Chapter 03: Poetry and Chess
In the blink of an eye, three months had passed since arriving in ancient times as the season gradually shifted from spring to midsummer. Gardens, artificial hills, pavilions, courtyards, streets, painted boats—Ning Yi gradually became familiar with this ancient world, though many times he still felt bored.
Probably because he was used to being busy before—now without computers or work, without anything to do, he always felt restless. The Su family was happy to see him bored, after all—they'd brought him in as a son-in-law to give Su Tan'er a reason to stay in her own home without marrying out, and this reason preferably shouldn't be too troublesome. Of course, overall, he was still enjoying all this boredom—walking around every day, looking at ancient customs and people, looking at ancient ladies, thinking about random things. Mostly when he saw something, he'd think about how he could increase profits severalfold if he did it, how to make money.
Been a boss too long, gone crazy... He mocked himself this way, so these things remained just thoughts that settled back into the depths of his mind.
Compared to his leisure, his wife in name Su Tan'er was obviously very busy. However, no matter how busy, she basically came home on time for meals—in this sense, ancient times had their advantages since women couldn't be as casual as men no matter what. To put it another way, the work rhythm in ancient times wasn't as suffocating as modern times. Carrying laptops every day, flying here and there, processing massive amounts of information constantly—in an era where information flow wasn't rapid, such workaholics couldn't exist. You could always find time to rest, because after you gave an order, the other side hadn't reacted yet.
Probably treating him as a truly honest and simple man, she always initiated conversation during meals together, exchanging information, livening the atmosphere. Ning Yi just casually responded. Having rolled around in business for so many years, he'd long developed the skill of casual talk that never seemed perfunctory, much higher level than Su Tan'er. So every time they ate together, Ning Yi thought of the couple in the movie "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."
After eating, if it rained, they mostly stayed in their respective rooms. Su Tan'er read books, occasionally played the qin, did needlework and embroidery while he simply read and wrote, or daydreamed, occasionally finding paper to do business calculations he used to do, making stock market hypotheses and such, then finding it pointless—unless there was urgent business, Su Tan'er would also take a carriage out. If the weather was good, Ning Yi basically went out wandering while Su Tan'er would check the city's shops and workshops—the two went their separate ways.
The maid named Xiao Chan always followed him, having basically become his dedicated servant over the months—this was also Su Tan'er's arrangement. It was clear Xiao Chan intended to build a good relationship with him, always chattering when tidying the room, neighborhood gossip, or saying where Young Miss went today, what she did. About this Young Miss, she clearly admired and liked her very much. Su Tan'er was indeed very good to servants. Ning Yi's response was mostly just nodding and smiling. When going out, this little girl always followed behind him, which sometimes made him feel bad. When tired from walking, he'd sit at a nearby teahouse and have some snacks while the little girl would take out broken silver from her delicate purse to pay, making him feel this was probably how ancient young masters lived.
Modern times were similar—he never had to swipe his own card when shopping... Wait, seemed like he hadn't actually gone shopping for many years.
He recently liked watching people play chess1 by the Qinhuai River.
On a not-too-busy street by the river, located in the suburbs, the position somewhat remote, no big shops, mostly small peddlers carrying poles on the road, not many pedestrians. Under a tree by the river, an old man often set up a chessboard. Sometimes several old men watched there, sometimes scholars came by, and there was a tea stall nearby. That time he and Xiao Chan were tired from walking and rested there, drinking tea while casually watching. The two old men playing chess both had high skill, making him think how worthy of ancient times it was—any two old guys played so well. After that he often came, finding that one old man was fixed while opponents often changed—but watching long enough, they were mostly acquaintances with generally high chess skills.
This kind of mental labor was basically one of the few entertainments he could find here. In fact, the Qinhuai River was recognized as the most prosperous and luxurious area at the time, with groups of painted boats and brothels, becoming a city that never slept at night. Walking every day, he often heard about romantic affairs and such. But everything required moderation. Since he'd married into the Su family, he was basically cut off from such entertainment. But in his previous life he'd already seen all kinds of extravagance and exhausted such prosperity, so naturally he had no great interest now.
On a subsequent day, the weather was overcast but rain seemed far off. He and Xiao Chan went to the tea stall. Two old men were playing again. After playing a while, a servant-looking person came over and spoke a few words to one old man. That old man nodded: "Old Qin, there's an urgent matter at home. This game..."
"We're not decided yet, how about calling it a draw?"
"That would be good..."
The two spoke formally for a bit, then one old man left. The old man with the chess stall began collecting pieces. Ning Yi finished the tea in his hand in one gulp and stood up: "Nothing to watch now—Xiao Chan, pay the bill."
Xiao Chan was taking out her purse when the old man behind spoke: "This young sir has been coming to watch chess recently. You must have insights into this art. Would you be willing to have a hand conversation2 with this old man?" No opponent, just grab someone.
"Uh..." Ning Yi paused, looked at the sky, "So-so... Alright."
He sat down opposite the old man, and while helping collect pieces, naturally there were things like "Where is young sir from?" and such. Ning Yi casually answered. After collecting pieces and choosing colors, Ning Yi took white and went first. He wasn't polite, slapping the piece down with a snap.
"Uh, this opening..." The old man looked at him, then just frowned and followed.
Thus they went one stone after another for about a dozen moves. The old man's frown deepened, asking doubtfully: "Young sir's chess skill, may I ask who taught you?"
"Studied chess manuals on my own."
"Oh, no wonder..."
After this, the old man said no more. Under the riverside tree, the two played silently. Xiao Chan sat to the side, occasionally looking up at the sky. She really didn't understand Go, just felt the longer they played, the longer the old man thought, his wrinkled face deepening, occasionally looking up at Ning Yi, or sometimes shaking his head. On the board, white stones had great momentum, black stones gradually being killed in disarray.
About an hour later, the old man threw in the towel. He raised his head to carefully examine Ning Yi for a moment. Ning Yi still had that faint expression as if finding everything interesting: "Young sir's chess strength is... superb. Just in the methods of play, perhaps somewhat..." The old man deliberated over words. Ning Yi collected pieces, just smiled: "Playing chess seeks victory, like two armies facing off. How can there be distinctions in methods?"
"Chess is a gentleman's pursuit..."
"Old sir thinks chess can reveal a person's character." Ning Yi spoke casually, collecting pieces one by one. "Is it accurate?"
The old man paused, pondered slightly, then shook his head and smiled, reaching to collect pieces: "Not very accurate actually."
After packing up the board, seeing the sky overcast with coming rain, Ning Yi and Xiao Chan returned toward the Su residence, and along the way, Xiao Chan's gaze toward him became somewhat surprised. She couldn't help asking: "Young Master won?"
"Ah, afraid I can't go watch chess there anymore."
"Why?"
"Didn't you see he thinks I'm a bad person?"
"Playing chess and he thinks Young Master is bad?" The little girl looked back: "Must be because Young Master beat him and he's angry... Old sir has such small capacity."
This was naturally just casual talk—that old man was quite cultivated and naturally wouldn't get angry over such things. Just that Go at this time emphasized propriety—friends playing chess should be open and aboveboard, stopping at the right point. Some aggressive or even pestering methods that lost grace wouldn't be used randomly. But chess to Ning Yi was simply mental competition, plus the information imbalance between them. Though the old man had quite high chess strength, he was still killed in disarray by Ning Yi's successive small tactics, bringing Ning Yi the small satisfaction of a modern person bullying an ancient person.
Returning home that day, Su Tan'er was also coming back from outside while the little maid named Xing'er was directing several people carrying fabric to Young Miss's room—probably new goods, colorful. Seeing them return, Juan'er upstairs came down holding a large wooden box: "Young Master, Young Master, Young Miss heard Young Master likes playing chess. She saw this while out today and specially bought it back for Young Master." Actually it was a gift from others that Su Tan'er couldn't use, brought back conveniently—a box containing Go pieces. Ning Yi was startled: "In that case, please thank my wife for me."
"Young Master can thank her yourself." The little girl giggled and ran back upstairs as Ning Yi shook his head and carried the Go set back to his room. With no one he knew here, who would he play with?
Juan'er returned to the room after the several people moving goods had already left the courtyard. She imitated Ning Yi's voice: "Young Miss, Young Master said 'please thank my wife for me.'" Then got tapped on the forehead by Su Tan'er who was looking at account books. The master and servants had basically grown up together since childhood. Though they observed hierarchy, they'd always had sisterly affection—but when Su Tan'er was busy, it wasn't good to joke too much. After finishing the account books, Su Tan'er carefully examined those fabrics. At this time Chan'er and Xing'er also came in. Seeing Chan'er, she smiled: "Went out with Young Master to watch chess again today?"
"Mm." Chan'er's little head shook. "Don't understand it."
"I don't like Go either." Su Tan'er shook her head. Busy going out and coming home all morning, only now could she rest a bit. She casually picked up a piece of xuan paper3 on the table, frowned and asked Chan'er: "Did Young Master really write this poem?"
That xuan paper was something Chan'er had casually brought over in the morning. She looked at it now and confirmed: "Yes, I saw Young Master write it, said he was practicing characters."
Su Tan'er frowned and looked a few more times before putting it down. This poem Chan'er had hastily brought in the morning, then Su Tan'er prepared to go out, running around half the morning, only having time to look when she returned. Xing'er below hadn't seen it yet either. Seeing Young Miss's rich expressions, she came over curiously to look. The three maids had actually all studied poetry and arithmetic. Now holding it, their little faces wrinkled into buns.
"Three lotus float in emerald pond... Can raft have loving thoughts, dew pearls... wet sand walls, evening serene dawn lonely lonely... What does it mean?"
In the other room, Ning Yi stood at the table organizing xuan paper drafts, preparing to throw them away or burn them. He'd practiced writing ten pages yesterday, only now discovering one missing. Thinking briefly, he shook his head and laughed: "It'd be strange if you could understand..."
Then thunder and rain came down.
Summer's heavy rain came violently, and in the sky-filling sounds, the darkness was like evening had arrived. But in such weather, opening the window and watching that expanse of gardens and residences soaked in heavy rain outside had quite a leisurely feeling. Looking from here, occasionally one could see Su Tan'er and several little maids moving about in the opposite room. Before long, when Chan'er came over with some colored fabrics, Ning Yi was at his desk opening that Go set to look: "Young Master, Young Miss says these are newly arrived silks. She had this servant measure Young Master to make clothes. Young Master see which color you like."
"Whatever."
"Making new clothes can't be whatever." The little girl muttered, taking up the soft ruler to measure Ning Yi's height and body length. Ning Yi looked at the heavy rain outside, then looked at the little girl beside him.
"Anything this afternoon?"
"Nothing much."
"Come play chess."
"This servant doesn't know Go."
"Not Go. I'll teach you gomoku4."
"Gomoku?" The little girl looked up at him, confusion flashing in her eyes—she'd never heard of this kind of chess...
So this always somewhat quiet courtyard, come afternoon, could often hear the little girl's cheers. Though usually considered quiet and steady, Su Tan'er was eighteen while the three little maids around her were only fifteen or sixteen. When encountering something truly interesting, they inevitably forgot themselves a bit. In the room on the other side, Su Tan'er sat by the window reading. Xing'er and Juan'er sat in a row on little stools doing embroidery. Occasionally hearing "I won, I won!" cheers faintly coming through the rain from the opposite side, they couldn't help looking up curiously. After repeating this several times, Xing'er pricked her finger with the needle, sucking her fingertip while looking doubtfully that way.
"What's gotten into that girl Chan'er..."
(End of Chapter)
- Chess: Refers to Go (weiqi), traditional Chinese board game of strategy ↑
- Hand conversation: Poetic term for Go, referring to the silent dialogue between players through moves ↑
- Xuan paper: Traditional Chinese paper made from sandalwood bark, prized for calligraphy ↑
- Gomoku: Five-in-a-row game played on a Go board, simpler than Go itself ↑