87. Sages
broken!
Chen Ji's pupils suddenly contracted. His biological father was right in front of him, yet he didn't recognize him! No wonder he kept looking at him, and no wonder he asked in surprise, "You called me sir?" How could he explain this?
In this feudal and superstitious era, if one didn't even recognize his own father, he would be burned to death as a dirty thing... Chen Liqin was wearing a blue official robe, a leather belt around his waist, and his face was tanned from supervising the riverbank for months. Unlike Zhang Zhuo's ruddy complexion, Chen Liqin didn't look like a civil official at this moment, but more like a military commander. Prince Jing looked at Chen Liqin and asked curiously: "Master Chen, did you teach Chen Ji the art of chess? I believe Master Chen's chess skills are also very good." Chen Liqin bowed and humbly replied: "I am not good at chess and have never taught him chess. My son is a useless person. I think you gave him the advantage because you were so modest."
Hearing the word "dog son", Chen Ji recalled his deceased father.
The father was a humble man, but when thirteen-year-old Chen Ji won second prize in a Go tournament, he would smile and tell everyone, "This kid only plays Go in his spare time, otherwise you wouldn't be his match," which really pissed off the other players.
Zhang Zhuo beside him laughed and said, "Your Highness, your chess skills have long reached perfection. I remember seven years ago at the Jiangnan Literary Conference, when you played against the abbot of Famen Temple, Monk Huitong thought you would resign after the 137th move. He even abandoned his Zen meditation concentration, and his face was filled with smugness. But he didn't expect that what he was waiting for was your exquisite digging move on the 138th move, which made all his plans go to waste. I guess the Chen family kid won because you gave him a piece.
Upon hearing this, Prince Jing smiled and said, "I did give Chen Ji two pieces, but only for one game. Even after that, even if I didn't give him two pieces, I still lost several games in a row."
"Hmm," Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin looked at Chen Ji together.
Prince Jing picked up a chess piece and explained, "Chen Ji is a genius at chess. You'll understand when you play with him someday… But Sir Chen, I feel like you and your son seem a little distant. You didn't even say hello when you met. Just now, Chen Ji even called you Sir instead of father.
Chen Ji's hanging heart also died along with the prince and Bai Li.
He thought everyone's attention had shifted to Go, so how could there be a finishing blow?
Chen Liqin glanced at Chen Ji, then turned to Prince Jing and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, I don't know what happened. My son just looked at me like a stranger, which surprised me."
Prince Jing looked at Chen Ji and asked with an interested smile: "Why, you can't even recognize your own father?
Chen Ji hesitated.
Just as he was pondering how to respond, he heard Old Man Yao sneer at Chen Liqin, "Your Chen family sent Chen Ji to me as an apprentice, but he hasn't received a single gift during the holidays. Now even the tuition money is being delayed and is so tight. It's normal for him not to want to acknowledge you. You scholars talk about ruler-ruler, minister-minister, father-father, son-son all the time, but if the father isn't kind, the son naturally won't be filial."
When Chen Ji heard his master speak, he suddenly turned to look at his master in surprise.
In the clinic, Chen Liqin was stunned for a moment: "Doctor Yao, please don't talk nonsense. When I sent Chen Ji to the clinic, I told the servants that the monthly tuition must be delivered on time, and a small gift must be prepared for you during the holidays. The Chen family has a tradition of passing down books and gifts, so we must know these rules." ...
Old Man Yao said calmly, "Oh, I lied. Anyway, I haven't seen much gift from your Chen family. Besides, your Chen family is so wealthy, why do you only give Chen Ji 300 coins a month? It's really not worthy of your Chen family's status. How about this, the Chen family won't need to pay tuition anymore in the future. I will accept Chen Ji as my apprentice. I will take care of his food, clothing, housing and transportation, and he will take care of me in my old age.
Zhang Zhuo put his hands in the sleeves of his official robe, and when he heard the three hundred coins, he looked at Chen Liqin in confusion.
The patches on the chest and back of Chen Liqin's official uniform alone are probably worth a hundred times more than three hundred coins.
The patches of officials in the Ning Dynasty were given by the court as gifts, but many officials felt that the patches given by the court were not delicate and bright enough, so they would ask embroiderers to re-embroider them with gold, silver and colored threads, and gradually a trend of patch consumption was formed.
A patch cost thirty taels of silver, but he only gave his son three hundred coins per month. There must be some deep hatred between father and son. Chen Liqin did not argue with Old Man Yao anymore. He also realized that something was wrong.
He was silent for a moment and then asked: "Doctor Yao, this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, I specifically asked the housekeeper to send a gift and gifts. He said he had sent a servant to deliver them to you.
Come, have you received it?"
Old Man Yao stroked his beard and said, "You mean the hundred coins your servant sent me? Yes, I received it. Thank you for your small gift."
Chen Liqin:
Traces:
My master's mouth is really mean, as if he is poisonous from the inside out.
Chen Liqin frowned and bowed to Doctor Yao: "Doctor Yao, I will investigate this matter and give you an explanation.
Prince Jing smiled and smoothed things over. "There must have been some misunderstanding within the Chen family, perhaps a servant's fault. The Chen family has been a family of wealth and gentry for generations, and they wouldn't be so discreet in such a matter. Back when I was still in the capital, I often accompanied my second uncle to the Chen residence. The Chen family was so hospitable and courteous that I still remember them vividly... I remember that Master Chen had just finished the Autumn Examination.
Chen Liqin cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, you are right.
Prince Jing waved his hand: "Okay, I also have family affairs to deal with. Please go back, and we will come to Jing'an Hall tomorrow to discuss business." Chen Liqin looked at Chen Ji: "Chen Ji, come back with me, I will find out the truth for you today." But Chen Ji remained silent.
He didn't want to go back to the Chen Mansion.
Although Chen Liqin is related to him by blood, he only has one father in his heart and does not intend to add another.
The right and wrong of the Chen family had nothing to do with them from the moment he placed three hundred copper coins in front of the door.
In the quiet atmosphere, Chen Ji stood behind the mahogany counter and bowed to Chen Liqin: "Master Chen, please go back. I still have schoolwork to review, and I will not return to the Chen Mansion until I have completed my studies."
"Mr. Chen
When these words were spoken, Bai Li and the prince both widened their eyes.
In this era, everyone was taught that rulers ruled, subjects served, fathers served, and sons were sons. No one dared to go against their fathers. Once a reputation for being unfilial spread, you would be unacceptable in both high society and the officialdom.
But the traces do not belong to this era after all.
Chen Liqin's face darkened. "If you feel you've been wronged in the matter of Xue Yin, I'll investigate the matter for you today. If you blame me for sending you to the clinic, think about what you've done. Do you expect me, as your father, to apologize to you?"
Chen Ji thought for a moment, but ultimately did not take out Chen Wenxiao's confession.
He simply smiled and said, "Master Chen has misunderstood. I have never suffered any injustice. I am now living a good life in the clinic. My master takes good care of me, and I am in harmony with my fellow disciples. My life is very fulfilling. Please go back. There are already patients queuing outside. Don't delay treating them."
Chen Liqin opened his mouth again and again, seeming to hesitate.
He couldn't get angry at Prince Jing on the spot, so he just walked away: "Take care of yourself!"
Dozens of official sedan chairs slowly left, and the Taiping Medical Clinic became deserted again.
Prince Jing played with the chess pieces and looked at Chen Ji: "The Chen family is beyond the reach of many people. You are still young, so you don't know what you are giving up."
"A simple meal is fine." Chen Ji looked at Old Man Yao and said, "Master, thank you." Old Man Yao scoffed and said, "No need to thank me. You still have to pay the tuition." Chen Ji: "...Okay."
As he spoke, Prince Jing looked back at the Crown Prince: "I interrupted you just now and didn't mention your affairs. What do you think the punishment should be?" The Crown Prince cautiously tested the issue: "Not being allowed to eat for a day"...
Prince Jing's face suddenly darkened. "From today on, your monthly salary with Bai Li will be cut off. You will have to kneel in Mingzheng Tower for three days without food, and you will be confined to the palace for six months!"
The prince's expression changed drastically: "Dad, isn't half a year too long?
Bai Li was also anxious: "Dad, just lock up my brother, can you please leave me alone?"... Prince Jing laughed angrily: "You guys are all very loyal."...
Chen Ji discovered that Prince Jing was very patient in other matters, but in front of his children, he was like an ordinary old father who might angrily pull out his belt at any time.
At this time, Bai Li and the prince winked at Chen Ji, indicating that he should help think of a solution.
If they really don't go out for half a year, they won't be able to participate in the Lantern Festival, and they won't be able to go for the spring outing, and their clothes will rot in the palace.
Chen Ji said: "My Lord..."
Prince Jing raised his hand and said in a serious tone: "Don't say anything. You are also involved in this matter. If it weren't for Doctor Yao's face, you would also be punished.
"… Imperial Physician Yao had just given Prince Jing the medicine when he saw him wrapping the yellow paper with hemp rope while slowly saying, "Don't give me face." Chen Ji suddenly said, "Your Highness, let's play another game of chess. If I win, you will hear what I have to say. I will give the Crown Prince and the Princess a chance to redeem themselves from their crimes."
"Oh!" Prince Jing turned to look at Chen Ji and said, "Your technique of treating orphans is no longer effective on me. Do you still think you can defeat me?" Chen Ji gently rolled up his sleeves and said seriously, "Try."
Prince Jing became interested: "It seems that he still has some hidden tricks up his sleeve. Guess what goes first!" After that, he held a few chess pieces in his hand. Chen Ji guessed: "Odd number." Prince Jing spread out his palm and dropped two chess pieces: "You guessed wrong. I play black first.
Bai Li watched this scene in amazement. In the past, whenever his father met a weaker player, he would let the other player go first with black. But now, the other player was like a competitive general, fighting for every inch of ground and refusing to give up an inch.
Prince Jing started with Wuyoujiao, hoping to use his strength to bully the lone white piece and completely thwart Chen Ji's plan to conquer the lone dragon. But this time, Chen Ji's white piece pressed forward without hesitation.
The weakness of a lone chess piece is that it is like a candle in the wind, vulnerable to extinguishment at any moment. Few realize that a thick position also has its weaknesses: it fears becoming thicker and thicker, becoming increasingly clumsy.
Chen Ji's white pieces fell like antelopes hanging horns, leaving no trace. His chess style was strange and ethereal, cold and rational.
Chen Ji's moves completely overturned all his cognition. In the cognition of all chess players in Ning Dynasty, being pressed down by others during a pincer attack was a disadvantage, but for Chen Ji, being pressed down became an advantage.
Unbelievable!
Prince Jing asked in confusion: "Why can you turn pressure into an advantage? Which ancient sage learned this method..." Chen Ji did not answer and continued to make moves.
The more Prince Jing played, the more puzzled he became. These simple seventy-two moves seemed to reveal the shadows of all the ancient sages, yet they were all completely different.
It turns out that Go can be played like this
Prince Jing resigned and admitted defeat: "Next time, I will play black first."
Bai Li watched silently. His father even skipped the step of guessing who would go first, and assumed that he was the one who needed to play black first.
In the second game, Prince Jing started with Kobayashi style, and wanted to establish a strong position in the left, middle and right positions. However, in the face of Chen Ji's entanglement, the brilliant move in the middle that should have connected the whole game into a whole was left alone in the middle like a fool and could not be used at all.
In the third game, Prince Jing started with the Three Musketeers of the Star Position, but was still defeated.
He looked at the chessboard, then at Chen Ji, and finally threw the black piece on the table. He suddenly remembered what he had said before: "You are not suitable to be a chess player, only suitable to be a chess piece."
But Chen Ji asked in return, "Do we have to live on a chessboard?"
At a certain moment, Prince Jing vaguely thought that the person sitting opposite him was not a small apprentice in the medical clinic, but a chess master who was sitting in the long river of time and playing chess with him.
The wheel of time rolled over the chessboard with ease, leaving the old era as history. Prince Jing asked solemnly: "Boy, who is your chess teacher?"
Chen Ji couldn't answer because he couldn't tell Prince Jing that this was how the AI would play.
Chen Ji had also experienced Prince Jing's doubts. When he was thirteen years old, he won the second prize in Go. He wanted to continue learning, but the era of AI arrived.
He was reluctant to use the AI's new routines to defeat Prince Jing, but now he had more important things to do.
Prince Jing breathed a sigh of relief. "Now that you've defeated me, tell me how you plan to redeem yourself from your crimes with Yunxi and Baili." Chen Ji pondered for a moment. "Your biggest concern right now is allocating enough glutinous rice to build border cities. Glutinous rice is in conflict with people's livelihoods. If you don't allocate glutinous rice, many people will starve to death."
Prince Jing gathered the chess pieces from the board into his palms and said slowly, "This is a difficult matter. There aren't many perfect solutions in the world. I can only make a choice."
Chen Ji said confidently: "I have a way to achieve both."
Prince Jing paused. "The glutinous rice is a military strategy. You know, there's no joking in the army."
Chen Ji said in a resounding voice, "Lend me the prince and princess for half a month. If you succeed, I'll give you a solution that will satisfy both of you. If you fail, the prince and princess will be confined to their homes for a year, and I'll be exiled to Lingnan."
Prince Jing looked at Chen Ji with interest for a moment and said, "Deal.
End of this chapter.
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