Xiangguo Temple
Inside the meditation room, two figures sat in front of a chessboard, playing chess. There were already quite a few chess pieces in the chess box next to them, and at first glance, the black pieces seemed to have a slight advantage.
"You seem to have quite the patience to play chess today," Abbot Faming said, looking up at the person sitting opposite him.
She was dressed in black, her long, dark hair tied up. She stared at the situation on the chessboard, toying with the white pieces in her hand.
This person was Xie Sili.
“I’ve always been patient,” Xie Sili said, placing a white piece on the chessboard. “I’ve waited so many years, what’s a year or two more?”
“Ah Li, the malevolent aura around you is too strong, which is not a good thing.” Fa Ming said, putting down the black piece in his hand and sighing, “It will also affect your own destiny.”
"Oh," Xie Sili said casually, "Then you're wrong. The thing I believe in least is fate."
As she spoke, she placed the white piece in her hand again. "He is my father. I really can't bring myself to kill him, but this matter has to be resolved eventually. There will always be an ending."
After her opponent placed a white piece, she pressed forward relentlessly. Although the black pieces had a slight advantage on the board, the white pieces had completely surrounded the black pieces, and the black pieces were already in a losing position.
“I remember when I was learning chess from the chess master, he always complained that I wasn’t patient enough and that I was too impetuous.” Xie Sili smiled slightly. “I also think that I am too impetuous and not suitable for doing these things.”
Xie Sili glanced at the situation on the chessboard, a smile playing on his lips. "But I am, after all, half a disciple of the Chess Saint. If I lose, wouldn't I be embarrassing him?"
As he spoke, he landed on the most crucial position, completely turning the tide and winning the game.
“Fa Ming, you’ve lost.” Xie Sili said, putting the chess pieces on the board into the chess box next to him one by one. “I don’t care about winning or losing in chess. I only care about the process, and that’s why I was able to win.”
As she spoke, she picked up her wine glass and took a small sip. "If you insist on caring about winning or losing, how can you possibly turn the tide?"
Noticing Fa Ming's gaze fixed on the chessboard, Xie Sili continued, "As the saying goes, 'Put yourself in a desperate situation and you will survive.'"
Faming laughed upon hearing this, "Yes, yes, Ali is right."
Hearing his insincere words, Xie Sili glanced at him but still said, "I know I have a lot of malevolent energy. Otherwise, why do you think the old man took me as his disciple back then? It was because of this malevolent energy in me, but there's nothing I can do about it. I was born with this malevolent energy."
She grew up in the post-apocalyptic world, unlike Xie Sili who was pampered from childhood. She is not afraid of any zombies, so she is not afraid of anyone. Every step she has taken is the result of her own abilities.
"Abbot, the Left Prime Minister's wife and her family have arrived. I heard they want to ask for a Buddha statue to give to Her Majesty the Empress." A young novice monk's voice sounded from outside the door. "They donated five hundred taels of incense money."
Hearing the voice of the young novice monk at the door, Xie Sili looked at Faming, casually took out a paper ticket and placed it in front of him, "You know what I want without me saying it."
"Of course, this humble monk has never let you down."
"Go and tell Madam Xie that this humble monk will be here shortly. Treat Madam Xie well and do not neglect our distinguished guest."
After the young novice monk's footsteps faded into the distance, Xie Sili stood up, glanced at Faming, then looked out the window as if by chance, and said with one hand supporting her chin, "Jun Qiyu, you think it's interesting to watch us play chess from outside, right?"
She raised an eyebrow slightly and saw Jun Qiyu's figure appear outside the window. She heard his voice, "As expected, nothing can escape your eyes."
"Would you be interested in talking about the Empress's birthday?" Xie Sili said, taking a sip of tea. "I happen to have a method here; would you like to give it a try?"
After bowing and nodding to Fa Ming, Xie Sili turned and left with Jun Qiyu. The two walked to the pavilion on the back mountain. At this moment, there was no one there, but sitting there, they could see the scenery of Chang'an.
"Xie San, what's your plan?"
Hearing Jun Qiyu's voice, Xie Sili laughed and said, "Ever since your mother passed away, you have been wandering and drifting outside until you were finally found and brought back."
Not receiving a reply from Jun Qiyu, Xie Sili continued, "Have you thought about how to gain a foothold in the court? Right now, you have no one behind you. Even the matter of Fang Ye last time was attributed to the Three Departments."
She tapped the table in front of her lightly and said calmly, "Jun Qiyu, there is no one behind you."
Jun Qiyu turned his gaze to the girl in red opposite him. She was only in her early twenties, yet she already possessed such courage, even more so than he remembered.
No longer the sickly Yang Yang, but instead, he is flamboyant, unrestrained and carefree, and there is a warmth that can no longer be touched, and he is no longer needed.
He concealed the emotions in his eyes, looked up at her and smiled, "Xie San, you will always stand behind me, you are my support."
Xie Sili was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Jun Qiyu to say such a thing.
She looked at Jun Qiyu and smiled, saying, "I can be your support."
“An Ning will be back soon. When can you meet her?” Jun Qiyu spoke again. “Xiangguo Temple is on her way back to Chang’an. How about we let An Ning come back to Chang’an with us?”
Xie Sili listened as Jun Qiyu smiled and nodded, "Not a bad idea, but getting back to the main topic, have you thought about the Empress?"
"Ever since the death of the late Crown Prince, the Empress has never conceived. Even if others want to harm the Empress, no one can shake her position. They all say that the Empress has a powerful figure backing her up, which prevents the Emperor from deposing her without authorization..."
Listening to Jun Qiyu's analysis, word by word, Xie Sili raised an eyebrow and looked at him, "Who do you think is standing behind the Empress?"
Before Xie Sili could get a reply from Jun Qiyu, he heard his voice: "I think the person standing behind the Empress Dowager, or rather the Grand Tutor's family, is very likely the legendary Right Chancellor."
Xie Sili turned her gaze to Jun Qiyu and asked with interest, "Why do you have such a thought? You don't even know if the Right Chancellor exists, yet you're so certain he's the person behind the Empress?"
"I'm sure," Jun Qiyu said confidently.
Immediately afterwards, Xie Sili heard Jun Qiyu's voice again, "Third Brother Xie, you must be the legendary Right Prime Minister."
Upon hearing Jun Qiyu's voice, Xie Sili spat out a mouthful of water, clutching her stomach and laughing so hard she couldn't stand up straight. "Jun Qiyu, don't talk nonsense. Right Prime Minister? Me?" she said, pointing to her nose. "Do I look like someone who would give advice on the affairs of the state?"
She didn't give Jun Qiyu a chance to speak, and continued, "I'm not the Right Prime Minister, and I can't do such a great thing."
Jun Qiyu took in every word of Xie Sili's expression; apart from shock, her face showed no other emotion.
In other words, Xie Sili was really not the Right Chancellor?
"I was just saying." He chuckled again as he spoke. "Although you are not the Right Chancellor, I still feel that he is the one standing behind the Feng family."
"Given the old man's personality, he should have deposed the empress after the death of the former crown prince, but he did not do so. In fact, he has maintained a respectful relationship with her all these years, which is enough to show that the old man is wary of her."
Jun Qiyu tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "He is wary of the people behind the Empress, or perhaps he made a deal with them that the old man is interested enough to agree to."
"As the ruler, what attracts him is undoubtedly to be remembered for all time. In all the years since the founding of our country, there have been very few emperors who have been remembered for all time. Compared with places like Lin'an and Jinling, our country is not even worth mentioning."
"I have read the history of the development of the Kingdom of Jun before. At that time, it was in the early years of the Zhao Dynasty. Chang'an was the economic center at that time. In the past few hundred years, Chang'an is no longer the Chang'an of that time."
The History of the Zhao Dynasty is a historical book compiled by several generations of historians. Although the content is not very detailed, it is still a book that historians today can refer to.
But she knew where the "History of Zhao Dynasty" first came from. It was said to be from the Xiaoyao Sect, where she was currently located. It was said that the first sect leader's original wish in establishing the Xiaoyao Sect was to protect the peace and prosperity of the world.
Gathering her thoughts, Xie Sili turned her gaze to Jun Qiyu. "Your analysis makes a lot of sense. So why do you think the Right Chancellor would help the Feng family solidify their position as Empress?"
a long time.
Xie Sili heard Jun Qiyu's voice, "I think it's because of A-Che and Yan-Yan."
Xie Sili looked up at Jun Qiyu and his voice rang out again, "To this day, Xie San, you still haven't told me whose children A-Che and Yan-Yan are? I even feel that even if you are not the Right Prime Minister, the Right Prime Minister should still have some connection with you."
Finally, Jun Qiyu's voice rang out again, "Xie San, A-Che and Yan Yan are the children of the late Crown Prince, right?" He clenched his hands hanging by his sides, speaking with a tension only he could feel, "Your deceased husband was the late Crown Prince!"
Xie Sili turned her gaze to Jun Qiyu, and for the first time did not refute his words, but only looked him over. "Jun Qiyu, you are really smart. If I didn't want to support you to ascend the throne in the future, do you think you could still walk out of Xiangguo Temple today?"
Jun Qiyu's expression froze, and he gave a bitter smile. "Actually, I discovered their identities a long time ago, but I never said anything because they are your children."
“They are indeed my children,” Xie Sili said without hesitation. “In my eyes, they are no different from my own children.”
Meeting Jun Qiyu's eyes, Xie Sili continued, "But you weren't wrong either, A-Che and Yan-Yan are my brother's children."
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