Learn a small skill every day and embark on a crazy life

Chapter 49: Empress Ouyang Jinying
Dachuan Dynasty, imperial capital.

The magnificent imperial palace was bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, and the glazed tiles seemed to be coated with a layer of gold, which further highlighted the royal majesty.

In a pavilion in the Imperial Garden, chess master Li Xincheng and empress Ouyang Jinying were sitting opposite each other. On the chessboard in front of them, black and white chess pieces were crisscrossed, and murderous intentions were lurking on the every side.

Li Xincheng was holding a white piece with a deep gaze, as if he could see through all the changes on the chessboard.

He is over sixty years old, but still energetic and has the air of an immortal.

The plain white robe made him look otherworldly and otherworldly, as if he had nothing to do with this noisy world.

Opposite him, Empress Ouyang Jinying was wearing a golden phoenix robe and a phoenix crown. She was so graceful and elegant that one could not look directly at her.

She frowned slightly, and it was obvious that the chess game in front of her was quite tricky for her.

"Teacher, this move of yours actually contains murderous intent." Ouyang Jinying put down the black piece in her hand, with a hint of helplessness in her tone.

Li Xincheng smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty is very talented. I have only used a small trick. Does Your Majesty have any other way to crack it?"

Ouyang Jinying did not say anything, but just stared at the chessboard intently, her slender fingers constantly hovering above the chessboard, as if she was deducing various possibilities.

After a long while, she finally made a move and sighed, "Teacher's chess skills are superb. I am willing to admit defeat."

Even if Li Xincheng didn't play chess seriously, Ouyang Jinying knew that there was no way she could beat him.

Because the person sitting in front of her was not only the imperial teacher of the Dachuan Dynasty, but also the chess master, one of the three saints of the human race.

The three saints of the human race are the chess saint of the Dachuan Dynasty, the Confucian saint of the Dasheng Dynasty, and the martial saint of the Daxuan Dynasty.

Li Xincheng was born into a scholarly family in Fengping County during the Okawa Dynasty. He showed extraordinary wisdom and extraordinary talent for chess since he was a child.

His ancestors have studied chess for three generations and have accumulated profound cultural heritage and chess experience.

Since childhood, Li Xincheng has been learning Go and the principles of life under the careful guidance of his father, and gradually realized that there is a deeper philosophy behind the game of Go.

At the age of fifteen, Li Xincheng was able to play against some well-known chess players without losing, and his fame rose rapidly.

After that, Li Xincheng's understanding of chess became increasingly profound. He was no longer satisfied with just competing for victory or defeat on the chessboard, but began to try to integrate the art of chess into every aspect of life.

Li Xincheng believes that although the chessboard is small, it can reflect everything in the world.

The universe is so vast that the layout of every chess piece is a reflection of wisdom and strategy.

After another thirty years of dedicated practice, Li Xincheng finally realized the fundamental truth of life and became a chess saint through chess. From then on, he became a chess saint recognized by the world.

Under the guidance of Li Xincheng, chess is no longer a simple form of entertainment, but has become a discipline for self-cultivation, family management, governance of the country and peace in the world.

Many noble sons came to seek advice, hoping to learn something from this chess master.

But in the end, Li Xincheng only accepted two disciples.

The eldest disciple is Xie Liuliang, and the other is the current empress of the Dachuan Dynasty.

Under Li Xincheng's careful teaching, Ouyang Jinying not only improved his chess skills, but also learned how to use the strategic thinking of the chess game to govern the world's affairs.

……

Li Xincheng smiled and twirled his beard, saying, "Your Majesty, don't underestimate yourself. Your Majesty is the ruler of a country, and you have a lot of things to do every day. It's rare that you can still maintain such a good chess skill."

Hearing this, Ouyang Jinying did not say anything, but stood up and walked to the pavilion, looking at the lights of thousands of houses gradually lighting up outside the palace wall in the distance, with a complicated look in her eyes. "Teacher, before my father died, he told me to be careful of Dingbei Hou. Now it has come true. Qin Wujie has his own army and now only listens to orders and not orders. It really gives me a headache."

Ouyang Jinying's tone was flat, as if she was talking about an insignificant matter, but Li Xincheng could hear the anxiety and uneasiness hidden in her tone.

Li Xincheng's eyes were deep and he had seen through Ouyang Jinying's thoughts.

This young empress has a mind far beyond her age.

"Your Majesty, I don't understand the affairs of the court. I only know that on this chessboard, only by taking every step carefully can you win."

"Every step is taken carefully..."

Ouyang Jinying repeated these four words, a cold light flashing in her beautiful eyes, "Teacher, do you mean that I want to take action against Qin Wujie?"

"I dare not discuss state affairs, but..."

Li Xincheng deliberately dragged out his tone, a gleam of light flashed in his turbid old eyes, "Your Majesty, have you ever thought about why the late emperor asked you to beware of Dingbei Marquis?"

After hearing this, Ouyang Jinying remained silent. Li Xincheng's question was like a heavy hammer hitting her heart.

"Although Dingbei Hou has guarded the northern border for generations, he holds a large number of troops and dominates one side. Even if he is loyal to the Dachuan Dynasty, his achievements are too great to be feared by the emperor. Sigh..."

Li Xincheng sighed inwardly, and then said meaningfully: "Your Majesty, in this world, everything has its pros and cons. Dingbei Hou has led troops to guard the northern border for many years and resisted foreign invasions. It is a merit. How to choose is entirely up to your Majesty."

He only talked about the advantages but not the disadvantages, and his meaning was very clear.

Hearing this, Ouyang Jinying remained silent. She naturally understood what Li Xincheng meant.

But as an empress, she was responsible for the safety of the entire Dachuan Dynasty. How could she be so soft-hearted?

"Teacher, do you know that just a few days ago, Qin Wujie sent someone to deliver a letter. Although the words in the letter were respectful, he wanted me to marry the emperor's sister, Princess Xuanle, to his good-for-nothing son. This is simply wishful thinking!"

At this point, Ouyang Jinying's tone already had a hint of anger.

"Your Majesty, do you still remember what was the first sentence I taught you?"

Without responding directly, Li Xincheng just suddenly asked another question.

Ouyang Jinying was slightly stunned, and then the scene from that year emerged in her mind.

At that time, she was still an innocent princess, full of curiosity about chess. Later, when she heard of the name of the chess saint, she pestered Li Xincheng to become his disciple and learn the art.

Born into an imperial family, Ouyang Jinying showed extraordinary talent and bearing since childhood. She inherited the royal family's profound knowledge and governance skills. Coupled with her natural keen insight, she made her mark at the age of twenty, and many princes were not as good as her.

Ouyang Jinying is not only outstanding in appearance, but also has unfathomable inner qualities.

After ascending the throne, she always cared about the world, governed the country well, and won the respect and love of her subjects with her wisdom and courage.

Faced with the changing situation in the court, she always keeps a clear head and makes decisions that are most beneficial to the people.

Ouyang Jinying advocated cultural education and attached importance to talent selection, which made the culture of the Dachuan Dynasty prosperous and ever-changing.

She was well aware that peace was hard-won, and she maintained an open and inclusive attitude in diplomacy, defusing tensions with neighboring countries on many occasions, making the Okawa Dynasty an important hub for exchanges and trade among various dynasties.

In terms of military affairs, Ouyang Jinying also demonstrated extraordinary strategic vision. She reformed the military system, strengthened border defense, and ensured long-term stability on the dynasty's borders.

(End of this chapter)