Chapter 215: Prince Su cannot suppress his emotions, he teaches Luo'er to play chess

Li Qingluo muttered to herself: She actually just wanted to sleep……

But she still obediently sat down, then pretended to pick up a white stone.

Duan Rongshi pointed at an empty spot: "Place a piece."

Li Qingluo: "Huh?"

This is actually completely different from the method her grandmother taught her.

Her grandmother only explained the simple rules to her and tossed her a chess manual for her to read on her own.

Li Qingluo could fall asleep after placing fewer than ten pieces each time.

She felt it would be better to write two more essays or shoot fifty more arrows to feel energized.

As for this chess manual, she really had no interest in studying it.

This Prince Su, Your Highness, is quite nice—he directly taught her how to place a piece.

She followed him a few steps, puzzled.

Rather than saying she was playing chess, it was more like she lent Prince Su a pair of hands, obeying his commands—he pointed somewhere, and she placed a piece there.

But he would occasionally add a couple of remarks.

Before she knew it, Li Qingluo had actually endured twenty pieces.

Duan Rongshi even pointed at the board and said to her: "Pick up a piece."

"I… may I pick up a piece?"

Li Qingluo's interest instantly sparked, and she sat up straight.

Her eyes shone bright; although she had been dazed and sleepy, that feeling vanished instantly.

She happily picked up the pieces, rubbed her palms together: "Your Highness, continue, continue. What's the next move?"

Duan Rongshi glared at her: "Don't you know to use your brain?"

Li Qingluo: "Aren't you teaching me? Hurry up, hurry up—where should I place the piece? Here? Here?"

Duan Rongshi: "My next move is to flank you; think, how can you escape?"

The charcoal fire beside them burned quietly, without a sound.

Li Qingluo's anguished cry came quickly: "So you were deliberately confusing me just now? Just to eat up so many of my pieces, right?"

Prince Su: "Exactly. Don't forget, every step you take is one I'm helping you take."

Thus the whole board is under his control, and she is merely a puppet.

Li Qingluo objected: "I… then don't interfere, let me do it myself!"

Soon, the anguished cry rang out again.

"How could this be? I got wiped out by you again!?"

Duan Rongshi: "This move of yours is undoubtedly like using an egg to strike a stone. Had you placed it there just now, perhaps you could still have had a chance to turn the tide."

Li Qingluo felt a bit discouraged.

But she would not admit defeat.

She quickly rallied herself and sat up straight again: "Your Highness, again!"

The interior grew warmer and warmer; outside, Zhui Yu listened to the voices within, and even though her feet were cold from stomping, the smile on her face would not fade at this moment.

"For the case of the Miss Pei, Your Highness hasn't been this relaxed in days, has he?"

"It's wonderful—with the young lady here, Your Highness still remembers to eat. He can even find leisure to come teach the young lady chess and listen to them; how cozy."

Leng Dian heard the anguished cry of the Li family young lady again from inside.

"Cozy?"

He gave Zhui Yu a strange look, wondering if he were going deaf.

Your Highness clearly bullied the Miss Li so terribly.

But Leng Dian also secretly curled the corner of his mouth.

"What you say is true; I've never seen Your Highness so relaxed and at ease with any young lady. Perhaps this young lady really will have some fortune."

Zhui Yu: "Hehe. Just wait and see—it's not just fortune; I think she's about to settle into Your Highness's heart."

Leng Dian did not deny it.

At least this Li family young lady is indeed the sole exception to appear in Your Highness's years of lonely solitude.

At the third watch, Prince Su picked up a piece and pretended to ponder.

Opposite, Li Qingluo was clearly already nodding off like a chick pecking at grain; seeing Prince Su finally willing to consider the situation, she hurriedly propped her head up, wanting to close her eyes and rest.

But she didn't expect that this brief rest would quickly overwhelm her, sending her into dreamland……

Duan Rongshi gently set down the piece in his hand.

Seeing the person across from him propping up her head already deep in sleep, he couldn't help but prop his chin and quietly watch her sleeping face.

Duan Rongshi knew this was improper.

If it got out, her reputation would probably become even worse.

But what of it?

She seems never to care about her reputation.

She has stirred up the Jiangjun Fu into a chaotic mess, driving those who had humiliated her one by one into desperate straits with no way back.

And the resulting notoriety that clings to her seems to be precisely what she cares about the least.

Duan Rongshi reflected on his own youth—when had he not been like this?

He, too, is the one in the entire imperial capital who cares least about his reputation.

The only way forward on the bright path he sees is to cut through thorns and brambles.

On Duan Rongshi's usually stern face, his expression and eyes gradually softened.

"During those few days in the mountains, what exactly happened…… You won't even utter a word about it."

"Do you really think this prince knows nothing at all?"

"That morning, he indeed woke up a moment before her."

"When he clearly felt that a girl was actually stuck to his body, Duan Rongshi's first reaction was to flip her over and kill her!"

"But upon lowering his head and seeing her face, he quickly sobered and calmed down."

"After also seeing the surroundings clearly, he understood, knowing it was she who had brought him to that safe place, and perhaps… she had even saved his life."

"Duan Rongshi himself did not know what had come over him then."

"Not only did he not flip the person on him, he even let her burrow several inches deeper into his embrace."

"Feeling the soft-bodied person clinging tightly to him, even his bones seemed soft, his breathing involuntarily grew a bit hurried."

"Although he had never married nor experienced intimacy, it was naturally not because his body had a problem."

"However, at this moment he had some extremely shameful reactions."

"Duan Rongshi turned his gaze away, desperately controlling his breath, only then feeling a tearing pain in his back."

"He lowered his head again and reached out to touch Li Qingluo's cheek."

"\"How exactly did you save this prince? \""

"The snow piled up on that cliff was enormous."

"He had thought that once they reached that temporarily safe platform, if she simply stayed with him and waited for Zhui Yu and the others to find them, that would already be the utmost of benevolence and righteousness."

"But he never expected she would actually bring him into this cave."

"From his judgment of his own current condition, Duan Rongshi was clear that she must have also treated his injuries."

"Moreover, she had stripped him of all his robes at this very moment—how on earth did she manage that?"

"\"What a bold, daring little girl! \""

"He stared at her for a long time."

"Only when he saw her pupils tremble as if about to wake did he, for the first time, feel a pang of panic, and actually closed his eyes first."

"Duan Rongshi had never done such things in his entire life."

"Feigning sleep."

"Feigning contemplation of the chess game."

"Feigning indifference to everything."

"Thinking about it, it's laughable."

"In his life, what else could he possibly care about?"

"He sighed silently and grasped the strand of hair that the breeze had blown loose from her."

"Just then, Li Qingluo's head suddenly slipped from his palm; seeing her face about to plunge entirely into the chessboard, Duan Rongshi swiftly acted——"

"His large hand steadily supported her soft cheek."

"In an instant, the prince's ear tips rapidly flushed with an uncontrollable blush spreading downward."

"Another sigh."

"When Que'er came in the morning, rubbing her eyes to attend, Li Qingluo had already awakened, sitting blankly on the bed."

"\"Miss, are you awake? My granny said she's arranged to meet Sui'er at the Delicious Food Wine House at the si hour, three ke. \""

"Li Qingluo: \"Has grandmother awakened? \""

"Que'er shook her head: \"No. But Doctor Du had already gone to check early this morning, saying the Old Lady's internal poison has improved compared to yesterday. Waking up is merely a matter of time. \""

"Li Qingluo nodded slightly."

"\"When… did I come back last night? \""

"How could she remember that she had been playing chess in the Prince Su's chambers all along, and then wonder when she fell asleep?"

"And how did she return?"

"Li Qingluo looked at Que'er, who feigned calm and said: \"Miss, have you forgotten? You were so exhausted you could barely keep your eyes open—wasn't it I who carried you back? \""

"Li Qingluo: \"Really……? \""

"She recalled that she seemed indeed unable to open her eyes, and in her daze she felt as if someone were holding her……"

"Was it Que'er?"

"But how could she claim it was she who carried her back?"

"Que'er hurried over: \"Oh dear, miss, you'd better get up. The mute maidservants are looking for you with something to do! \"

"Que'er helped Li Qingluo up to dress, then turned away and secretly let out a sigh of relief."

"Her miss is so sharp; she knows she can't be fooled!"

"But last night, when Prince Su personally carried the miss back, he also unmistakably raised his finger and warned her with his gaze, and that foul guard Zhui Yu even made a throat‑slitting gesture."

"She's really having a hard time!!"

"That's the killing god, Yama Prince Su!!"

"He truly takes lives."

"Que'er cried in her heart: \"Miss, it's not that I'm disloyal to you; you'd better not know about this, otherwise I'd lose my life—wu wu. \""

"The mute maidservants of Osmanthus Garden are all very warm and close to Li Qingluo."

"As soon as they rose, they brought her new clothes, new ornaments, and even velvet flowers."

"Li Qingluo felt overwhelmed by the favor, yet saw them gesturing and saying: \"Miss, feel free to wear these; they're all hand‑stitched by us these past days. \""

"\"And these ornaments too—we make them in our idle leisure; if you don't mind, just wear them for fun. \""

"Li Qingluo gratefully accepted them all."

"\"Then thank you, all the sisters and grannies. \""

The mute servants only then laughed, holding hands as they left.

Ying'er picked up a hair ornament in surprise: "This is Great Chu's style, right?"

And these few velvet flowers are also the style from Great Chu.

Que'er picked up the clothing to look: "Look, how about these?"

After looking, Ying'er's face was full of shock: "This clothing naturally also has the air of Great Chu. These…… how they made them are all Great Chu's style? Miss, do you wear it?"

Walking down the street so ostentatiously, they would certainly attract a lot of attention.

Although these are all very pretty, and you can indeed see they were made stitch by stitch by them.

Li Qingluo: "Let's set them aside for now; we'll wear them when we return."

However, she took this to heart.

All are Great Chu's style; could it be that these mute servants are all from Great Chu?

Delicacy Restaurant.

Li Qingluo dressed as a man and, accompanied by Deng Mama, quietly arrived at the tavern.

The tavern's business was still booming.

Mei Shuang really is a capable hand at business, and had no trouble seeking out Li Qingluo and coming over.

She already knew last night at midnight that Li Qingluo would come today, so she had already prepared the side room.

By the time Li Qingluo entered, Liu Sui'er had already arrived.

Accompanying her was also her mother, Lady Wang of the Liu family.

Seeing Li Qingluo enter, Wang Shi immediately stood up with an excited face, she rushed forward half a step, tears in her eyes: "Cao'er..."