Now I really have to marry the princess.

Chapter 92 Little Jiu, Your Brother Yang Has Won!

Xiao Jiu was devastated. She clung to Yan Xianfu and Yang Zhengdao, unwilling to be with them, yet unwilling to leave alone.

The man she had been admiring recently, Mikami Koji, turned out to be such a bad person!

A reckless and ignorant person.

How could someone like that write such a free and unrestrained poem as "Ode to Pear Blossoms Presented to King Tai of Yue"?

How could one write with such youthful boldness as in "A Vegetarian Banquet at Qingshan Palace Presented to Li Silang"?

How could one write a poem as deeply moving as "The Song of Everlasting Regret"?

Of all the poems by the Hermit of the Three Mountains, only these two and a half are widely circulated in Chang'an.

The first two poems relied on Li Tai's vigorous promotion, while the second half relied on the bet between the three laymen, San Shang Jushi and Er Lang Jushi.

When Yan Shigu and Yan Xiang saw the complete poem "Song of Everlasting Regret" from Li Er, they naturally wouldn't tell Xiao Jiu about the second half they had seen.

As a result, Xiao Jiu couldn't sleep at night.

When she learned that her fourth brother was going to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival literary gathering, and that the lay Buddhist Sanshang would also be attending, she decided to disguise herself as her fourth brother's attendant and see for herself the demeanor of the lay Buddhist Sanshang.

But her fourth brother deliberately avoided her early this morning and secretly went out.

But in the end, they brought back a hermit named Sanshang.

Moreover, her fourth brother also stopped washing his hands.

Thinking of this, Xiao Jiu couldn't help but cover her nose again.

Yes! He even betrayed his close friends!

This charlatan even told others about his fourth brother's embarrassing incident. He's a truly wicked person!

Yang Zhengdao and Yan Xianfu were naturally unaware of the little tail following them around, which was taunting them.

Just as they were about to cross a round archway, Yan Xianfu turned back and urged Xiao Jiu on.

"If you want to come along, hurry up! Otherwise, go to your aunt's place and learn women's skills from Sister Mute."

This is really frustrating!

At that time, Yang Zhengdao was thinking that since the people were honest and kind, he would certainly not let his administration remain idle.

Yang Zhengdao was utterly speechless. He thought that he should either read more books in the future or visit the Yan family less often.

"They're here! They're here!"

Xiao Jiu frowned, but her body betrayed her and she followed.

I am absolutely not afraid of any female martial arts; I am just trying to expose this fraudulent and deceitful person.

She covered her nose and deliberately stayed to Yang Zhengdao's side, keeping her distance from her fourth brother, who was no longer clean.

Yan Xianfu looked at Xiao Jiu with a puzzled expression. This was really strange!

Stepping through the round gate, you enter another courtyard with a layout similar to Yan Xianfu's small courtyard.

An old locust tree casts a cool shade, and beneath its shade sits a stone table where two people are playing chess.

The man in black, nearing forty, bears a striking resemblance to Yan Xianfu in his features, likely Yan Xianfu's father, Yan Qinli.

The man holding the white hat was about thirty years old, with a handsome face. He must be Yan Xianfu's fourth uncle, Yan Yude.

Yan Xianfu gave a quiet introduction, and after exchanging greetings, Yan Qinli and Yan Yude continued their game of chess.

Yan Xianfu and Yang Zhengdao stood quietly beside Yan Qinli, watching the game, while Xiao Jiu went to Yan Yude's side and obediently refilled the teacups of his two uncles.

Yang Zhengdao's gaze fell on the chessboard.

He had initially been just observing the game out of politeness, but after watching a dozen or so moves, his gaze gradually became focused.

The two brothers' chess skills were no less than or equal to Li Tai's, but the difference was only slight.

However, the two brothers had completely opposite approaches to the game. Yan Qinli, playing black, was cautious and methodical, while Yan Yude, playing white, was more adept at strategizing and planning.

However, according to Yang Zhengdao's perspective, the black pieces have a slight advantage.

This advantage is not the obvious advantage of a large group of stones fighting for position, but a more subtle, implicit advantage, which in modern Go terms is called "shape efficiency".

Because every piece of black's stones is played very "in a neat and orderly manner".

Yan Qinli played solidly, defending when necessary, cutting when necessary, and abandoning when necessary, without any hesitation, leaving his pieces with almost no flaws.

On the other hand, although Yan Yude had planned ahead and made many arrangements, and his offensive was fierce enough, the connection between several of his pieces was a little weak, and a slight mistake could lead to a weakness.

If judged by modern Go AI, Black's winning probability is about 65%.

Just then, a servant arrived and interrupted the game of chess.

It is said that the Prefect of Yongzhou summoned the Second Prince to discuss matters.

Yan Qinli was secretly pleased. After apologizing, he left the game unfinished and hurriedly left.

Yan Yude held the white piece that had not yet been placed, frowned, and sighed repeatedly at the unfinished game, quite regretful.

At this moment, Xiao Jiu's eyes lit up, and he said obediently, "Fourth Uncle, why don't we let this brother from the Yang family take over the game?"

Yan Yude was taken aback, then looked troubled. He did not agree rashly, after all, he was a young man. If his chess skills were not good enough, he would ruin the endgame, which would not be good.

Yang Zhengdao felt a chill run down his spine when he heard Xiao Jiu call him "Brother Yang" in a soft, sweet voice.

Xiao Jiu was naturally intent on embarrassing Yang Zhengdao, so she said to Yan Yude in a coquettish tone, "Fourth Uncle, don't underestimate people. My brother Yang is unparalleled in the world, with unparalleled talent, and is known as the contemporary Cao Zhi's Three-fold Hermit."

After saying that, she even gestured with her chin towards Yang Zhengdao.

Yan Xianfu glared at Xiao Jiu, then looked at Yang Zhengdao with considerable worry.

Yang Zhengdao really wanted to hang up Xiao Jiu, who was stirring up trouble and deliberately causing problems, and give him a good spanking.

Before Yang Zhengdao could even humbly express his feelings, Yan Yude was already tempted.

After all, a great reputation is rarely undeserved. A young genius is also a possibility.

He raised an eyebrow, smiled, and extended his hand in invitation: "Young Master Yang, would you do me the honor of continuing this unfinished game?"

Since that's the case, Yan Chunchun, don't blame your brother Yang for being ruthless and slapping you in the face.

With the professional Go rank of 9-dan given to him by the system, Yang Zhengdao was not afraid at all, but he did not want to take advantage of Yan Yude.

He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "With my fourth uncle here, I would never dare to call myself a lay Buddhist. However, since my third uncle has already gained the upper hand, it would be unfair for me to take advantage of the situation."

"What?!"

Xiao Jiu looked at him with disdain, thinking to himself that he was indeed an ignorant and incompetent fool who did not deserve the name of the Hermit of the Three Realms.

Yan Yude smiled awkwardly, his heart filled with regret. He had been too hasty! A perfectly good endgame that was about to be won was about to be ruined by this reckless young man.

Yan Xianfu coughed lightly and advised, "Adao, why don't we wait for my father to return? Let's talk about the poems from today's literary gathering first."

Yang Zhengdao was taken aback at first, but then he understood. It turned out that all three of them actually thought that Bai Zi would win!

this----

Now that things have come to this, let's just put on a show.

"If Fourth Uncle doesn't mind, Zhengdao is willing to complete this victory on behalf of Third Uncle."

Once these words were spoken, there was no turning back.

Yan Yude sighed inwardly. After all, he was young and impetuous. He would let him have a few more moves, which would save face for Zhou Qing.

After Yang Zhengdao sat down opposite him, Yan Yude gently placed the white piece in his hand.

He initially appeared relaxed, and his moves even carried the composure of an elder instructing a younger generation.

But after only a few moves, his brows began to furrow.

Yang Zhengdao's chess style was somewhat incomprehensible to him.

It wasn't the kind of incomprehensible stuff a beginner might write, but rather a very strange feeling.

For example, Yang Zhengdao made a move in a seemingly insignificant place. Yan Yude secretly laughed to himself, thinking that this young man was indeed still a bit green, neglecting the big picture to fix such a small flaw.

But after making a few more moves, he suddenly realized that the route he had originally planned to launch an attack had been silently blocked by this one move.

For example, in one move, Yang Zhengdao suddenly placed a piece on the side of the board. Yan Yude initially thought it was a bad move.

Just as they were about to retaliate, they suddenly sensed something was wrong. After deducing a few steps, they realized that it was actually a trap.

Xiao Jiu was already full of disdain, and seeing Yang Zhengdao make a confident move, she thought that this bad guy was just bluffing.

But as she watched her fourth uncle move the pieces slower and slower, and his expression grow more and more serious, she was suddenly alarmed. Could it be that her fourth uncle was going to lose to this bad guy?

She subconsciously looked up and secretly glanced at Yang Zhengdao, but Yang Zhengdao happened to notice her, and this bad guy even raised his chin at her.

How infuriating! Such a petty person has gotten away with it!

On the other side, Yan Xianfu initially frowned slightly, hoping that his fourth uncle would show mercy, since it was Adao's first time visiting.

As the game progressed, his eyes grew increasingly astonished. Gazing at the ingenious and deadly moves on the chessboard, his eyes were filled with disbelief as he looked at Yang Zhengdao.

Could Adao's chess skills already surpass those of his fourth uncle?!

The hermit Sanshang is terrifying indeed.

Just then, Yang Zhengdao had already secured the ground in the lower right corner.

A thin layer of sweat gradually seeped from Yan Yude's forehead.

He doesn't understand.

Each of the young man's moves, viewed individually, seems somewhat "unorthodox," but when combined, they form an invisible net that tightens silently.

His white pieces seemed to be launching an unabated offensive, but his actual strength was gradually dwindling.

After another thirty-odd moves, the game gradually entered the endgame stage.

Yang Zhengdao's moves were consistently neither too fast nor too slow, but rather unhurried and composed.

Finally, the last piece was placed.

Yan Yude stared blankly at the chessboard, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't say anything.

Seeing Xiao Jiu reluctantly come over to count the coins, he exhaled a breath of stale air and smiled with relief.

"Little Jiu, no need to count anymore, your brother Yang has won."

A young genius! A young genius indeed!

At that moment, Yan Yude believed it; there truly were those who were born with innate knowledge.

As dusk fell, Yang Zhengdao left the Yan family home, and Yan Yude personally saw him off to the gate.

Even after Yang Zhengdao left, Xiao Jiu still couldn't believe that her fourth uncle would lose to that bad guy who didn't know that "the people are honest and kind".

"Fourth Uncle, you really didn't give way?!"

Yan Yude's face immediately turned red: "Yan Chun Chun, what is sincere here manifests there, what do you mean?"

"Fourth Uncle! I am a woman!"

"So, how's your training in women's skills going?"

"It's alright, I'm going to copy 'Yan Family Instructions'."

Watching Xiao Jiu flee as if escaping, Yan Xianfu couldn't help but shrink back, still finding the outcome hard to believe.

"Fourth Uncle, are you really not going to give in?"

"Yan! Xian! Fu!"

"Okay, I'll go copy down 'Yan Family Instructions' too."

Yan Yude walked into his elder brother's study with a heavy heart.

Yan Shigu already knew that his younger brother had lost to Yang Zhengdao in a game of chess, and he couldn't help but sigh at how formidable the younger generation was.

At forty, one is supposed to be free from confusion, but my younger brother is still young and his character needs further tempering.

He remained engrossed in his book, offering words of comfort without even looking up: "Fourth brother, talent is not limited by age!"

Yan Yude was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke: "Elder brother, I want to take Yang Zhengdao as my disciple."

Yan Shigu put down his book, looking surprised: "Why!"

"I'll teach him Confucianism so he can teach me chess!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Shigu flew into a rage, slamming his hand on the table: "Yan Yude, in the marketplace, even a thousand taels of silver are not considered important. What do you mean by that?"

Yan Yude realized something was wrong and quickly admitted his mistake: "Brother, I was wrong!"

Yan Shigu's eyes narrowed again: "To harm oneself through learning is worse than not learning at all. What do you mean?"

"Elder brother, I'm going to copy the 'Yan Family Instructions'."

When Yang Zhengdao returned home and had dinner, he was preparing to teach Ah Wu and Ah Liu some practical knowledge. The candles in the Yan family ancestral hall were still lit.

Yan Yude, Yan Xianfu, and Yan Chunchun sat in a row, burning the midnight oil and writing furiously.