Gong Sang Mo looks down on the chess set on top of the stone table.
From the strategy game of chess, you can not only see her wisdom and intelligence, you can even see her tactical strategy that is like the one used in battle. That kind of game, even he who had been dwelling in military affairs since he was ten and has been bathing in blood since, would like to show his admiration towards her.
Murong Cang notices Gong Sang Mo’s eyes on the chess set and understand what it is he is implying.
A kind of light flashes in his old eyes as he regretfully says, “It’s a pity she is a woman.”
Gong Sang Mo smiles lightly, “The fact that she is a woman makes her even more suitable. Besides, has Your Majesty ever seen a girl like her?”
Murong Cang shakes his head, “Not before her, and not after her either.)
(TN: 前无古人，后无来者 (qian wu gu ren, hou wu lai zhe): to have neither predecessors nor successors. Basically means, there’s no one like her.)
“Since there is no other choice, why not put all eggs in one basket? Without destruction, there can be no construction!” Gong Sang Mo’s expression is still as calm as a water, as if nothing can move him.
Murong Cang ponders and falls into a state of meditation.
Gong Sang Mo knows the emperor will definitely considers his method, this is the reason he came today.
Gong Sang Mo uses his hand to beckon Murong Yu Jian, “Yu Jian, come here. Your Qian Yu Jiejie’s game of chess contains many strategies.”
Yu Jian lets go of Murong Cang’s sleeves and heads over to Gong Sang Mo, listening to his explaination carefully.
—————–
Feng Yun Manor, the influential family appointed by the royal family to develop weapons from a hundred years ago.
Inside the manor, a forty years something madam wearing a blue robes enters the chamber and recline on a couch to rest for a while.
She has been mourning for the late manor’s master for the past three years and today is the day her son, Situ Han Yi assumes the position. Her twenty years of efforts finally comes to fruition. Battling all those concubines of the previous master, not even a single concubine’s child is left. Now, her son finally becomes the master of the manor!
At that time, a decently-dressed old lady quickly walks in. “Old madam, the little master he- no, the master- he dispatched people to invite Miss Yun. This old servant heard, the master intends to break the marriage agreement. He wants to marry the Vice-Minister of Work’s daughter, Bai Fei Xu.”
The old madam’s delighted face immediately changes color.
“This stubborn child! I repeatedly told him not to back out on the marriage agreement, why did he get blinded by that Bai Fei Xu? If he really likes her, then he can find ways to keep her afterwards. Hurry, let us go to Feng Yun Hall and stop him from ruining everything.” She stands up as she says that and walk out.
The truth is she had been in Feng Yun Hall, participating in the ceremony of her son’s ascension as master of the manor. She returns to her chamber thinking she no longer has to worry about anything. But the moment she left, he actually concocted such a big plan? She told him many times, he must marry this Yun Qian Yu. Why won’t he listen to her?
The old maid follows the madam, but moment they step out of the door, the pair of madam and maid circles their yard, why can’t they get out?
The old madam anxiously shout for people, but nobody comes from the outside.
In a dark corner, a pink-dressed lady smirks, I, Man Er’s matrix method, if you can break it then all my mistress’ efforts to teach me will be in vain.
Mistress is really outstanding, she can tell from early on that this snobbish and treacherous old woman will interfere with Situ Han Yi’s plan to break the marriage agreement.
Now that the mission is completed, the pink silhouette disappeared and shows up in a remote courtyard.
“She is back,” Man Er can see the blue-silhouette happily stepping out.
Yun Qian Yu’s pair of eyes that are like still water is trained on her, “Is it done?”
Man Er proudly nods and says, “I did it. Don’t worry, Mistress, that old woman will not be able to get out for at least an hour.” Man Er has full confidence in her own skill.
Chen Xiang glance at the proud Man Er and says, “Restrain yourself.” She then turns to two other girls next to her, “Yu Nuo, Ying Yu, have you two packed all the things?”
The two girls smiles sweetly, as Yu Nuo says, “All of mistress’ things has been packed. Uncle Chai brought some people to send them over yesterday. The rest are the Feng Yun Manor’s things, we did not touch them.”
Yun Qian Yu’s eyes wanders around the courtyard that she has been living at for the past three years. Compared to the luxurious Feng Yun manor, it cannot be any simpler and more remote. Her lips from behind the veil curls.
“Is Miss Yun around?” a voice containing a slight contempt can be heard in the courtyard’s gate.
Chen Xiang looks at Yun Qian Yu before heading over to open the gate.
A beautifully dressed young maid is at the gate wearing a rather arrogant expression. She stares at Chen Xiang scornfully before conceitedly saying, “The master of the manor invites Miss Yun to Feng Yun Hall.”
Chen Xiang narrows her eyes at her before drooping it down and speaking stiffly, “Wait for a while.” After that, she close the gate.
The maid at the gate, Xiang He, looks at the shut door. She stomps her feet and angrily mumbles, “What are you so haughty at? You are just an ugly dreadful person that lives from someone’s charity under someone’s roof. Relying on the fact that you are master’s fiancée? Hmph, you will no longer be that soon. By then, you can’t compare to even me.”
Inside the courtyard, Yun Qian Yu hears Xiang He very clearly.
“Yu Nuo, tea.”
Such a simple yet meaningful word, all four of them understood immediately.
The corner of Yu Nuo’s lips curls up in delight, happily boiling water steeps with tea.
Xiang He waits outside for around two incense stick time and even then, nobody comes out. She angrily pounds on the door so hard it can break, secretly thinking, who does she think she is, making the master of the manor waiting for her for so long like that.
The only osmanthus tree in the courtyard is blossoming. Yun Qian Yu gently stops her rocking chair and places the teacup in her hand on a nearby stone table. She gets up, walking towards the gate in unhurried pace.
“Let’s go. There is nothing worth remembering here.”
After Yun Qian Yu gets up, Chen Xiang turns to a dark corner and says, “This rocking chair is a thousand year old ebony wood from Feng Ran Xun. Bring it back.”
A person appears in the dark corner and in the blink of an eye, the rocking chair disappears.
Chen Xiang, Man Er, Yu Nuo and Ying Yu walks behind Yun Qian Yu towards the gate.
Outside, Xiang He who has been waiting until her patience is running thin sees the pale blue silhouette of Yun Qian Yu within her eyesight.
Her slender figure, her hair that casually billows on her back and that thin pale blue veil that covers her face….. She can only see her eyes that resembles water. Her entire body radiates in utter indifference. She trembles a little upon seeing her, her heart a little surprised.
Yun Qian Yu is originally her mistress.
Upon thinking of Yun Qian Yu’s appearance, the arrogance within her rise again. The master of the manor is amiable to even small maids like her but has always been uncaring towards this fiancée that he has for three years.
Besides, she will the master’s concubine soon, while she on the other hand will be kicked out. Xiang He rubs her own belly while smiling haughtily.
Yun Qian Yu is the daughter of Yun Tian, the famous beautiful man who was known for his medicinal knowledge with the most beautiful maiden, Jiang Yi Meng. Yun Tian was the master of Yun Valley.
Three years ago, Jiang Yi Meng was poisoned by Shen Ye Wu who has been coveting her husband using an unknown poison. Even the capable Yun Tian was rendered helpless. In the end, he kills Shen Ye Wu in anger. After his wife died from the poisoning, he sent his beloved daughter, Yun Qian Yu to his sworn brother Situ Jin, the master of Feng Yun manor. Situ Jin’s son, Situ Han Yi is the designated fiancée for his daughter. Then, he committed suicide and was buried together with his wife. From then on, the Yun Valley’s name disappears in the Jiang Hu world.
But, the real Yun Qian Yu had been murdered by some vicious Jiang Hu villains who coveted the Yun Valley’s riches on her way to Feng Yun Manor. Not only did they ruined her face, she also lost her life.
She was a different soul whom at the same time had fallen from the sky and entered her body and became the current Yun Qian Yu.
When Yun Qian Yu enters this courtyard three years ago, she entered it with her nanny and Xiang He.
Xiang He was a maid her nanny bought after the attack, so she did not follow Yun Qian Yu from the very beginning.
At that time, the master of Feng Yun manor was gravely ill and Situ Han Yi got really disgusted upon seeing Yun Qian Yu’s hideous scar-laden face. The old madam back then place Yun Qian Yu in a remote courtyard upon contemplating on the one million liang of silver they receive annually from Yun Valley. But she did not arrange a single servant for her.
Not a few days in Feng Yun manor, Xiang He abandons that mistress of hers and throws herself to Situ Han Yi. After she did that, the nanny fell ill and in the end died from grief.
The current four maids are the servants their housekeeper from Yun Valley, Uncle Chai selected to serve Yun Qian Yu.
Yun Qian Yu glance at Xiang He’s stomach, gently squints her eyes and then walks away.
Feng Yun manor is located halfway up a mountain, so some parts of the manor is located in steep slopes. Yun Qian Yu unhurriedly walks across a path that is lined by gorgeous flower beds. She walks past the charming and colorful garden and arrives in Feng Yun Hall.
The tall and lofty Feng Yun Hall is full of laughters and congratulating wishes inside.
Yun Qian Yu steps on the steps and arrives in the entrance. This is the second time she has ever been in Feng Yun Hall in the past three years. The first time was three years ago, when she arrived here received by the then manor’s master Situ Jin.
A lot of martial arts practitioners gathers in Feng Yun Hall. Sitting in the highest spot is a good-looking young man wearing jade headgear and purple robe. He is Situ Han Yi, the current master of Feng Yun manor. He is nineteen years of age this year.
Sitting beside him is a beautiful, gentle-looking woman wearing white clothes. She is the person in Situ Han Yi’s heart, the Vice-Minister of Work’s primary daughter, Bai Fei Xu. She gazes at Situ Han Yi with delighted adoration.
Such a huge number of congratulating wishes, Situ Han Yi feels like he is floating on air.
“Informing master, Miss Yun has arrived.” A guard enters the hall and report that.
