Late at night, the Imperial Palace of the Swiss.

The lights and candles in the imperial study are bright, and the sandalwood is faint.

Emperor Hang Xiao sat in front of the dragon case, and behind him was a huge picture of the mountains and rivers of Ruiguo.

A delicate wooden chessboard is placed in the center of the dragon case, and black and white chess pieces polished from jade are densely spread on the chessboard, shining under the light of lamps and candles.

"Your Majesty, Tan Ge is old!" a little eunuch walked lightly into the imperial study, followed by an old man with frosty temples.

"Elder Ge, I invited you over so late, and the boss of the Pavilion can't share the joy of family with his family during the New Year, which really disturbs the cleanliness of the old man's house. Hang Xiao instructed the little eunuch to give the old man a seat, and said with a smile while raising his head.

The little eunuch moved a chair and placed it on the opposite side of the dragon case, poured another cup of tea for the old man, and then turned around lightly and went out.

Your Majesty can think of the old minister at this time, and the old minister is flattered. Why bother?" the old man bowed slightly, sat down diagonally towards the corner of the dragon case, and smiled.

"Alas, there are no monarchs and ministers on the chessboard, come and come, please sit down. Hang Xiao saw that the old man was a little restrained, so he waved his hand and smiled and motioned for him to sit upright.

"Your Majesty Xie!" The old man adjusted his sitting posture and leaned slightly towards the middle of the dragon case, but he still did not sit upright in front of the dragon case like Hang Xiao.

This old man, known as Tan Ge Lao, is Tan Xingyu's grandfather Tan Zhenyun. He has been an official for three dynasties and has been a horse all his life. When Xianhuang Hanglu had not yet ascended the throne, Tan Zhenyun was the pipe band of the Qinglong Battalion of the North Route Army. After Hang Lu ascended the throne, Tan Zhenyun was successively crowned as the deputy commander and commander of the Northern Route Army. Hang Lu reigned for thirty-seven years, and Tan Zhenyun also held on to the Giant Spirit Pass for thirty-seven years. In the past thirty-seven years, he has defeated Murong Xianbei under the Giant Spirit Pass again and again, and has supported a solid northern barrier for the Rui Kingdom, with outstanding achievements.

A year ago, Tan Zhenyun's youngest son Tan Bing died in battle under the Giant Spirit Pass, and Tan Zhenyun himself was seriously injured. He was traumatized physically and mentally, and his injuries were so entangled that he could not heal. After repelling Murong Kuo, Tan Zhenyun was worried that his body would affect the border war, so he resolutely resigned as the commander of the Northern Route Army and returned to his hometown to the imperial court.

At that time, Hang Xiaogang had just ascended the throne, and he was sympathetic to Tan Zhenyun's lifelong loyalty and bravery, so he allowed him to resign as the commander of the Northern Route Army, but he was not allowed to return to his hometown. After Tan Zhenyun returned to the court, he gradually recovered from his injuries under the careful conditioning of the imperial doctor, and the court appointed him as the elder of the cabinet, and invited him to participate in major state affairs.

"Hey, when the first emperor was alive, he often praised me in my ear, saying that Tan Ge Lao not only had superb martial arts, but also advanced chess skills. It's a pity that our monarchs and ministers have been busy for a year, and they have no chance to be a couple. After dinner today, I sat alone and unconsciously stepped into a difficult situation. I couldn't think of relief, so I had to ask the elder to come over so that I could ask for advice in person. Hang Xiao pointed to the chess game on the dragon case and said with a smile.

"The martial arts of the first emperor are unfathomable, and the style of chess is even more open, and it is difficult for the old ministers to match the two. However, since His Majesty trusted the minister, the minister had the courage to try. Tan Zhenyun shook his head and was modest, then lowered his eyes to look at the chess.

At that time, black chess was aggressive, occupying both the corners of the square and the hinterland of the Central Plains. White chess is struggling to support but is in danger, and its momentum is like the current situation of the country, with internal and external troubles.

In the north corner of the chessboard, the black and white twins are heavily armed, with each other's offensive and defensive, dog-tooth staggered.

Tan Zhenyun looked at it for a moment, thought for a moment, and was silent for a moment, and suddenly said: "I don't know Your Majesty and the old minister, who is black and who is white?"

"Since it is to ask the elder for advice, it is naturally the elder to insist on it. Hang Xiao smiled.

"Okay, if the white chess is broken, the old minister will be white. Tan Zhenyun said as he picked up a piece from the white chess jar, and with a soft click, he was in the middle of the chessboard.

"Oh, what does Elder Ge mean, the north is not enough to trouble?" Hang Xiao asked as he picked up a sunspot and continued to squeeze from north to south.

"Although the enemy is fierce, the follow-up is weak. The soldiers are coming, and the water is coming to Tutun!" Tan Zhenyun picked up a grain of white and headed towards the north.

"Lack of soldiers and major generals, how to block?" Hang Xiao squeezed in from the north again.

"Consolidate the foundation and cultivate the yuan, and eliminate the other. Tan Zhenyun has another piece in the middle of the chessboard.

The two stopped talking, but just held the black and white twins back and forth between the chessboards. In the imperial study, the sound of chess falling is fast and slow.

It didn't take much effort, Tan Zhenyun slowly revitalized the white chess momentum in the hinterland of the Central Plains, and gradually could free up his hand to point one or two pieces in the black chess array in the north.

"On this expedition, He Ming is the general. What does Elder Ge think?" Hang Xiao saw that the white chess was getting better and better, so he asked.

"The people who came out of the old He family are really like gods. There should be no problem in the early defense, and if you counterattack in the later stage, you still have to rely on Chen Ruoping. Tan Zhenyun picked up a white piece and rushed into the black chess array, and the white chess was aggressive.

"Well, that's right. Hang Xiao nodded thoughtfully, and the black chess pieces in the corner of the north road began to take a defensive position.

"Your Majesty, the minister has something unclear, and I hope to give advice. Tan Zhenyun stepped down again and asked, "The ministers look at His Majesty's chess path, and it seems that he is only thinking about the north. But according to Lao Chen's concerns, won't they fish in troubled waters for the two families in the northwest and southeast?"

"Have you heard of the immortals of our Rui Kingdom?" Hang Xiao asked without answering.

"What Your Majesty said is... Lingyun Mountain?" Tan Zhenyun's eyes lit up, and he was surprised again.

He had already picked up a white seed in the middle of his right hand, and when he mentioned the word "Lingyun Mountain", he threw the white seed back into the chess jar, clasped his hands into fists and threw his hands into the sky, and his expressions and movements were respectful.

"Exactly!" Hang Xiao nodded.

"Oh, then the old minister is relieved. Tan Zhenyun sighed and began to focus on the situation in the north.

The two played against each other for a long time, and the draw ended.

Hang Xiao picked up the chess pieces and asked casually, "Pavilion Elder, is Ling Sun Xingyu in the Zuowei Leopard Camp?"

"Yes, haha, this little guy has liked to dance with knives and guns since he was a child. Growing so big, you can't waste all your effort. He himself was willing to join the army, so Tan Bing sent him to the Leopard Camp when he was alive. At the mention of his grandson, Tan Zhenyun had a smile on his face.

"Oh, then what kind of official position is he now?" Hang Xiao asked.

"Well, it seems like he's just a big soldier, right? The old minister didn't ask about this matter. Hey, Xingyu, this kid, is competitive and thin-faced, so it's not a good thing to let him hone and hone among the big soldiers. Tan Zhenyun replied.

"Well, having said that, you don't have to keep pressing him. Your old Tan family has been the mainstay of my Rui country from generation to generation, let Xingyu grow up as soon as possible, and give birth to another generation of famous generals in Yu Guo, and you can also comfort Tan Bing's spirit in the sky, wouldn't it be the best of both worlds?" Hang Xiao put away the chess equipment and said with a smile.

"Children and grandchildren have their own children and grandchildren, and it is inconvenient for the ministers of Xingyu to ask too much. However, the old minister also hopes that he can grow up as soon as possible through His Majesty's auspicious words, so as to share His Majesty's worries. ”

Tan Zhenyun said nothing, greeted Hang Xiao as a monarch and minister, and then got up to say goodbye.