it aloud, word by word: "Drooling words."

The palace maid angrily rebuked Pei Zhi: "How dare you!"