Chapter 87: The Worthies

"Broken!"

Chen Ji's pupils suddenly contracted. His biological father was right in front of him, and he didn't recognize him! No wonder the other person had been sizing him up so much just now, no wonder he had been surprised and asked, "You call me 'Adult'?" How could he explain this?

In this era of feudal superstition, if he didn't even recognize his own father, he would be seen as a dirty thing and burned to death.

Before him, Chen Liqin was wearing a blue official robe with a leather belt around his waist. His face was tanned from months of supervising work at the river dike. Unlike Zhang Zhuo's ruddy complexion, Chen Liqin at this time didn't look like a civil official, but more like a military general.

Jing Wang looked at Chen Liqin curiously and asked, "Chen adult, was Chen Ji's chess taught by you? I think Chen adult's chess skills must also be very outstanding."

Chen Liqin cupped his hands and humbly replied, "This humble official is not skilled in chess, nor have I ever taught him. My worthless son is like mud that cannot be sculpted; his winning against you must be because you were humble and let him."

Hearing the words "worthless son," Chen Ji recalled his deceased father.

That father was a humble person, but when thirteen-year-old Chen Ji won second prize in a Go competition, that father would smilingly tell everyone, "This child just plays chess in his spare time, otherwise none of you would be his match," making the other chess players furious.

Beside him, Zhang Zhuo laughed, "Your highness's chess skills have already reached perfection. I remember at the Jiangnan Literary Gathering seven years ago, you played against the Abbot of Fa Men Temple, Monk Hui Tong. At the one hundred and thirty-seventh move, he thought you would resign and admit defeat. He didn't even care about the composure of Zen meditation, his face was full of complacency. But he didn't expect that what awaited him was your exquisite 'dig' at the one hundred and thirty-eighth move, making all his plans futile. I think the Chen family kid winning against you must be because you let him."

Jing Wang heard this and said with a smile, "I did let Chen Ji two stones, but only in one game. Later, even without letting him, I still lost several games."

"Hmm?" Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin looked at Chen Ji together.

Jing Wang picked up a chess piece and explained, "Chen Ji has a partial talent in chess. You'll understand when you play with him later. On the contrary, Chen adult, why do you two father and son seem a bit unfamiliar? You don't greet each other, and just now Chen Ji even called you 'Adult' instead of 'Father'."

Chen Ji's heart was pounding. He, along with Shizi and Bai Li, were dead men walking.

He thought everyone's attention had shifted to Go. How could this stabbing still happen?

Chen Liqin glanced at Chen Ji, then turned to Jing Wang and cupped his hands, "Reporting to Your Highness, this humble official also doesn't know what's wrong. My worthless son looked at me like a stranger just now, which also greatly surprised this humble official."

Jing Wang looked at Chen Ji and asked with an interested smile, "How could it be, that you don't even recognize your own father?"

Chen Ji hesitated.

Just when he was thinking about how to answer, he heard Old Man Yao coldly laugh at Chen Liqin, "Your Chen residence sent Chen Ji to my place as an apprentice, but every New Year and festival, I don't see a single gift. Now even the tuition silver is being dragged out, paid bit by bit. It's very normal for him not to want to recognize you. You literati talk about monarch and minister, father and son every day, but if the father is not benevolent, the son naturally doesn't need to be filial."

Chen Ji heard his master speak and was suddenly surprised, turning his head to look at him.

In the medical hall, Chen Liqin was startled for a moment. "Imperial Physician Yao, please don't speak carelessly. When I sent Chen Ji to the medical hall, I instructed my servants that the monthly tuition silver must be sent on time, and every New Year and festival, a small gift should be prepared for you. The Chen family's scholarly traditions are passed down, and we wouldn't not understand these rules."

Old Man Yao said faintly, "Oh, then I must be lying. Anyway, I haven't seen much of your Chen family's gifts. Moreover, since your Chen family is so wealthy, why do you only give Chen Ji three hundred *wen* a month? It truly doesn't match your Chen family's status. How about this, later the Chen family doesn't need to pay tuition silver anymore. I'll take Chen Ji as my adopted disciple. From now on, I will manage his clothing, food, and lodging, and he will support me in my old age and see me off."

Zhang Zhuo had his hands tucked into his official robe sleeves. Hearing "three hundred *wen*", he looked doubtfully at Chen Liqin.

Just the back patch on Chen Liqin's official uniform was probably worth a hundred times more than three hundred *wen*.

The official patches in the Ning Dynasty were granted by the court, but many officials disliked the court-issued patches for not being exquisite or bright enough. They would then ask embroiderers to re-embroider them with gold and silver colored threads, and this gradually formed a trend of patch consumption.

One patch was thirty *taels* of silver, yet he only gave his son three hundred *wen* a month. Between father and son, there must be some deep-seated grudge or great hatred. Chen Liqin didn't argue with Old Man Yao again; he also sensed that something was wrong.

He was silent for a moment and asked, "Imperial Physician Yao, this year on the Mid-Autumn Festival, I specially instructed my steward to send gift money and gifts. He said he had already sent a servant to deliver them to you. Did you receive them?"

Old Man Yao stroked his beard. "You mean the hundred *wen* you sent through your family servant? Yes, I received it. Thank you for your three melons and two dates."

Chen Liqin: "..."

Chen Ji: "..."

His master's mouth was truly poisonous, as if it was soaked in poison from the inside out.

Chen Liqin frowned, cupped his hands, and bowed towards Imperial Physician Yao, "Imperial Physician Yao, I will definitely investigate this matter and give you an explanation."

Jing Wang smiled and smoothed things over, "The Chen family's family matters must have some misunderstanding. It must be the servant who made a mistake. The Chen family has been prominent for generations, steeped in literature and tradition. They wouldn't lose their etiquette in this kind of matter. I remember when I was still in the capital, I often followed my second uncle to the Chen residence as a guest. The Chen family people were enthusiastic, hospitable, and courteous, making it memorable. I remember at that time, Chen adult had just participated in the autumn imperial examination."

Chen Liqin cupped his hands, "Your Highness's memory is not mistaken."

Jing Wang waved his hand. "Good, I still have family matters to attend to. You can all go back. We'll discuss official matters in Jing An Hall tomorrow."

Chen Liqin looked at Chen Ji, "Chen Ji, come back to the residence with me. I will investigate the truth for you today."

But Chen Ji remained silent.

He didn't want to return to the Chen residence.

Although Chen Liqin had blood relations with him, the father in his heart was only one person, and he didn't plan to add another.

The rights and wrongs of the Chen residence became unrelated from the moment he placed three hundred *wen* copper coins at the Chen residence gate.

In the quiet atmosphere, Chen Ji stood behind the red wood counter, cupped his hands towards Chen Liqin, and said, "Chen adult, please go back. I still have lessons to review. I won't return to the Chen residence until my studies are complete."

"Chen adult?"

As soon as these words came out, Bai Li and Shizi simultaneously widened their eyes.

In this era, everyone was educated in the principles of monarch and minister, father and son. No one dared to deviate from the classics and rebel against their own father. Once a reputation for being unfilial spread, the upper class would not tolerate you, and the official field would not tolerate you either.

But Chen Ji, ultimately, didn't belong to this era.

Chen Liqin's face sank. "If you feel wronged in the matter of tuition silver, I will investigate this matter for you today. If you resent me sending you to the medical hall, then think about what you did back then. Do you still want me, as your father, to turn around and apologize to you?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and ultimately didn't take out Chen Wenxiao's confession letter.

He only said with a smile, "Chen adult misunderstands. I haven't suffered any grievances. I am living very well in the medical hall now. My master takes good care of me, my fellow disciples are harmonious, and my life is very fulfilling. Please go back. There are already patients lining up outside, so please don't delay their medical treatment."

Chen Liqin opened his mouth repeatedly, wanting to speak but stopping.

Because of Jing Wang, he couldn't flare up on the spot. He could only flick his sleeves and leave. "Do as you please!"

Dozens of official sedans slowly left, and Taiping Medical Hall became quiet again.

Jing Wang played with a chess piece and looked at Chen Ji. "The status of the Chen family is something many people can't attain. You are still young, so you don't know what you are giving up."

"Rough tea and simple rice are also quite good." Chen Ji looked at Old Man Yao, "Master, thank you."

Old Man Yao snorted and laughed, "No need to thank me. The tuition silver should still be paid."

Chen Ji: "..." Good.

While speaking, Jing Wang looked at Shizi again. "Just now I was interrupted, and I haven't talked about your matter. What punishment do you think you should receive?"

Shizi tentatively said carefully, "Not allowed to eat for one day?"

Jing Wang's face suddenly sank. "Starting today, your and Bai Li's monthly allowance will be cut off. Go and kneel in Ming Zheng Tower for three days without eating, and within half a year, you are confined and not allowed out of the Wang residence!"

Shizi's face changed greatly. "Dad, half a year won't be too long, right?"

Bai Li was also anxious. "Dad, confining my brother is fine, but can't you confine me?"

Jing Wang was so angry he laughed. "You all are really loyal."

Chen Ji found that this Jing Wang was very patient in other matters, but in front of his children, he was like an ordinary old father, ready to draw out his belt at any time.

At this time, Bai Li and Shizi together made eye signals to Chen Ji, indicating that he should help them find a way.

If they were really confined for half a year, they wouldn't be able to participate in the Lantern Festival lantern fair, wouldn't be able to go on early spring outings, and would rot inside the Wang residence.

Chen Ji said, "Your Highness..."

Jing Wang raised his hand sternly and said, "Don't speak. You also have a share in this matter. If it weren't for Imperial Physician Yao's face, you would also have to receive punishment."

Imperial Physician Yao had just finished preparing the medicine for Jing Wang. He watched him wrap the yellow paper with hemp rope on one side, and leisurely said on the other side, "No need to look at my face."

Chen Ji suddenly said, "Your Highness, let's play another game of chess. If I win, you will listen to what I say and give Shizi and the princess an opportunity to atone for their sins and earn merit."

"Oh?" Jing Wang turned his head to look at Chen Ji. "Your technique of curing isolation is no longer effective on me. Do you still have confidence in winning against me?"

Chen Ji lightly rolled up his sleeves and said seriously, "Let's try."

Jing Wang became interested. "It seems you still have some hidden skills you haven't shown. Guess first!" Saying that, he held several chess pieces in his hand. Chen Ji guessed, "Odd number." Jing Wang opened his palm and dropped two chess pieces. "You guessed wrong. I'll hold the black pieces and go first."

Bai Li looked at this scene in surprise. In the past, when his father encountered friends whose chess strength was weaker than his own, he would actively let the other side hold the black pieces and go first. But now, the other side was like a competitive general, vying for every inch, not giving way an inch.

Jing Wang started with a relaxed corner. He wanted to use strong momentum to bully the isolated white pieces and completely cut off Chen Ji's idea of curing isolation and developing. But this time, Chen Ji's white pieces actually stuck to the opponent without hesitation.

The weakness of an isolated piece is that it is like a candle in the wind, which can be extinguished at any time. While few people realize it, strong momentum also has a weakness: it is afraid of becoming thicker on top of thickness, becoming more and more clumsy.

Chen Ji's white pieces fell like antelope horns, leaving no trace to seek. His chess style was strange and ethereal, cold and rational.

Chen Ji's several moves simply overturned all his cognition. In the cognition of all chess players in the Ning Dynasty, being attacked from two sides was a disadvantage, but in Chen Ji's case, being attacked from two sides actually became an advantage.

Unbelievable!

Jing Wang said doubtfully, "Why can you turn a double attack into an advantage? Whose predecessor's style is this?"

Chen Ji didn't answer and continued to play.

Jing Wang became more and more doubtful as he played. In these seventy-two simple moves, he seemed to see the shadows of all predecessors, but they were completely different!

Original Go can still be played like this?

Jing Wang threw down a piece and admitted defeat. "Again, I'll hold the black pieces and go first."

Bai Li watched silently. His father had even skipped the step of guessing first, defaulting to being the side that needed to hold the black pieces and go first.

In the second game, Jing Wang started with a small Lin style, wanting to form momentum with three points in the left, middle, and right. But in Chen Ji's entanglement, the wonderful move in the middle that should have connected the entire board was like a fool, isolated alone in the middle, completely useless.

In the third game, Jing Wang started with the star position and three swordsmen, but still lost.

He looked at the chessboard, then looked at Chen Ji, and finally threw the black pieces on the table. He suddenly recalled what he had said earlier, "You are not suitable to be a chess player, only suitable to be a chess piece."

While Chen Ji countered, "Do you have to live inside the chessboard?"

At a certain moment, Jing Wang vaguely thought that the person sitting opposite him was not a small medical hall apprentice, but some chess master sitting in the river of time, playing with him.

The wheel of time lightly rolled over the chessboard, making the old era history from now on. Jing Wang solemnly asked, "Kid, who taught you your chess style?"

Chen Ji couldn't answer because he couldn't tell Jing Wang that this was the playing style of AI.

Chen Ji had also experienced Jing Wang's doubts once. When he was thirteen, he won second prize in Go, and was about to continue learning when the era of AI arrived.

He originally didn't want to use those new formulas from AI to win against Jing Wang, but now he had more important things he wanted to do.

Jing Wang exhaled a long breath. "Speak. Since you won against me, tell me, how do you want to lead Yun Xi and Bai Li to atone for their sins and earn merit?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment. "Your biggest trouble now is how to allocate enough glutinous rice to the border to build city walls, but glutinous rice conflicts with people's livelihood. If you ruthlessly allocate glutinous rice, many common people will starve to death."

Jing Wang gathered the chess pieces from the board into his palm while leisurely saying, "This matter is hard to solve. There are originally not so many methods that benefit both sides in the world. I can only choose."

Chen Ji said affirmatively, "I have a method that benefits both sides."

Jing Wang paused his actions. "Conscription of glutinous rice is for military strategy. You may know that the army does not joke."

Chen Ji threw the piece on the ground with a sound. "You will lend Shizi and the princess to me for half a month. If I succeed, I will sell you a method that benefits both sides. If I fail, Shizi and the princess will be confined for one year, and I will be exiled to Lingnan."

Jing Wang sized up Chen Ji with interest for a moment. "Deal."