Jiapingguan Chronicle

Chapter 2630 Still Vigorous in Old Age 11.0
While they were chatting, Shen Haolin was studying the game, reviewing it step by step. He could understand each move, but the last few moves were still a mystery to him.

"There should be a few more steps. Once we take those steps, we'll understand." Xia Chen stood beside Shen Haolin, having also studied the situation for a long time. "But..."

“If Miao Miao can’t remember, there’s one more person who can.” Shen Haolin smiled at Xia Chen. “With Uncle Shi here, we can go back and review things with him again.”

"Uncle, can you remember that?"

“At least better than Miao Miao’s memory.” Shen Cha heard their conversation, turned around, and laughed. “Otherwise, how could they say he’s still going strong despite his age!”

“That’s true.” Xia Chen stroked his chin, looked at the chessboard, and clicked his tongue twice. “This level is high, but it’s probably not his full strength.” He looked at Shen Haolin, “I wonder if there’s any hope of ever actually playing a game against him in the future.”

"Are your hands itchy?"

"How can you not be itching to face an opponent like this?" Xia Chen nudged Shen Haolin with his elbow. "Don't you want to have a go?"

"Yes, I'd like to!" Shen Haolin sighed. "After this match, I'll discuss with Uncle Shi whether we can invite the old gentleman over for a proper meeting and to learn some lessons from him, but..."

"I don't know if doing this will offend them." Seeing Shen Haolin nod, Xia Chen sighed. "Anyway, there's still time, let's wait patiently!"

The group chatted around the chessboard for about half an incense stick's time before the three old men finally made a move.

Master Jiang was the first to wake up. He looked at Uncle Yan on his left, then at Qin Zheng on his right, and lazily yawned.

He slowly sat up from the recliner, rubbed his face to wake himself up, and stretched his legs to avoid feeling uncomfortable standing up suddenly if he had slept too long.

After finishing all the preparations before getting up, Master Jiang lifted the blanket off himself and slowly swayed behind the children.

Seeing them discussing a game of chess with great enthusiasm, he joined them with interest, and his eyes lit up instantly when he saw the game.

"Where did this chess game come from?"

No one had noticed that Master Jiang had woken up, so his shout startled everyone.

"You're awake!" When Merlin saw Master Jiang, she quickly took a hot towel to apply to his face and poured him a cup of ginger soup.

He returned the handkerchief to Merlin, took the ginger soup from her, drank a few sips, and then pointed to the chessboard.

"Tell me, where did this chess game come from?"

Shen Cha looked at everyone and briefly recounted how she had played chess with the head of the Ha'ernu family.

"That Harnu from Linhuang Prefecture?" Seeing Shen Cha nod, Fourth Master Jiang breathed a slight sigh of relief. "That old fellow's chess skills have become much more profound." He looked at Shen Cha and said, "Don't be too discouraged. It's not unfair that you lost to him."

"Does Fourth Grandfather know him?"

“We’ve met a few times.” Master Jiang studied the chessboard carefully and said, “When he was young, he came to Xijing City, and we played a few games together. He was a master.”

"Who won and who lost when Fourth Grandfather played chess with him?"

“One person won one game, and the rest were all draws.” Master Jiang looked at Shen Cha. “Are there any more chessboards?” “No, there’s only one here,” Shen Cha thought for a moment. “Would you like to review the games?”

"Hmm!" Master Jiang nodded. "You've clearly not finished. Are you going to resign here?"

“No, not at all.” Shen Cha shook her head gently. “There was more, but neither Miao Miao nor I remember how he did it. And” she looked at Xia Chen and Shen Haolin, “my brother and seventh brother couldn’t understand the meaning of his last few steps, and they were waiting for you to wake up so they could help take a look.”

"The last few steps?" Fourth Master Jiang looked at Shen Haolin and Xia Chen. "Where?"

Xia Chen walked over and pointed them out to Master Jiang one by one. He squatted on the ground, looked up, and stared at Master Jiang expectantly.

Master Jiang patted Shen Cha on the shoulder, and Shen Cha took two steps back to give him her seat.

"Those few steps," he chuckled softly, "were brilliantly executed!"

"Fourth Grandfather, is there some explanation?"

“It’s a trap.” Master Jiang glanced at Xia Chen, who was squatting like a puppy, chuckled, and said, “If we’re going by your standards, it’s a useless move.”

"A useless move? Is it really a useless move?"

"That's not quite accurate. If you don't fall into this trap, these few moves are just a waste of time, useless. But if you do fall into this trap, then these few moves, and his next few pieces, will form a big net, trapping you tightly." Old Master Jiang sighed, "This old guy is still so good at encircling and blocking, advancing step by step."

"Is he really that powerful?"

"Yes, at least among the people I've met, none are better than him. Those who boast that they are chess masters are still far inferior to him."

"Fourth Grandfather, aren't you—" Xia Chen stood up from the ground, somewhat indignantly—"you've been praising him too much?"

"What do you know? Being a live-in son-in-law in the Ha'ernu family isn't something just anyone can do. You have to know that without real talent and skills, you can't stay in that household." Master Jiang looked at the children and said, "The daughters of the Ha'ernu family are all strong-willed and open-minded. Because their family has few men, and most of them are useless, they established the ancestral rule that women should be in charge. Actually, it's not easy for women to be in charge, especially in a noble family. Those unsavory and sordid things are probably more common than in ordinary noble families. I don't know about other things, but that guy and his wife truly love each other."

"Didn't they say that old gentleman was the not-so-favored son of some nobleman in the Southern Courtyard?"

“Yes!” Master Jiang nodded. “It was this unfavored son who fiercely rebuked those bastards who ridiculed the head of the Haernu family at the banquet in the Liao Palace. Those people were arrogant and self-righteous, and their words were vulgar. The head of the Haernu family was already prepared to fight back, but unexpectedly, someone stood up for her, risking offending those so-called uncles and elders, and stood up to speak for her.”

So it was love at first sight?

"Pretty much. Less than half a year after that palace banquet, news of their marriage spread."

“These…” Shen Cha looked at Fourth Master Jiang, “How did Fourth Grandfather know this? Did that old gentleman tell you?”

"Hmm!" Master Jiang sighed. "I remember he came to Xijing City with the head of the Ha'ernu family. The head of the Ha'ernu family was his wife. The two of them were so respectful and loving towards each other that many people envied them." Master Jiang sighed again. "How good were they? When he came to play chess with me, his wife would come along. If his wife went to meet guests, he would accompany her. They were always together. Later, when his wife passed away, he wanted to go with her, but his two daughters desperately stopped him, saying that their mother wanted their father to live well, to live well for her. That's how he was saved."

"So, he's now looking after his daughter and son-in-law on behalf of his wife, and ensuring his wife lives a good life?"

"Hmm!" Seeing that Jin Miaomiao had already started wiping away tears, Fourth Master Jiang chuckled and said, "So moved?"

"If I could meet someone like that, I would have no regrets in this life!"