Chapter 88: Sages
broken!

Chen Ji's pupils suddenly contracted. The biological father of this body was right in front of him, but he didn't recognize him!
No wonder the other party kept looking at me just now, and no wonder he asked in surprise, "Why did you call me sir?"

How should this be rounded?
In this feudal and superstitious age, if you don't even recognize your own father, you will be burned to death as a dirty thing...

Chen Liqin was seen wearing a blue official robe and a leather belt around his waist, his face tanned from supervising the riverbank for several months.

Different from Zhang Zhuo's ruddy complexion, Chen Liqin did not look like a civil servant at this time, but more like a military general.

Prince Jing looked at Chen Liqin and asked curiously, "Master Chen, did you teach Chen Ji how to play chess? I believe Master Chen's chess skills are also very good."

Chen Liqin bowed and humbly replied, "I am not good at chess and have never taught him chess. My son is a hopeless case, but he was able to beat you. I think you gave in to him."

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

The father was a humble person, but when the 13-year-old Chen Ji was taken to participate in a Go competition and won the second prize, the father smiled and said to everyone, "This kid only plays Go in his spare time, otherwise you would not be his match", which made the other players very angry.

Zhang Zhuo smiled and said, "Your Highness, your chess skills have already reached perfection. I remember seven years ago at the Jiangnan Literary Conference, you played against the abbot of Famen Temple. After the 137th move, Monk Huitong thought you would give up. He didn't even need the concentration of Zen meditation, and his face was full of pride. But he didn't expect that what he was waiting for was your exquisite 'dig' in the 138th move, which made all his plans go to waste. I guess the Chen family kid won because you gave up a piece, right?"

Upon hearing this, Prince Jing smiled and said, "I did give Chen Ji two pieces, but only for one game. Even if I didn't give him two pieces later, I still lost several games in a row."

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

Prince Jing picked up a chess piece and explained, "Chen Ji is a chess genius. You will understand when you play with him sometime in the future... But Master Chen, I feel like you and your son are a little bit distant. You didn't even say hello when you met. Just now, Chen Ji even called you Master instead of father."

Chen Ji's hanging heart also died along with the prince and Bai Li.

He thought everyone's attention had shifted to Go, so how could there be a chance to make a finishing move?
Chen Liqin glanced at Chen Ji, then turned to Prince Jing and bowed, "Your Highness, I don't know what happened. My son just looked at me like a stranger, which surprised me."

Prince Jing looked at Chen Ji, smiled with interest and asked, "Why, you can't even recognize your own father?"

Chen Ji hesitated.

Just as he was thinking about how to answer, he heard old man Yao sneer at Chen Liqin, "Your Chen family sent Chen Ji to me as an apprentice, but he never received any gifts during festivals. Now even the tuition money is delayed again and again, and it's very tight. It's normal for him not to recognize you. You scholars talk about the relationship between the emperor and the minister, the father and the son every day, but if the father is not kind, the son will naturally not be filial."

When Chen Ji heard his master speak, he suddenly turned to look at his master in surprise.

In the clinic, Chen Liqin was stunned for a moment: "Doctor Yao, don't talk nonsense. When I sent Chen Ji to the clinic, I told the servants that the monthly tuition money must be delivered on time, and a small gift must be prepared for you during festivals. The Chen family has a tradition of writing and gift-giving, so they must know these rules."

Old man Yao said calmly, "Oh, was I lying? Anyway, I have never seen much gift from your Chen family. Moreover, your Chen family is so wealthy, why do you only give Chen Ji 300 coins a month? It is really unworthy of your Chen family's status. Otherwise, the Chen family will not need to pay tuition money in the future. I will accept Chen Ji as my 'apprentice'. In the future, I will take care of his food, clothing, housing and transportation, and he will take care of me in my old age and see me to the end of my life."

Zhang Zhuo put his hands in the sleeves of his official robe, and when he heard "three hundred coins", he looked at Chen Liqin in confusion.

The patches on the chest and back of Chen Liqin's official uniform alone are probably worth a hundred times more than "three hundred coins".

The patches of officials in the Ning Dynasty were given by the court, but many officials felt that the patches were not delicate and bright enough, so they would ask embroiderers to re-embroider them with gold, silver and colored threads, and even gradually formed a trend of "patch consumption".

A patch costs thirty taels of silver, but he only gives his son three hundred coins per month. Could there be some deep hatred between father and son?
Chen Liqin did not argue with Old Man Yao anymore. He also realized that something was wrong.

He was silent for a moment and then asked, "Doctor Yao, this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, I specifically asked the butler to send a gift of money and gifts. He said he had sent someone to deliver them to you. Did you receive them?"

Old man Yao stroked his beard and said, "You mean the hundred coins your servant sent? Yes, I received it. Thank you for your small gift."

Chen Liqin: “…”

Chen Ji: "..."

My master's mouth is really mean, as if he is poisonous from the inside out.

Chen Liqin frowned and bowed to Doctor Yao: "Doctor Yao, I will investigate this matter and give you an explanation."

Prince Jing smiled and tried to smooth things over: "There must be some misunderstanding in the Chen family affairs. It must be that the servants made a mistake. The Chen family has been rich and well-off for generations, and they would not lose their manners in such matters. Looking back on the time when I was still in the capital, I often went to the Chen Mansion with my second uncle. The Chen family was warm and hospitable and polite, which made people remember it vividly... I remember that Master Chen had just participated in the Autumn Examination at that time, right?"

Chen Liqin cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I remember it correctly."

Prince Jing waved his hand and said, "Okay, I also have some family matters to deal with. Please go back. We will come to Jing'an Palace tomorrow to discuss business."

Chen Liqin looked at Chen Ji and said, "Chen Ji, come back with me. I will find out the truth for you today."

But Chen Ji remained silent.

He didn't want to go back to the Chen Mansion.

Although Chen Liqin is related to him by blood, in his heart there is only one father and he does not intend to add another.

The right and wrong of the Chen family no longer mattered from the moment he placed three hundred copper coins in front of the door of the Chen family.

In the quiet atmosphere, Chen Ji stood behind the mahogany counter and bowed to Chen Liqin: "Master Chen, please go back. I still have schoolwork to review. I will not return to the Chen Mansion before I finish my studies."

"Master Chen?"

After these words were spoken, Bai Li and the prince both widened their eyes.

In this era, everyone was taught that the ruler is the ruler, the subject is the subject, the father is the father, and the son is the son. No one dared to go against the rules and disobey their father. Once the reputation of being unfilial spreads, you will not be tolerated by the upper class, and the officialdom will not tolerate you either.

But the traces do not belong to this era after all.

Chen Liqin's face darkened. "If you feel that you have been wronged in the matter of Xue Yin, I will investigate the matter for you today. If you blame me for sending you to the clinic, think about what you have done. Do you want me, as a father, to apologize to you in return?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment, but ultimately did not take out Chen Wenxiao's confession.

He just smiled and said, "Master Chen has misunderstood. I have never suffered any injustice. Now I am living a good life in the clinic. My master takes good care of me, my fellow disciples are in harmony, and my life is fulfilling. Please go back. There are already patients queuing outside the door. Don't delay the patients' treatment."

Chen Liqin opened his mouth again and again, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself.

He couldn't get angry on the spot because of Prince Jing, so he could only walk away: "Take care of yourself!"

……

……

Dozens of official sedan chairs slowly left, and the Taiping Medical Clinic became deserted again.

Prince Jing played with the chess pieces and looked at Chen Ji: "The Chen family is beyond the reach of many people. You are still young, so you don't know what you are giving up."

"Simple meals are good too." Chen Ji looked at Old Man Yao and said, "Master, thank you." Old Man Yao sneered, "No need to thank me. You still have to pay the tuition fee."

Chen Ji: “…Okay.”

As he spoke, Prince Jing looked at the Crown Prince again: "I interrupted you just now and didn't talk about your business. How do you think you should be punished?"

The prince cautiously probed, "Not allowed to eat for a day?"

Prince Jing's face suddenly darkened: "From today on, your monthly salary with Bai Li will be cut off. You will kneel in Mingzheng Tower for three days without eating, and you will be confined to the palace for half a year!"

The prince's expression changed drastically: "Dad, isn't half a year too long?!"

Bai Li was also anxious: "Dad, just lock up my brother, can you please leave me alone?"

Prince Jing laughed angrily: "You guys are all very loyal."

Chen Ji discovered that Prince Jing was very patient in other matters, but in front of his children, he was like an ordinary old father who might angrily pull out his belt at any time.

At this time, Bai Li and the Prince winked at Chen Ji, indicating that he should help think of a solution.

If they really don't go out for half a year, they won't be able to participate in the Lantern Festival, nor can they go for the spring outing, and their clothes will rot in the palace.

Chen Ji said: "Your Majesty..."

Prince Jing raised his hand and said in a serious tone: "Don't say anything. You are also involved in this matter. If it weren't for Doctor Yao's face, you would also be punished."

Doctor Yao had just prepared the medicine for Prince Jing, but he saw him wrapping the yellow paper with hemp rope and said slowly, "Don't give me face."

Chen Ji suddenly said, "Your Majesty, let's play another game of chess. If I win, you will listen to what I have to say. I will give the prince and the princess a chance to redeem themselves for their crimes."

"Oh?" Prince Jing turned to look at Chen Ji: "Your method of controlling orphans doesn't work on me anymore. Do you still have the confidence to defeat me?"

Chen Ji rolled up his sleeves gently and said seriously: "Try it."

Prince Jing became interested: "It seems that there is still a hidden skill that has not been brought out. Guess first!"

After that, he held a few chess pieces in his hand and Chen Ji guessed, "Odd number."

Prince Jing spread out his palm and dropped two chess pieces: "You guessed wrong, I will play black first."

Bai Li looked at this scene in astonishment. In the past, whenever his father met a friend who was weaker than him, he would let the other party play black first. But now, the other party was like a victorious general, fighting for every inch of land and refusing to give up an inch.

Prince Jing started with Wuyoujiao. He wanted to use his strength to bully the lone white chess piece and completely cut off Chen Ji's idea of ​​conquering the lone dragon.

But this time, Chen Ji's white chess piece was moved forward without hesitation.

The weakness of a lone chess piece is that it is like a candle in the wind, which can be extinguished at any time. However, few people realize that a thick position also has a weakness, and it is afraid of becoming thicker and thicker, becoming more and more clumsy.

Chen Ji's white pieces fell like antelopes hanging their horns, leaving no trace. His style of play was strange and ethereal, cold and rational.

Prince Jing couldn't understand why the Worry-Free Corner pattern, which was always successful, was broken by the white piece in just four moves.

Chen Ji's moves completely overturned all his cognition. In the cognition of all chess players in Ning Dynasty, being "pressed" when being attacked from both sides is a disadvantage, but for Chen Ji, being "pressed" became an advantage.

Unbelievable!
Prince Jing asked in confusion: "Why can you turn pressure into an advantage? Which sage taught you this?"

Chen Ji did not answer and continued to make moves.

Prince Jing became more and more confused as he played. With just seventy-two moves, he seemed to see the shadows of all the sages in these seventy-two moves, yet they were completely different!
It turns out that Go can be played like this?

Prince Jing resigned and admitted defeat: "Next time, I will play black first."

Bai Li watched silently. His father even skipped the step of guessing who would go first, and assumed that he was the one who needed to play black first.

In the second game, Prince Jing started with the Kobayashi style, wanting to establish a three-point advantage at left, middle and right. However, in the face of Chen Ji's entanglement, the brilliant move in the middle that should have connected the whole situation together was left alone in the middle like a fool and could not be used at all.

In the third game, Prince Jing started with the Three Musketeers of the Star Position, but still suffered a crushing defeat.

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

But Chen Ji asked in return, "Do we have to live on a chessboard?"

At a certain moment, Prince Jing really thought vaguely that the person sitting opposite him was not a small apprentice in the medical clinic, but a chess master who was sitting in the long river of time and playing chess with him.

The wheel of time rolls over the chessboard with ease, making the old era a thing of the past.

Prince Jing asked solemnly: "Boy, who is your chess teacher?"

Chen Ji couldn't answer because he couldn't tell Prince Jing that this was how the AI ​​would play.

Chen Ji had also experienced Prince Jing's doubts. When he was thirteen years old, he won the second prize in Go. He wanted to continue studying, but the era of AI arrived.

In the past, humans liked to attribute philosophy and the way of heaven to the game of Go. However, from the moment AI was born, Go was transformed back into a competitive game of memory and computing power. Since then, Chen Ji has rarely played Go.

He was reluctant to use the AI's new routines to defeat Prince Jing, but now he had more important things to do.

Prince Jing let out a long sigh: "Go ahead, since you have defeated me, tell me how you want to help Yunxi and Baili redeem themselves from their crimes?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and said, "Your biggest problem now is how to allocate enough glutinous rice to build cities on the border. However, glutinous rice conflicts with people's livelihood. If you allocate glutinous rice ruthlessly, many people will starve to death."

Prince Jing collected the chess pieces from the chessboard into his palm and said slowly, "This matter is difficult to resolve. There are not so many ways to have the best of both worlds. I can only make a choice."

Chen Ji said confidently: "I have a way to achieve the best of both worlds."

Prince Jing paused: "The glutinous rice is a military strategy. Do you know that there is no joking in the army?"

Chen Ji said in a loud voice: "Lend me the prince and the princess, and give me half a month. If it succeeds, I will sell you a way to have the best of both worlds. If it fails, the prince and the princess will be confined to their homes for a year, and I will send them to exile in Lingnan."

Prince Jing looked at Chen Ji with interest for a moment and said, "Deal."

(End of this chapter)