Chapter Twenty-Eight: Ouyang Yongshu Betrayed

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Ouyang Yongshu Deceived

"This is impossible!"

When the red side was left with only a general and an elephant, and the black side had three aged pawns, a general, and a guard, a draw inevitably arrived…

Tie Xinyuan reached out, and another piece of broken silver appeared in his hand…

The chess game continued. His opponent, unwilling to admit defeat, pondered deeply and resumed the match, while Tie Xinyuan once again opened with his favored cannon move.

For some reason, the irascible opponent, after studying the board carefully, suddenly smiled, which unnerved Tie Xinyuan. Only moments ago, he'd overheard a conversation revealing that his opponent was none other than the renowned Ouyang Xiu.

Ouyang Xiu had only returned to the capital this year, summoned to the Academy of Scholars, appointed as a Gentleman of the Proclamation, and at twenty-eight, became a proofreader in the Imperial Library, participating in the compilation of the "General Catalogue of the Academy."

Today, he had come to the Imperial Academy to visit former classmates and teachers, only to stumble upon Tie Xinyuan swindling money with his chessboard.

A lover of chess, Ouyang Xiu, seeing Tie Xinyuan’s boastful demeanor, decided to toy with the child. Never did he expect that, despite holding an overwhelming advantage with the black pieces, the situation would reverse dramatically after several dozen moves. With losses mounting, the match ended in a draw.

Yet this only ignited Ouyang Xiu’s competitive spirit. He resolved to face this bizarre endgame with total concentration.

Endgames are called such because, after countless trials, they remain unsolvable. Yet Tie Xinyuan admitted that there are some extraordinary beings in this world—monsters whose brilliance only highlights the mediocrity of most.

Tie Xinyuan feared he might become a victim of such a monster; at least, the man before him—scratching his head, alternately grimacing and smiling serenely—was certainly one of history’s rarities.

Fortunately, this prodigy was now quite flustered. Whenever other scholars offered advice, he'd bark at them furiously.

Good! His genius did not lie in chess.

Tie Xinyuan wished for a cigarette, then closely eyed Ouyang Xiu’s bulging purse, guessing the man could afford at most three more rounds.

After calmly executing the final move, Tie Xinyuan smiled and reached out his hand again…

"How strange!" Ouyang Xiu angrily slapped another piece of silver before Tie Xinyuan and started setting up the board anew, the chess pieces clacking loudly.

Worried this man might have poor gambling habits, Tie Xinyuan watched his brisk payment and felt reassured. He yawned, waited for Ouyang Xiu to finish arranging the board, then once more placed his cannon where it belonged. Since it was a check, Ouyang Xiu, without a second thought, moved his chariot to capture the red cannon…

"Ah, Yongshu, we've been waiting for you. How are you still here playing games with this child? Come, join me for a drink!"

A tall, thin man squeezed through the crowd, shouting to drag Ouyang Xiu away.

Ouyang Xiu smiled wryly, "Sir Wanling, I've lost two games in a row to this boy—how could I leave so easily right now?"

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The tall, thin man called Wanling glanced at the board and laughed, "Now that you hold the advantage, you've already won. Come along with me."

"Brother Mei, look carefully. Though I hold the advantage, within ten more moves I'll be trapped, and to end in a draw would already be a stroke of luck."

"Impossible!"

"It is the truth."

So Brother Mei squatted beside the board, watching its evolution… Meanwhile, Tie Xinyuan was sizing up how much silver lay in this chestless man's purse.

As Ouyang Xiu predicted, a turning point arrived in the game. Brother Mei was left frozen in place.

As a chess master, he could not tolerate such monstrous happenings before his eyes. Filled with indignation, Brother Mei immediately took Ouyang Xiu's place, sitting across from Tie Xinyuan.

After swindling Ouyang Xiu out of a tael and a half of silver, Tie Xinyuan planned to call it a day—not because he didn't wish to continue duping these two, but because Xiao Ling'er and the others had been on display, stripped by the servants, for far too long.

Though they remained silent and endured their exposure, Tie Xinyuan's anger burned like a volcano.

Such humiliation!

His fury nearly made him forget that Ouyang Xiu, a legendary figure, was beside him, and almost made him ignore the mystery of the chestless man.

Just as the chestless one began to rearrange the board, Tie Xinyuan started putting away the pieces, ignoring Brother Mei's protests.

Ouyang Xiu shouted angrily, "Boy, you're burning the bridges—you must see this through and settle the outcome today!"

Tie Xinyuan smiled, "Even if you try a thousand times, you will still lose. That is certain."

The chestless man spoke serenely, "There are no permanent rules. Whether moon or sun, both wax and wane. Even Mount Tai changes—who knows how it will decay over a thousand years?

Chess was born from military strategy; soldiers have no fixed formation, water no fixed shape. Your board, too, has no eternal rule. We may be defeated for a moment, but if we persist, I do not believe a solution cannot be found."

Tie Xinyuan enjoyed hearing opponents talk like this—it meant more money for him. Those who treat the board as a research subject are always the favorite prey of endgame swindlers.

Shuizhu'er began to cry, for he saw the servants leading a dog around naked Xiaofu'er, and feared he would face the same fate. To Shuizhu'er, dogs were a nightmare.

Not understanding why Tie Xinyuan was ending the match, Brother Mei scoffed, "Is it because you realized you’re about to lose? If so, let me declare: I do not want your money. If we lose, we’ll keep paying you. Greedy child, do you agree?"

Tie Xinyuan had no time for Brother Mei. He put his fingers in his mouth and whistled. The fox darted over like lightning, but seeing the dog, it immediately bolted.

The dog, held by the servants, went mad. Dogs and foxes are natural enemies; now, seeing its foe, it broke free with a howl and charged after the fox.

The dog ran ahead, servants chased behind. Tie Xinyuan glanced coldly at these swaggering men, wondering if they might be shot by crossbowmen atop the imperial wall…

Once frightened, the fox would not stop until it reached home, and its route was always along the base of the imperial wall—perhaps knowing only there would it be safe.

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The guards atop the imperial wall all recognized the fox. If it were chased to the wall's base, they would gladly shoot a few dogs and use them for drinking snacks.

If the servants accidentally entered the forbidden zone, who knows what the guards would do. Though court officials deeply resented the deaths caused by the imperial ban, few dared propose forbidding the guards from killing. The matter was weighty: if a thief approached the wall and endangered the palace, and the ban on killing caused a breach, no one would shoulder the blame.

For now, all that could be done was to ask the emperor to restrain the guards from excessive arrogance. The heavy sentencing of Yang Huaiyu was due to such concerns.

"I've earned enough for today. If I continue, sir, you'll call me greedy, and the gods will cease to favor me. I bid you farewell—shall we meet again tomorrow?

You may bring companions to try, and you'll see my words are true."

Brother Mei laughed, turning to Ouyang Xiu, "Tsk tsk, still a scholar's seed. Who could have taught a child to be so cunning?"

"Hmph, tomorrow we'll arrive in numbers, and his business will flourish. If we fail, his fame will spread throughout the capital. Such a young age, yet he grasps human nature so precisely. Children like this shouldn't be scholars."

Ouyang Xiu smiled, "We entered his trap willingly; blame not the boy. Look at his sign—how bold: ‘Imperial Academy Fools—Who Dares Challenge Me!’ Tsk tsk, I've long wanted to say the Academy’s full of fools, but never dared. Now, hearing it from another, how delightful!"

Brother Mei shook his half-empty purse and laughed, "Whether the Academy is full of fools remains to be seen. Today, you and I certainly played the fool!"

Ouyang Xiu laughed heartily, "Brother Mei, keep this joy to yourself—don't tell a soul when we return. Tomorrow, let's call Dongchen and Huanya to test our skill."

Brother Mei laughed until tears streamed down his face, pointing at Ouyang Xiu, "Then the Four Fools of Dongli will be complete—ha ha ha, what a joy in life!"

After laughing, he shouted to Tie Xinyuan, who was busy untying Xiao Ling’er and the others, "Boy, tomorrow—don't fail to show!"

Tie Xinyuan didn't raise his head, replying, "A gentleman's word, swift as a galloping horse!"

Brother Mei shouted, face dark, "You’re a slippery brat, hardly a gentleman. If you don't come tomorrow, I'll visit your home and ask your parents to punish you."

Tie Xinyuan laughed, rescued his three naked companions, and wished to stay and see what fate awaited the servants, but was quickly hustled away from the Academy by the frightened Xiao Ling’er and others.

When Tie Xinyuan took the three to the poor woman to have their clothes mended, the fox reappeared from who knows where. Tie Xinyuan examined it carefully and found its fur as glossy as silk, with not a mark upon it, finally putting his mind at ease.

The most famous food on Ma Xing Street was meat pies. Including Tie Xinyuan, five children each held a pie, eating heartily. Though three were still bare-bottomed, it did not hinder their enjoyment.

Yet those three, glancing at their own clothes, felt a pang of regret—these garments had been made with money earned from the nine-ring puzzle only recently…

PS: This episode is new and disconnected from the existing drafts. It was written to enrich the image of the scholar-official, so the pace is slow. Another chapter will follow after dinner, and I’ll make up for the owed sections when I reach the draft. Please continue to vote—Jie Yu bows.

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