Chapter 3: Poetry and Chess

Time passed. In the blink of an eye, three months had gone by since he arrived in this ancient world, and spring was gradually giving way to midsummer. Ning Yi was slowly getting familiar with this ancient world, its gardens, rockeries, pavilions, courtyards, streets, and pleasure boats, though many times, he simply felt bored.

Perhaps it was because he was used to being busy. Now, without a computer, a job, or anything to do, he always felt restless. The Su family, for their part, was quite content with his boredom. After all, the very reason they had him marry into the family was to give Su Tan'er a valid reason to stay at home rather than marry out, and ideally, this reason wouldn't cause too much trouble. Overall, he actually enjoyed this leisurely existence. Each day, he would stroll about, observing the ancient customs and people, admiring the ladies, and letting his mind wander. Most frequently, he found himself calculating how much he could multiply profits if he were to get involved, or how to make money from whatever he saw.

"Been a boss for too long, I've gone mad..." he'd laugh and scold himself. So these were just thoughts that quickly receded into the depths of his mind.

In stark contrast to his leisurely life, his nominal wife, Su Tan'er, was clearly very busy. Yet, no matter how hectic her schedule, she would generally return home for meals on time. In this sense, ancient times had their own advantages; women, by custom, could not be as casual as men. Furthermore, the pace of work in ancient times was nowhere near as relentless as today. The constant processing of vast amounts of information, the daily grind of carrying laptops and flying from one place to another—such workaholism simply couldn't exist in an era where information didn't flow quickly. One could always find time to rest, as often, by the time an order was given, the other party hadn't even reacted yet.

Perhaps she took him for a truly honest and dull man. Every day at dinner, it was always she who initiated conversation, exchanged information, and livened the atmosphere. Ning Yi would simply offer a few casual, perfunctory remarks. Having spent so many years in the business world, he had long mastered the art of speaking casually without appearing perfunctory—a skill far beyond Su Tan'er's level. Thus, every time they ate together, Ning Yi would recall the couple in the movie *Mr. & Mrs. Smith*.

After dinner, if it rained, they mostly stayed in their respective rooms. Su Tan'er would read, occasionally play the zither, or do needlework and embroidery. He, on the other hand, would simply read or write, or sometimes just stare blankly. Occasionally, he'd find a piece of paper to do the business simulations he used to do, such as making hypotheses for the stock market, though he'd soon find it uninteresting. Unless there was something urgent, Su Tan'er would also go out by carriage. If the weather was good, Ning Yi would generally go out for a stroll, while Su Tan'er would visit shops and workshops in the city. The two would go their separate ways.

The maid named Xiao Chan always accompanied him, and over the past few months, she had likely become his dedicated attendant—an arrangement made by Su Tan'er. It was clear that Xiao Chan intended to get along well with him; when tidying up the room, she would always chatter about various things, household gossip, or mention where Miss had gone and what she had done that day. It was evident that she admired and liked her mistress very much, as Su Tan'er was indeed very kind to her servants. Ning Yi's response was usually just a nod and a smile. When he went out, the young girl always followed behind him. Sometimes, feeling a little bad, if he got tired from walking, he'd sit at a nearby teahouse and have some small snacks. The young girl would then take out small silver pieces from her delicate purse to pay, making him feel that perhaps this was how pampered young masters in ancient times lived.

It was similar in modern times; he didn't even need to swipe his own card when buying things... Though, come to think of it, he hadn't truly gone out to buy anything himself for many years.

Lately, he enjoyed watching people play chess by the Qinhuai River.

By the river, there was a not-so-bustling street, on the outskirts of the city, a bit out of the way. There were no large shops; mostly small vendors carrying burdens, and not many pedestrians. Under a tree by the river, an old man often set up a chessboard. Occasionally, a few other old men would watch, and sometimes scholars would come by. There was a tea stall nearby. One time, he and Xiao Chan were tired from walking and rested there. As he drank tea, he casually watched. The two old men playing chess were both very skilled. He thought to himself, "As expected of ancient times, even random old fellows play so well." After that, he often came back. One old man was a regular, while his opponents often changed. But after watching for a while, they were mostly familiar faces, and their chess skills were generally high.

Such mental exercise was probably one of the few entertainments he could find there. In fact, the Qinhuai River was then recognized as the most prosperous and decadent area. Pleasure boats and brothels clustered together, turning the area into a sleepless night hub after dark. As he walked daily, he often heard about romantic escapades and the like. However, everything had its proper place, and since he had married into the Su family, he was essentially insulated from such entertainments. But having already experienced the height of lavish extravagance in his previous life, he naturally had little interest in such things now.

One day later, the weather was overcast, but it seemed too early for rain. He and Xiao Chan went to the tea stall, and two old men were playing again. After they had played for a while, a house servant came over and spoke a few words to one of the old men. The old man nodded: "Qin Gong, there's an urgent matter at home, this game...""With no clear winner or loser now, how about we call it a draw?""That would be excellent..."The two exchanged a few polite phrases. Then one old man left, and the old man who set up the board began to collect the pieces. Ning Yi finished his tea in one gulp and stood up: "Nothing more to see. Xiao Chan, please pay the bill."

Just as Xiao Chan was taking out her purse, the old man spoke up from behind them: "This young gentleman has been coming to watch chess recently. I imagine you've gained some insight into the game. Would you care for a match with an old man like me?" With his opponent gone, he had simply invited a bystander.

"Uh..." Ning Yi paused, looked at the sky, "Just average... Alright."

He sat down opposite the old man. As he helped collect the pieces, questions naturally arose, such as "Where is the young gentleman from?" Ning Yi casually answered a few questions. After collecting the pieces, they played for who would go first. Ning Yi drew white and went first. He wasted no time, placing a piece down with a decisive click.

"Uh, this opening..." The old man glanced at him, then simply frowned and followed suit.

They played about a dozen moves, one piece after another. The old man's brow furrowed deeper, and he asked, perplexed, "May I ask who taught you to play, young gentleman?"

"I studied chess manuals and figured it out myself.""Oh, no wonder..."

After that, the old man said no more. Under the tree by the river, the two silently played their game. Xiao Chan sat to the side, occasionally glancing up at the sky. She didn't understand Go at all; she just noticed that the longer they played, the longer the old man thought, his wrinkles deepening. He would periodically look up at Ning Yi, or occasionally shake his head. On the board, the white pieces were overwhelming, and the black pieces were gradually being decimated.

About an hour later, the old man conceded defeat by placing a piece down. He looked up and earnestly scrutinized Ning Yi for a moment. Ning Yi still wore that faint expression as if everything was interesting. "Your skill, young gentleman... is superb. But in terms of the methods of play, isn't there something a bit..." The old man chose his words carefully. Ning Yi, collecting the pieces, merely smiled: "Playing for victory is like two armies facing each other; what distinction is there in methods?"

"Chess is a gentleman's pursuit...""You believe playing chess reveals a person's character?" Ning Yi said casually, collecting the pieces one by one. "Is that accurate?"The old man paused, pondered for a moment, then shook his head with a smile and reached out to collect the pieces: "Not very accurate, indeed."

Having put away the chessboard and seeing the sky darkening with the threat of rain, Ning Yi and Xiao Chan headed back toward the Su mansion. Along the way, Xiao Chan looked at him with a hint of surprise and couldn't help but ask, "Did Young Master win?""Ah, I'm afraid it won't be good to go watch chess there anymore.""Why not?""Don't you think he sees me as a bad person now?""Just because of a game of chess, he thinks Young Master is a bad person?" The young girl looked back. "He must be angry because Young Master won... What a small-minded old man."

This comment was, of course, just a casual remark. The old man was also a person of great cultivation, naturally not one to get angry over such a thing. It was simply that Go at that time emphasized decorum; among friends, games were played openly, stopping before becoming overly aggressive. Overly aggressive or relentlessly badgering tactics that lacked grace were not used indiscriminately. But for Ning Yi, playing chess was simply a mental game. Coupled with the imbalance of information between the two sides, even though the old man possessed considerable chess skill, he was utterly defeated by Ning Yi's continuous small tactics. This also brought Ning Yi a small sense of satisfaction, like a modern person outsmarting an ancient one.

That day, back at home, Su Tan'er was also returning from outside. The young maid named Xing'er was directing several people to move fabrics into Miss's room; they were probably new goods, colorful and vibrant. Seeing them return, Juan'er, from upstairs, came down holding a large wooden box: "Young Master, Young Master, Miss heard you like chess very much. She saw this today while out shopping and specifically bought it back for you." In reality, it was a gift someone else had given, which Su Tan'er had no use for and simply brought back, but it happened to be a box containing a Go set. Ning Yi was rather surprised: "In that case, please thank my wife for me."

"Young Master can thank her himself." The young girl giggled and ran upstairs. Ning Yi shook his head, carrying the Go set back to his room. He didn't know anyone here; who would he play with?

Juan'er returned to the room; the people carrying goods had already left the courtyard. She mimicked Ning Yi's voice: "Miss, Young Master said, 'Please thank my wife for me.'" Su Tan'er, who was looking at ledgers, casually tapped her forehead. The mistress and her maids had grown up together since childhood, and although there was a distinction of status, they had always shared an intimate, sister-like bond. However, when Su Tan'er was busy, it wasn't advisable to joke too much. After reviewing the ledgers, Su Tan'er carefully examined the fabrics. At this point, Chan'er and Xing'er also entered. Seeing Chan'er, she smiled: "Did you go out to watch chess with Young Master again today?"

"Mhm." Chan'er shook her little head. "I don't understand it.""I don't like Go either." Su Tan'er shook her head. Having been busy all morning, going out and coming home, she could finally rest a little. She casually picked up a piece of rice paper from the table, frowned, and asked Chan'er, "Did Young Master really write this poem?"

Chan'er had casually brought that rice paper over in the morning. She peered at it now and confirmed, "Yes, I saw Young Master writing it. He said he was practicing calligraphy."

Su Tan'er frowned and looked at it for a few more moments before putting it down. Chan'er had hurriedly brought the poem over that morning, and Su Tan'er had then prepared to go out, running errands for half the morning, only having time to look at it upon her return. Xing'er, who had been downstairs earlier, hadn't seen it yet either, and seeing Miss's expressive face, she came over curiously to look. The three maids had actually all studied poetry, literature, and arithmetic, but holding it now, their little faces wrinkled up like steamed buns.

"Three lotus roots float in the jade pond... Can a raft possess fond thoughts? Dewdrops... wet the sandy wall, dusk dim, dawn silent... What does it mean?"

In the room on the other side, Ning Yi stood at his desk, organizing drafts on rice paper, preparing to throw them away or burn them. He had practiced calligraphy and written ten pages yesterday, only now realizing one was missing. He thought for a moment, then shook his head and laughed: "It would be strange if you could understand them..."

Soon after, a thunderstorm began.

Summer downpours came fiercely. Amidst the pervasive noise, the sky grew as dark as dusk. However, opening the window in such weather and looking out at the garden and mansion immersed in the heavy rain had a rather leisurely charm. From his vantage point, he could occasionally catch glimpses of Su Tan'er and a few maids moving about in the room opposite. Before long, as Chan'er approached with some colored fabrics, Ning Yi was at his desk, opening the Go set box. "Young Master, Miss says this is newly arrived silk. She wants me to measure you for a new outfit. Please see which color you like."

"Anything.""You can't just pick 'anything' for new clothes," the young girl mumbled, picking up the soft tape measure and taking Ning Yi's height and body length. Ning Yi watched the heavy rain outside, then looked at the young girl beside him.

"Are you busy this afternoon?""Not really.""Let's play chess.""I don't know how to play Go.""Not Go. I'll teach you Gobang.""Gobang?" The young girl looked up at him, a confused look in her eyes. She had never heard of such a game...

And so, in this usually quiet little courtyard, by afternoon, the cheers of a young girl could often be heard. Although she was usually quiet and composed, Su Tan'er was eighteen, and her three maids were only fourteen or fifteen. When they genuinely encountered something fun, they couldn't help but get a little carried away. In the room on the other side, Su Tan'er sat by the window reading. Xing'er and Juan'er, two young maids, sat side by side on small stools, embroidering. Occasionally, they would vaguely hear cheers of "I won! I won!" from the opposite side, through the sound of the rain. They couldn't help but look up curiously. After several such repetitions, Xing'er pricked her finger with the needle, and she sucked her fingertip while looking over there with a puzzled expression.

"What's gotten into that girl Chan'er..."