Chapter 60 The Victory is Decided

Yu Qinghuan watched Mu Huaian place the black piece on the chessboard, and Xie Zhili followed suit with the white piece.

She couldn't quite understand it, but could barely see that the situation was originally evenly matched, but now the black pieces were surrounded by the white pieces and were about to face a crushing defeat.

Mu Huaian pressed his fingertips firmly against the edge of the chess pot, his white jade mask gleaming coldly in the sunlight. Yu Qinghuan could clearly see the bulging veins on the back of his hands, wondering what he was trying to restrain.

Xie Zhili rubbed the chess pieces with his fingertips. "I've heard before that Brother Mu often played against my eldest brother and that his chess skills were superb. But after seeing him today, I realized he's just so-so."

After saying that, he placed the chess piece in the position he had already marked, blocking Mu Huaian's way of survival.

Xiao Jinghe leaned over to observe the chess game and smiled, "It seems the outcome is already decided."

He had played chess with Xie Zhili, and Xie Zhili's chess skills were indeed superb, and they often tied.

If Xie Zhili lost to Mu Huaian today, he would also lose.

Seeing that Mu Huaian was hesitant to make a move, Xie Zhili let out a very light sneer. He just wanted Yu Qinghuan to see clearly that Mu Huaian was just a name in name only and was not as good as himself from head to toe. How could such a person be compared with himself?

But when he looked at Yu Qinghuan with confidence, he saw Yu Qinghuan staring at Mu Huaian with a worried look on his face.

She had never looked at him with such eyes, not even at Xie Zhiwen before.

Xie Zhili's fingers that were hanging on the chessboard suddenly tightened, and his fingertips left deep red blood marks on his palm.

What on earth is there about Mu Huaian that is worthy of her concern...

In fact, Yu Qinghuan didn't care about the chess game at all. She was just a little worried about Mu Huaian's health when the cold wind blew past. After all, his high fever had just subsided yesterday. Could his body withstand sitting here in the cold wind today?

Xie Zhili on the opposite side had a gloomy look that almost wanted to kill him, but Mu Huaian only looked at Yu Qinghuan.

Neither of them spoke. The moment their eyes met, a cold wind howled in the courtyard, but Mu Huaian could not hear a word. He just saw from Yu Qinghuan's eyes that she was worried about him.

The emotions that had just surged in him were being silently soothed.

Mu Huaian's eyes regained their composure, and he loosened his grip on the chess pot. Under the gaze of everyone, he calmly placed the black piece.

Xiao Jinghe was the first to react, because Mu Huaian was retreating everywhere and Xie Zhili was pressing him step by step. Everyone thought that Mu Huaian was bound to lose, but no one noticed that there was a double active eye position hidden on the chessboard that was ignored by everyone.

As soon as the black piece landed, the situation of being besieged was instantly reversed, and the white piece was trapped in a vortex of continuous struggles.

The two men fought against each other, the black pieces approached, and the white pieces lost ground one after another.

At this moment, Xiao Jinghe's eyes looking at Mu Huaian changed completely. Xie Zhili was definitely not this man's opponent.

It was true that the nephew resembled his uncle. He saw some of Cheng Gongjin's shadow in Mu Huaian. This calmness alone was enough to make Xie Zhili lose his composure.

Mu Huaian won this round.

Xie Zhili's hand holding the white piece was suspended in mid-air, his knuckles tense, and there was no piece left to place.

"Thank you." Mu Huaian said calmly, as if Xie Zhili had not been able to arouse any emotional fluctuations in him from beginning to end.

Xie Zhili stared at the chessboard and caught a glimpse of Mu Huaian's calm and indifferent eyes looking at him, as if he was mocking his previous provocation.

Even so, what's the harm?

After entering the Xie family, she, Yu Qinghuan, will be a member of the Xie family for the rest of her life, and even after her death, she will be buried in the Xie family's tomb.

He ignored Mu Huaian, threw the chess piece back into the chess pot, and looked at Xiao Jinghe, "Your Highness, it's getting late. It's time to return to the capital."

Xiao Jinghe stood up with a smile and looked at Mu Huaian, "There will be a plum blossom viewing banquet in the palace in a few days. Huaian, you must come. I am also looking forward to learning from you."

Mu Huaian stood up and bowed to see him off.

When Xiao Jinghe left, he glanced at Yu Qinghuan, his smile faded slightly, his eyes full of displeasure, and he asked her to give him an explanation for lying last night.

Yu Qinghuan could only smile dryly, and burned some paper money for himself in his heart. He should have a fortune-telling before going out today.

When Xie Zhili stood up, he saw that Yu Qinghuan had no intention of leaving. The expression on his face almost cracked, "You're not going back?"

Mu Huaian also looked at Yu Qinghuan. He was calm just now, but now, his hands under his sleeves unconsciously clenched into fists. He desperately hoped that Yu Qinghuan would not follow him.

Yu Qinghuan lowered her eyes to avoid Xie Zhili's angry gaze, "I have something else to do, so I won't be going with you."

If he followed him out at this time, he would not only have to face Xie Zhili, the madman, but also Xiao Jinghe's questioning. He would have to be crazy to follow him.

Xie Zhili's knuckles made a subtle creaking sound, and a soft sigh escaped from his throat. "I think Brother Mu has not forgotten the friendship we once had with my brother. Farewell."

Mu Huaian pursed his thin lips under the mask, and heard the warning in Xie Zhili's words: a friend's wife should not be bullied.

...

After the two left, the yard returned to peace and only the sound of the wind could be heard.

Yu Qinghuan then looked at Mu Huaian and said with concern, "You're feeling better now. Don't be exposed to the wind outside. Come inside quickly."

Mu Huaian stared at the wound on her lip, and his heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, the pain was so severe that he could hardly breathe.

After a while, he nodded slightly, "Yeah."

The two of them entered the house one after another. The brazier in the house kept Yu Qinghuan warm. Xiao Wu quickly served her hot tea and closed the door slightly when he left.

Yu Qinghuan then looked at Mu Huaian and asked the question in his heart, "Why did they come to see you today?"

Facing Yu Qinghuan, Mu Huaian didn't want to hide anything and said truthfully, "Ask about my teacher."

Yu Qinghuan looked puzzled. Mu Huaian’s teacher?

Knowing that Yu Qinghuan knew nothing about the situation in the court, Mu Huaian explained, "The Crown Prince and Prince Rui are vying for power. My teacher is deeply trusted by His Majesty, and the Crown Prince wants to win him over. That's why he came here to find out what my teacher means from me."

Yu Qinghuan immediately understood.

She opened the food box she brought and took out the chicken soup. Feeling that the soup bowl was still warm, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I brought you some nourishing soup. Fortunately, it's still warm. Come and try it."

She scooped the soup into a bowl and handed it to Mu Huaian.

Mu Huaian didn't take the bowl of soup. His eyes were fixed on the wound on her lip. His Adam's apple rolled, and he couldn't help asking, "What happened to your injury?"

Yu Qinghuan's fingertips trembled, and the porcelain spoon made a crisp sound when it hit the edge of the bowl. She felt inexplicably nervous.

She laughed dryly to hide her panic, "Of course I accidentally bit it while eating."

Mu Huaian didn't believe it at all. Xie Zhili's provocative words were still ringing in his ears. His throat seemed to be blocked by cotton and he spoke in a nearly hoarse voice: "Is it Xie Zhili?"

Yu Qinghuan suddenly looked up, and her astonished eyes met Mu Huaian's eyes, which were filled with dark currents beneath his mask.