Chapter 62: The Game of Chess Determines Life and Death
Minister Song's coughing up blood has made everyone in the Song family very anxious. They have seen many famous doctors in the capital, but there has been no improvement at all.
Lin Rugui sat on the soft stool in front of the bed and wiped her tears. Song Zigen sat on the bed, leaning against the soft pillow, looking at his wife, feeling sad.
He knew that he might not live long, although he looked gloomy.
But Song Zigen still held on and comforted his wife: "I'm fine, don't worry. Didn't the imperial physician say that this is due to the stagnation of the heart meridians? Now Huaixi is back. I feel much better and everything will be fine."
"Just coax me."
Lin Rugui raised her eyes and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief: "I have seen so many doctors, but not one of them looked happy. They are all helpless. How can I not be anxious?"
How can your body bear if you keep coughing like this every day? How many days left to live?
Song Huaixi has become depressed these days because of Song Zigen's illness, and the dimples on her face have not been seen for a long time.
When he returned to the yard, Song Huaixi saw a white-haired old man squatting in his yard looking at the flowers and plants on the ground.
Song Huaixi suddenly felt puzzled and stepped forward to ask, "Grandpa, who are you?"
The old man had his white hair tied into a bun on top of his head and fixed with a tree branch. He has a kind face.
It's strange that his clothes are not tattered. It's still a bit cold now. The old man was wearing a plain cloth robe with small pockets on the chest and back. There are also many small gourds hanging around the waist.
He exudes a sage-like temperament that is not bound by worldly matters.
The old man stood up from the ground, walked around Song Huaixi, and suddenly grabbed his wrist.
Song Huaixi's eyes suddenly widened: "Grandpa..."
"Hush!" The old man pressed two fingers on his pulse: "Calm down, calm down."
Seeing his serious face, Song Huaixi had no choice but to do as he asked. The old man stroked his beard and looked him over. Let go of his hand.
"It is difficult to cure a deficiency after birth."
"What?" Song Huaixi didn't understand and asked, "Who are you?"
"Me? You'll be scared to death if I tell you. I am the famous and priceless Ouyang Divine Doctor, who comes and goes without a trace, like a dragon that can only be seen from head to tail."
After Ouyang Tongji finished speaking, he proudly turned his hands behind his back and looked at the flowers and plants on the ground. Just by looking at the small buds sticking out of the ground, he knew what kind of flowers they were planted.
"What dragon? What tail?"
Song Huaixi didn't understand what he was saying, but he noticed that he was a doctor. His eyes immediately lit up and he asked excitedly, "Then can you heal my father?"
Ouyang Tongji turned around and looked at him, and said calmly: "Of course, there is no disease in this world that I can't cure."
Hearing him say this, Song Huaixi was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling. For a moment, he forgot to ask the old man why he was in his yard. He walked up to him, grabbed his sleeve and walked towards Song Zigen's yard.
"You are so powerful, you can definitely cure my father. Let's go!"
"Hey, wait!"
Ouyang Tongji reached out and pushed away the hand that was pulling at his sleeve.
He stroked his beard with his hand and muttered complaints.
"I won't leave the mountain easily. You brought me here this time without giving me any benefits, and you want me to treat my illness? The medicinal herbs in my mountain are very valuable. Because of you, I haven't seen my treasures for three days."
The confused Song Huaixi actually understood what he meant, and hurried into the house, took out all his treasures and stuffed them into Ouyang Tongji's arms.
"These are my treasures too. Can I exchange them with you? Can you cure my father?"
Song Huaixi stood in front of him, his eyes full of anticipation.
Ouyang Tongji glanced at the object in his arms. There are wooden figurines, exquisitely embroidered Cuju balls, picture books, and beautiful kites.
You can tell at first glance that it is the owner's favorite thing. In Song Huaixi's eyes, it is a very precious item.
Ouyang Tongji shook his head and put the pile of things back into his arms: "These are things that children like, and I, an old man, can't use them. Do you have any gold?"
Gold?
Seeing a confused look on Song Huaixi's face.
Ouyang Tongji rubbed his fingers and thumb together, his eyes sparkling, not at all like his charitable face at the beginning: "I like the yellow, soft things that leave marks when you bite them."
Song Huaixi searched for something in his arms, feeling a little frustrated, and shook his head: "I didn't..."
Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by a low voice. Zhao Fangye's voice came from the gate of the courtyard.
"Doctor Ouyang, please stop teasing my princess. I have plenty of gold. If the doctor wants it, just ask and I'll give it all to you."
Zhao Fangye walked to Song Huaixi, put his arm around his waist, looked down at the little thing in his arms, a smile appeared on his lips.
He whispered to him, "Huai Xi has emptied out all his family assets."
"Yeah!" Song Huaixi nodded honestly, then looked up at him and said somewhat frustratedly: "But I don't have gold..."
Doctor Ouyang didn't really want his gold, he was just saying it jokingly. If the problem could be solved with gold, there would be no need to go to so much trouble to ask him to come out.
Zhao Fangye patted his head with amusement and said, "It's okay. The thing your husband has the most is gold."
Upon hearing this, Song Huaixi looked at Zhao Fangye with sparkling eyes: "You are so awesome, Zhao Fangye."
Ouyang Tongji couldn't stand the young man being so clingy in front of him. He coughed twice: "Ahem! Since Prince Ning is here, you should fulfill your promise to me, right?"
"Of course." Zhao Fangye turned sideways to Ouyang Tongji and said, "Please come in, Divine Doctor Ouyang."
Song Huaixi followed the two men into the house in a daze, and watched Ouyang Tongji take out a stack of papers with a chess game endgame on it.
"I agreed to come out because you said you could solve the endgame." Ouyang Tongji set up the chessboard and looked at Zhao Fangye: "Your Highness, as long as you can solve this endgame, I will treat Shangshu Song."
"Of course." Picking up a white piece and placing it on the chessboard, Zhao Fangye looked at him and said, "Dr. Ouyang, please give me some advice."
This time Song Huaixi finally understood that they were going to have a competition!
As long as Zhao Fangye wins, he can cure his father's illness. Song Huaixi immediately became excited.
While serving tea to Zhao Fangye, she also massaged his back and shoulders. I was having a lot of fun being busy around him.
Zhao Fangye looked calm and was not disturbed by him at all, but this made Song Huaixi very anxious. As soon as he saw Ouyang Tongji taking away the white piece, he became nervous.
It was as if the person playing chess with Ouyang Tongji was Song Huaixi instead of Zhao Fangye.
Zhao Fangye reached out and hugged the spinning Song Huaixi into his arms, while he placed the chess piece with one hand. While holding Song Huaixi's hand to comfort him.
Ouyang Tongji looked at the two of them being so affectionate and was so angry that he blew his beard and glared. He took away several white pieces on Zhao Fangye's chessboard in succession.
Song Huaixi took a look and saw that a large piece of Zhao Fangye's white chess piece was missing on the chessboard. He was so anxious that he picked Zhao Fangye's fingers, but he didn't dare to make a sound to disturb him.
Zhao Fangye still looked calm and made his moves nonchalantly. There is no sign of anything obvious on the surface.
The two played chess in the house from the afternoon until the evening. Song Huaixi went from being nervous at the beginning to becoming bored, and finally fell asleep in Zhao Fangye's arms.
Zhao Fangye ordered someone to bring a blanket to cover him, and then he held him and continued playing chess.
Ouyang Tongji secretly observed Zhao Fangye, stroked his beard with admiration in his eyes. He really indulged his chess addiction this time. Few people can play chess with him for such a long time.
But there was still some regret in his eyes. I thought someone could help me solve the problem.
However, Zhao Fangye was still one step behind, as Ouyang Tongji placed a black piece in the middle of the white pieces. Block all of the black spots' air vents.
No matter what happens next, White cannot escape. Even if there is no final victory, no matter how you look at it, it is clear that Black will win and there is no need to play anymore.
Seeing that the outcome of the chess game was already decided, Ouyang Tongji threw the chess pieces into the chess basket and said with a hint of regret: "It seems that no one can solve my game. I can't help Shangshu Song with this matter."
After saying that, he was about to get up, but the sound of tables and chairs colliding startled Song Huaixi.
I opened my eyes in a daze and heard what Ouyang Tongji said. He immediately looked gloomy.
Zhao Fangye noticed his loss. She pinched his cheek and said, "What's wrong? Don't you trust your husband?"
When Song Huaixi heard this, the light in his eyes flickered again. He knew that Zhao Fangye would not lie to him.
He immediately nodded and said loudly: "Believe it!"
Zhao Fangye curled his lips in satisfaction and patted his head: "So good."
Ouyang Tongji watched their interaction from the side and quickly turned back. A closer look at the chess game showed that the winner and loser were clearly decided. There is no chance of turning things around.
Glancing at Zhao Fangye, Ouyang Tongji wondered if this guy was trying to be mysterious.
Ouyang Tongji looked kind and consoling, "Your Highness, no one has been able to crack my chess game so far. It is common sense and not shameful for Your Highness to lose."
"Really?" Zhao Fangye placed a white piece on an inconspicuous spot where black and white met on the chessboard: "Godly doctor, please take another look. Don't be blinded by the demons in your heart for many years."
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