Chapter 429

"Heng Xian?"

But we need to keep the same punctuation style? The instruction: translate faithfully, not add or omit. The Chinese line has 「」 quotes. We can replace with English quotes. That's acceptable. We'll output: 【1】 "Heng Xian?"

This name is certainly not unfamiliar to everyone present.

Princess Taiping's chosen consort, the 'Poetry Sage', has decent cultivation, but lately he's been scolded to the point of being battered, his reputation utterly ruined; many people frown when they mention him.

'Poetry Sage'

However, when it comes to poetry, he can be called a master; his cultivation is also quite good, but… his chess skill is also excellent?

How old is he?

In his early twenties, he knows everything??

Life is limited, skills are infinite, not very realistic!

His Majesty's expression is not pleasant; every time Heng Xian is mentioned, he feels a pang of pain, a pain of being denied!

The Chancellor asked: 'Is Heng Xian's chess skill also excellent?'

"I played three games with him on New Year's Eve and lost all three!"

The Qin Consort nodded slightly; although losing that day felt awful, hearing outsiders curse Heng Xian these past days has also been satisfying, yet when faced with a major matter and thinking of him, she can't help but admire him from the heart.

Prince Qin said lazily: 'You lost all three games; you can only say his chess skill is not bad, but you can't prove it's superior to the Chess King and Chess Sage—what's the point of pushing him forward? Losing and then using poetry to insult the opponent?'

Consort De pondered, then said: 'When Heng Xian played chess with my younger sister, I was also present; it's clear that although Heng Xian is young, his chess skill is profound—he won three games against my sister without even using his full strength!'

I wouldn't dare say his chess skill is better than the Chess King's or Chess Sage's, but… at least they are evenly matched!

The Chancellor said: 'I think, a few days ago we enfeoffed him as a marquis, then stripped it away; these past two days the Second Prince of Qin has also been seeking to marry Princess Taiping—we can't be sure he harbors no resentment; is it appropriate to let him step forward?'

Chang Gongzhu pointed toward the West Palace gate and said: 'Now, at this moment, there's no better candidate; we can only let him go out and gamble on luck—we cannot let the face of the Great Zhou be lost!'

Everyone followed the direction of his finger and, in the distance, heard a laugh that looked down on everything.

It's like a thorn pricking everyone's heart!

Several people looked toward His Majesty.

His Majesty's eyes flickered: 'If Heng Xian makes a request, then what should we do?'

The Chancellor's face was awkward: 'For the glory of the nation, to achieve merit—I have nothing to say on this matter!'

…… -> We need to output the ellipsis as is. Probably just "……". We'll output: 【22】 ……

"It's almost midnight!"

Inside the room, the Spirit Stone Palace Lamp emitted a pure white glow, making Xu Lulu's face even fairer as she leaned back in the chair, a picture of delicate weakness.

Heng Xian, sitting cross-legged on the bed, opened his eyes and looked at her: 'You've waited until now? You're really bored!'

Xu Lulu chuckled: 'You've bragged, so I naturally want to wait and see!'

Heng Xian asked: 'Don't you need to serve in the palace?'

Xu Lulu twirled her hair: 'There are plenty of people in the palace, so I don't need to serve; the Consort even had me learn to serve men, saying I should find someone to marry.'

"You're not married yet?" Heng Xian pretended to eat chicken: 'I thought you were already old enough to be a grandmother!!'

Xu Lulu's face darkened a bit.

Just then, outside there was a tumultuous uproar.

Immediately, Manager Sun Nüguan rushed to the door, panting: 'Young Master, are you resting? Someone has come to the palace!'

Xu Lulu's eyes lit up.

Heng Xian shouted toward the door: 'I'm awake, let them wait!'

"Yes!" Sun Nüguan hurried away.

Xu Lulu looked at Heng Xian: 'You really guessed right—someone will actually come to fetch you??

Heng Xian said: 'I also guessed they couldn't wait and would come knock on the door!'

Just as his words fell, outside came chaotic footsteps and a hurried knocking: 'Lord Heng! Forgive the intrusion, we're here to deliver the edict!'

Xu Lulu slightly opened her mouth, showing a surprised expression.

Heng Xian got off the bed, opened the door, and saw a group of eunuchs holding lanterns, their foreheads sweating; he involuntarily asked: 'Do you need an incense table?'

The Grand Eunuch accompanied with a smile: 'The matter is urgent, no need for an incense table; His Majesty's oral order asks you: Heng Xian, are you confident in playing a game of State Chess against the Qin chess player?'

Heng Xian replied without hesitation: 'No!'

The group of eunuchs froze: 'You don't?'

Heng Xian waved his sleeve: 'I mean, the Qin chess player's lousy skill isn't worthy of playing State Chess with me; playing him is just a waste of time!'

"Uh……"

A group of little eunuchs opened their mouths into an 'O' shape.

The Grand Eunuch's face turned liver-colored, looking at Heng Xian, and said with a 'you'd better not brag' expression: 'This…… Lord Heng, the Chess King and Chess Sage have lost—are you sure?'

Heng Xian said: 'Certain and sure!'

The Grand Eunuch's eyebrows lit up with joy; seeing this person wasn't an idiot and could say that, he must have some confidence, and hurriedly bowed: 'Then please go and crush the Qin chess player's arrogance!'

"Not going!" Heng Xian turned and walked to the bed, lying down.

"Uh……" The group of eunuchs froze; the Grand Eunuch quickly asked: 'Why not go? That Qin chess player has already defeated fifty-two of our Great Zhou troops, swept through the capital as unbeatable, and is arrogantly calling out for a match!'

Heng Xian said: 'Then I don't care; I'm in a bad mood and don't want to go!'

The Grand Eunuch's cheek twitched: 'This is an imperial edict!'

Heng Xian said: 'I am an outsider, a disciple of a sect, cultivating the Dao of immortals; I do not serve the imperial family!'

The Grand Eunuch's face showed difficulty: 'How can we get you to act?'

Heng Xian said: 'Easy—grant me the title of marquis with a fief of nine thousand; that is, a Champion Marquis, meaning 'valor surpassing the three armies', ranking above other marquises!'

"Servant, I'll go report and return right away!" The group of eunuchs scurried off.

"Creak——"

The room door was shut; Xu Lulu walked out from the dark corner and looked at Heng Xian: 'You could guess they'd come for you—truly surprising! But…… are you really that confident?

The Imperial Capital's Chess King and Chess Sage are not wasting their false reputation; among nearly a million skilled chess players, they have carved out a reputation and have maintained it for several decades—they really have some talent!

Even they have lost, obviously the Qin chess players are extremely strong! Now, without surprise, the West Palace Gate side is already in utter chaos, the people are suffering humiliation—this is a national war, you had better think twice!

Heng Xian said indifferently: "My principles have no 'think twice'; since the pretense is already underway, we must see it through!"

Xu Lulu opened her mouth, saying: "This is very youthful and reckless!"

Heng Xian glanced at her and said: "When you become strong enough, you can do the same!"

Xu Lulu was speechless; she had seen many kinds of braggarts, but Heng Xian's way of boasting gave her a different experience.

When this young man before her spoke big words, there was not the slightest offensive look; instead, his whole body seemed to glow with 'light'!

……

He said, "The Qin chess players' lousy skills are not worthy of playing Jiangshan Sheji chess with him; playing chess with him is purely a waste of time!"

At Fengtian Lou, the Grand Eunuch respectfully made his report.

Inside the entire pavilion, instantly all fell silent.

The contrast is simply too stark!

Outside the West Palace Gate, all the chess players of the capital were beaten to a pulp; coming to him, it's "lousy skills", "no qualifications"???

"This is just a child spouting big words, making trouble! Blowing boasts until they burst the heavens!"

The usually laid-back Qin King flew into a rage.

The Prime Minister and the Grand Princess, among others, also felt somewhat embarrassed.

However, the Emperor's eyes emitted a dazzling light; others didn't know, but he was well aware—this child Heng Xian could see the poison that neither he nor Fei Lian could detect; this is amazing, he immediately asked: "When he makes a move, does he put forward any conditions?"

The Grand Eunuch carefully replied: "He wants a marquisate, with a fief of nine thousand, a marquis who is the bravest of the three armies—a Champion Marquis!"

The pavilion fell silent once again.

The Prime Minister's old face turned red; just recently he had opposed the marquisate with a nine-thousand fief, and now he has to back down—isn't this slapping the faces of everyone under heaven?

The Qin King said indifferently: "That's impossible; a Champion Marquis stands above all marquises!"

(End of chapter)