A cautious little female official who keeps her head down × a peerless imperial chess master
The Great Zhou under the Tang, ruled by the Sacred and Divine Empress.
She stood atop the high wall. A sea of white plum blossoms surged like raging waves, and all she could see was black and white.
The world had long since fallen into disorder, and everything under heaven had become absurd.
The sky screen above was about to collapse. On a misty morning, the tolling of death's bells echoed through the air.
Thunder flashed and lightning crashed. The chess master's snow-white wide sleeves were reflected on the blood-red palace walls, spread like crane wings. His clear, cold eyes seemed to look across lifetimes, seeing through the darkness.
He walked toward her, crushing jade and treading down snow. Nineteen black lines crossed and crisscrossed beneath his feet, like the rules of ethics and propriety, trampled underfoot as he walked wherever he pleased.
He gently lifted her hands, his cold breath winding around her ear. "Hold me tight."
1. Historical fact-checking is welcome.
2. The Go scenes involve a game far beyond the author's modest rank and limited experience. I can only give a somewhat hazy recreation of masters facing off. If any experts would like to explain things in the comments, I'll gladly listen.
3. Inspired by Hikaru no Go. Sai's ending was truly heartbreaking. This work itself is unrelated to Hikaru no Go.
4. Thank you to all the friends who love Go and Hikaru no Go for your kindness and support.
5. This is a political intrigue story. The protagonist is a master of keeping her head down, and the political scheming is solid. I also wanted to recreate the heartbreaking story of another pair from Palace of Desire, Princess Taiping and Xue Shao. TwT I'm really showing my age~
Theme: The game ends, the victor is decided, and there is no draw
