newbobooks Chapter 1257 The Chess and Card Master Succeeded
Chapter 1257 The Chess and Card Master Succeeded
A remarkably crisp sound.
That peerless artifact, enough to drive all tea connoisseurs in the world mad, was simply left lying on the ground.
When all the Japanese daimyo saw the "Number One Bowl Under Heaven" fall to the ground, they felt as if their hearts had shattered along with it.
An unprecedented, chilling despair known as "collapse of faith" instantly swept over their entire bodies!
They knew it was over.
Their so-called "tea ceremony spirit," which has been passed down for hundreds of years in Japan, has also perished.
……
Meanwhile, aboard the Black Pearl.
Murong Yan stood quietly alone in the incredibly luxurious captain's cabin, her beautiful phoenix eyes gazing through the huge crystal porthole at the distant, pitch-black Japanese mainland.
Her mind was in complete turmoil.
It's been more than an hour.
The crazy old monk hasn't returned yet.
There was still no news from Kyoto.
Will my husband's plan succeed? Can that old monk really be trusted?
If he messes things up, they'll really be in deep trouble this time.
Worries kept popping up, making her restless.
She was still wearing the same Phoenix Descent Dress that served as her only nightgown. The ultra-black Su brocade fabric seemed to transform into a deep and oppressive boundless night in the quiet captain's cabin.
The giant phoenix embroidered with real gold thread seemed to sense its master's anxiety, its golden eyes filled with vigilance and worry.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the door.
"His Majesty!"
It's Elizabeth.
She rushed in excitedly, her pretty face flushed, without even having time to bow.
"Your Majesty! This is fantastic news!"
"News has just come from Kyoto!"
Elizabeth was so excited that she became somewhat incoherent, gesturing wildly as she spoke.
"That old charlatan... oh no, I mean that chess and card game master, he succeeded!"
"He angered that damned 'Tea Saint' Sen no Rikyu so much that he coughed up blood and fainted on the spot!"
"Hahaha! Your Majesty, you didn't see that scene! It's said that the daimyo and samurai who witnessed it were all like they had lost their parents, kneeling at the entrance of the temple, wailing and crying out that their 'god' was dead and their 'way' had collapsed!"
"It's a hundred times more entertaining than our most famous farce!"
She had long disliked that pretentious old tea connoisseur.
Hearing that he had been driven to the brink of unconsciousness by that equally eccentric old monk, she felt that she had never heard anything more satisfying or hilarious in her life.
However, when Murong Yan heard this news, her beautiful face, which had been tense all along, did not show the slightest joy.
Instead, it became even more somber.
Elizabeth's laughter gradually subsided, and she looked at her queen with some confusion.
"Did you faint from anger?"
Murong Yan murmured to herself, a cold glint flashing in her beautiful phoenix eyes.
"That old fox fell so easily?"
Based on her understanding of Sen no Rikyu, the mental fortitude required to climb to his current position is far beyond that of ordinary people.
How could it be so vulnerable?
She always felt that things weren't that simple.
She slowly walked to the huge geomantic map, her beautiful phoenix eyes fixed on the two words "Kyoto" on the map.
Her mind was racing.
Sen no Rikyu, that old fox who was revered throughout Japan as the "God of Tea Ceremony".
A top-tier strategist who can manipulate countless powerful figures with just a cup of tea.
How could his temperament be so fragile?
Would someone be so angry as to vomit blood and faint over a few words of humiliation and a teacup?
This doesn't make sense.
unless……
Unless he did it on purpose!
He was using this "playing dead" tactic to express his final and most resolute attitude of non-cooperation to himself and to the Great Qian Dynasty!
He was using his own "fall" to awaken those Japanese daimyo who were still immersed in the illusory or spiritual world of "tea ceremony"!
He was telling them that their "god" was dead and their faith had collapsed.
Next, they would either follow him and fight to the end against the foreign conquerors, the Great Qian!
They should either completely abandon those ridiculous "refinements" and pick up their swords again, using the most primitive and bloodiest methods to defend their so-called "bushido" dignity!
What a brilliant move! "Retreating to advance, putting oneself in a desperate situation to survive!"
What a fine example of Sen no Rikyu's philosophy: "I'd rather die than be destroyed!"
Having figured this out, a terrifying, icy, and overwhelming killing intent instantly burst forth from Murong Yan's beautiful phoenix eyes!
She knew she had underestimated this old Japanese tea connoisseur.
They also underestimated the deep-rooted influence of his so-called "tea ceremony" on the country.
She originally thought that as long as she defeated Sen no Rikyu, the spiritual leader, she could easily conquer the country culturally and ideologically.
But she never expected it.
This old fox actually used his own "death" at the last moment to set up such a vicious and deadly scheme for himself!
He's using his own death to ignite the flames of resistance throughout Japan!
"Somebody come!"
She turned around abruptly, her voice icy cold and devoid of any emotion.
"His Majesty!"
Two Imperial Guards dressed in black flying fish robes appeared silently at the doorway like ghosts.
"Issue my decree!"
She walked to the magnificent whalebone chair and slowly sat down.
The Phoenix Descent Dress she wore, her only nightgown, seemed to sense the overwhelming killing intent within her.
Under the dim light, the extremely dark black Suzhou brocade seemed to transform into a furious black ocean about to unleash a raging storm, while the giant phoenix embroidered with real gold thread had its eyes wide open, exuding a murderous aura!
It seemed as if it was ready to break free from that black ocean at any moment!
Tear all enemies who dare to defy their master's will to shreds!
"Immediately send someone to 'invite' that foolish old tea connoisseur to Azuchi Castle!"
A cold, cruel smile curled at the corners of her lips.
"Doesn't he like to play dead?"
"Then I'll make him wish he were dead!"
"I want to see whether his so-called 'tea ceremony' is tougher, or whether the Imperial Guard's prison system of my Great Qian Dynasty is tougher!"
Upon hearing Murong Yan's orders, which were filled with bloodshed and murderous intent, Elizabeth couldn't help but show a deep sense of apprehension on her beautiful face.
She knew that this seemingly beautiful and charming Eastern empress was truly determined to kill.
That unlucky old tea drinker is probably really in for a rough time this time.
However, just when she thought Murong Yan would use the cruelest torture to torment the old tea master.
Murong Yan's next words once again surprised both her and the two Imperial Guards.
"Furthermore," Murong Yan changed the subject, a sly glint flashing in her cold phoenix eyes, "remember to be polite when you 'invite' him here."
"We will not only use the most luxurious eight-bearer sedan chair in our Great Qian Dynasty to carry him."
"We must proclaim this to the whole world!"
"It is said that Her Majesty the Empress of the Great Qian Dynasty has long admired Sen no Rikyu, the Tea Saint, for his high moral character and divine tea skills. She specially visited him three times to invite him to serve as the first Dean of the newly established 'Royal Tea Academy' of the Great Qian Empire!"
"The supreme 'Great Way of Tea' is responsible for educating the people of my Great Qian and all its vassal states!"
"what?!"