As for how the game was going, Wen Xin had long been eager to find out. If not for the awkwardness of showing her face, she would have come out to watch long ago.
Standing in the pavilion now, she stared at the board and looked carefully, only to discover the game was not yet finished. Tasting it more carefully, she realised no winner had been decided, and she felt surprised.
The crucial point was that both black and white were in a situation where victory or defeat hung by a thread. Either side could win.
She suddenly did not understand. Yuwen Yuan had not lost, so why did he look so utterly defeated and wretched?
Seeing Xiao Hong hurry back, she immediately pointed at the board and asked, “It is not finished. What happened?”
Xiao Hong sighed. “The steward said it is a draw.”
Wen Xin’s gaze fell on the board, and she nodded slightly. “Looking at this game, one could indeed call it a draw.”
Xiao Hong shook her head with a sigh. “Miss, it is not like that. Young Master Yuwen really played this game too hard. I was so nervous watching from the side. If it had gone on any longer, I was truly afraid something would happen to Young Master Yuwen. You did not see it. Both his eyes were bloodshot. It was quite frightening.”
“Alas.” Wen Xin sighed softly, staring at the board. “Judging from his appearance, he certainly played with great difficulty. To reach such a confrontational position with A Qing is no easy feat.”
Xiao Hong instantly knew she had misunderstood. “No, Miss, this confrontational position is not the first time it appeared. Just from what I saw, it was already the third time. At first it was a life-or-death situation here…” She pointed at the board and chattered away, roughly describing what had happened.
After hearing this, Wen Xin was slightly shocked. “You mean A Qing deliberately set up the board to torment Young Master Yuwen?”
If that were true, to be able to control the game to such a degree, how could he possibly be unable to beat Yuwen Yuan? Keeping him alive instead of finishing him off, if not torment, what else could it be?
Only, it was hard to believe. Could anyone really control a game of chess to such an extent?
Xiao Hong hesitated. “It should be a coincidence, right? I watched, and Young Master Yuwen’s chess strength is not weak either. To deliberately set up such a situation against him should be rather unlikely. Perhaps the game just happened to reach this point.”
Was it really a coincidence? Wen Xin’s gaze turned to Yu Qing’s figure still standing dazed by the moon gate. She recalled the image of this man placing his pieces with such ease. That was already extraordinary. Perhaps placed upon him, it was not impossible.
“However, Miss, in terms of chess strength, Young Master Yuwen might really be a bit inferior to A Qing. I do not mean to speak ill of Young Master Yuwen, but A Qing really played much more easily than Young Master Yuwen. Miss, I feel you were right before. A Qing might really have been deliberately letting me win.” Speaking to this point, Xiao Hong lowered her head and twisted her skirt ribbon back and forth, her manner unexpectedly revealing a touch of coyness.
Wen Xin did not notice this little gesture of hers. Her gaze fell back on the board, and she began to stand in Yuwen Yuan’s shoes to feel the confrontational situation.
She did indeed sense that abnormally difficult choice, but since she had not witnessed the exchange between the two players with her own eyes, she could not truly empathise with the kind of feeling that could reduce Yuwen Yuan to such a wretched state.
To play a game of chess and actually end up like that, even stumbling to his knees. A man’s knees hold gold, and this person was her fiancé. Wen Xin’s expression was somewhat complicated, her mood inexplicable.
Was it contempt? She did not know either, but mentally she truly no longer had that shyness and nervousness from when she first met her fiancé.
She could not experience what Xiao Hong described, nor could she feel what Wen Kui felt. If she had watched the exchange process with her own eyes, she would probably have been much more composed regarding Yuwen Yuan’s wretched state.
Even so, she still sensed Yu Qing’s extraordinary chess strength. She watched him, and she had a number in her heart. Barring accidents, this must certainly be that person.
She could not help but marvel at this in her heart. Was this the operational strength of the world’s foremost talent?
Thinking that even Zi Long was especially close to this person, she truly could not describe it. Could this be what they called charm?
Yu Qing, who had been silent by the moon gate for a while, finally came back to his senses, turned around, and walked back.
Wen Xin’s gaze moved slightly. She turned her head and asked Xiao Hong, “How is Young Master Yuwen?”
Xiao Hong hesitated. “I do not know. He should be all right.”
Wen Xin: “You had better go and check. Do not say I sent you.”
It was normal for a young lady to care about her fiancé. Xiao Hong gave an “mm” and immediately lifted her skirt and ran off.
On the way she met Yu Qing walking towards her. Xiao Hong waved her fist at him. “Just you wait until later. See how I deal with you.”
Yu Qing was speechless. He was already regretful enough.
The three fellow disciples had infiltrated the Wen family. With great difficulty they had lain low until now, and he had finally managed to get close to Wen Xin. Seeing the distance to Wen Xin’s dowry growing shorter, now because of acting on emotion, everything might fall through and come to nothing.
For a servant to possess such chess strength, it would be hard not to arouse suspicion. Could he still stay?
He still wanted to take charge of Wen Xin’s dowry, and he had not even figured out where Shiji Bay was. His impulse was about to ruin a month’s hard work by the three fellow disciples.
He did not even know how to broach it to his two senior brothers. He had no face to tell them. If he told them, he would surely be drowned in their spittle.
The problem was, what good did it do to have beaten Yuwen Yuan? Even if he had proven he had ability in some area, it still would not win him Wen Xin. The Wen family would never let Wen Xin go with him. The foundation that allowed Yuwen Yuan to marry Wen Xin was certainly not limited to this single game of chess. His foolish actions changed nothing, brought him no benefit whatsoever, and ruined a major affair.
Moreover, having humiliated her fiancé, who knew how Wen Xin would view him?
When impulsive, he had acted to vent his anger. When calm, he discovered he actually understood all the reasoning.
There was no medicine for regret in this world. He could only face it. Lifting his eyes, he discovered Wen Xin was staring at him.
He walked over and said outside the pavilion, “Miss, it is noon. Shall we go over, or shall I arrange for food to be delivered here?”
Wen Xin did not respond to this at all, but asked instead, “With this chess strength, setting up a chess stall should earn more than being a servant. Why be a servant here?”
The matter having come to this, Yu Qing bravely let out a sentence. “Perhaps it is not for money. Perhaps it is for a person.”
Wen Xin did not understand. “For a person?”
Yu Qing stared at her without speaking, his heart nervous.
Four eyes met. Wen Xin instantly reacted. Her face flushed red in a flash. She also felt guilty, her gaze dodging, no longer daring to meet his eyes. Though she clearly knew who the person he spoke of was, she still could not help but ask in a muffled voice, “For what person?”
When she was weak, he was strong.
Yu Qing continued to muster his courage. “For you.”
Wen Xin immediately turned to look at the other side, her cheeks burning. “When I saw you, you were already in the residence. What has that to do with me? Speak no more nonsense.”
Though she spoke thus, her heart was pounding like a startled deer. Her hands and feet were a bit numb. Could the world-famous Tanhu Lang really have entered the residence as a slave for her?
No matter what constraints of etiquette, they could not withstand such a huge surprise. She could not remain unruffled.
Yu Qing: “I naturally am not equal to Young Master Yuwen, but I recall the Miss seemed to rather admire that Tanhu Lang. Dare I ask the Miss, if that Tanhu Lang came, would the Miss be willing to go far away with him?”
Wen Xin’s heartstrings trembled. This time she was truly made nervous. Could this person really be about to publicly reveal his identity for her sake?
After a spell of panic, she again tried to steady her emotions. No matter who the other person was, she carefully weighed her words and gave a formal reply. “Whoever it may be, a marriage arranged with proper ceremonies, how can one go back on it? If you speak such nonsense again, do not blame me for expelling you from the Wen residence.”
Yu Qing smiled bitterly. “At this point, can I still stay?”
Wen Xin: “Today’s matter is over and shall not be mentioned again. If you speak recklessly again, I will certainly expel you.”
After speaking, she suddenly felt enormous shame. She did not know why she had spoken such words. Should she not have immediately cleared the relationship and avoided suspicion? Was a woman like herself too shameless?
Yu Qing understood. She was willing to act as if nothing had happened and allow him to continue staying.
But he himself no longer had any interest in staying.
First, Wen Xin’s rejection made him lose all interest. This was the first time in his life he had declared his feelings to a woman.
The result made him rather regretful. He knew full well she could not agree, could not go with him, yet he had foolishly spoken such words. Was that not humiliating enough?
Secondly, he was clear that with today’s incident, Wen Kui was not blind. If he wanted to take charge of Wen Xin’s dowry again, he could not pass the Wen family’s scrutiny.
Of course, if Wen Xin could truly stabilise the situation, he was not in a hurry to leave.
The previously shifted target was corrected back by him again. Find out where Shiji Bay was located. Once he found out, leave immediately. Before that, he would stay one more day if he could.
…
Under the eaves outside the dining hall, Wen Mao stood with his hands behind his back. Wen Kui was at his side reporting the course of the chess game, while also waiting for Yuwen Yuan to come for the meal.
Yuwen Yuan was in no state to meet people directly, so he went to wash up first.
After hearing the account, Wen Mao felt rather surprised. “Oh, that fellow actually possesses such superb chess strength?”
Wen Kui exclaimed in admiration. “I must admit, it is truly rare in this world.”
Wen Mao did not care too much about chess skill. He pondered, “If they came to secretly make trouble, why expose their superb chess skill? Would that not let people see there is a problem at a glance? What exactly do these fellows want to do? This old man has lived a great many years, yet I understand less and less.”
Wen Kui hesitated a moment, then tried asking, “Master, could it be they came for the young lady?”
Wen Mao: “You mean it is for romantic reasons?”
Wen Kui: “To torment Yuwen Yuan like this, it may not be impossible.”
Wen Mao: “Then what about their infiltration of Wenshu Pavilion? For a group of people’s main purpose in infiltrating to be because of Xin’er, do you yourself believe such words?”
Wen Kui frowned. “It is indeed bizarre. These fellows’ methods are completely incomprehensible. Why not simply seize them and pry open their mouths?”
Wen Mao: “Are you certain seizing them directly will be useful? We still do not know who is behind them. The literary gathering is in two days. That is the top priority now. For the time being, stabilise the situation first. Do not create extra complications. Just assign more people to keep a close watch on them and guard strictly. After the literary gathering ends, then we will deal with it. I want to see what evil these people intend to stir up by mixing into the Wen family.”