Chapter 2, Poetry and Chess

This remark was naturally made in passing, and the elder, being a person of considerable cultivation, would not be angered by such matters. However, during this time, Go was very much about maintaining decorum; when friends played, it was open and aboveboard, with a clear understanding of limits. Aggressive tactics that lacked grace, such as relentless pressure, were not employed indiscriminately. For Ning Yi, playing Go was merely a straightforward intellectual contest. Coupled with the imbalance of information between the two, despite the elder's considerable skill, he was repeatedly outmaneuvered by Ning Yi's small tactics, leading to a complete rout. This also provided Ning Yi with a small sense of satisfaction, akin to modern individuals taking advantage of those from ancient times.

Uh ... ... Ning Yi was taken aback for a moment, looked at the sky, "It's just average ... ... Alright."

In the blink of an eye, three months have passed since arriving in this ancient era, and time is gradually shifting from spring to the height of summer. Ning Yi has become increasingly familiar with this ancient world, filled with gardens, artificial hills, pavilions, courtyards, streets, and painted boats, yet he often finds himself feeling bored.

The two individuals exchanged a few formal remarks, and then an elderly man departed. The old man running the chess stall began to collect the pieces. Ning Yi finished the tea in his hand in one gulp, stood up, and said: "There is nothing more to see, Xiao Chan, please settle the bill."

The summer rain arrives with great intensity, and amidst the cacophony, the sky darkens as if it were evening. However, opening the window in such weather to gaze at the garden estate drenched in rain brings a sense of leisure. From this vantage point, one can occasionally catch a glimpse of Su Tan'er and several maidservants moving about in the opposite room. After a while, when Chan'er approached with some colorful fabrics, Ning Yi was at his desk, opening a box of Go pieces. "Young Master, Miss said this is newly arrived silk. She asked me to measure it for you to make a garment. Please take a look and see which color you prefer."

Chess is the study of gentlemen

The following day, the weather was somewhat overcast, but it seemed too early for rain. He and Xiao Chan went to the tea stall, where two old men were playing chess. After a while, a man resembling a servant approached and spoke a few words to one of the elderly men. The old man nodded and said, "Lord Qin, there is an urgent matter at home; this game of chess..."

He has recently taken a liking to watching people play chess by the Qinhuai River

After more than an hour of playing chess, the old man conceded defeat. He raised his head and scrutinized Ning Yi for a moment. Ning Yi still wore that calm expression, as if he found everything quite amusing: "Your chess skills are... exceptional, but in terms of the methods used in playing, is there perhaps a bit of..." The old man carefully chose his words. Ning Yi, while tidying up the chess pieces, smiled and replied: "In chess, the goal is to win, just like in a battle between two armies; there is no distinction in methods."

What is wrong with this girl, Chan'er...

In this way, after playing about a dozen moves, the old man furrowed his brows even deeper and asked with a hint of confusion, "May I ask, from whom did the young master learn such chess skills?"

The three lotus roots float in the azure pond... Is there any longing for love in the raft? The dewdrops... on the damp sandy wall, the evening is quiet and the dawn is silent... What does it mean?

In the room on the other side, Ning Yi stood in front of the table, organizing the Xuan paper drafts, preparing to either throw them away or burn them. He had practiced calligraphy yesterday and filled ten pages, only to realize that one was missing. After a moment of thought, he shook his head and smiled: "It would be strange if you could understand them..."

The old man paused for a moment, then after a slight contemplation, he shook his head and smiled, reaching out to tidy up the chess pieces: "It is not very accurate."

Whatever

Don't you see that he thinks I am a bad person

After finishing their meal, if it rains, most people stay in their respective rooms. Su Tan'er reads, occasionally playing the piano or doing some embroidery. He simply reads and writes, or sometimes daydreams. Occasionally, he takes a piece of paper to engage in the business simulations he used to do, making assumptions about the stock market, but soon finds it uninteresting—unless there is an urgent matter, Su Tan'er would also take a carriage out. If the weather is nice, Ning Yi usually goes out to wander, while Su Tan'er would visit the shops and workshops in the city, and the two would part ways.

The rice paper was casually brought over by Chan'er in the morning. At this moment, she leaned in to take a look and immediately confirmed: "Yes, I saw the son-in-law writing, saying he was practicing calligraphy."

I have been studying the game records on my own.

Why is that

Ah, it seems that it will be difficult to go and watch the chess games in the future

Such mental labor is likely one of the few forms of entertainment he can find here. In fact, the Qinhuai River was widely recognized at that time as the most prosperous and extravagant area, with various pleasure boats and brothels clustered together. Once night fell, it became a place that never slept. As he walked daily, he often heard tales of romantic escapades and similar stories. However, one must exercise discretion; since he had married into the Su family, he was largely insulated from such entertainments. Moreover, in his previous life, he had already experienced the excesses of luxury and indulgence, so he naturally had little interest in them now. One must exercise discretion; since he had married into the Su family, he was largely insulated from such entertainments. Moreover, in his previous life, he had already experienced the excesses of luxury and indulgence, so he naturally had little interest in them now.

The maid does not know how to play Go

Let us play chess

In modern times, it is quite similar; he doesn't even need to swipe his card when going out to shop... It seems that he hasn't actually gone out to buy anything for many years.

Having been accustomed to being busy in the past, now without a computer or work, and with nothing to do, he often feels restless. The Su family is pleased to see him idle, as the reason for his marriage into the family was to provide Su Tan'er with a justification to remain at home and not be married off, and this justification should ideally not provoke too much restlessness. Overall, he is still enjoying this boredom, strolling around each day, observing the customs and manners of ancient times, admiring the ancient ladies, and letting his mind wander with various thoughts. Most often, he finds himself contemplating how he could improve profits if he were to engage in certain activities and how to make money.

At present, there is no clear winner or loser; how about considering it a draw

He sat down opposite the old man, and while helping to collect the chess pieces, naturally there were inquiries such as "Who is this young master?" Ning Yi casually responded a few times. After finishing collecting the pieces and guessing the moves, Ning Yi took the white pieces and made the first move without hesitation, slapping the piece down.

There is nothing going on

Oh, no wonder...

Subsequently, a thunderstorm began to fall

Hmm. Chan'er shook her little head and said, "I don't understand."

After this sentence, the old man no longer spoke much. Under the tree by the river, the two silently engaged in a game of chess. Xiao Chan sat to the side, occasionally looking up at the sky. She truly did not understand Go; she only felt that the longer the old man played, the more he seemed to ponder, his forehead creasing deeper. From time to time, he would glance at Ning Yi or shake his head. The white pieces on the board were in a dominant position, while the black pieces were gradually being scattered and defeated.

In contrast to his leisure, his nominal wife, Su Tan'er, is evidently very busy. However, no matter how busy she is, she generally returns home on time for dinner with the *Tu* book club. In this sense, ancient times had their advantages; women could not be as casual as men. Moreover, the pace of work in ancient times was not as overwhelming as it is in modern times, where one carries a computer daily, flies here and there, and constantly processes vast amounts of information. In an era where information did not circulate rapidly, such workaholics could not emerge. You could always find time to rest because by the time you issued a command, the other side had not yet responded.

"Playing chess, one feels that the son-in-law is a bad person?" The young girl glanced back and said, "It must be because the son-in-law won against him, and he got angry... The old man has such a small temperament"

"Gomoku?" The young girl looked up at him, a puzzled expression flashing in her eyes, having never heard of such a game...

Xiao Chan was taking out her purse when the old man behind her spoke up: "This young gentleman has been coming to watch the chess games recently, so I presume you have some insights into this art. Would you be willing to play a game with this old man?" With no opponents left, I might as well grab anyone.

"Making new clothes cannot be done carelessly," the little girl murmured as she picked up a soft measuring tape to measure Ning Yi's height and body length. Ning Yi looked at the heavy rain outside, then glanced at the little girl beside him.

"I don't like Go either," Su Tan'er shook her head. After a busy morning of going out and returning home, she could finally take a short break. She casually picked up a piece of Xuan paper from the table, furrowing her brows as she asked Chan'er, "Is this really a poem written by the son-in-law?"

The old man believes that playing chess can reveal a person's character. "Is that true?" Ning Yi casually remarked as he collected the chess pieces one by one

Do not play Go; I will teach you how to play Gomoku

Having been the boss for too long, he has become somewhat delusional. He laughs and scolds himself in this manner, and thus these thoughts merely linger for a moment before sinking back into the depths of his mind

On that day, upon returning home, Su Tan'er was also coming back from outside. A little maid named Xing'er was directing several people to move fabric into the young lady's room, likely new stock, colorful and vibrant. As they returned, Juan'er from upstairs brought down a large wooden box: "Young Master, Young Master, the young lady heard that you enjoy playing chess very much, and she saw this while shopping today, so she specially bought it to give to you." In reality, it was a gift from someone else, which Su Tan'er had no use for, but she casually brought it back; it was a box containing Go pieces. Ning Yi was quite taken aback: "In that case, please thank my wife for me."

Time passes

Do you have any matters to attend to this afternoon

"The son-in-law can thank himself." The young girl giggled and ran upstairs again. Ning Yi shook his head, took the Go board back to his room. There weren't many acquaintances here, so who should he play with?

Juaner returned to the room, and several movers had already left the courtyard. She imitated Ning Yi's voice: "Miss, the young master said 'thank you to the mistress for me.'" She was then playfully tapped on the forehead by Su Tan'er, who was reviewing the account books. The few of them had grown up together, and although they observed the hierarchy, they shared a sisterly bond. However, Su Tan'er did not like to joke around too much when she was busy. After finishing the account books, Su Tan'er carefully examined the fabrics, and at that moment, Chan'er and Xing'er also entered. Upon seeing Chan'er, she smiled and asked, "Did you go out with the young master to watch chess again today?"

Thus, this usually quiet little courtyard often echoes with the cheerful shouts of young girls in the afternoon. Although it is generally calm and composed, Su Tan'er is eighteen years old, and her three young maidservants are only fourteen or fifteen. When something interesting occurs, it is inevitable that they lose their composure. In another room, Su Tan'er sits by the window reading, while the two young maidservants, Xing'er and Juan'er, are seated in a row on small stools, embroidering. Occasionally, amidst the sound of rain from outside, they faintly hear the exclamations of "I won! I won!" and cannot help but look up with curiosity. This happens several times, and when Xing'er pricks her finger with the needle, she sucks on the tip of her finger, puzzled, and glances over in that direction.

On a rather quiet street by the river, located on the outskirts of the city, the position is somewhat remote, lacking large shops. The road is mostly frequented by small vendors carrying burdens, and there are not many pedestrians. Under a tree by the river, there is often an old man setting up a chessboard, occasionally watched by a few other elderly men, and sometimes some scholars come by. Next to it, there is a tea stall. On one occasion, he and Xiao Chan, feeling tired from walking, stopped here to rest, sipping tea while casually observing. The two old men playing chess exhibited high skill and knowledge, and he thought to himself that it was no wonder they were from ancient times; even two random old fellows could play so well. After that, he often came back. One old man was a regular, while the opponent frequently changed, but after watching for a while, they were mostly familiar faces, and the overall chess skills were quite high.

He had probably come to see himself as a truly honest and dull man, sitting together for meals every day, with her always initiating the conversation. She would share information and liven up the atmosphere, while Ning Yi would casually respond with a few remarks. Having navigated the business world for so many years, he had long since developed the skill of speaking in a way that never made others feel he was being dismissive, a level far superior to Su Tan'er. Thus, every time they had a meal together, Ning Yi would be reminded of the couple in the movie "Mr. & Mrs. Smith".

Having tidied up the chessboard and noticing the darkening sky that hinted at rain, Ning Yi and Xiao Chan headed back towards the Su residence. Along the way, Xiao Chan's gaze towards him became somewhat surprised, and she couldn't help but ask: "Did the young master win?"

This is very good

The maid named Xiao Chan had been following him, and for the past few months, she had essentially become his dedicated servant, a situation arranged by Su Tan'er. It was evident that Xiao Chan was keen on establishing a good relationship with him. While tidying up the room, she would often chatter away about trivial matters, or mention where the young lady had gone that day and what she had done. It was clear that she admired and liked this young lady, as Su Tan'er treated her subordinates very well. Ning Yi's responses were mostly just nods and smiles. Whenever he went out, this young girl would always follow behind him. Sometimes he felt a bit guilty; when he grew tired from walking, he would sit in a nearby teahouse to rest and enjoy some snacks. The young girl would then take out some small silver coins from her delicate purse to pay the bill, making him feel that the life of a young master in ancient times was probably like this.

Uh, this beginning... The old man glanced at him, then merely frowned and continued down.

Su Tan'er furrowed her brows and glanced at it a few more times before finally putting it down. This poem was hastily brought over by Chan'er in the morning. After that, Su Tan'er prepared to go out, running around for half the morning, and only returned to have time to read it. The maid Xing'er downstairs had not seen it yet either, and upon seeing the young lady's expressive face, she came over with interest to take a look. All three maids had actually studied poetry and arithmetic, but now, holding it in their hands, they also scrunched their little faces into a bun shape.