Chapter 65
It was already late at night when Shen Yanzhi finished all his affairs. He did not return to his study, but instead walked outside Furong Garden again for some unknown reason.
The garden was quiet, and a small light was still on in the study.
Instead of climbing over the wall again, he walked to the main door and gently knocked on the doorknob.
It was Xiaotao who came to open the door. She was startled when she saw the prince outside and quickly knelt down to pay her respects.
"Where is your master?" Shen Yanzhi asked.
"The master... is reading inside."
Shen Yanzhi waved his hand, asked her to leave, and pushed the door open and walked in.
Song Qingyuan was sitting under the lamp, holding the book "The Art of War" in her hands. When she heard footsteps, she looked up and saw that it was him. There was no surprise in her eyes, as if she had expected him to come.
The two of them sat in silence, and a subtle atmosphere filled the air.
After a long while, Shen Yanzhi spoke slowly, his voice a little hoarse: "You...already knew that the second emperor was behind this?"
Song Qingyuan closed the book and said calmly, "I don't know. I only know that a mere Wen Yue couldn't stir up such a big storm. There must be someone behind her. As for who it is, that's something you, Your Highness, should investigate."
She pushed everything cleanly.
Shen Yanzhi looked at her and suddenly smiled. He walked up to her and picked up the chessboard she had placed on the table. "Are you interested in playing a game with me tonight?"
Song Qingyuan looked up at him. Moonlight streamed through the window lattice onto his chiseled face, casting two flickering flames in his deep eyes. In those flames, there was admiration, inquiry, and something she couldn't understand.
She was silent for a moment, nodded, stretched out her hand and made a "please" gesture.
"Your Majesty, please play black first."
Outside the window, the moonlight shone like water. Inside, the lights flickered brightly. A storm that had engulfed the palace had just subsided, and a new, even greater chess game had just begun. This time, they were no longer opponents, but rather sat on opposite sides of the same chessboard. Their enemy lay beyond the chessboard, a vaster, more dangerous world.
On the chessboard, the black and white pieces fought silently.
Shen Yanzhi played with black pieces, and his style of play was fierce and aggressive, with each move carrying a sense of oppression and aggression. The chess pieces made crisp sounds when they fell, like the beating of war drums.
Song Qingyuan, playing White, adopted a completely different approach. He appeared gentle and subdued, yielding at every turn, yet in reality, he was remarkably resilient. White's pieces flowed like water, circling strong opponents and surrounding weak ones. Amidst Black's ferocious offensive, he was always able to find a glimmer of hope in desperate situations, building a seemingly fragile, yet indestructible, solid foundation.
The study was so quiet that the only sounds were the sound of chess pieces falling on the board and the occasional chirping of insects outside the window.
Xiaotao tiptoed in with a plate of freshly made osmanthus cake and then left quietly.
She stood in the corridor, peeking in furtively, her heart pounding like a rabbit. The prince had never stayed so late in Hibiscus Garden, let alone played chess with his master.
What…what was going on? Was her master really going to become a rich and powerful woman? But thinking of the prince's cold face, Xiao Tao shuddered again, feeling that it was safer to keep a distance.
"You, the white piece, seem to be surrounded by my big dragon, but in fact you have already secretly crossed Chencang and laid a dragnet on the periphery." Shen Yanzhi's voice broke the long silence. He looked at the chessboard, but his eyes seemed to penetrate the chess pieces and fell on Song Qingyuan's face.
Song Qingyuan's fingertips held a white piece, her round nails gleaming faintly under the light. Without looking up, she whispered, "It's just a matter of survival. Black has the upper hand, and if White doesn't play it safe, even the slightest mistake will lead to a complete loss, with no chance of recovery."
What she was talking about was the chess game, but it seemed to be more than just a chess game.
Shen Yanzhi understood. He picked up a black piece, but did not put it down immediately. Instead, he asked, "So, do you think White can win this game?"
Song Qingyuan finally raised her head and met his gaze. The flames dancing in her deep eyes seemed even brighter than before, with a sharpness that seemed to see through her.
"Winning or losing is not what I seek," she replied. "I only hope that when the game is over, the white pieces will still be there, and I can have a place to rest."
This was her answer. She didn't covet the title of "Princess," nor did she dream of immense power. All she wanted was to survive in this cannibalistic palace, in this treacherous capital.
Live with dignity and independence.
Shen Yanzhi suddenly smiled, a smile like ice melting, a hint of warmth that softened his usually cold and hard features. He dropped the black piece in his hand onto an empty space on the chessboard with a "snap." "What a 'survival'," he said. "I grant you this."
This piece did not fall into the fight, but was used to fill the void, which was equivalent to abandoning a piece.
Song Qingyuan was startled and looked at him.
"This game is a draw." Shen Yanzhi stood up, hands behind his back, no longer looking at the chessboard. "It's getting late, you should rest early."
Was he... making a statement to her? Using a draw to define their new relationship? No longer rivals, but equals. No longer master and servant, but... allies? Song Qingyuan's heart beat uncontrollably. She lowered her eyelids, hiding the turmoil in her eyes, and stood up to salute: "Farewell, Your Highness."
Shen Yanzhi walked to the door, but stopped again. He didn't look back, leaving her with only a broad back. "The palace has sent a message that my father will summon me to the palace for questioning tomorrow morning."
Song Qingyuan's heart was lifted.
"The second prince lost his temper in the mansion today and smashed a set of his most beloved Ru kiln tea sets. I heard that even the concubine in his mansion was scolded." Shen Yanzhi's tone was flat, as if he was talking about an insignificant matter.
But Song Qingyuan could hear the turbulent undercurrent. The emperor summoned him, the second prince was furious, and the chess game had moved from the small chessboard of the prince's palace to the entire court of Daliang.
"The number of guards at Hibiscus Garden will be doubled tomorrow." Shen Yanzhi added, "On weekdays, unless it's important, try not to go out. If you need anything, just tell the servants to do it."
"...Yes, I understand."
Shen Yanzhi didn't say anything else, pushed the door open and walked out, his figure quickly disappeared into the night.
Xiao Tao hurried in and saw the unfinished chess game and the plate of barely touched osmanthus cake on the table. She whispered, "Master, the prince..."
"It's okay." Song Qingyuan sat back at the table, looking at the draw, speechless for a long time. After a long while, she reached out and slowly put the black and white chess pieces back into the chess box one by one.
The night is getting deeper.
But at this time, the scene in the Second Prince's Mansion was completely different.
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