Several people were taken to a small study inside, and the hustle and bustle of the city seemed to disappear from the senses in an instant. It turns out that there are no windows here, no wonder the sound insulation is so good. Therefore, the light is also a little dim, there are a lot of calligraphy and painting antiques hanging in the room, there are no living things such as bonsai, only a piece of incense burner in the corner of the wall wafts out of the green smoke, which adds a little vitality to this place. The furnishings and utensils look very clean, the environment is quiet, and it is very particular at first glance.

Xue Chongxun walked to the front of a painting to observe carefully, wanting to see if the calligraphy and paintings hanging here were genuine. Then the woman who had brought them in said behind her, "Sir, can you see if it's a fake or the real thing?" ”

"The paper is slightly yellowed, and at first glance it looks a little old, but just looking at it for a while, I don't dare to make up my mind." Xue Chongxun said.

The woman smiled charmingly: "Whether that painting is real or fake, it is just an ornament." The real good thing we have here is chess, wait a minute. She said that she turned and walked away.

Xue Chongxun and Zhang Shuo glanced at each other, Zhang Shuo looked very serious, but both of them obviously paid attention to the woman in their eyes. Zhang said that he couldn't say frivolous things such as "what do you think of that girl", one is that Xue Chongxun is the emperor can't speak to him in this tone, and the other is that Zhang said that he also wants to maintain a dignified image. However, Xue Chongxun's good sex is almost known all over the court, and Zhang said that it is unknown what he is thinking in his heart now.

After a while, the woman holding the chess had not yet arrived, and a maid came first and served two cups of tea. The original intention of Xue Zhang and the others to come in was to take a sip of tea, and they finally got their wish. This is drinking strange tea in a strange place, and Sanniang took advantage of the owner's absence to test the poison first. But Zhang said that he didn't seem to be wary at all, so he took two sips and drank it.

At this time, the woman came out with a pair of things and gently placed them on the table between the two of them. Xue Chongxun saw a white chess piece of a chess pot at a glance, and thought to himself: I'm afraid this thing is really made of ivory?

The woman smiled and said, "The white chess pieces are made of white jade and come from Lantian; The sunspot is taken from the rare jade of the Western Regions; The chess jar is the white porcelain of the Xingyao kiln in Hebei; Chessboard wood carving, taken from the South China Sea. The quality of this chess set comes from the east, west, north and south, but together they can be integrated, just as the heart of a chess player is as wide as the sea; Its texture is precious, but it is not stained with gold and silver, so it is expensive and unassuming, like a gentleman. This is a game worthy of a gentleman's game. ”

Xue Chongxun picked up a grain of white with his fingers and looked at the light of the door, and said, "It's a good thing, but I'm afraid we can't afford it." ”

When the woman heard this, she couldn't help but laugh out loud, "You can't afford it?" ”

Xue Chongxun listened to something in his words, and said curiously: "Look at me all over my body, where do I look like a person who can afford it?" ”

Zhang said that he didn't open his mouth, but picked up the teacup and took another sip. The woman glanced at the bearded horse-faced Zhang Shuo, and said to Xue Chongxun with a smile on her face: "If Mr. likes this chess, and the slave family doesn't want gold and silver, how about exchanging the piece of jade on your waist?" ”

Xue Chongxun was stunned and laughed: "I just hang here, you can see if it's worth it?" Good eyesight! "Although he is wearing a cloth robe, the white silk inside is not a rare thing in Chang'an, where the money is concentrated, but the jade he wears is really not an idle thing, Xue Chongxun is a person who has been called the emperor, isn't it normal for him to hang a random treasure?

This piece of jade is something from the palace, and there is no inscription on it, but people who know the goods may be able to judge its source if they take it carefully, so Xue Chongxun is unwilling to exchange jade for chess. He couldn't help but look at the woman in front of him again, she had a melon seed face, her face was not very good in the eyes of the nobles, but her eyes were very bright, and there was a seductive charm between her smile and cheeks, which reminded people of fox spirits; The clothes are only blue and silver, and the embroidered silver thread cannot affect the overall purity, so the feeling for Xue Chongxun is charming but not glamorous; The waist is very flexible, and the smooth lines of the waist and the ups and downs of the chest are integrated, which is very harmonious. And the skin is as white as a chess piece made of jade, Xue Chongxun couldn't help but compliment: "The gentleman is not like chess, but the little lady is like this expensive chess." ”

The woman's lips opened lightly and said softly: "The slave family is not a chess piece, just a chess piece." ”

At this moment, Zhang Shuo stroked his beard and said, "Do you want to play a game with me?" ”

Xue Chongxun originally wanted to ask the name of the beautiful girl, but as soon as Zhang said that, he forgot about the stubble, and it happened that the environment here made him feel quite comfortable, so he readily agreed: "Then let's have a game." ”

The woman was not restrained, moved a low stool nearby, sat down, put the expensive Go on the table, and sat aside to watch the chess.

Xue Chongxun's Go game is really not very good, even Princess Taiping can't play it, mainly because this thing is not only talented, but also very important to practice from time to time. Xue Chongxun didn't know how to play Go in his previous life, and he was a martial artist in this era, so he didn't practice when he was a child, but he just knew how to play. And Zhang Shuo is a civil official from a jinshi, isn't he very familiar with chess?

Sure enough, it was clearer without much hands, but Zhang Shuo pondered in his heart: The traces of deliberately releasing water are too obvious, but the emperor is a very competitive person, if he loses, I am afraid that he will be a little unhappy, although he will definitely not care. After thinking about it, he lightly glanced at the woman watching the chess, but the woman was a very smart person, and she understood it at once, so he reminded Xue Chongxun when he was about to make a bad move.

Zhang said pretending to be unhappy and said: "Watching chess is silent, true gentleman." ”

The woman didn't want to let go, and also said: "I really haven't heard anyone say that the slave family is a gentleman." ”

Xue Chongxun had already noticed that Zhang Shuo and this woman seemed to know each other, but since Zhang Shuo didn't know what to say, he wouldn't break it. And the beauty helped herself, he was in a very good mood, with a smile on his face.

After a few rounds of play, Xue Chongxun narrowly won. But he knew in his heart that Zhang Shuo was releasing water, and he could control the disadvantage in such a small range, and he was obviously all under control, and he and Zhang Shuo were not chess players of the same level. Of course, on the surface, Zhang said that he had lost and had something to say, and it was the smart woman next to him who was helping Xue Chongxun. Xue Chongxun said: "Daoji, it's not for the little lady to help me play you, let's change the chess." How about playing chess? ”

"Does Lang Jun mean Elephant Opera or Western Regions Chess?" Zhang asked.

Xue Chongxun said: "It's called chess, by the way, isn't there a Western Regions chess here, just those chess pieces, but the chessboard uses the Chu River Han Realm." New gadgets, the rules are also new, but it's simple, let's try it with new rules? ”

Zhang Shuo nodded: "Lang Jun came to make the rules, whether it was chess or not, it was all right." ”

Xue Chongxun glanced at Zhang Shuo after hearing this, and couldn't help laughing. At that moment, the chess woman brought the Western Regions chess, and asked for a blank paper painting to draw the chessboard on the spot, and four words were written in the middle: Chu River, Han Realm. Pick out the thirty-two chess pieces and sixteen each, and as soon as the rules are said, Zhang Shuo immediately understood, "There is something to figure out with the elephant play." ”

"It's very worry-free to get along with Daoji." Xue Chongxun said casually. Zhang Shuo hurriedly sat on the chair with his fists folded and bowed gently.

Xue Chongxun set up the chess and said, "That's the rule, let's try it first." ”

So in this small study, chess was made out like this, and this game of chess was about the first game since the advent of chess. Xue Chongxun took the lead, and Zhang said that he imitated his opening routine at the beginning, and slowly comprehended it in the process. That's it, Zhang said that it was the first time, but he didn't expect Xue Chongxun to be easy, he couldn't help asking: "Dao Ji has realized the way to play chess?" ”

Zhang Shuo smiled: "I realized something, I don't know if it's right." ”

"You say." Xue Chongxun stretched out his hand and made a movement, looking at him with interest.

Zhang Shuo pondered for a moment and said: "Actually, this chess should be simpler than Go, it is nothing more than two points: checks and balances, and exchange. At the beginning, both sides had sixteen characters, both offensive and defensive, and it was difficult to take command directly, so they had to cut off their wings to expand their advantage. So there is a check and balance, if you want to swallow my horse, I will watch with the car, and the balance is like a rat trap. The next step is to weigh the pros and cons, and in most cases each has its own losses, and the party that generally suffers is forced to start hand-to-hand exchanges to break the intersecting checks and balances. After such an exchange, the victory and defeat will gradually become clear. I don't know if I'm right? ”

Xue Chongxun listened carefully, nodded and said, "Makes sense." Then he pointed to the chessboard and smiled, "It's time to make a difference, do you want to exchange with me?" ”

Zhang Shuo looked down at the chessboard, pretending to be worried, and said thoughtfully: "I will suffer a loss if I change it or not...... But I have fallen behind, and I am about to have no soldiers to adjust, if I want to exchange with you, it is three sons for two sons, and further three sons are missing; And if I take a step back, I will lose only one son. It's better to take a step back, take a step back and open the sky......"

"Take a step back, open the sea and the sky......" Xue Chongxun subconsciously repeated what Zhang said.

Zhang said quietly: "The chess has come to this point, I can only be willing to withdraw, at least I won't lose so fast." ”

Xue Chongxun was silent, he suddenly felt that Zhang Shuo was borrowing chess to make a statement to himself, and the effect was not bad, very appropriate. He stood on the chessboard side of Zhang Shuo and considered the situation at this time, and he had to admit that his idea was right, only by taking a step back to preserve his strength could he save the possibility of attacking, otherwise he would lose three chess pieces that could cross the river at once, and there would really be no possibility of turning defeat into victory.

The room quickly fell silent, and the woman watching the chess game also pretended to be a gentleman, without words. Xue Chongxun and Zhang Shuo both looked at the chessboard, as if they were thinking about the chess game very seriously. G