Chapter 126
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Go was a game quite suitable for Lu Qian.
The board with 361 intersections seemed to possess a stern logic crafted for Lu Qian. With each additional stone, an infinite array of possibilities unfolded at astonishing speed in his mind, determining victory or defeat within moments.
Coupled with Lu Qian’s incredible speed of play, opponents often find themselves breathless after a single game, succumbing to a perceived gap in skill, commonly referred to as an intellectual overpowering. Therefore, there was a rare situation where the opponent refused to accept the outcome.
But this time was an exception.
After losing a game of Go in a relentless manner, the Sword Sect’s disciple, unwilling to believe he lost to a shop assistant, stared wide-eyed and demanded a “best of three.”
“The shop is very busy,” Lu Qian said and immediately urged for payment, “Would the honorable guest like to settle in cash or open a credit account?”
The Sword Sect’s disciple: “……”
“Pfft…” Xue Yao quickly lowered his head to suppress his laughter.
His fake Long Aotian wasn’t actually someone fond of joking around. He just enjoyed mocking and teasing people. The mockery was delivered in an especially deadpan manner, showcasing a peculiar sense of humor on Lu Qian.
Of course, this amusement was only appreciated by onlookers. The mocked “victim” was already infuriated. The Sword Sect’s disciple slammed the table, standing up. “Our rule here is best of three! If you don’t play by the rules, don’t expect any payment!”
Lu Qian nodded. “So, best of three. How about a round-robin match? He faces all three of you, and if you win one round, it counts as his loss.”
The Sword Sect’s disciple blinked. “He?”
“It’s me! I’ll take on all three of you, and this young man here will play with me too!” Xue Yao hurriedly covered for Lu Qian.
It was a tricky situation. Lu Qian, accustomed to distancing himself from his own identity, referred to “me” as “him.” In his mindset, Lu Qian’s body was a pawn for him to command.
Correcting this pronoun error proved challenging because, from Lu Qian’s habitual logic, this way of speaking was correct.
Xue Yao struggled with corrections, resorting to the threat of using Want Want milk multiple times. Lu Qian, wearing an expression of “tolerating Silly Yaoyao,” finally acknowledged himself as “I/me” Yet, in formal situations, slip-ups were still likely. So, Xue Yao compromised, suggesting that Lu Qian would try to address himself as “grandpa”, but when speaking to the Father Emperor and imperial concubines, he would refer to himself as “son”.
The Sword Sect’s disciple turned to his fellow brothers with a smile, then addressed Lu Qian, “You want to face three opponents? Arrogance comes at a cost. Double the wager. Can you handle it?”
“Yes.”
Immediately, someone went out to fetch two more chessboards.
A round-robin match meant one person simultaneously playing against three, essentially dealing with three chess games at once.
The senior brothers moved the small tea table and chairs around Lu Qian. Once the chess game began, they all exuded a domineering aura.
However, after dozens of black and white pieces fell on the chessboard, Lu Qian reversed the momentum of this group.
Though the outcome wasn’t clear yet, at the moment a Sword Sect disciple placed a certain piece on the board, Lu Qian’s focused gaze instantly turned disdainful. It made the opponent realize that their meager skill had been exposed by this shop assistant.
From this moment onward, every clumsy move they made failed to elicit any reaction from Lu Qian.
The more nervous they became, the slower and more cautious their moves.
Lu Qian’s moves echoed like slaps, each one landing on their faces.
Even Xue Yao found it hard to catch his breath, completely suppressed by the aura of this seemingly authentic Long Aotian at his side.
The three opponents facing Lu Qian seemed like ridiculous monkeys at this moment.
This silent contempt made every move by the opponents feel more humiliating. Soon, one player simply conceded, unwilling to expose more laughable chess skills in front of Lu Qian.
The result was crystal clear: Lu Qian achieved three victories in three rounds, and the wager doubled.
The Sword Sect disciple who initially provoked turned pale. The bet of two thousand two hundred silver was, of course, a casual remark. If an ordinary Sword Sect disciple could casually mention such a huge sum, the Sect would likely have been discreetly investigated by the court.
Awkward silence filled the elegant room, as if anyone breathing too heavily would be held accountable for the two thousand two hundred silver. The Sword Sect disciples, seemingly unperturbed, gazed out the window, enjoying the clouds.
Lu Qian: “Would the honorable guest like to settle in cash or leave an IOU?”
Sword Sect disciple: “……”
Here it came again, the mockery skill of Long Aotian.
“Younger Brother, your chess skills are truly impressive. I concede.” The red-faced man, clearly not from a shady background, chose a diplomatic way to renege. To wriggle out of paying, he complimented Lu Qian, granting him the honor that should be worth two thousand two hundred silver. It seemed sensible for the one trying to evade payment to cut their losses.
Lu Qian: “The compliment is appreciated. Two thousand two hundred silver, would the guest settle now?”
Sword Sect disciples: “……”
The red-faced man’s lips twitched as he chuckled, glancing at Xue Yao. “We were just joking around, not really gambling. I didn’t ask you to hire a strategist to play chess with us…”
Xue Yao looked up at the sky, refusing to take responsibility.
Lu Qian turned to the little reader-in-waiting, “This honorable guest, four hundred copper coins, thank you.”
Xue Yao: “……”
Almost forgot about His Highness’ coaching fee!
This was indeed a friendly price, one hundred copper coins per game.
“No problem, no problem,” Xue Yao seized the opportunity to retrieve his clothes from the group. Once dressed, he took out a money pouch from his sleeve, handed Lu Qian a silver ingot, and said, “No need for change.”
Lu Qian’s cold expression shifted, his eyes narrowed with a subtle smile. Leaning in close to Xue Yao’s ear, he whispered, “Many thanks for the tip, honorable guest.”
Suppressing a laugh, Xue Yao pushed him away, drawing suspicious glances from those opposite.
The familiarity in their interaction was clearly excessive. Xue Yao quickly adopted a serious expression, maintaining a distance from Lu Qian.
Lu Qian raised his hand, tossing the silver ingot into the air and catching it skillfully. Then, with an innocent gaze, he urged the red-faced man to settle the two thousand two hundred silver.
“These games were just for fun among us brothers,” the red-faced man, now flustered, couldn’t face Lu Qian’s insistence. Turning to Xue Yao, he asked, “Right? Just for fun!”
Initially wanting to enjoy the spectacle, Xue Yao caught sight of Lu Qian looking at him. He turned his head and saw Lu Qian subtly nodding towards the door.
Xue Yao immediately caught on – Lu Qian wanted him to use this awkward situation to extricate himself.
“Originally, we were just joking around, but indeed, a bet was made with this young man. We can’t just ignore it,” Xue Yao asserted with a serious tone.
The red-faced man immediately argued, “Well, I didn’t ask you to hire a strategist to play chess!”
“True…” Xue Yao sighed, feigning reluctance, “How about this, young heroes are out on official business and can’t come up with this sum in a short while. I’ll take responsibility for now and acknowledge this debt on their behalf.”
The Sword Sect disciples’ eyes suddenly widened as they looked at Xue Yao!
This seemingly timid junior fellow disciple unexpectedly took responsibility for the substantial debt on their behalf!
“But I don’t have that much silver on me.” Xue Yao turned to Lu Qian. “I can settle five hundred taels in cash with you first. The remaining amount, I’ll give you an IOU, is that alright?”
The Sword Sect disciples muttered quietly, “Is the junior fellow disciple really taking responsibility for the entire amount? Two thousand two hundred…”
“How about we stick to the initial agreement of one thousand two hundred…”
“We won’t earn this much silver in several lifetimes. It was just a joke, Junior Brother…”
For the first time in these days, the Sword Sect disciples addressed Xue Yao as “Junior Brother” sincerely.
Xue Yao waved his hand, signaling them not to say more. He then took out a silver note from his money pouch and handed it to Lu Qian.
In reality, it was Lu Qian’s silver note, merely entrusted to Xue Yao. Now, as Xue Yao handed back five hundred taels to Lu Qian, it evoked tears of gratitude from the Sword Sect disciples.
Following that, Xue Yao accompanied Lu Qian downstairs to write the IOU. None of the Sword Sect disciples dared to join them, meekly staying in the elegant room.
Once outside the room, their hands naturally found each other.
Xue Yao wasn’t sure if Lu Qian initiated the hand-holding or if it was his own hand seeking Lu Qian’s. All he knew was that the moment their palms touched, he felt like he had found his refuge. His usually vigilant mind was lulled into a cotton-candy-like tranquility.
With their hands intertwined, they swiftly dodged the crowd in the tavern, escaping through the back door.
They had an unspoken agreement not to say a word, sprinting at Xue Yao’s maximum speed into the small grove.
After a sprint, Xue Yao wanted to catch his breath, and Lu Qian stopped.
Xue Yao wondered, when did he and this rebellious brat become so in sync?
Turned out, Lu Qian sensed someone catching up.
A male voice came from behind, “Didn’t expect Junior Brother’s lightness skill to reach such a profound level. Senior Brother admires it greatly.”
“Your Highness,” Xue Yao hastily informed Lu Qian, “This person is Gu Qingyuan. He claims to be here to teach you a lesson on behalf of the Sword Saint!”
On that day, after being abducted by Gu Qingyuan, Xue Yao was taken to a small house in the nearby bamboo forest.
After a couple of probing moves, Gu Qingyuan realized he had grabbed the wrong person.
Learning about Xue Yao’s good relationship with the junior brother, Gu Qingyuan decided to go along with the mistake, leaving Xue Yao behind, anticipating the arrival of the junior brother.
Today, the junior brother did indeed show up, catching him off guard.
Yesterday, several Sword Sect disciples came to the capital for business. Passing by Gu Qingyuan’s residence, they paid him a visit.
Gu Qingyuan arranged for a few juniors to rest in a nearby tavern. He also asked these juniors to “take care” of Xue Yao, intending to make the junior brother lower his guard and walk into the trap.
Unexpectedly, this junior brother was more cunning than he thought. With just a few moves, he managed to sneak Xue Yao away.
Fortunately, Gu Qingyuan discovered it in time. The windows of the east and west rooms in his courtyard were broken, indicating someone had been tracking him. His home had also been searched.
Someone in this world could evade his perception, not only tracking him for two miles but also silently scouting his lair. In less than two quarters, they found Xue Yao in a nearby tavern.
Gu Qingyuan started to understand why his master’s words in the letter felt contradictory.
Perhaps he felt proud to have such a disciple, yet also experienced a sense of embarrassment and unwillingness due to the disciple’s talents exceeding his control.
Gu Qingyuan became somewhat excited, curious about just how capable this junior brother was.
“Draw your sword, Junior Brother.” He looked lazy, casually shouldering his long sword. With a “thud,” he stuck the scabbard into the soil a few steps away.
Lu Qian’s expression turned stern. “Compare lightness skill.”
Xue Yao: “……Right! If you dare, let’s compete in lightness skill!”
Knowing in one’s heart that it was a fake Long Aotian, one should act shamelessly when necessary and not care about maintaining a dignified appearance!
“We are both direct disciples of the Sword Saint. What’s there to compare in lightness skills?” Gu Qingyuan walked towards Lu Qian with his sword in hand, focusing on Lu Qian while arching an eyebrow as he spoke to Xue Yao, “Younger Brother, blades have no eyes. Use your fastest speed to get a hundred yards away, or else, I’ll use you to test my sword.”
Xue Yao took in a sharp breath, originally thinking this person seemed quite reasonable. At least, he hadn’t made things difficult for him when it came to food and drink. Little did he expect!
“Are you planning to harm an innocent civilian like me, who is unarmed and defenseless?” Xue Yao questioned the other’s conscience!
Gu Qingyuan tilted his head, turned, and raised an eyebrow to intimidate him, “Testing with a sword doesn’t necessarily mean killing. I could just disarm one of your arms.”
Xue Yao was genuinely frightened!
“Don’t worry, there are rules in our sect. We are not allowed to harm the innocent,” Lu Qian reassured the little reader-in-waiting.
Gu Qingyuan grinned. “Don’t forget, Junior Brother, Senior Brother left the sect three years ago.”
“So what?” Lu Qian squinted. “Would you dare to kill a junior fellow disciple?”
Gu Qingyuan shrugged. “Sure, I would.”
Lu Qian grabbed the little reader-in-waiting’s hand and turned to run!
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