Green Mountain
Chapter 113 - 86, Even if we meet, I should not recognize you

Chapter 113: 86, Even if we meet, I should not recognize you

In the main hall of Taiping Medical Hall, Old Yao was leisurely writing a prescription before handing it to Chen Ji to prepare the medicine.

Chen Ji’s movements were slow and silent as he weighed the medicine, his eyes fixated on the markings of the copper scales, almost squinting; he dared not look anywhere else, fearful of incurring Prince Jing’s wrath.

Bai Li stood with her head lowered next to the Princely Heir, constantly nudging him with the tip of her foot, urging him to quickly admit his mistake.

However, Prince Jing no longer looked at the Princely Heir but instead turned to Chen Ji, "Stop preparing the medicine; it’s rare to meet someone with such a unique approach to chess as yours. Come, let’s play a few more rounds."

"Oh..." Chen Ji, with lowered eyes, moved to the counter and began picking up the chess pieces into the basket.

Prince Jing smiled, "This time I won’t give you a two-piece advantage. Even with two stones, I can’t beat you."

Bai Li’s eyes widened in surprise; her father, willingly not giving handicap while playing chess with a junior? That was indeed a rarity.

She took steps to sneak a peek at their game but had only moved two steps when Prince Jing glanced sideways at her, prompting her to retreat obediently and only sneak glances on tiptoe.

Chen Ji’s chess skills were far inferior to Prince Jing’s, yet relying on the fact that Prince Jing had never seen such a peculiar method of Healing Solitude, he fought back time and again from desperate situations.

Prince Jing exclaimed, "You are indeed a clever person, so why not follow the orthodox strategies of chess, and why do you only favor this unconventional method of play? Isn’t that limiting your own chess skills?"

Chen Ji calmly placed a piece, "Greedy cannot win."

Prince Jing paused; the saying "Greedy cannot win" was also one of the vital principles of chess strategy.

Chen Ji’s meaning was clear—his nature was such, and he was only adept at the Healing Solitary Swallowing Dragon approach. If he tried to adopt others’ strategies of controlling the entire situation step by step, he would actually be unable to win.

Holding a chess piece, Prince Jing sighed, "With your attitude, you cannot become a chess player. If you can only be a chess piece, are you satisfied?"

Chen Ji was puzzled; was this something a prince should ask an apprentice in a medical hall? Apprentices in medical halls were just ordinary people, their lives as trivial as wild grass beneath the vast skies.

Given such a status, what talk was there of chess players and chess pieces?

He pondered for a moment before asking doubtfully, "Do I have to live within this chessboard?"

Prince Jing laughed heartily, "You may also live outside the chessboard; that would indeed be another way to live."

The Princely Heir, kneeling on the ground, stealthily looked up and met Bai Li’s eyes; both realized that their father’s mood seemed to have improved somewhat after playing chess with Chen Ji...

The Princely Heir signaled to Bai Li with his eyes. Understanding what he meant, she quickly took away the empty teacup from Prince Jing and refilled it with tea.

Meanwhile, Prince Jing, while playing chess with Chen Ji, still managed to talk to Old Yao, "Doctor Yao, have Bai Li and Zhu Yunxi gotten into any trouble recently?"

The Princely Heir and Bai Li anxiously turned their attention to Old Yao.

Old Yao, standing in front of the medicine cabinet with his back to the mahogany counter, fetched herbs while he replied indifferently, "No major troubles, but they’ve been going out to play nearly every night. Leaving every night during the hours of 9 to 11 PM, I don’t even know where they can go in Luocheng City at such a late hour."

Prince Jing calmly said, "Naturally, they are going to Baiyi Lane and Hongyi Lane."

The hopes of the Princely Heir and Bai Li went cold.

Prince Jing spoke deliberately, "Previously, Zhu Yunxi’s monthly salary was reduced for frequenting those places with no money. Presumably, Bai Li has been covering for him. Starting this month, Bai Li’s monthly salary will be reduced as well."

The Princely Heir immediately panicked, "It’s over!"

Bai Li whispered, "Father, I won’t give my brother money anymore. Can you not reduce my salary?"

Prince Jing didn’t respond, only picking up a chess piece, ready to start another game with Chen Ji.

He looked up at Chen Ji, "Yunxi and Bai Li visiting Baiyi Lane and Hongyi Lane, were you involved too?"

Chen Ji earnestly replied, "Reporting to your Highness, I’ve been diligently focusing on my medical studies and coursework; I have no time to visit such places."

The Princely Heir: "What?"

Bai Li: "What?"

Prince Jing glanced at the Princely Heir and Bai Li, "You two should learn from Chen Ji."

Suddenly, the Princely Heir blurted out, "This fellow was with us when we went!"

Chen Ji: "..."

Nobody survives!

Prince Jing chuckled looking at Chen Ji, "So you went too?"

Chen Ji: "..."

Prince Jing started gathering the chess pieces into the basket, smiling as he asked, "So, ’If life were only like our first meeting, why would the autumn breeze lament such a painted fan?’ and ’Old vines on an old tree, crows at dusk; a small bridge over flowing water and a homestead’—did you write these? I know Yunxi’s abilities well; he couldn’t have composed those."

Chen Ji was surprised. Prince Jing knew everything; not only did he know that the Princely Heir and others had been to Baiyi Lane and Hongyi Lane, but he also knew about the poems used in the embroidery building.

Indeed, how could a powerful vassal prince be ignorant about the happenings in Luocheng City?

The Princely Heir was even more surprised—how could it be that visiting Baiyi Lane meant kneeling for him, yet Chen Ji could be treated with kind words when he visited the same place?

It wasn’t fair!

The chess game continued.

Prince Jing had lost three consecutive games to Chen Ji’s cunning Healing Solitude technique without showing any signs of resentment or anger; instead, his eyes sparkled with more curiosity and interest.

And so the games went on and on, with Chen Ji struggling more and more until Prince Jing completely blocked all routes for his unconventional moves, rendering him unable to continue his Healing Solitary Swallowing Dragon technique.

He lost.

Chen Ji was only a second-place winner in the chess scene of Luocheng City, not much in the grand scheme of things. Losing was inevitable, but he had never expected to lose so quickly.

Prince Jing smiled as he looked at Chen Ji and asked, "Young man, how would you assess my chess skills?"

Chen Ji took a deep breath, "Impressive."

"If you had to describe it with one word, what would it be?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment, "Patient."

Indeed, Prince Jing was very patient; he strategized step-by-step, planning dozens of moves ahead for the grand scheme. When setting up his strategies, it seemed as if the desire to win was superfluous, a mere distraction. Yet upon closer examination, everything he did was aimed at securing a victory.