Li Lao Er and Mr. Wen couldn't stay idle, so they asked the servant to bring them a chessboard, intending to play a couple of games.
But Mr. Wen had been studying since childhood, and playing chess was a common game for him, so he was naturally familiar with and proficient in it.
Li Lao Er was a latecomer to the profession; how could he possibly be a match for Mr. Wen?
So, when they were all wiped out, Li Lao Er simply threw away his chess pieces and directly pulled his little niece into the fray.
“Fu Niu’er, come and play a game with Mr. Wen. Your second uncle needs a break. This stuff is too mentally taxing; our eyes are practically turning black and white.”
"Alright, Second Uncle, wait here, I'll avenge you!" Jiayin smiled and poured tea for her Second Uncle and Mr. Wen, then sat down opposite Mr. Wen.
Mr. Wen underestimated his opponent. Although he knew Jiayin was very smart, he thought she was just a young girl and he didn't think she liked playing chess much. He figured she couldn't be that good at it.
Unfortunately, it wasn't long before he frowned and became extremely attentive.
Jiayin chuckled to herself; she had successfully played dumb to outsmart the enemy.
In her past life, she had a Go (Weiqi) extracurricular activity in elementary school. Her talent delighted the old teacher who taught her, and he would give her special training for an hour almost every day after school.
Later, she participated in many Go competitions and won some awards.
Unfortunately, her irresponsible parents and grandparents didn't think that playing chess could make a living.
Therefore, her path to Go was cut short during high school.
She was obedient since childhood and didn't resist much, and gradually gave up Go.
After arriving in this world, she occasionally played a few games with her older brother, but mostly she spent her time helping her adoptive father study chess scores, and managed to recover about 70-80% of her skills.
Now, with the skills and experience accumulated over both lifetimes combined, dealing with Mr. Wen is naturally a piece of cake.
Mr. Wen was caught off guard and frantically tried to defend himself.
Jiayin smiled and even peeled a banana for herself to tide her over.
Li Lao Er sat to one side, so proud that he wished he could attach a tail so he could turn into a fan.
He's a terrible chess player, but his niece is amazing!
Rounding up, you could say he's amazing!
Slurp, slurp!
As he pondered this, he sipped the herbal tea, finding it tasted far more delicious than usual.
Mr. Wen glared at him, then continued to frown and ponder his counterattack.
Jiayin stuck out her tongue at her second uncle, and then quietly began to show mercy.
Li Lao Er was in an increasingly cheerful mood, looking at his little niece whom he had raised since childhood, he was extremely satisfied.
The chubby little girl has now grown into a beautiful young woman.
She wore a light blue dress with no elaborate embroidery, giving her a clean and refreshing look.
She wore a pair of white jade bracelets on her wrists and a pair of silver clove earrings; it was a very simple outfit.
Her black hair was styled into two buns on the top half and braided on the bottom half, adorned with two flower hairpins, giving her a rather delicate look.
Her bangs framed her willow-leaf eyebrows, which accentuated her large, curved eyes. Her slightly chubby cheeks made her look incredibly charming and adorable.
The thought of his wonderful niece getting married in the future gradually dampened Li Lao Er's good mood.
Even if Mu Xu treats his niece a thousand times better, it's still not as good as family.
However, he was an orphan, homeless, and unruly, unrestrained by worldly conventions...
Hmm, that seems pretty good, at least much better than those big families with a bunch of ridiculous rules!
Jiayin had no idea that in the time it took her to play just one game of chess, her second uncle had created so much internal drama for himself…
Mr. Wen threw down a chess piece and sighed, "Well, I've lost. New talents emerge in every generation, but I never thought I'd lose to a little girl."
"Hahaha, you've finally met your match! You always kill me without mercy, now you know what it feels like!" Li Lao Er was overjoyed, wishing he could worship his little niece.
Mr. Wen refused to back down and sneered, "What are you so smug about? The princess is my niece! It's not shameful for me, as her uncle, to lose to her!"
“Yes, it’s not shameful, it’s not shameful!” Li Lao Er echoed, but the corners of his mouth were turned up high.
Jiayin was picking up the chess pieces on the side, and she was laughing along.
During this period, the situation in Xindu has been volatile, and everyone in the family has inevitably felt depressed.
It's rare to see such lighthearted banter.
At this moment, Mu Xu finally climbed over the wall and entered the study. He heard laughter and chatter as soon as he stepped inside, so he smiled and said, "I'm back!"
Sure enough, Jiayin immediately peered out from the window and greeted them with delight.
"Come in quickly, are you hungry? Eat something first before we talk."
After saying that, she quickly called Shui Ling, who was standing in front of the door, to go to the kitchen to get the food.
Today, good news has arrived in the city; Mu Xu will surely return.
So, she had already made preparations for dinner.
Mu Xu didn't stand on ceremony. He went inside, greeted Mr. Wen and Li Lao Er, and then went to wash his hands and face.
Just then, a large bowl of cold noodles with shredded chicken and sesame sauce was served, along with a plate of spinach with nuts and a plate of braised meat.
Mu Xu was exhausted after several days of running around.
He finished the cold noodles and side dishes in one go before finally letting out a long sigh of relief.
"The princess's cooking is so good. In this hot weather, we should eat cold noodles."
Jiayin picked up the empty bowl and was in a good mood, replying, "I'll make you cold noodles later, that's even more refreshing in the summer."
Li Lao Er coughed twice, interrupting their conversation, and asked, "How is the battle in Jiangbei? Today's victory report only mentions the number of enemies killed, not the casualties. The barbarians are fierce; they can't possibly not resist!"
Mu Xu nodded, his expression somewhat gloomy, and replied, "The Northern Expeditionary Army suffered over three hundred dead and over eight hundred wounded."
"Fortunately, the Marquis personally led the vanguard, charging ahead and greatly boosting morale. The barbarians also realized that the situation was hopeless and began to retreat."
"With morale rising while the enemy's fall, this battle will naturally be a great victory. Within ten days, the Northern Expeditionary Army will surely recapture the border and completely lock down the country's gates."
The deaths of more than 300 people in battle meant that more than 300 families lost loved ones, or even their breadwinners.
Everyone felt heavy-hearted, but they knew this was the best outcome.
There's no battle without casualties; such a victory of three hundred for three thousand is truly a rare and remarkable triumph.
"Were my godfather and my father injured?" Jiayin asked, concerned for her family.
Mu Xu quickly shook his head, "No, I asked carefully, and our family members are all fine. But the Marquis's idea is that the wounded soldiers should be sent back to recuperate. He doesn't trust the Ministry of War's arrangements and is afraid that they should be settled in Suijintan first."
"About how many days will it take for these wounded soldiers to reach Jiangnan?" Li Lao Er asked immediately.
"There are quite a few seriously injured people, so we can't move too fast. It will probably take at least half a month," Mu Xu estimated a date.
Li Lao Er breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "There's plenty of time. We'll build row houses in the second village to settle the wounded soldiers first. Later, if any family members have children who need more space after they get married, they can also be assigned there. It won't be a waste."
Jiayin also said, "I'll take care of the medicine for the injuries. Food, clothing, and shelter can be handled by Aunt Xiaocui!"
After exchanging a few more words about trivial matters, everyone dispersed.
Mu Xu wanted to say a few more words to Jia Yin, but the journey between Jiangnan and Jiangbei was too tiring, and Jia Yin couldn't bear to part with him, so she pushed him to rest.
Mu Xu fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Jia Yin instructed the servants to take good care of him before returning to the backyard.
Receiving wounded soldiers sounds simple, but there are actually quite a few things to arrange.
Unable to fall asleep, Jiayin simply sent Shuiling and Shuiyun to sleep, then went into her spatial dimension to carefully make a plan...
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