Chapter 377: Aftermath Huang Sanjia

Tieba

Search within this TiebaSearch Tags

Total: 1 pageReplies: 1

While checking for updates, don't forget to click "Check In" in the top right corner.

"The Legend" on Zongheng, by Fenghuo Xizhuhou

PC Reading Address:Address:

Red tickets are free. After registering a Zongheng account and accumulating a certain number of points, you will receive red tickets.Every account can favorite "The Legend."

Main post for chapter serialization: tieba.baidu.com/p/1692359607

Before the main text is posted, interjecting in the thread is forbidden. Please wait patiently.

Appendix: Tieba QQ Group Arbitration Team: 1681655, Monster Club YY: 1655Xueba Admin Log Link: tieba.baidu.com/p/2506967567

Those who interject before the update content is fully posted will be sent to the "little dark room" for one day.

Huang Longshi, after the event.

Everyone in the Liyang Dynasty liked to use this phrase to mock someone for their hindsight bias, calling it "horse after cannon." Of course, this "horse-after-cannon" saying originated from Huang Longshi's unique chess game. Chess replaced Backgammon, also known as "Woshuo Changxing," becoming an activity for refined scholars, second only to intellectual discussions.

A small teahouse in Beimang.

The shedding parrot still liked to call everyone "eunuch." The teahouse owner, Old Huang, remained as unmotivated as ever, and the girl who kept a large cat never gave customers a pleasant look. Coupled with their irregular work ethic, the teahouse business was as desolate and dismal as a graveyard. This made Wen Hua, who had never managed to earn enough to play the part of a libertine in a brothel, feel melancholy both in his current state and, well, 'down there.'

Today, a wooden sign outside the teahouse read "Closed for Business." After Wen Hua entered the teahouse with his birdcage, he, never one to neglect his stomach, buried himself in a fragrant bowl of scallion noodles. Old Huang, the owner, produced three wooden boxes from somewhere, filled with chess pieces: two boxes of black and white pieces, and one box of colorful glass pieces. He cleared the table and began arranging and rearranging the pieces, constantly placing and removing them. This infuriated Wen Hua. "Playing mystic!" he thought. "If you've got the skill, go set up a chess gambling stall like my buddy Xu Fengnian and earn some copper coins! What kind of hero are you, pretending to be a chess master, king, or immortal behind closed doors?!" After finishing his scallion noodles, he wondered if he should secretly get another bowl from the kitchen to treat himself. But remembering his financial struggles, he truly didn't have the nerve to freeload. Wen Hua wasted nothing, eating every last bit and licking the large white porcelain bowl clean, then sighed at the empty bowl. Bored, he had no choice but to take his bowl and chopsticks and sit near Old Huang. Miss Jia, who would giggle and threaten to "hand-chop" customers if displeased, was leaning a sunflower stalk against herself, staring blankly with her legs propped on a long bench. Wen Hua didn't dare sit on the same bench as her, so he asked Old Huang to move over a bit, placing himself next to Huang Longshi. Wen Hua saw black and white pieces arrayed on the table, interspersed with many colorful glass pieces. He wanted to pick one up to see if it was valuable. If it was, stealing a few to pawn would be justified, right? How long had it been since he was paid? Not to mention the holiday bonuses! Unfortunately, Huang Longshi slapped his hand away. Wen Hua casually placed his bowl and chopsticks in the corner of the table and chuckled, "Old Huang, what are you doing? Tell me what this is all about."

Huang Longshi, holding a box of glass pieces in one hand and subtly moving his fingers with the other, concentrated, holding his breath, ignoring Wen Hua's ceaseless chatter.

Wen Hua found it boring and turned to the giggling girl. "Jia Jiajia," he said, "let me make this clear: that big cat is a greedy eater, and we can't afford to keep it!" The pretty girl simply chuckled, not even glancing at Wen Hua. Wen Hua, who felt he was slaving away for the teahouse with no reward, slammed the table and angrily said, "Don't just chuckle at me because Old Huang is backing you! I don't have the divine ability to turn stone into gold! The three of us, with our three mouths, don't eat as much as that big cat's one mouth! Business is terrible, and you don't even care! Remember yesterday's customer? He just said the tea wasn't authentic, and you wanted to hit him with a plate! And the guest the day before yesterday, he said the tea wasn't fragrant enough, and you wanted to twist his head! Is there any law left?! Am I like Zhu Bajie looking in a mirror, a disgrace inside and out?!"

The girl faced Wen Hua and scoffed.Wen Hua slapped his forehead, so infuriated he felt an internal injury coming on.

Shopkeeper Huang gently smoothed out the chess pieces that had been disturbed by the porcelain bowl, frowning. "As long as no one starves, what does it matter?" he said. "Even if you make this teahouse the biggest in Beimang, will that make you successful?"Wen Hua retorted, "That's not considered successful?"

The old scholarly merchant, who possessed a refined and elegant demeanor, glanced over. "Then why don't you just stop practicing your sword?" he suggested. "I guarantee I can make you a top-tier wealthy merchant in Beimang. How about that?"Wen Hua waved his hand, saying, "Go, go! If I can't practice my sword, you might as well kill me."Shopkeeper Huang chuckled, asking, "Old man?"Wen Hua quickly laughed, "Me, me, just a humble one. You've been playing chess for so long, aren't your hands sore or your shoulders tired? Want me to rub and massage them for you?"

The more pieces were placed, the denser the black and white pieces became on the table, with the glass pieces relatively sparse. The white porcelain bowl became an eyesore. The old man waved his hand, "Take it away." Wen Hua, muttering "Got it!", picked up the bowl and scurried towards the kitchen. He thought it was a bit unrefined to eat a bowl of scallion noodles alone, but shared joy was better than solitary pleasure. Making three bowls of noodles and bringing them to the strange father and daughter wouldn't hurt. Ignoring Wen Hua, Old Huang gazed at the increasingly clear chess game. He forcefully placed a relatively large glass piece into a central area of the board, then seemed hesitant about whether to pick up and remove another glass piece. The old man put down the chess box and muttered to himself, "Daughter, this time, your old man missed a good show. There's nothing I can do. That man in the capital, whose tongue I caused him to sever years ago, sent a letter, wanting to settle old scores with me. On one hand, I couldn't bear it, and on the other, I was curious about how things would unfold, so I agreed to his request. Chess pieces must be alive, able to form 'eyes'—that's when a chess player becomes interesting. Otherwise, look, this place is called Iron Gate Pass, a good geomantic spot. Dying here is far better than dying on a ghostly battlefield where tens of thousands of dead share their fortune. This large glass piece that went to Western Shu, if it were to devour both Zhao Kai's and Xu Fengnian's pieces in one go, staying in Beiliang would be much more interesting than him becoming some prince. Don't glare at me. That kid himself wanted to jump into this game; I didn't really trip him up this time. Don't worry, that kid made a huge gain this trip. Hereditary King of Beiliang, it's a sure thing."

"If Xu Fengnian dies and Chen Zhibao takes the position of Beiliang King, he'll have to live forever in Xu Xiao's shadow. The Zhao family owes the Xu family old debts, and with Chen Zhibao's personality, he's sure to demand them back, overtly and covertly, little by little. That man in the capital doesn't want to see this happen. But that guy underestimated the next King of Beiliang. How is the kid named Xu any more broad-minded than Chen Zhibao? It's not that guy's fault; after all, Chen Zhibao appears to be far, far stronger than Xu Fengnian. But historically, when national chess masters play, if they lack foresight, they suffer greatly."

The girl shook the golden sunflower and chuckled.

The old man's life was full of endlessly intricate strategies that left people bewildered, only realizing their genius decades later. He rarely confided in others, but with his own daughter beside him, he held nothing back, slowly explaining, "This time, neither of the opposing sides has clean hands. To preserve the overall situation, the losing party will have to grin and bear it. The bottom line for this ambush is very clear: Emperor Zhao won't act personally, and neither will Xu Xiao. As for whether their respective sons live or die, it's up to fate, strategy, and ruthlessness. However, the Emperor in the capital has an advantage that both sides are aware of: he has multiple princes. Even if one dies, it would be regrettable but not crippling. But Emperor Zhao, who made the first move on the chessboard, clearly didn't anticipate Beiliang's resolute response. Xu Fengnian personally risked an ambush, and many deeply embedded secret agents were activated one after another. Otherwise, normally speaking, as long as Jian Ge didn't have He Yan's three thousand elite cavalry, as long as that Nangong remnant didn't emerge, and as long as Cao Changqing didn't fulfill his promise, Xu Fengnian and Zhao Kai would still lose. Chen Zhibao would be neither winning nor losing in the short term, Beiliang would fall, and he would become the King of Shu. However, in the future, once Xu Xiao dies, Beiliang would likely be half in his grasp. Compared to Xu Xiao, Chen Zhibao has both advantages and disadvantages. His advantage is his youth; he is an undisputed peerless master in both civil and military arts, somewhat like me..."

"Heh."

"Alright, alright, your dad won't brag about that. Let's get back to serious matters. Chen Zhibao's advantage also lies in years of accumulating power. It was only his adoptive father, Xu Xiao, who disheartened the scholars of the realm, not this military sage who is the epitome of a scholarly general. His disadvantage, however, is also clear: to become King of Beiliang, his claim would ultimately lack legitimacy. After being enfeoffed as King of Western Shu, the morale and support he cultivated within the Beiliang army would wane and eventually dissipate with Xu Xiao's death. So, if he genuinely wants to become emperor, he can only wait a maximum of ten years. Any longer, whether it's about fortune or public sentiment, neither will be able to rally. Human hearts are fickle; everyone is the same. What kind of reputation can last for two or three generations? Only Xu Xiao, that anomaly in the Liyang army. Chen Zhibao still lacks a certain something."

"I've always said that those old scholars from the Imperial Astronomy Bureau, with their worn-out classics and graying hair, are just half-baked individuals who only understand rigid numerical patterns but fail to grasp the fluidity of heavenly secrets. They've been fooled by me for so many years and still haven't learned. That kid Zhao Kai is also interesting; does he really think his fortune is invincible throughout the world? That Western Regions female guru isn't much smarter. Zhao Kai's fortune was meticulously accumulated by Han Diaosi, who had served the emperor for over thirty years, and by that old bald donkey Yang Taisui. Plus, she herself has cultivation, and with her by his side, Zhao Kai's destiny was invisibly amplified by another layer. Doesn't that just make him look like a coveted prize with the potential to ascend the throne? Of those from the Three Teachings who personally entered the game, how many had good endings? Monk Longshu, Yang Taisui — didn't they all die? Those Celestial Masters from Longhu Mountain, the older generation, none of them came to a good end. Ultimately, they are all pitiable individuals who consider themselves detached from the world but are in fact utterly devoid of ease and freedom."

"Your old man, between the Spring and Autumn periods, fabricated so many auspicious signs and anomalies that served as precedents, yet these 'smart' people still couldn't see through them. It shows that 'smart' and 'wise,' though differing by only one character, represent a world of difference."

"Beimang's Grand Marshal Taiping Ling, old as he is, refuses to admit his age and still wants to play a game against me. Does he not know that the chess strategy clearly dividing the world into two was my own creation? The world should honestly be handed over to the youth. If you sit on the latrine but don't relieve yourself, the old waste hardens. How can it then fertilize the fields?"

Hearing this, the girl's lips curved upward, and she chuckled.

Wen Hua, who was just bringing over three bowls of scallion noodles, angrily interjected, "Old Huang, can we not talk about this while we're eating?!" Seeing no reaction from the shopkeeper, Wen Hua glared and said, "Aren't you going to clear the table?" The old man chuckled softly and swept all the chess pieces off the table with a flick of his sleeve. Wen Hua put down the three sets of bowls and chopsticks, still grumbling, "Chess, chess, all you know is chess! So what if you can play chess? When I've practiced my sword and become a sword immortal, no matter who you are, if you dare jump around in front of me, I'll take care of you with one swing of my sword!"

The old man picked up his chopsticks and asked with a smile, "Oh? So I taught you swordsmanship and you suffered so much for it, and then I'll be the first one you slash?" Wen Hua laughed heartily, "How could I dare, how could I dare! How could I, Wen Hua, be such an ungrateful person? I'm handsome, good-tempered, and have an ancient, noble heart. Not to mention those virtues, the most important thing is loyalty!"

The old man shook his head with a helpless smile, picked up a mouthful of fragrant scallion noodles, and before eating, said, "You should go to the capital of Liyang." Wen Hua was stunned and asked in a low voice, "Just go straight to the capital to make a name for myself? Don't I need to warm up in a smaller place first?" The old man twirled some noodles with his chopsticks. He didn't bother to stretch his neck to blow on his daughter's noodles to cool them, fearing she might burn herself. The girl chuckled brightly, plucked a small petal from her sunflower, and placed it on the edge of the old man's bowl. It looked festive.

The old man was in a good mood and said to Wen Hua, "Don't you want to make a big splash? Besides, you can see the 'White Jade Lion,' who excels in both voice and looks — the brothel girl you fell in love with at first sight." Wen Hua slurped his noodles, laughing, "What's wrong with a brothel girl? I just like her! I'm definitely going to the capital this time!"

The old man smiled faintly.

After finishing his noodles, the old man took out some silver money and instructed Wen Hua, who had returned to his seat after clearing the bowls and chopsticks, "Go, buy a good pot of wine." Wen Hua rolled his eyes. "Only you, Old Huang," he said, "could run a teahouse and then go buy wine to drink!"

Not long after, Wen Hua returned with a pot of wine. The old man said calmly, "Keep the remaining few coins for yourself to spend." Wen Hua chuckled, mumbled something about stepping out, then went to his small room, retrieved a hidden bag of silver scraps, packed everything up, and swiftly ran out of the teahouse.

He had long had his eye on a set of erotic prints, and today he finally had enough silver, so he was off to buy them. Back then, he and young Xu also shared this hobby, but they were traveling the jianghu, dirt poor, often going hungry. They simply had no money. Now that he had a little, he felt he should remember his brother and share the good fortune. Wen Hua thought that next time they met, he would give these as a gift. It's the thought that counts. "If that kid dared to disdain it," he thought, "I'd certainly hit him with a wooden sword!"

The giggling girl didn't drink, watching the old man drink alone.

The old man chuckled softly, "Of the thirteen top figures of the Spring and Autumn period, I alone claim three. The other ten, apart from Chen Zhibao who entered Shu, and Song Guanhai, who has dominated Liyang's literary scene for years, have mostly departed. Oh, the Song family's three prodigies are also about to be killed by Lu Xu."

The old man's alcohol tolerance seemed poor; after drinking half a pot, he slumped, feeling drowsy.

The girl fetched a thick garment and quietly covered the old man with it. Then she stayed by his side, lapsing into a daze once more.

The old man was still murmuring in his drunken state: "Zhuangzi dreamed he was a butterfly, or did the butterfly dream it was Zhuangzi? I dream of Zhuangzi, I dream of butterflies..."

Collapse Replies

Stay a bit longer, it was worth waiting until 3 AM!Would it kill you to interject? Must I personally claim the floor?Finally saw it, the boss dug another pit in this chapter.Claiming a front-row seat.I actually waited for it!Reply to Sugar in My Pocket: The east wind blows, war drums thunder; if I don't rescue someone, they'll be unlucky. I rescue this one, I rescue that one, whoever you ask me to rescue, I will. I am the little tail who can write to control lolis, and in martial arts, can conquer married women in bed. Forward, I can physically oppress young boys; backward, I can raise my hips to welcome gays...

4 more replies.Total: 1 page.Replies: 1.

Don't have a Baidu account yet?Then view recently played games.Today's Top 10 Hot Posts on Tieba.