However, as the schemes became more elaborate and the game more exciting, Qin Kou'er and Lan Xiuyuan both forgot their initial reserve and went all out to win against each other.
Playing chess requires an equally matched opponent, and at this moment, Lan Xiuyuan and Qin Kou'er had this feeling: their opponent was definitely a master they had never met in their lives.
Therefore, the two of them became more and more serious and absorbed in the game.
The two of them didn't even notice when it started raining heavily outside.
Jun Yannuo, watching the game from the sidelines, had to admit that Lan Xiuyuan was definitely a master.
Qin Kou'er was very particular about the layout when playing chess, but she never expected that Lan Xiuyuan's move would be even more profound.
After several rounds, the two were evenly matched.
By the time the first game was finally over, it was pouring rain outside and pitch black.
"Fifth Master's chess skills are superb, and Kou'er admires them greatly!"
Qin Kou'er picked up the tea and handed it to Lan Xiuyuan with a smile.
Lan Xiuyuan laughed heartily, took the teacup, and looked at Qin Kou'er with a smile, saying, "Sect Master's plan is ingenious, full of killing intent, truly an eye-opener for me. Today, it's a close match, a thoroughly enjoyable experience!"
Lan Xiuyuan rarely finds a worthy opponent in chess, so he feels a deep sense of regret for not having met his soulmate sooner.
Qin Kou'er smiled and shook her head slightly. "I was just showing off my skills in front of Lu Ban! Fifth Master's chess moves were powerful and well-coordinated, seemingly unintentional but actually deliberate. That is the highest level of chess!"
Lan Xiuyuan lowered his head to sip his tea, watching the dark leaves slowly drifting on the surface, and said with a faint sigh, "Does Ke'er think Xiuyuan plays chess well? Actually, there are people who play better than me!"
"Oh? There's such a master? Then I'll have to meet him another day!"
Qin Kou'er loved playing chess. She always felt that playing chess was like a duel, and only by arranging each move carefully could one reach the end.
Therefore, she was very knowledgeable about chess. She knew that there were definitely no more than ten people in the world with chess skills as high as Lan Xiuyuan's.
"Actually, you know that person too!" Lan Xiuyuan smiled slightly at Qin Kou'er.
"Oh? I have such a chess master by my side? I must be so ignorant!"
Lan Xiuyuan turned to look at the wind and rain outside and sighed with some emotion: "Yes, everyone in the world says he is a spoiled prince, but who knows that he is the one who is truly exceptionally talented!"
Qin Kou'er was taken aback when she heard Lan Xiuyuan say this, and tilted her head slightly to ask, "Is Fifth Master referring to the Crown Prince?"
Lan Xiuyuan nodded, then turned to look at Qin Kou'er, understanding her surprise.
He couldn't help but smile and lower his eyes, saying, "You wouldn't believe it, would you? Actually, if we're really talking about who's the best in the world and whose chess skills are unparalleled, then among us brothers, the Crown Prince is still number one. The rest of us can only look up to him!"
Qin Kou'er felt a warmth in her heart for no apparent reason when she thought of Lan Linxue.
But his face showed even more humility and disbelief.
"Fifth Master is being too modest! When it comes to talent, everyone knows that Fifth Master is a peerless talent, a figure admired and respected by all scholars!"
Lan Xiuyuan turned to look at Qin Kou'er, and the smile on his face slowly disappeared.
"You can only believe three-tenths of what people say; you can never believe everything they say!"
As he spoke, Lan Xiuyuan stood up, walked to the fence, looked at the torrential rain outside, and spoke in a distant voice.
"Kou'er must already be quite clear about the current situation. You must also have seen clearly what I've been doing with my brother these past few days. Do you think I would recklessly exaggerate the enemy while belittling myself?"
Qin Kou'er's heart sank when she saw Lan Xiuyuan use the word "enemy" to describe Lan Linxue.
She turned to look at Jun Yannuo and said softly, "It's raining heavily outside! Go and get some raincoats!"
Jun Yannuo knew that Qin Kou'er wanted to speak with Lan Xiuyuan alone, so he nodded and turned to leave.
Qin Kou'er then stood up, smiled, and walked to Lan Xiuyuan's side, deliberately stepping aside as she said, "Kou'er didn't know about these things. Could it be that the Crown Prince's knowledge is even more profound than Fifth Master's?"
Thinking of how willful Lan Linxue was, Qin Kou'er shook her head sincerely.
Lan Xiuyuan turned to look at Qin Kou'er and suddenly said very formally, "You don't believe me? Then you're very wrong!"
As he spoke, Lan Xiuyuan turned to look at the pitch-black night, his thoughts seemingly drifting.
"Actually, I didn't believe it for the first few years either! How come I studied until late at night every day while the Crown Prince just slept, and in the end, his studies were better than mine! Not only did the Emperor like him, but even our teachers treated him differently!"
But after a few years, I finally realized a fact: even if Lan Linxue slept through class every day, he could still answer all the questions faster and more accurately than anyone else. That was something no one else could ever match.
When we were kids, he was always the first to learn anything that my brothers and I were learning.
No matter how complicated something is in the world, it becomes just a simple thing in his hands; he can make it clear to you in an instant.
Everyone says he's a spoiled, good-for-nothing prince. But he can pinpoint the exact location and contents of any book in the palace library, no matter what it is. Would you still consider him a complete fool?
If you really think that way, then it just proves you're an idiot!
This was the first time Qin Kou'er had heard anyone speak well of Lan Linxue. She couldn't believe that the first person to say something good about Lan Linxue was actually her first rival, Lan Xiuyuan.
However, Lan Xiuyuan seemed to be immersed in some kind of memory, and his whole being was filled with a hazy melancholy.
"Master taught us to play chess. As you know, chess is something the master can only guide you through; the real skill comes from within. It's easy to learn but difficult to master. At first, Lan Linxue was very interested. He even locked himself in his room for seven days, not seeing anyone, and pondered it. When he came out again, he no longer liked playing chess. He said that no one in the world could beat him."
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