Wen Xin could understand Xiao Hong’s assessment of Yu Qing’s chess skills, as she had watched them play. Yu Qing truly could not beat Xiao Hong.
To be honest, she was rather sceptical about it.
It was not that she looked down on servants because Xiao Hong was one. Rather, servants truly had very little time of their own. Whether it was for making a living or due to exhausting labour, a slow, leisurely pastime like chess was hardly suitable for people with no free time.
In the end, it simply came down to a lack of exposure. Their learning and experience in this area were insufficient, so their chess skills naturally could not be very high. Besides, the game genuinely required a sharp mind.
Therefore, she remained doubtful that Xiao Hong could defeat someone of the status she suspected Yu Qing held. Yet she could find no flaws, as Yu Qing lost in a manner that seemed perfectly reasonable.
By that logic, it was indeed possible that Yu Qing could not beat Yuwen Yuan.
However, if chess skill were judged by social status, she did not believe Yuwen Yuan could surpass Yu Qing.
One was the descendant of a veteran literary figure, while the other might be the foremost scholar in the realm. In terms of status, the latter likely held the greater advantage.
Seeing these two sit together to play chess, one being her fiancé and the other possibly the man she admired, still left her somewhat astonished.
For a moment, she forgot her shyness and hurried to the doorway. However, she dared not peek from there, so she ultimately moved to the window, gently pushed it open a crack, and observed the two players in the pavilion.
She was naturally familiar with Yu Qing. She glanced a few more times at the other man in the blue robe. Though she could only see his profile and not his full features, she could still discern a touch of extraordinary elegance. His upbringing was evident in every gesture.
Xiao Hong walked over with a playful smile. “Miss, did you see it? Master Yuwen is quite handsome, is he not?”
“Do not talk nonsense,” Wen Xin scolded, her face flushing with embarrassment.
“Very well. If I do not serve the tea soon, Steward Wen will reprimand me later. Sigh, that A Qing, just wait until I teach him a lesson later.” Xiao Hong snorted and hurried away, not forgetting to close the study door, knowing her mistress was still feeling shy.
Meanwhile, Wen Xin continued to watch secretly from the study. She saw Yuwen Yuan hesitate with every move he placed, whereas Yu Qing exuded a sense of decisive command. After the other player pondered and placed a piece, Yu Qing followed instantly with a sharp click. His speed was remarkably fast, completely different from how he had played with Xiao Hong earlier.
This made her vaguely sense something was off. She really wanted to go over and see what kind of situation their fierce battle had reached, but she truly felt too embarrassed to do so.
Having brewed the tea, Xiao Hong entered the pavilion carrying a tray and offered a cup to the guest, Yuwen Yuan. “Please enjoy your tea, sir.”
However, Yuwen Yuan’s attention was entirely fixed on the board. He simply did not hear her and naturally paid no attention.
Slightly surprised, Xiao Hong then offered tea to Wen Kui. “Please enjoy your tea, Chief Steward.”
Wen Kui nodded and hummed in acknowledgement. His gaze never left the board either. He had already taken a seat, closely monitoring the clash unfolding on the grid.
Yu Qing looked at Xiao Hong expectantly, but she merely shot him a glare. There were only cups for Yuwen Yuan and Wen Kui, none for him.
Placing the tray down, Xiao Hong stood to the side and suddenly felt something was amiss. After sweeping her eyes over the three seated men, she realised what it was. The Chief Steward and Master Yuwen were completely absorbed in the game, utterly focused, yet that fellow A Qing still had the mind to make puppy dog eyes at her and act pitiful.
What was going on? Xiao Hong quickly looked closer and noticed that the board still seemed to be based on the game she had played with Yu Qing earlier. After roughly counting the number of pieces on the board, she could confirm it was a continuation of their match. Otherwise, so many pieces could not have been placed in such a short time.
Looking further at the game, the situation seemed to have undergone a complete reversal. The position where she had once held a slight advantage was now entirely in Yuwen Yuan’s hands, and he was comprehensively on the defensive, teetering on the brink of collapse.
Xiao Hong was secretly astonished and could not help but glance at Yuwen Yuan a few more times. He could not even beat A Qing, that terrible chess player? She suddenly felt that Master Yuwen’s chess skills were not quite as impressive as his handsome looks.
The game was nearing its conclusion. She did not know how it had unfolded, but Wen Kui, watching from the side, had his brows tightly furrowed.
As an observer from start to finish, Wen Kui knew exactly what Yuwen Yuan had endured. It had been a catastrophe, a complete overturning of the situation!
In the initial endgame, Yuwen Yuan had held a slight advantage. He was not trying to take advantage of Yu Qing, but had merely casually continued the game from where Xiao Hong left off.
After the switch, as the two opponents clashed and Yu Qing rapidly placed piece after piece, the game gradually underwent profound changes.
The black pieces that had once seemed trapped in their routines gradually transformed into hidden assassins.
The hand that placed each black piece moved with effortless grace, turning the tide on the board. It brewed wave after wave of stormy assaults, gradually stripping the white pieces of any ability to defend themselves.
First, the smile on Yuwen Yuan’s face vanished. Then, his usual calm and composure in words and deeds disappeared as well. His moves grew slower and slower.
By this moment, Yuwen Yuan, hesitating over his next move, was already covered in a cold sweat.
After a long while, a defeated Yuwen Yuan looked up, forced a strained smile towards Yu Qing, and said with a pleading look, “Shall we play another round?”
His tone sounded more like a plea, yet it also carried a touch of unwillingness.
Everyone understood the meaning of those words. He was conceding defeat.
Master Yuwen lost? Xiao Hong was stunned. Although she could see that Yuwen Yuan was destined to lose, she still found it hard to accept the result. Master Yuwen had actually lost to A Qing? The future master of the house was inferior to A Qing?
Yu Qing had no objection to the guest’s request. In fact, he was more than willing to agree.
Initially, not knowing Yuwen Yuan’s level, he had been quite cautious. As the old saying went, he knew his own chess skills were fairly good, but he had not played against many people. The world was full of hidden masters, and one never knew who might appear.
Later, realising that Yuwen Yuan was merely average, he naturally had no intention of holding back if given another chance.
Of course, he still glanced at Steward Wen Kui, seeking his approval.
Wen Kui frowned deeply. To be honest, he had already seen it from this half game. Yu Qing had risen against the odds, turned the situation around through sheer skill, and ultimately reversed the outcome. That was the mark of a true master. Yuwen Yuan was simply no match for Yu Qing, and the difference in skill was vast.
Losing even when holding the advantage, and now asking the opponent to restart the layout and crush him again, was he not just asking for punishment?
However, Yuwen Yuan himself did not think so. He believed that his heavy defeat was largely because the opening position was not his own layout. If they started anew, he would be fully familiar with the situation, and the outcome might well be different.
Observing Yuwen Yuan’s state, Wen Kui sighed softly. He roughly understood the man’s feelings. If they did not let him play another round to get his revenge, he would likely not be satisfied.
After a moment’s thought, he decided that since they had already lost, losing one more game would not matter much. So he said nothing.
Seeing him remain silent, Yu Qing nodded. “Very well.”
The two quickly began clearing the pieces. While picking them up, Yuwen Yuan used his sleeve to wipe the fine beads of sweat from his forehead and face. He was also taking deep breaths, seemingly trying to steady his mind.
Holding the tray, Xiao Hong quietly stepped back and hurried back to the study.
Pushing the door open, she saw her mistress still watching by the window. Unsure if she had seen everything clearly, she immediately closed the door, walked over, and prompted, “Miss, about A Qing he…” She found it somewhat difficult to say.
Wen Xin said, “I can see it. Yuwen Yuan lost.”
Xiao Hong walked to her side and muttered, “Master Yuwen played on a board where I already had the advantage, yet he still lost. It seems he does not play chess often, allowing A Qing to take advantage. A guest has arrived, and A Qing does not know the first thing about courtesy. Just wait until I deal with him later.”
“A game where you held the advantage?” Wen Xin’s mind flashed back to the calligraphy Yu Qing had written, one genuine piece and one fake. She could not help but shake her head slightly. “Do you truly believe A Qing could not beat you before? He simply did not want to win. He deliberately let you win, and he did it without leaving a single trace. Not only you, but even I could not spot any flaw before. This shows that his chess skills are extremely high, far surpassing ours, which is why we could not see through it. As for Yuwen Yuan…”
Upon speaking that name, her expression grew somewhat complicated. After a brief pause, she continued, “If A Qing did not want to let him win, Yuwen Yuan would not stand a chance.”
A scene from just now left a deep impression on her. A Qing had looked completely at ease, while Yuwen Yuan had sweated profusely, abandoning all grace to wipe his brow with his sleeve. Given such a stark difference, if A Qing had no intention of letting Yuwen Yuan win, what hope did Yuwen Yuan have?
If she had previously wanted to go out and watch how they played, she no longer wished to do so now, fearing she would cause Yuwen Yuan embarrassment.
Xiao Hong’s eyes widened. “Oh, A Qing is not nearly as formidable as you make him out to be, Miss.”
Wen Xin slightly raised her chin. “See for yourself. Does his manner of playing now look anything like how he played with you?”
Xiao Hong immediately pushed her window open a bit further. Prompted by this, she took a look and instantly spotted the discrepancy. Yu Qing was playing rapid moves. While Yuwen Yuan carefully pondered each placement, Yu Qing instantly followed with a piece in his hand without hesitation. He then calmly waited for Yuwen Yuan to think, occasionally glancing around, but mostly seeming to leisurely watch and appreciate his opponent across the table.
Xiao Hong realised it was indeed different from when he played with her. Back then, A Qing had often been hesitant, scratching his head and ears in apparent worry…
In the pavilion, Wen Kui finally remembered to lift his teacup and take a sip, all while observing the two players from side to side.
At the start of the new game, as they placed the pieces from scratch, Yuwen Yuan, having adjusted his mindset, played with a steady, unhurried rhythm. However, as the board filled up, his pace grew slower and slower.
Fine sweat began to appear on his forehead again. He would move a piece this way, but hesitate to place it. He would shift it that way, but dare not drop it. When he finally managed to place one, he had barely recovered his breath, and his hand had not fully lifted before a sharp click sounded from across the board. Yu Qing had easily placed his counter move, denying him any moment to breathe and keeping him constantly under pressure.
This was the first time Yuwen Yuan had encountered someone who played like this. The sense of oppression he felt was overwhelming.
Wen Kui was finally relaxed enough to drink his tea because his focus had drifted from the game itself. He had noticed something. Whenever Yu Qing could deliver a fatal blow, he often showed mercy and spared Yuwen Yuan. Was this an indication that he intended to let him win?
Feeling reassured by this, Wen Kui relaxed considerably.
Little did he know, Yu Qing was not that kind. He wanted Yuwen Yuan to suffer, unable to live comfortably yet unable to die quickly. He wanted to keep Yuwen Yuan trapped in this state of torment. If he did not thoroughly bury Yuwen Yuan alive today, he felt he would be letting down the days he had spent working as a servant in the Jade Garden.