Chapter 7: King of Games

All those who come are important figures, each one a master, and they must all be served well. Jia Renlu and Diao Chan were busy serving tea and water, feeling quite overwhelmed. It was only now that Jia Renlu realized how difficult it was to run a chess room in this era. He had to keep bowing and greeting those important guests, while also engaging in pleasant conversation. After a busy afternoon, he finally managed to send all these masters away, so exhausted that he could hardly stand up straight. He and Diao Chan no longer cared about maintaining their composure; they plopped down on the ground, looking at each other in silence for a while, and suddenly exclaimed in unison: "This won't do! We need to hire help!" This simultaneous declaration made them both laugh, and they couldn't help but burst into laughter together.

Diao Chan chuckled and said, "Hehe, that's not feasible. At this rate, in just a few days, they will all learn how to play. Those prominent figures are all wealthy; creating these simple games is not difficult for them. Once they all know how to play, they won't come to us anymore, and we won't have any money to earn. How about this: we use this money to open a shop specifically for those who don't have much money but want to play for leisure? Over time, we could accumulate quite a bit of earnings. What do you think?"

Tea guest A turned his head and, with a puff, sprayed all the tea in his mouth out, saying: "What! There is just a guard living across from me, and there is such a big commotion. Tomorrow, I will also become a guard."

Zhang Liao said: "I think you should observe and learn well from the sidelines before coming back."

Xu Chu was unwilling to leave just like that, remaining seated there, motionless. Beside him appeared four formidable men: Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Xiahou Dun, and Yu Jin, who lifted him up and forcefully expelled this troublemaker. Xu Chu got up, disregarding the dust on him, and hurriedly ran to the back of Guo Da, fearing he might miss the opportunity to learn.

Xu Chu heard his mahjong mentor speak, and could only release Guo Jia, angrily exclaiming: "Hmph! What's going on today? Not a single round won, it's truly bizarre!" He then stripped off his inner garment, revealing a large tuft of dark, oily chest hair, striking a pose as if to challenge Ma Chao in a bare-chested duel, and shouted: "Let's go again!" The crowd was once again left in a daze

Xun You laughed and said: "Indeed, it is true; the tiger's madness is truly violent. It seems that playing mahjong is not advisable, as it could endanger one's life. Where can one find the same pleasure in chess, which also cultivates one's character"

After a while, hearing no response from Jia Renlu, I felt a bit puzzled. I raised my head and saw Jia Renlu collapsed on the ground, his eyes rolled back, his face devoid of color, his whole body trembling, and a stream of white liquid continuously oozing from his mouth.

Jia Renlu exclaimed: "You look good in anything you wear!"

Tea guest A looked bewildered and asked, "What is the background?"

The tea guest suddenly realized and said: "So that's how it is. Alas, having relatives in the court makes all the difference these days. Even a distant relative of Lord Cao is so impressive. Then Lord Cao's son must be extraordinarily influential, reaching the heavens."

The following afternoon, this small entertainment room welcomed its first group of players. They were none other than Cao Ren, Xu Huang, Xu Chu, Cheng Yu, Xun Yu, and Guo Jia, a group of civil and military officials. Some came to glimpse the beauty of Diao Chan, while others sought to enjoy the pleasures of the game. In summary, a diverse array of individuals, each with their own motives, flocked to this modest residence of Jia.

That night, inside the room, the table was piled high with copper coins, silk, and gold and jade vessels. Diao Chan smiled like a flower, lowering her head to select her accessories. After a long while of choosing from left to right, she finally picked a necklace made of dozens of pearls of similar size and placed it by her neck, saying: "Ren Lu, do you think this necklace looks good on me?"

Within the Jia residence, Jia Renluo was delighted to see the anticipated results achieved, unable to contain his joy. He instructed the esteemed guests on how to engage in these games while simultaneously learning from the character Xue Shendi in "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," persistently seeking advice from those esteemed individuals on martial arts and knowledge. He had learned quite a bit about techniques such as "Silk Binding Capture" and "Five Tigers Breaking the Door Blade," though he was uncertain of their usefulness. In any case, he welcomed all inquiries, believing that the more, the better.

Xun Yu, who was intently playing chess nearby, smiled and said: "Hehe, Gongda, it’s fortunate that you just forcibly drove Fengxiao away; otherwise, it would probably be you taking the punches now"

Tea guest B said: "You may not be aware of this, but the person living across is none other than Lord Jia Fu, a personal guard of Lord Cao."

Xu Chu said: "No, it won't do. I have to come again. I waited for two hours just to get my turn, and I haven't had enough fun yet. How can I leave so easily"

Guo Jia said: "That's right, that's right. Later, you will hit this and strike that; who can endure it? Playing cards is not a martial arts competition; there is no need to strip down to nothing. It requires using your brain."

Guo Jia was about to speak again when Xu Chu behind him shouted anxiously: "Feng Xiao, it's your turn, stop paying attention to that pale-faced scholar, hurry up and fight!"

In the following days, the front of the Jia family was bustling with a continuous stream of carriages and horses, forming a long line that extended to the street corner, gradually becoming a notable scene in the area. One day, in a small teahouse across from the Jia family, a tea guest from another place, upon witnessing this spectacle, curiously asked the local patrons, "This family does not seem particularly wealthy or influential, so why are there so many carriages and horses in front of their door?"

Xun You said: "Hehe, I was just feeling a bit mischievous and may have offended you. I will certainly come to apologize in person another day"

The local tea drinker beside said: "You are from out of town, aren't you"

Guo Jia, feigning anger, said: "Gong Da, how dare you say that when I was fully engaged just now, you were standing by, gesturing wildly, causing me to be distracted and suffer repeated defeats. As the saying goes: 'A true gentleman observes chess in silence, a great man makes moves without regret.' You are nothing but a treacherous little man"

Diao Chan was once again picking through the items with her head lowered. Upon hearing this, she said, "It's nothing, aren't you here? You can help me move it later."

On this side, Xu Chu, Guo Jia, and two others were playing mahjong. Xu Chu had stripped down to a single garment, his copper bell-like eyes bulging as if they might pop out, continuously muttering, "White board, white board." His dark hand clutched a tile, which he rubbed incessantly, determined not to stop until he achieved a white board. Suddenly, he shouted, "Three Wan!" and angrily threw the tile from his hand. The thunderous sound of his voice was reminiscent of Zhang Fei's shout at Changban Bridge, both carrying a stunning effect. Guo Jia was startled, momentarily dazed, before he regained his senses, picked up the tile, and laughed, "Hehe, just waiting for this one. Sorry, I won again."

Cao Ren, who was directly opposite, said: "Zhong Kang, your luck seems to have run out today, so let's call it a day. Several of our brothers over here are eagerly waiting, so I think it would be best for you to step aside and let someone else take the lead"

Certainly, when they arrived, most of them were not empty-handed; some brought three to five thousand copper coins, while others brought one to two hundred pieces of silk and satin. How could these gentlemen appear before Diao Chan in a disgraceful manner, even if they were not offering money, but rather some jewelry or jade, which were all exquisite items? Jia Renlu felt that this did not align with the rules of charging by the hour in internet cafes and gaming halls, and repeatedly urged these gentlemen not to present such lavish gifts, stating that only tea money was necessary, and if they really wanted to give something, it could be done according to the time spent. However, after much persuasion, how could he refuse? Just as he was about to push back again, he caught sight of Diao Chan huffing and puffing as she moved things inside, which nearly made him faint on the spot, foaming at the mouth. Jia Renlu felt that this did not align with the rules of charging by the hour in internet cafes and gaming halls, and repeatedly urged these gentlemen not to present such lavish gifts, stating that only tea money was necessary, and if they really wanted to give something, it could be done according to the time spent. However, after much persuasion, how could he refuse? Just as he was about to push back again, he caught sight of Diao Chan huffing and puffing as she moved things inside, which nearly made him faint on the spot, foaming at the mouth.

Diao Chan put down the pearl necklace, then picked up another one, and said: "What about this one?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Renlu was greatly impressed and felt that she had the potential to be a CEO. He said, "Hehe, with so much money, are you still not satisfied? In these chaotic times, if a rebellion breaks out, I wonder how you will manage to move it all?" He thought to himself, "This idea must be suppressed; when it's time to flee, the store cannot be taken along, and I do not want to be the one who gets caught and has my assets used by others."

Jia Renlu's spirit was completely lost, and he subconsciously nodded, saying: "Beautiful! Beautiful!"

Customer B scrutinized Customer A from head to toe, thinking to himself: "You should take a look at yourself in the mirror; someone like you wants to be a guard?" With a scoff, he disdainfully remarked: "You? This Lord Jia has a significant background; how can you compare yourself to him?"

Xu Chu's face turned red with anger as he shouted, "Whatever I hit, you mess around with; it must be you cheating!" Grabbing Guo Jia by the collar with his left hand, he lifted him up as if he were a small chick, raising his iron fist, which resembled a small bowl, ready to strike down.

Zhang Liao, standing behind Guo Jia, shouted: "Stop it! I have been watching from the side all along; Feng Xiao did not resort to trickery. It is you who are incompetent, and everyone knows the cards you wanted to call. Who would dare to play with you? You have embarrassed me as your master. After losing, you still want to hit someone; what kind of behavior is that!"

Tea guest A said: "Indeed, I wonder who resides across the way? It is surprisingly lively in front of the door."

The news of Jia Renlu's invention spread like wildfire, with one telling leading to ten, ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand, and a thousand to ten thousand. Within three days, the city of Xudu was abuzz with various versions of the story. Rumors and gossip are formidable and invincible at any time and place. As the saying goes: "The voices of the crowd can melt gold, and accumulated slander can destroy bones." Jia Renlu could not help but admire the greatness of this power; in an era without telephones, newspapers, television, or the internet, the speed at which rumors spread was truly astonishing to him. As the saying goes: "The voices of the crowd can melt gold, and accumulated slander can destroy bones." Jia Renlu could not help but admire the greatness of this power; in an era without telephones, newspapers, television, or the internet, the speed at which rumors spread was truly astonishing to him

Tea guest B said with a serious expression: "He is the nephew of Cao Gong's cousin's brother-in-law's third uncle's sister's husband. His father once saved Cao Gong's life, carrying him back through a million soldiers, suffering one hundred and eight arrow wounds, his body shot through like a hedgehog. Not long after returning, he died. In gratitude, Cao Gong promised him the most beautiful beauty in the world, Diao Chan. Now he has developed some new and interesting gadgets, and his reputation has become extraordinarily great. All the high-ranking officials and nobles in Xu have flocked here; can you imagine it not being lively?" This is the one hundred and eighth version of Jia Fu marrying Diao Chan, and tea guest B spoke of it vividly, as if one were present.

Tea guest B said: "Of course not..." Just as he spoke, he heard the shopkeeper cough once. Turning to look, he saw the shopkeeper pointing upwards. It turned out there was a sign hanging above, inscribed with four large characters: "Do Not Discuss National Affairs." Upon seeing this sign, tea guest B quickly fell silent and lowered his head to drink tea