Chapter 215: A game of chess.
Meanwhile, in Lin Xuan’s private courtyard, two auras were currently residing in the garden.
"Rather rude of you two to be waiting here instead of outside, wouldn’t you agree?"
Lin Xuan slowly descended into the garden, his gaze settling on the two women who were calmly playing a game of chess.
One of them was Nanny Liu and the other was a woman he had never seen before.
As for why he was certain of that, it was because she was one of the most beautiful and captivating women he had ever seen.
If he had met her before, she would have certainly left an impression on him.
The woman slowly raised her head and looked at Lin Xuan.
She did not seem surprised by his arrival.
Instead, she calmly placed a black chess piece onto the board.
"Your courtyard is quite peaceful," she said. "I can understand why you would dislike outsiders disturbing it."
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly.
He could sense her cultivation, but the woman was concealing it extremely well. Even with his Nascent Soul cultivation, he could not immediately determine her exact realm.
That alone made him more cautious.
Nanny Liu, however, seemed completely relaxed as she continued sitting across from the woman.
Lin Xuan glanced at her.
"Nanny Liu, you seem rather comfortable."
Nanny Liu smiled.
"Of course. I was invited to play a game of chess after all."
She then picked up her white queen and placed it on the back rank of the board.
"Lady Mu, so much for being an empress. I’ll be taking your queen for myself in the next round, would that be okay?"
Mu Qingya’s expression turned frustrated.
"Ugh, you’ve gotten a lot better now. When I was a child, I could at least figure out what your moves were going to be."
She stared at the chessboard with a helpless expression.
"But now, I can’t even find the road, even if you tell me where it is."
Lin Xuan, on the other hand, immediately picked up on their conversation.
She was someone connected to the Tianhe Empire?
So many questions came to his mind, yet there were too many restrictions preventing him from asking them.
The two continued playing for another two minutes before the Empress finally forfeited the match.
Nanny Liu, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease about the whole ordeal.
Nanny Liu smiled as she looked at the chessboard.
"That was a good match."
She then stood up, stretched her arms slightly, and gave Mu Qingya a warm smile.
"Let’s play again next time, Lady Mu."
After saying that, she turned toward Lin Xuan.
"Family Head, I’ll leave the two of you to talk."
Nanny Liu gave him a polite bow before walking away from the courtyard.
Lin Xuan watched her leave before turning his attention back to Mu Qingya.
Ding.
[Mu Qingya has arrived in your city seeking a fight against the man who was recognized even by the Whale People.]
[Defeat her: A Golden Grade Reward]
[Draw against her: A Red Grade Reward]
[Lose against her: A Blue Grade Reward]
Seeing the quest, Lin Xuan was genuinely taken aback.
I’ll get rewarded no matter what?
That was the first thought that crossed his mind.
Normally, whenever a quest appeared, there would always be both a reward and a penalty.
This time, however, there was no penalty at all.
Then again, he had already made a rough guess about her cultivation.
Even if he was wrong, and the two of them happened to be at the same cultivation realm, Lin Xuan did not have many martial techniques at his disposal.
The Lin Family Trojan Spear Technique and the Cloud Chasing Movement Technique were practically all he had.
If she could counter either of those techniques, he would be little more than a sitting duck.
At least I’ll still get a Blue Grade reward if I lose.
Lin Xuan consoled himself with that thought.
He then gave Mu Qingya a respectful bow and asked politely, "Your Imperial Majesty, is there anything you wish to do in this humble city?"
Mu Qingya glanced at the chessboard and thought for a moment before speaking calmly.
"Play a game of chess with me."
Lin Xuan was about to decline, but his eyes suddenly lit up as another possibility occurred to him.
Playing a game of chess could be considered a fight!
After all, this was essentially a battle between the White King and the Black King.
"Of course, Your Imperial Majesty. It would be my honour to accompany you."
Mu Qingya seemed satisfied with his response and began arranging the chess pieces on the board.
Lin Xuan sat down across from her and carefully set up his own side.
Soon, every piece was in its proper position, and Mu Qingya made the first move.
She reached toward the centre of the board and picked up her King’s Pawn and pushed it forward two squares.
Without thinking much, he also pick up his own King’s Pawn and pushed it forward two squares as well.
The two pawns advanced toward the centre, meeting face-to-face and blocking each other’s path.
Soon, every piece was in its proper position, and Mu Qingya made the first move.
She reached toward the centre of the board, picked up her King’s Pawn, and pushed it forward two squares.
Without thinking much, Lin Xuan picked up his own King’s Pawn and pushed it forward two squares as well.
The two pawns advanced toward the centre, meeting face-to-face and blocking each other’s path.
The moment Mu Qingya saw his move, her expression lit up.
She immediately reached for her queen and moved it to h5, placing it directly along the same file as his pawn.
Huh... Is she going for Scholar’s Mate?
Is she taking me for an amateur?
Lin Xuan stared at the board for a moment.
Still, considering that she was from the imperial family, Lin Xuan assumed she had played plenty of chess.
So, not wanting to underestimate her, he chose to play defensively.
He moved his kingside knight to c6, reinforcing the pawn and covering the important squares around his king.
And boom! Just as he expected, Mu Qingya immediately picked up her light-squared bishop and placed it on c4.
Lin Xuan’s expression stiffened.
It really is Scholar’s Mate.
He looked at the board again, then quietly glanced at Mu Qingya.
She was sitting across from him with an utterly calm expression, doing a good job hiding the excitement from having made her move.