Chapter 146: Together Again

Naturally, the more chess pieces Ji Yuan held, the better. It would be ideal if Du Heng could become one, but Ji Yuan had no intention of deliberately seeking out the other eight individuals.

Becoming a chess piece couldn't be forced; those capable of it were inherently special. Ultimately, it was a matter of predestined connections. Was not the chivalrous pact between Lord Lu Shan and the Nine Young Heroes one such connection?

"Hey, hey, hey... a move is a move! No take-backs!"

"No, wait! My mind wandered. That move doesn't count, it simply doesn't!"

The two old men beside him began to argue, pulling Ji Yuan's thoughts back to the present. These two old men were at it again.

One wanting to take back a move and the other refusing was a common sight, but Ji Yuan had particularly enjoyed watching these two old men play chess for the past couple of days. This was because both were indeed master players, unrivaled in the entire chess hall. Their sportsmanship, however, was another matter entirely.

Whenever one wanted to retract a move and the other refused, they had an interesting way of resolving it.

"Alright, alright, I won't argue with you. Let's stick to the old rules!"

"Fine by me!"

Just like that, they stopped bickering and continued playing from the current board position.

For masters, the time spent on a single move could be quite long later in the game. Sometimes, only a few matches could be played in an entire day. This was precisely the situation now; it took more than half an hour for their current game to finally conclude.

The old man who wanted to take back his move fought to the bitter end, while the one who refused to allow it wouldn't yield an inch. Towards the close of the game, outsiders could clearly see who had won, but the two players were in a stubborn stalemate, determined to play until the very last move.

Ji Yuan looked around. A growing crowd had gathered to watch the game, as everyone knew an interesting scene was about to unfold.

"Hahahaha... I still won! What if I had let you take back that move?"

"Hmph, hmph, let's review the game!"

The two old men exchanged a few more jabs. After clearing the pieces, they began to review the game on the board, surprisingly returning to the exact point where they had argued about taking back a move. This time, however, they replayed it as if the move *had* been allowed.

"Watch closely! If I hadn't been distracted and made that wrong move, you would have been finished!"

"Nonsense! We'll see about that!"

The two old men began to play the game according to this alternative scenario. The board state took a completely different turn, with one old man's confidence soaring and the other responding cautiously. The shift in their emotions was quite amusing.

For those watching, the variations arising from these two possibilities were also brilliant, even stirring the onlookers' emotions.

This might seem tedious to those unfamiliar with Go, as sometimes a long time would pass without a move, making it appear uninteresting. But everyone here loved the game. The struggle and clash on the board was a silent war, and the art of the 'hand conversation' was truly captivating.

In Ji Yuan's eyes, however, the chessboard of the two old men appeared different. While others saw a Go board with nineteen horizontal and vertical lines, where black and white pieces contended for over three hundred points, his perception was entirely different.

The chessboard constantly merged with an underlying artistic conception. The scope over which the black and white pieces could expand was infinite, and what they contended for was no longer just a small patch of territory. When the two pieces contended against the board itself, the changes of Yin and Yang were also manifested. In Ji Yuan's eyes, the process of the two old men's black and white pieces contending evolved into a process of mutual generation.

Thus, Ji Yuan experienced the profound subtlety of two realms: standard Go and the Go of artistic conception. Naturally, his appreciation of the game's brilliance far exceeded that of others.

In the end, the other old man indeed won. The two old men, of course, engaged in another round of bickering, while the chess enthusiasts nearby offered their comments.

"No more games, no more. It's New Year's Eve, and I need to get home early."

"Yes, I still haven't bought my spring couplets!" "Go find those scholars who are taking their exams; pick one with excellent calligraphy!"

"Exactly, exactly!"

Some people in the chess hall chatted as they prepared to leave.

Ji Yuan, emerging from his deep focus on the game, looked around the chess hall. Unbeknownst to him, quite a few people had already left. He had only watched a few games, yet it was already afternoon. The chess hall staff were tidying up teacups, chessboards, and other items, while others were busy putting up couplets and hanging red lanterns in the hall.

"Mr. Ji, perhaps I could play a game with you?"

The chess hall shopkeeper, wearing a square cap, approached Ji Yuan and amiably offered.

As one familiar with his own trade, the chess hall shopkeeper, though he hadn't seen Mr. Ji play much, was convinced he was an absolute master of the game.

His extraordinary demeanor naturally drew the owner's attention. On several occasions, as they watched games together, the owner observed subtle shifts in Mr. Ji's expression, always feeling that he possessed a deeper insight into the board's situation than the players themselves. However, the precise extent of Mr. Ji's mastery remained unclear. It seemed no one in the chess hall was interesting enough to tempt him to play, save for the two old men who could capture his attention for more than a few moments.

"No, no, my chess skills are not proficient enough to put on a display. Today is New Year's Eve; aren't you planning to close early, shopkeeper?"

After politely declining, Ji Yuan casually posed a question. A chess hall like this could truly only be run by a refined individual, as it genuinely made no profit. The owner was also a passionate chess lover; despite having other businesses, he spent most of his time at the hall. Sometimes, when encountering strong players, he would even offer complimentary tea and melon seeds, and record their games without charge.

Hearing this, the shopkeeper looked at the seven or eight ongoing games in the hall.

"I'll leave it to the staff to oversee. We have to wait for people to finish their games. I, however, need to head to Wenqu Street to purchase some New Year decorations."

"Coincidentally, I know a *Gongshi* whose calligraphy is exceptional, and he also has a stall on that street. Shopkeeper, you might consider going to see him together!"

Ji Yuan's suggestion perfectly aligned with the shopkeeper's wishes. Coupled with the owner's long-standing desire to get to know Mr. Ji better, they immediately agreed and set off for Wenqu Street together.

Wenqu Street was originally a colloquial term used by common folk, but it gradually became the mainstream name because many scholars traveling to take imperial examinations would set up stalls there to earn some money.

Even though the provincial and palace examinations were held only once every three years, some scholars would reside permanently in the capital region, causing Wenqu Street to become increasingly prosperous.

This place was not merely for selling calligraphy; it was also an excellent spot to appreciate the literary talent of various *Gongshi*. Who would dare set up a stall without possessing considerable skill?

Painting, couplets, and calligraphy—each required a scholar's demonstrable skill. Therefore, candidates for the *Gongshi* examination, even if they weren't setting up stalls themselves, would certainly frequent Wenqu Street to assess the abilities of their competitors. Even officials from the imperial examination system would occasionally visit this place.

Although Yin Zhaoxian and Shi Yusheng were not currently short on money, they also set up stalls this time. However, Shi Yusheng's calligraphy was only average, so he was merely browsing, while Yin Zhaoxian set up a writing stall.

The street was not wide, and tall buildings like teahouses and inns shielded it, preventing any biting wind. As Ji Yuan and Manager Lu from the chess hall arrived, they happened to see several people gathered around Yin Zhaoxian's stall, including the two old men who had been playing chess earlier.

"Manager Lu, the person with the stall over there is the *Gongshi* I mentioned. He is the *Jieyuan* from Jizhou, possessing remarkable literary talent, and the key is..."

Ji Yuan smiled as he said this.

"I am also from Jizhou and an old acquaintance of this *Jieyuan* Yin. I know he possesses a magnificent righteous spirit. Requesting spring couplets from him imbues them with a unique pure aura that can cleanse impurities from a home."

"Is there such a thing? Then I, Lu, must certainly ask him to write several more couplets!"

Manager Lu made a lighthearted remark, then accompanied Ji Yuan.

As they drew closer, Ji Yuan subtly used a minor spell to stand slightly to the side, careful not to disturb Master Yin, while Manager Lu moved closer to observe.

"What excellent calligraphy!" "Indeed, indeed, these characters are truly fine!"

"A hundred birds sing in spring, joyous as the human world welcomes a new year; dragons present auspicious signs, celebrating the renewal of the age... marvelous!"

"Who is this scholar?" "He's certainly impressive!"

"Sir, please write a pair for me too; price is not an issue!"

After finishing writing, Yin Zhaoxian blew on the freshly written couplet and rubbed his slightly sore wrist. He hadn't realized so many people had gathered around him, which startled him.

"Everyone, please wait a moment, one at a time, one at a time!"

"It's my turn, it's my turn! Sir, please write a few large 'Fu' characters for me."

"Alright!"

Yin Zhaoxian switched to a large brush and wrote a huge "Fu" character on a square piece of red paper, aligning it with the corners. The calligraphy was flowing yet powerful, and writing such large characters further demonstrated his mastery.

"Oh, what magnificent calligraphy!" "Thank you, Sir!"

Yin Zhaoxian smiled, recalling some of his past chats with Ji Yuan, and offered a piece of advice to the old man who had requested the character.

"Old man, when you go back to put up the character, you can paste this 'Fu' character upside down."

"Upside down?" "Oh, doesn't that mean 'fortune arrives'?"

Many intelligent people in the crowd immediately grasped the meaning, and more praise instantly followed.

While Master Yin Zhaoxian's business was booming, Ji Yuan encountered another friend. An old dragon, dressed in luxurious robes, walked from the other end of Wenqu Street. From afar, he began to cup his hands in greeting towards Ji Yuan, and a soft, slow voice drifted over.

"I knew Mr. Ji would still be in the capital region before the spring examinations; finding Yin Zhaoxian would lead me straight to you!"

Ji Yuan also smiled. This old dragon, on New Year's Eve, instead of staying by the Tongtian River with his family, had come all this way to find him – what was that about?

Ji Yuan then looked towards the other end of the street. Coincidentally, the "Third Young Master" also seemed to be looking for Yin Zhaoxian, heading directly for Master Yin's stall with a servant guiding the way.

Although these different parties weren't exactly connected, Ji Yuan still made an inward remark.

'They've formed a mahjong table!'