Chapter 297: Two Games of Chess

Not far from the tavern, there was a vast stretch of barren land. Around its perimeter, numerous bonfires crackled and burned.

The abundance of bonfires illuminated the open ground completely, eradicating any shadows where danger might lurk.

At the center of this clearing stood three carriages side by side.

Each carriage was constructed from black-gold metal, resembling impenetrable steel fortresses.

Inside the central black-gold carriage, a middle-aged scholar removed his scholar’s cap, letting his hair fall loose.

Leaning against a silk-covered seat, he closed his eyes slightly. In front of him were two pristine white jade chessboards, both untouched.

Before long, a voice from outside the carriage inquired, “Uncle, are you resting?”

The middle-aged scholar opened his eyes and responded with a smile, “Not yet. Come in and speak.”

With a soft click, the latch on the carriage door released. A young man in a purple robe lifted the curtain and stepped inside.

Upon seeing the two neatly arranged chessboards, he immediately understood that his uncle had been waiting for him and his brother.

Without hesitation, he seated himself before the chessboard on the left, picked up the white stones, and smiled. “Uncle, shall we play a game?”

The middle-aged scholar nodded with a smile. “That was my intention.”

Pa-da!

The white stone¹ was placed on the board. The young man in purple then looked at the middle-aged scholar, who picked up a black stone and placed it down in response.

Their moves were steady—neither too fast nor too slow. The white stones formed a methodical layout, gradually encircling the black stones in a large-scale siege.

By the thirtieth move, the young man in purple spoke. “Uncle, what do you think of the Mr. Gu we met at the tavern today?”

The middle-aged scholar pondered for a moment before placing another stone. “He remained composed in all circumstances, showing both integrity and poise. He clearly recognized our distinguished status yet dared to step inside. Faced with wealth, power, and even immortal wine, he remained unfazed, unmoved by any of it.”

“If he were an official in the court, he would certainly be a man of unparalleled integrity—a selfless minister who serves the nation and its people with unwavering dedication.”

“Oh?” The young man in purple smirked slightly. “I never expected Uncle to hold him in such high regard.”

“In my opinion, while he certainly possesses integrity and an air of distinction, he is also overly proud. Outwardly, he appears calm and unshaken, but in reality, he likely has ambitions as vast as the heavens. Even if we were to recruit him under our banner, I doubt he would be easily controlled or follow orders without question.”

Hearing this, the middle-aged scholar did not immediately respond. Instead, he smiled faintly, picked up a black stone, hesitated over the chessboard for a long time, and ultimately put it back.

“As the old saying goes, ‘The waves of the Yangtze River push forward the ones before them.’ Your chess skills are improving by the day. I shall not struggle on any longer.”

“Uncle is going easy on me.” The young man in purple glanced at the right-side chessboard and said lightly, “We have a long journey ahead tomorrow. Uncle, after finishing the second game, be sure to rest early. Long travels are exhausting, and if you sleep too little at night, you won’t have much energy during the day.”

The middle-aged scholar smiled and nodded. “Understood. Thank you for your concern.”

“You’re too polite, Uncle.” The young man in purple responded with a smile, then left the carriage.

However, before the middle-aged scholar could even take a sip of tea, footsteps sounded outside the carriage. The carriage shook slightly as a man in blue robes lifted the curtain and stepped inside, calling out, “Uncle.”

Upon seeing the chessboard on the left already filled with pieces, he let out a cold chuckle and sat down before the right-side chessboard. Taking the black stones, he picked one up and grinned. “Uncle, let’s play!”

The middle-aged scholar picked up the white stones and smiled. “You’re always so impatient.”

“There’s no choice but to be. If one wishes to surpass those who came before, they must act with urgency.” The man in blue spoke nonchalantly.

Pretending not to catch the underlying meaning of his words, the middle-aged scholar quickly placed a white stone.

Yet the moment he placed his stone, the black stone immediately followed—almost without a breath’s delay.

Understanding his fifth nephew’s impatient nature, the middle-aged scholar deliberately sped up his own moves.

But no matter how fast he played, the opponent always followed immediately, as if he weren’t thinking at all before placing his stones.

Many of the moves, in the middle-aged scholar’s eyes, seemed like outright sacrifices. On a battlefield, such strategies would be akin to a reckless general commanding his troops without caution—striking wherever he pleased.

Even the most glaring traps, ones that could not be more obvious, his nephew would still boldly charge into, dragging his forces along.

It was a playstyle that was utterly reckless—harming the enemy by eight hundred but losing a thousand in return!

By the 83rd move, the man in blue simply grabbed a handful of black stones from the container, holding them in his palm, making his moves even faster…

The middle-aged scholar observed his fifth nephew from the corner of his eye. He saw that the young man was staring intently at the board with great concentration, yet when placing his stones, he did so without a moment’s thought, as if the one who played the fastest would be the victor.

Moreover, it seemed that his nephew had no intention of conversing at all—almost as if, in the dead of night, he had specifically come just to play this absurdly haphazard game.

“Well…” The middle-aged scholar had barely spoken two words when the man in blue interrupted, “Uncle! Don’t talk while playing. You’re already slow enough, and if you start talking, you’ll be even slower.”

“Whatever it is, say it after the game.”

Hearing this, the middle-aged scholar’s mouth twitched slightly. Looking at the board before him, he had a significant advantage.

So, he simply followed suit—grabbing a handful of white stones from the container and playing without a second thought, matching his nephew’s pace.

When the game reached the 130th move, just as the middle-aged scholar was about to place his next stone, he suddenly realized that his white stones had been cut apart from countless strange angles!

After pondering for a few breaths, he put the white stone back into the container and sighed, “Your moves are cunning and unpredictable… I’ve lost.”

With a rustling sound, the man in blue casually tossed the black stones back into the container, then picked up his long-cold tea and drank it all in one go. He then asked with a smile, “Uncle, what were you about to say just now?”

“It’s nothing much,” the middle-aged scholar replied. “I just wanted to ask your opinion on that Mr. Gu.”

“Opinion?” The man in blue paused briefly before saying, “He’s a talent worth using.”

The middle-aged scholar raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. “That’s it?”

The man in blue nodded. “That’s it.”

“With such a simple evaluation, you were still willing to give away that blood jade—such a precious item—just like that?” The middle-aged scholar asked in confusion.

The man in blue chuckled. “Even though blood jade is extraordinary, it’s still just an external possession. These things don’t mean much to me.”

Hearing this, the middle-aged scholar opened his mouth, but then swallowed his words. Instead, he simply said, “Go rest early. We have a long journey ahead tomorrow.”

“Hmm. Uncle, you should rest early too.” With that, the man in blue rose and left the carriage, and before leaving, he didn’t forget to close the door behind him…

“No wonder they’re blood brothers—one remembers to leave the door open when arriving, and the other doesn’t forget to close it when leaving…” the middle-aged scholar murmured. He picked up his teacup, glanced at the now-empty bottom, and silently set it down again…