The capital in November has entered the cold winter, the cold wind outside the house is howling, it can be said that the weather is cold and the ground is freezing, Duanmu Fei is afraid of both heat and cold, and he can't wait to carry the stove in the house every day.

She hadn't woken up yet, it was completely a password and an action, and she was dragged into her carriage by Han Xing in a fog, until the carriage drove out of Duanmu Mansion, she hadn't come back to her senses, and a delicate little face looked dumbfounded, sleepy-eyed.

Han Xing also carried a warm hand stove in his hand, and complained in a coquettish voice: "Cousin Scarlet, why don't you want to accompany Bengong to study for girls!" It's fun to watch this girl in this palace. ”

The emperor said that several princesses can go out of the palace every ten years to attend classes at the women's school, and Hanxing certainly prefers the women's school than the study in the palace.

Although the princess doesn't need an exam to go to the girls' school class, Hanxing has always loved to watch the excitement, of course, she can't miss today's excitement.

"I've heard that there are quite a few people who went to take the exam today." Han Xing counted them one by one with great interest, "Lan Tingyun and Dangui will also go." ”

"By the way, there is also Miss Tao! After the death of Miss Chu, Miss Tao San claimed to be the first talented woman in the capital, but this time she didn't even receive the post...... Scarlet cousin, do you think she has the face to sign up this time? ”

"I heard that there are still people from Jizhou and Jinzhou."

“……”

Han Xing said it like a river, and the more he talked, the brighter his eyes became, and he felt that this was really a rare event in a few years, and it was even more interesting than the Spring Festival.

Duanmu Fei hadn't fully woken up yet, and his head was drooping in a daze, responding with a ride or not.

When he arrived at the gate of Huilan Garden, he got out of the carriage, and the biting cold wind finally woke Duanmu Fei.

Hui Lanyuan is in the east of the city of Mingxian Street, next door is Guozijian, the whole Mingxian Street is shrouded in a dense shade, quiet and quiet, on weekdays here come and go here are mostly Guozijian students.

Today, however, there are a lot of gorgeous horse-drawn carriages coming and going on the streets.

Duanmu Scarlet shrunk her neck by the cold wind, "Cousin Hanxing......" She was about to take Hanxing in, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar long figure not far from the right.

Duanmu Heng, who was dressed in a royal blue straight jacket, was about to step into the Guozijian, but he heard a familiar female voice floating into his ears, and he subconsciously turned his head, just opposite Duanmu Fei's eyes.

The moment the brother and sister looked at each other, time seemed to stop.

Duanmu was so shocked that her mouth opened slightly, and she sighed in her heart: She, she, she is too unlucky!

The corners of Duanmu Heng's eyes twitched, and without asking, he could guess that his fourth sister must have skipped school again to play with Han Xing today.

Duanmu swallowed his saliva, grabbed Han Xing's left hand, and ran away.

"......" Duanmu Heng looked at the two little girls like rabbits, frowning slightly.

The three or four classmates beside him saw him frowning and looking at the Huilan Garden next door, and couldn't help but glance at Huilan Garden.

Duanmu Heng has always been silent and unsurprised on weekdays, and several classmates rarely see his emotions revealed, and one of the sons in Tsing Yi asked curiously: "Brother Duanmu, but do you see an acquaintance?" ”

After Duanmu Fei and Han Xing entered the Huilan Garden, they disappeared all of a sudden, Duanmu Heng withdrew his gaze and replied calmly: "I saw my fourth cousin just now. ”

Several classmates looked at each other, thinking that Duanmu Heng's cousin was also here to sign up for the girls' school, and another blue-clothed boy said with a smile: "Brother Duanmu, with the style of your Duanmu family, your fourth cousin will definitely be admitted." ”

"......" Duanmu Heng's brows furrowed even tighter, and his heart was extremely worried. He never thought that Duanmu Fei was here to sign up for the girls' school, since she came with Han Xing, she must have come to see the excitement.

Since it was said that the women's school, several classmates were also aroused a little interested, and the young man in Tsing Yi said with great interest: "I heard that the three of them also sent out five Yongsu posts, and they can be admitted directly without exams based on the posts, but is it true?" ”

"I've heard about that, too." Another boy in a brown robe said, "The girls from the Wu University Scholars family of the Hanlin Academy, the second girl of the Li family and the third girl of the Hua family from the Imperial History Mansion of the Left Capital have all won the Yongsu post, and I don't know who the other two are. ”

"I don't know." The blue-clothed boy said with a smile, "But today, there are indeed many talented girls in Beijing who have gone to the Huilan Garden next door, and the three girls of the Tao family, as well as the big blue girls from the Jinjun Palace, have come." These girls are also famous. ”

"yes." The young man in Tsing Yi nodded and agreed, "I remember who listed the top ten talented girls in the capital last year, Wu Qi girl, Li Er girl and Tao San girl are all among them, among which Tao San girl is the most famous, and she can be described as an all-rounder." …… By the way, Brother Duanmu, I heard that your fourth cousin is also proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, I don't know what about the third girl Tao? ”

For a while, the curious eyes of several sons all looked at Duanmu Heng.

"Better." Duanmu Heng has always been realistic, so he is not modest. His fourth sister is afraid that there is no girl in Beijing who can compare with her.

"Hmph, Brother Duanmu is really a big breath!" Behind them, a man's cold snort was heard.

While speaking, a young man in a willow-colored brocade robe strode up to Duanmu Heng and the others, with a touch of disapproval on his handsome face.

"Brother Tao." The faces of the young man in green and the young man in blue suddenly showed a little embarrassment, and they arched their hands at each other.

This Tao Gongzi is Tao Zihuai, the second son of Master Tao, a bachelor of Hanlin Academy, and the brother of Tao San.

Tao Zihuai glanced at the other four people lightly, and then said to Duanmu Heng: "Brother Duanmu, I don't know if Sister Ling has received a chanting post?" Brother Duanmu is so boastful, it's too frivolous, right? ”

"Brother Tao's words are wrong." Duanmu Heng shook his head solemnly and said, "One thing to say, the sister is indeed extraordinary, and I am not as good as her." ”

Duanmu Heng is the head of this autumn's college exam, and Tao Zihuai is the second place, Duanmu Heng said that he is not as good as his sister, isn't it equivalent to saying that Tao Zihuai is not as good as Duanmu Fourth Girl?!

"......" Tao Zihuai was speechless for a while, and his face was a little stiff.

There was silence all around.

Seeing that the atmosphere was awkward, the boy in blue and the boy in Tsing Yi quietly exchanged a look, and the boy in blue took the lead in laughing and said, "Brother Duanmu, when you say this, I really want to visit Sister Ling." ”

"Why don't we go to Huilan Garden during our lunch break?" The young man in green clothes then proposed.

"Count me in."

"And me!"

Several other people were busy chiming in, all of them with great interest.

Talking and laughing, the class has arrived, it is already crowded, the atmosphere is much more lively than usual, and everyone is also talking about the recruitment of students in the women's school today.

This morning's class, many people were absent-minded, and Mr. knew that several of the students' sisters had gone to the girls' school next door today, so he was considerate and simply left the class early.

As soon as the class dispersed, those sons and brothers couldn't wait to walk outside, planning to go to the Huilan Garden next door, except for a few students who wanted to see how their sisters were doing, and most of them ran to join in the fun.

Duanmu Heng, Tao Zihuai and a few classmates also went together.

Huilan Garden is not open to the public on weekdays, but today in order to welcome the girls who came to the exam, the main door was opened, and even the family members who came to accompany the exam were also released.

The porter confirmed that Duanmu Heng and his party were students of Guozijian, so he let them in.

Hui Lan Garden is a royal garden, and it is extraordinary. The small bridges and flowing water in the garden, the rockeries are stacked, and the pavilions and pavilions are all unique.

Even in the cold winter of November, you can still see patches of evening chrysanthemums, leaf flowers, plums, camellias, etc. swaying and blooming in the cold wind, a piece of purple and red, which is more soft than the solemn and elegant Guozijian next door.

In the Huilan Garden, it is also quite lively, and from time to time you can see some gorgeously dressed sons, wives and some students of the Guozijian coming and going.

Most of the students of Guozijian are children of poor families, and they often help in Guozijian on weekdays, and they can earn money by themselves, and today they are sent to Huilanyuan to help set up the examination room, invigilate the exam, and so on.

"Brother Wang." The boy in blue casually stopped a young man in brown who was in a hurry.

Hearing this, the prince looked at them, greeted Duanmu Heng and his party one by one, and then said, "You guys are here to see the exam?" The exam in the morning has ended, and in the afternoon, the three of them will come up with their own questions, saying that they will let the girls who come to apply for the exam choose one of them freely, and the chess game of the Li family has just been opened. Wang Gongzi said and pointed to the southeast.

Following the direction he pointed, you could see five or six girls walking towards that side, talking and laughing.

"Let's go check it out!" The boy in blue immediately proposed, and everyone turned around and walked towards the southeast.

"Second son Tao, I remember that Ling Mei is good at chess." The prince smiled and complimented Tao Zihuai, "I think she will be able to break the game soon." ”

Tao Zihuai smiled reservedly, "I have heard that Li is excellent in chess, and this chess game is not so easy." ”

He said it with reservations, but he couldn't hide the pride in his eyes. No one in Beijing knows that his sister is an extraordinary chess player.

Wang Gongzi turned his head to look at Duanmu Heng on the other side and asked, "Brother Duanmu, I don't know what Sister Ling's chess strength is?" ”

"......" Duanmu Heng's expression became very weird, he didn't know how to describe the chess strength of the fourth sister, he played against her, and he never won.

The blue-clothed boy on the side thought that the fourth girl of Duanmu was mediocre in chess, so he smiled and brought the topic over: "Brother Duanmu, no one is perfect, Ling Mei is a little worse in this one, and it is not in the way." ”

"......" Duanmu Heng's expression became even stranger, and he subconsciously looked at the boy in blue, why didn't he understand what he was talking about.

"Brother Feng, you are really lonely." The boy in green teased the boy in blue playfully, "As far as I know, the fourth girl of Duanmu once put on a game of remnants at the autumn hunt the year before last, and she was amazingly talented, which made the Lord Shangshuyou of the Ministry of Officials full of praise. ”

"Oh?" The man in blue moved his eyebrows, and he was in high spirits.

The boy in blue is not a high disciple in the family, and naturally he has never hunted with the driver, this is the first time he has heard of this, his eyes scanned back and forth between Duanmu Heng and Tao Zihuai, and Duanmu Heng said that his four cousins are better than Tao San's girls, if the two girls are good at chess, I don't know who can solve the endgame set by the Li family first.

Interesting, really interesting!

A group of young boys walked forward with a smile and a smile, and it seemed that even the chill in the air had dissipated a little with their laughter.

The group walked along a winding verandah, at the end of the verandah, is a huge water pavilion, built against the water, on one side is a small lake, on the other side is a plum forest, the fragrance of plum lingers with the cold wind.

The two doors were open, and you could see the fragrance of sideburns and clothes in the water pavilion, and many people had gathered.

Duanmu Heng, Tao Zihuai and his entourage also walked into the water pavilion one after another, and there were seven or eight chess games in the hall, and after each game of chess sat a student of Guozijian, and on the other side of the chessboard were young girls.

At this moment, most of the people are gathered around the fifth game of chess, and a student in Daiyi is playing against a fourteen or five-year-old girl in cuiyi, the girl is sitting there upright, with a gentle and delicate goose egg face, a crow-green silk combed a Chaoyun near fragrant bun, and there is quite a kind of elegance with poetry and books in her belly.

"Miss Taosan?" The boy in Tsing Yi let out a low sigh, so the group of them also surrounded the third girl Tao.

Among the onlookers, there were also their acquaintances, a water-colored straight boy waved his hand at Tao Zihuai, and then glanced at Tao San, who was playing chess contemplatively, and said with a low voice and a smile: "Brother Tao, Sister Ling has already solved four games of chess, I see, this fifth game is about to be solved." ”

The girls who were watching around were also whispering to each other:

"Miss Tao San is still the first person to crack the fifth game of chess."

"She didn't use a cup of tea every time she cracked the first three games, right? That is, in the fourth game, it took a little effort. ”

"yes, yes. She's got a lot of heart. ”

“……”

Everyone is full of praise, Tao Zihuai looked at his sister's back, his waist straightened up, on the one hand, he was proud of his sister, on the other hand, he was unhappy for his sister, with his sister's talent, he should have received the Yongsu post directly...... In the final analysis, it's just because their Tao family has a mediocre background.

But that's fine.

After today, the people in this capital will know that my sister's talent and learning are not inferior to those noble girls of the family, no, they are even better than them!

My sister should be famous in the capital!

As for the four girls of Duanmu......

"Brother Duanmu," Tao Zihuai looked at Duanmu Heng with a faint expression and asked, "What about Sister Ling?" I don't know how many rounds Ling Mei has solved? ”

Saying that, Tao Zihuai's eyes showed a touch of disapproval, like Duanmu Heng's boastful talk and open-minded promotion of his cousin, in the end, it was just a loss of face for their Duanmu family.

Tao Zihuai asked, and several other classmates around him also remembered, and looked at the four-game chess game in front of him, "Brother Duanmu, which one is Sister Ling?" ”

When Duanmu Heng first came in, he had already looked around, but he didn't see Duanmu Fei or Han Xing, and guessed in his heart that his four sisters must be playing with Han Xing.

Hey, she didn't want to go to a girls' school at all, so why did she come here to be in the limelight?!

Thinking about it, Duanmu Heng's eyes showed a look mixed with doting, helplessness and pride, and said honestly: "She doesn't want to enter a girls' school, I guess where is she playing now......"

Duanmu Heng told the truth, but sometimes no one believed the truth.

Several classmates secretly exchanged a look, and most of them couldn't help laughing, it turned out that Duanmu Heng looked at the old-fashioned rules on weekdays, and his temperament turned out to be so short-sighted.

Tao Zihuai didn't believe it either, looking at Duanmu Heng's gaze dyed with a bit of arrogance, and said lightly: "It won't be that you don't even dare to try, right?" ”

There is no end to learning, if you are cowardly, how can you go to the next level?!

Judging from this point alone, the fourth Duanmu girl is probably nothing more than that, and she is not worthy of being compared with her sister at all.

Just like himself, although he lost Duanmu Heng in the hospital test, but there are still township exams, guild exams and palace exams behind, and next time, he will definitely win Duanmu Heng.

Duanmu Heng frowned slightly, "Brother Tao's words are inevitably biased......"

Before he finished speaking, there was an uproar around him, followed by a burst of applause, and the purple-clothed boy said excitedly: "Brother Tao, Sister Ling has cracked the fifth chess game!" ”

Immediately afterwards, the third girl got up and moved, and sat down after the sixth chess game, calm and relaxed.

The people around are still talking in twos and threes:

"Tao San Girl is an extraordinary chess player and a famous talent, why didn't she receive the chant post?"

"There are only five places in Yongsuti, so naturally it is impossible to cover everything."

"That's right. Speaking of which, Wu Qi, Li Er, the third girl of the Hua family, and the county lord Zhongxiu all got Yongsuti, and this last person doesn't know who it is. ”

"I also specially asked the little maid to go to the concierge to ask, saying that only these four girls came in today with Yongsuti."

"Didn't the last one come?"

Speaking of this, many people look at each other.

It would be a great honor to get the post of the three of you, but there was a girl who received the post but didn't come to Hui Lanyuan?!

"Smack."

The crisp sound of falling children suddenly sounded, and it was exceptionally clear in this slightly noisy water pavilion, and it seemed to have a force that tore through the air.

With the sound of the falling, there was silence all around.

Everyone's eyes were once again focused on Tao San and the sixth chess game in front of her.

Compared with the first five chess games, this game is naturally more complex and more inscrutable, with black and white chess pieces entwined and restrained each other.

The third girl Tao had just lost her first son, and soon, the student sitting opposite her calmly dropped the white son in his hand.

Tao San Girl raised her hand again and dropped a sunspot, and the sound of the black and white falling sounded from time to time, but it was obvious that the sunspot fell more and more slowly, slower and slower......

Unconsciously, Tao San's forehead was already covered with beads of sweat, and under the long eyelashes, the deep pupils were changing brightly and secretly.

There was a low whisper all around, and everyone knew that the third girl Tao was trapped.

However, she solved five games in a row, which was already the best result compared to others who stopped in the third and fourth games.

can't solve the sixth game of chess, it's not that Tao San is weak, but that Li is too strong!

In a whispering voice, the third girl Tao finally surrendered, and the surroundings were noisy again, some regretted, some admired, some sighed, and some shook their heads.

"Sister," Tao Zihuai walked up to his sister and comforted, "With your chess skills, you will definitely be able to get the Li family to look at you differently." ”

For the noble ladies from the noble families present, this may not be important, but for people like them from humble backgrounds, it is a kind of foundation.

The other girls around stepped forward to congratulate her, and the originally depressed eyebrows of Tao San girl were slightly relaxed, and she couldn't help but sigh in her heart: Li everyone's chess strength is really worthy of its reputation.

At this moment, a maid in a blue and blue clip walked out of the next room, and everyone's eyes were focused on this maid again, subconsciously making way for her.

Most of the people present knew this maid and knew that she was Li Yan's personal maid Baoqin.

She came out at this time, thinking that she wanted to greet Tao San, the girl with the best chess ability in the audience, for everyone Li.

Baoqin stopped in the center of the Water Pavilion, looked around, and asked loudly, "Dare to ask the fourth girl of Duanmu?" ”

The surroundings were quiet for a moment, and the atmosphere was a little strange, especially Tao Zihuai, the boy in blue and the boy in green clothes, and others, who looked at Duanmu Heng with subtle expressions. Why did everyone Li send someone to ask about the four girls of Duanmu?

The others around quickly turned their heads and looked around.

Among the people present, there were also girls who knew Duanmu Fei, and Li Er took a step forward and said loudly: "Miss Huqin, Duanmu Fourth is not here." ”

Baoqin thanked the other party, and hurried back for a while, but after a while, he came out again and asked again: "Dare to ask, has anyone seen the fourth girl of Duanmu?" ”

The atmosphere in the water pavilion became more complicated, and most of the people were confused, and after a while, a girl in pink said uncertainly: "I seem to have just seen the fourth girl of Duanmu in the small pavilion on the other side of the lake......

After hugging the qin and thanking the pink-clothed girl, she walked out of the water pavilion quickly, leaving only a room of people or the second monk who was puzzled.

Baoqin stretched his neck and looked half a circle across the lake, and saw that there was indeed an octagonal pavilion in the northwest of the lake leaning on a craggy rockery.

She trotted towards the pavilion along the lake, and a cold wind blew in her face, carrying a vague scent of chestnuts, which grew stronger and stronger.

When Baoqin ran out of breath to the outside of the pavilion, he saw two girls in the pavilion eating roasted corn around a small stove with great interest.

She was suddenly a little incredulous, and almost pinched herself to see if she was dreaming.

Huqin calmed down, took two steps forward, and curtsied at the two girls in the pavilion, "Dare to ask which one is the fourth girl of Duanmu?" ”

Han Xing and Duanmu Fei both looked at Baoqin when they heard the sound, and they didn't need to speak, Hanxing's palace maid Congzhen asked Baoqin for them, "Who are you?" ”

Baoqin smiled and said: "The master of the slave is the Li family. Today, the head of the family set up seven endgames in the Water Pavilion, and wanted to invite the four girls of Duanmu to go to the Water Pavilion to solve the game. ”

Duanmu Fei, who was wrapped in a red embroidered cloak, said without thinking, "I'm busy right now." ”

She stared intently at her stove, she hadn't eaten a few roasted chestnuts in the first furnace just now, and finally the second furnace was almost ready......

Baoqin lowered her eyebrows and looked at the tip of her shoes, and then added: "The head of the family also said that these sixth and seventh rounds are from the "Dragon Atlas". ”

Baoqin seems to be calm, but in fact, he has a little bottom in his heart, and he doesn't know why, so everyone said that if the fourth girl of Duanmu is unwilling to come, let herself say this.

"Dragon Atlas"?!

Duanmu's eyes lit up suddenly, this "Dragon Atlas" has been lost for a long time, it is said that it records the most wonderful ten chess games that the most famous chess player of the previous dynasty, Long Tu, has experienced in his life, that is a treasure that can be met but not sought!

Duanmu Fei stood up excitedly, Han Xing saw Duanmu Fei's eyes shining, she knew that she was moved, and casually ordered Congzhen to stay to watch the stove, and she went to the water pavilion with Duanmu Fei, and her heart was excited: she had an intuition, and there was excitement to see!

Duanmu Fei and Han Xing soon followed Huqin to the Water Pavilion.

Baoqin diligently untied the red cloak that was draped on the outside for Duanmu Fei, revealing a red gold group embossed makeup gown inside, and the bright material lined her little face with a brighter complexion.

Thinking that Baoqin said just now that the sixth and seventh games were from "Dragon Atlas", Duanmu Fei directly skipped the first few games, and walked straight between the last two chessboards without squinting, his eyes shining amazingly.

The eyes of everyone in the room fell on Duanmu Fei, but Duanmu Fei's eyes only had these two wonderful chess games, and he didn't pay attention to the others at all.

However, Han Xing, who was beside Duanmu Fei, saw Duanmu Heng not far away, she pulled Duanmu Fei's sleeve and motioned her to look forward.

When Duanmu Fei and Duanmu Heng looked at each other, she froze again, and could only smile obediently, wanting to cry without tears in her heart:

This time, she had no chance of escaping.

------Off topic------

Female school = roasted chestnuts