A voice suddenly sounded as soon as the first move was made.
The voice carried a hint of coldness.
Ye Longlin looked up and saw a woman gracefully approaching, her hands in her pockets, giving off an impression of decisive action, yet her demeanor was somewhat aloof.
Qi Sheng glanced at the newcomer without even looking, and snorted, "When you stop fighting over the family fortune, I'll go back."
The woman said nothing more, standing quietly behind Qi Sheng, seemingly curious if there was anyone in Nan Province capable of matching her grandfather's chess skills.
Qi Chuyao couldn't help but feel a bit curious about Ye Longlin.
Ye Longlin looked at the chessboard in front of him, placing pieces one by one without any haste, maintaining his own rhythm.
Looking at the game, Ye Longlin's pieces seemed chaotic, hard to define, as if placed randomly. Yet, Qi Sheng, on the other hand, wore a solemn expression.
This was a strategy in the making!
From the very first move, a plan was being laid out. Such a young man, capable of such strategic planning, was indeed rare.
Meanwhile, Mu Hanqi, unable to bear the static sitting any longer, pouted and went inside to explore, looking for something fun to do.
Ye Longlin paid her no mind. To be precise, his grandfather didn't give him the opportunity. As soon as the elder realized Ye Longlin was strategically outmaneuvering him, he began to tighten his defenses.
In short, the chess game was a whirlwind of shifting fortunes.
On the other side, Mu Hanqi arrived at what could be called a library, though it was more of a tea room, a place for cultivating temperament and enjoying tea and conversation.
Ye Longlin also enjoyed tea, but he hadn't seen much of it since arriving in Nan Province.
"Want to learn how to make tea from Miss?" Mu Hanqi pondered, stroking her chin. After some thought, she decided to learn.
Then, through Mu Hanqi's various attempts, the attendant lady finally agreed.
The tea culture of Great Xia had a long history, and in Great Xia, almost everyone knew how to drink tea.
Of course, to truly drink tea, one must have the right occasion, state of mind, and tea set.
Drinking tea was not about the tea itself, but about savoring life, from bitterness to a slight sweetness, from smooth to a touch of dryness in the throat.
However, in such a formal tea room, once a guest picked up their cup, the subsequent arrangement of the tea set became somewhat intricate.
Mu Hanqi's interest was piqued. Just as she was about to ask something, a voice reached her ears: "Is this the new tea master? You're quite pretty, it'll be you. Come here."
Mu Hanqi was stunned and pointed to herself, "Are you talking to me?"
The people in front turned back. A young man trailed behind. Upon seeing Mu Hanqi's beauty, he was indeed struck by it, no less than the daughters of the Li family.
"Who else would it be if not you? Hurry up and make tea for me."
The young man called out coldly. Mu Hanqi felt speechless, "Excuse me, I'm not a tea master here. You should seek someone else."
Disturbed by this interruption, Mu Hanqi lost the mood to continue learning and turned to leave. But at that moment, the young man directly grabbed her shoulder, narrowing his eyes, a dangerous glint flashing within them.
"I told you, it's you. Don't you understand? Can you comprehend? Even if you're not a tea master here, if I say it's you, then it must be you. Understand?"
Zhao Xin's face darkened instantly as he felt insulted.
Mu Hanqi frowned, "Are you sick? I've already told you I'm not a tea master, why are you forcing it? One needs basic manners and respect. Please respect me, thank you."
"Young Master Zhao, this woman is truly unappreciative. Shall we take her and teach her a good lesson tonight? Hahaha."
"Heh, you're right, this woman is quite good-looking. She must be a gem. I think it's a good idea."
"What are you talking about? Look at her slender waist, she's clearly a juicer. I'm afraid Young Master Zhao will need medicine!"
The voices of the group behind her chimed in. Zhao Xin's expression grew increasingly grim, and he said in a low voice, "I said, make tea!"
Clearly suppressing his anger, Mu Hanqi's refusal had already made Zhao Xin very annoyed and displeased.
...
"Grandfather, you lost."
Ye Longlin placed a piece and smiled.
From the moment Qi Sheng first sensed Ye Longlin's strategic intent, he had been trying to disrupt it, but it was like trying to plug holes in a dike; he couldn't hold on.
Ultimately, Ye Longlin annihilated his major group.
This outcome left Qi Chuyao behind in a daze. Her grandfather's chess skills were exquisite, earning him the title of a nine-dan chess king, and he had even participated in national competitions.
Now, to be defeated by a young junior was truly unbelievable.
"Although I'm reluctant to admit it, young friend, you possess the skill of a national master. To achieve this as a soldier is truly admirable. I am impressed."
Although he lost, he didn't harbor any resentment.
A chess player without such composure would have long since died of frustration.
Ye Longlin's chess style was bold, excelling in perilous situations and playing the underdog. From various details, he could infer Ye Longlin's military background.
Especially Ye Longlin's penchant for exploiting life-or-death situations and deliberately exposing fatal weaknesses, which further disrupted the elder's rhythm.
Having had his fill, Ye Longlin felt refreshed and asked with a smile, "Another game?"
Qi Sheng rolled his eyes and said grumpily, "Aren't you afraid I'll have a stroke from losing?"
Ye Longlin replied seriously, "My medical skills are also at the national master level."
Qi Sheng: "..."
Qi Sheng absolutely did not believe that anyone could be so versatile. He merely thought Ye Longlin was bragging.
The military's pace was tight; to reach the level of a national master in chess was already incredibly difficult, let alone in medicine.
Medicine required a significant amount of time.
Which of the current national master physicians were not old men?
"Ye Longlin!"
Suddenly, a sharp scream echoed from the tea room.
Ye Longlin sighed and got up, "I'll go check."
That Mu Hanqi could cause trouble even when there was none.
In the tea room, Mu Hanqi's eyes glinted with coldness. Zhao Xin's face bore a clear finger mark.
It was evident that this was the result of Mu Hanqi's actions.
"You little brat, how dare you hit me? Do you know who I am?"
Zhao Xin was thoroughly enraged. The fury in his eyes made Mu Hanqi feel a sense of fear; his gaze seemed to devour people.
"Does calling for people help? I said I'll kill you, and no one will dare to help! Do you really think you're something? I wanted you to make tea because I fancied you, and you dare to lay hands on me? Do you know who I am?"
Mu Hanqi looked up, feeling a bit scared but completely unafraid.
Ye Longlin was outside.
"Do I need to know who you are? Brother, have you had too much to drink?"
"Are you trying to compare family backgrounds with me? Listen up, my surname is Murong, and I'm from the Murong family, one of the ten elder families of the capital!"