"Why are you being so modest? You're a recognized talented woman. Haha~" Master Ji stroked his goatee and laughed.
Although Master Ai didn't say anything, his tacit nod showed that he definitely agreed with the statement. An Ke then stopped refusing and simply chuckled a few times.
Then, as if he hadn't thought to ask Ziwei, the master looked up at the sky, feeling that it was getting late, and waved his hand. "Let's go, let's set off early."
“Yes, it’s getting dark, we should find a place to stay as soon as possible,” Master Ji agreed from the side.
Qing'er and An Ke exchanged a glance, saying nothing, yet it seemed as if they had said everything.
Yongqi listened to what his master and Master Ji said and found it quite reasonable. As darkness fell, it was time to find a place to stay.
Since the master has said so, how could the rest of the people object? Ah, there was this unexpected turn of events…
Xiao Yanzi, standing to the side, felt indignant on Ziwei's behalf and said angrily, "Master, you should listen to Ziwei too!"
Upon hearing Xiao Yanzi's words, the master paused, his expression showing displeasure, and his voice slightly cold, "It's getting late, we should hurry on our way." He then turned and, without even glancing at Xiao Yanzi and the frozen Ziwei, quickly moved towards the carriage with An'an and Qing'er.
An Ke lowered her head, concealing the emotions within her eyes. What did her uncle mean by this? Was he avenging her? Or...?
By the time An Ke realized what was happening, she was already sitting in the carriage. Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei only hesitated for a moment before quickly heading towards the carriage as well.
However, the atmosphere in the carriage was not as pleasant as when they first left. Ziwei stood to the side with her head bowed, exuding an air of dejection. Even Xiaoyanzi, usually so talkative, was unusually quiet. Since being brought to the palace by the Empress Dowager, Qing'er had only stayed in the Imperial Palace and Mount Wutai. Since leaving the palace, Qing'er had been in a good mood, and now she was also peeking through a corner of the curtain at the scenery outside. At this moment, the setting sun and evening glow were breathtaking, the vibrant colors painting the sky like a beautiful scroll.
An Ke leaned back in the soft chair, closing her eyes to rest, while the old man observed everyone's expressions with great interest. Every now and then, he would glance out the window.
The carriage was so quiet that you could hear your own heartbeat clearly.
At this moment, the master broke the atmosphere, "Qing'er." Upon hearing her grandfather's call, Qing'er turned her head and said, "Yes, Master."
The old man smiled and said, "The scenery outside is delightful, especially the sunset and evening glow, it's truly captivating!"
Qing'er naturally understood the master's unspoken meaning. "Yes, it is breathtakingly beautiful. Qing'er has truly experienced the meaning of Li Shangyin's words: 'The sunset is infinitely beautiful, but it is near dusk.'"
At this moment, An Ke opened her bright, star-like eyes and parted her red lips slightly, "Sister Qing, your poem is a bit too melancholic." However, An Ke could understand.
Qing'er turned her head and met An Ke's eyes, smiled helplessly, and remained silent.
"Oh, then what do you think An'an should do?" Master Ai looked at An'an with a leisurely air.
Anke gently lifted the curtain, gazing at the magnificent sunset. "At dusk, the water chestnuts sing, the wind and smoke fill the setting sun."
The master nodded noncommittally. Upon hearing that there was a sunset outside, Little Swallow immediately poked her head out. Even the slow-witted Little Swallow exclaimed, "Wow, what a beautiful sunset! It's even more beautiful than the one in the palace!"
Ziwei was not in a good mood at first, but when she heard the master talking about poetry again, she also peeked out and silently recited a line: "The setting sun connects with the accumulated water, and the border colors fill the autumn sky."
Little Swallow was getting a headache from the chatter of the people in the carriage. "Master, didn't you finish talking at the temple? Why are you still discussing these poems and lyrics in the carriage? I can't understand a word, and I can't even get a word in edgewise." Little Swallow pouted, looking a little aggrieved.
Master Ai, who had been listening to Ziwei's poem, nodded at her. Hearing Xiaoyanzi's words, he smiled and said, "You should pay attention at school, learn more from Xiaolan, and don't let them make fun of you. I believe it won't be long before you understand." Master Ai said humorously.
"Huh?" Little Swallow was so shocked that she couldn't speak. She didn't dare to interrupt now, for fear that after the master got off the carriage, he would instruct Master Ji to "take care" of her more in the school.
Ziwei had only recited that line of poetry on a whim, but when she saw the master nod at her, she immediately forgot the unpleasantness she had just experienced at Longshan Temple. She then began to diligently serve the master again, refilling his tea.
Looking at the itinerary outside, Master Ai knew that they wouldn't be able to reach their destination anytime soon. So, he took out a chessboard from a hidden drawer next to the carriage.
With great interest, he said to Anke, "An'an, come and play a game with your uncle."
Anke was also feeling a bit bored, so she readily agreed. "Okay, but just playing chess can be a bit boring. How about we make a bet?" With such a good opportunity, Anke would feel like she was missing out if she didn't take advantage of the royal uncle.
"Hahaha, have you set your sights on something again? Using chess as an excuse to subtly ask me for something?" The Emperor is indeed cunning and shrewd; he saw through An Ke's little scheme at a glance.
"This isn't a pretense of playing chess; Uncle clearly invited Anke to play. Besides, Uncle might not even lose," Anke said angrily, arms crossed. He was the one who invited her to play, so how could he be blaming her?
"Alright, alright, tell me, what have you taken a fancy to this time?" Master Ai opened his folding fan and lightly fanned himself. He wondered what this girl had set her sights on. Last time, his precious black inkstone had only been in his possession for a few days before this girl had snatched it away. He wondered what kind of treasure could catch his niece's eye. He hoped it wasn't the clock he had just acquired.
"I heard that Uncle recently acquired a magnolia-patterned jade vase. Why don't we use it as a prize?" An Ke thought of the jade vase she had seen in her uncle's private treasury and immediately felt a strong liking for it. Unfortunately, she was stopped by Xiao Luzi back then and couldn't get it. Today, she was determined to seize that item.
Upon hearing this, Master Ai breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn't a clock presented as tribute from a foreign country, he was willing to give his niece anything. "Alright, then what will An'an offer as a prize?" the master asked, amused.
"Whatever Uncle likes, An'an will give him in exchange." Anyway, everything she had was either a gift from him, or a gift from her aunt or grandmother. It was just that it went through a cycle in her hands and then returned to the Emperor's hands.
"Hmm, I heard that An'an has recently acquired a music box. How about we use the music box as a prize?"
"Music box? Which music box is Uncle talking about?" Anke was a little confused. Over the years, her father had given her at least five music boxes, if not seven.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor immediately became interested. "Oh, does An'an have many music boxes?"
“My father even had two sent over last year.” Anke’s expression was slightly helpless. She had only liked music boxes when she was little, but her father seemed to assume that she had always liked music boxes. One or two were still considered treasures, but more than that made them seem less precious.
"Then I'll have to choose another one." The Emperor thought that if he switched, wouldn't he be at a disadvantage? Suddenly, the image of his younger brother showing off the sachet his daughter had embroidered for him flashed through his mind. He had been quite envious back then. An idea struck him: "If An'an loses, she can embroider a sachet for her uncle. It should be prettier than your father's."
Upon hearing this, An Ke was both amused and exasperated. So, her uncle was jealous of her father? However, considering her father's character, it wasn't surprising. Her father was known for showing off his creations everywhere.
For example: Ama's shadow guard Qingyi: Master, those people in the shadows have all been dealt with.
Father: Really? How did you know my daughter embroidered a sachet for me? Isn't it beautiful?
Qingyi's lips twitched slightly: Beautiful, the princess's embroidery is beautiful. (Qingyi: Who understands? Being exploited at work is bad enough, but I also have to coax the boss?_?)
…
Even when attending court, he didn't forget to show off.
Lord Li: Greetings to Your Highness, may Your Highness be blessed.
Prince Rui: "Lord Li, please rise." He even personally helped the man up. This completely stunned Lord Li. Then, he deliberately lifted his outer robe.
Prince Rui: Lord Li, do you notice anything different about me today?
Lord Li racked his brains trying to flatter the prince: "The prince seems to be in a very good mood today, and is very approachable."
Prince Rui: Take another look, take a closer look! (￣▽￣)
Lord Li was sweating as he thought: The prince seemed exceptionally brave and handsome today.
Prince Rui didn't suppress his desire to show off: "I knew it! Lord Li spotted my sachet at a glance. This sachet makes me look exceptionally handsome."
Lord Li then realized what he should boast about: "Yes, Your Highness, there's something special about this sachet."
Prince Rui said smugly and with a hint of arrogance: "What a pity, Lord Li won't get this sachet. My daughter sewed it for me herself. She insisted that I wear it day and night, and it's filled with calming lilies."
Lord Li: The princess is intelligent and kind-hearted, beyond my reach.
After listening to Lord Li's flattery, Prince Rui was satisfied and swaggered towards the court.
Knowing her father's character, Anke had no doubt that her father must have boasted about him to her uncle.
Anke helplessly covered her face, wondering what it felt like to have such a childish father.
Anke: Where's a crack in the ground? Let me crawl into it for a bit. ???
"Alright, then a promise is a promise." It's just a sachet, isn't it? Even if Uncle loses this round and returns to the palace, An Ke can immediately arrange to send one over.
The Emperor was delighted and set out a chessboard. The Emperor held the black pieces, and An'an held the white pieces.
The two then began playing chess, taking turns. The master knew Anke was highly skilled, and didn't hold back. His deep eyes were fixed intently on every detail of the chessboard.
An Ke dared not slack off and put aside all her thoughts. She played the game of chess with undivided concentration, appearing exceptionally serious.
At this moment, a cool breeze gently blew outside the carriage, and the cool breeze was transmitted into the hot carriage.
As if a gentle breeze had been sent through the tense situation, An Ke's eyes flickered, and a confident smile appeared on her lips. She moved the chess pieces rapidly in her hands.
As the game progressed, more and more white pieces appeared on the board. The master's expression grew increasingly solemn. Qing'er, standing to the side, was also completely absorbed in the game. Ziwei seemed lost in thought, while Xiaoyanzi watched intently.
According to the show, Xiao Yanzi was quite obsessed with playing chess. She often dragged all sorts of people to play chess with her, even though she wasn't very good at it.
While playing chess, the Emperor looked up at An Ke, who was confident of victory, his eyes filled with satisfaction.
With the final move of Anke, the situation on the board became quite clear. Black's pieces were steadily losing ground, while White pressed their advantage. Black had no way to escape and was doomed to defeat.
Master Ai was completely convinced, "An'an's chess moves were extremely clever. Your uncle fell into your trap without even realizing it. You've won this game."
"Best of three games, and Uncle is already convinced? That's not like Uncle at all." Although he won, An Ke had put a lot of effort into the game, keeping a close eye on everything around him.
Master Ai was instantly spurred on by the "reverse psychology." "Continue!"
Then, the second set began.
Black immediately began to heavily pressure White, who deliberately exposed weaknesses to lure White deeper. White then encircled and broke through White's defenses one by one. Clearly, the second game was far more exciting than the first. Initially, Black dominated White from all sides, but White unexpectedly turned the tide in an instant.
The game on the chessboard was incredibly dynamic and unpredictable. In the end, it ended with a victory for White.
"Uncle, you flatter me." An Ke smiled and cupped his hands in greeting. He couldn't be too proud, after all, he was taking something from his uncle's private treasury. Just imagine how heartbroken he would be if someone else took his treasures from his own private treasury—it would be like his heart was bleeding.
His Majesty: Take what you like, just don't touch my clock. Take whatever you want!
(P.S.: Anke Gaga loves money. Her favorite saying is: Money, money, money from all directions!)
"This is truly the most exciting chess game I've ever seen," Qing'er couldn't help but exclaim. While watching, she had been completely focused, holding her breath and concentrating intently, afraid of making the slightest noise that might disturb the two players.
"Alright, I'll have Li Yu deliver that magnolia-shaped jade vase to you after we get back to the palace." Although Master Ai had lost two games in a row, he was in a good mood. He didn't care about this small amount of money at all, and simply gave it away with a wave of his hand!
“Then I’ll have to ask Eunuch Li Yu for it when I get back. I wanted to take it last time, but Eunuch Xiao Lu said he needed your permission to give it to me. How could I make things difficult for Xiao Lu? So, I’m asking you for it today.” An Ke said with a smug look on her face.
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