Chapter 51: Admiring the Gentleman (2)

"Oh?" Zi Hao's eyebrows moved slightly, lowering his eyes to think. Being able to be so unscrupulous in front of the Chu King, the sharpness of the Shao Yuan Jun can be seen. This one person can stabilize the strong Chu, and Chu can stabilize the world. To borrow strength to layout in just one year, making the royal family reborn, regardless of identity, ability, or that determination, Chu's Huang Fei is ultimately the most appropriate candidate.

Turning his head slightly, although he was beside the hot spring, he still felt the coldness penetrating his bones, and the hidden pain in his meridians often attacked clearly. Hot springs are good, and snake gall is good, although they can slightly reduce the pain caused by the accumulated poison, they cannot completely eradicate it. He knew this body better than anyone else. He had already sensed it on Zhongshi Mountain a few days ago. The poison lurking in his body had completely eroded his heart pulse. Although the Nine Nether Mysterious Penetration could temporarily suppress the toxicity, it violated the balance of the Dao and the constant principles of Yin and Yang. The greater the power, the greater the price paid, and each use would have serious sequelae, eventually exhausting all the vitality of the body faster. That increasingly close deadline was a fact he could not, and could not avoid.

He knew why Zi Rao wanted him to come to Chu, but unfortunately, no matter what, the result of the matter would not change.

Witch Doctor Qi Shi, this person was originally one of the three great elders with the highest seniority and the most exquisite medical skills in the Witch Clan, and also the uncle of Zi Rao's mother, Lady Wan. However, he was executed and expelled from the clan twenty years ago. The reason was that he used living people for blood Gu, killed children to feed poisonous insects, violated the Nine Tribes prohibition, and privately studied ancient forbidden arts.

That year, the Qintian Division discovered this matter, ruled that Qi Shi should be executed, and sent Ying Nu to secretly capture him. But that year happened to be the birth of the Nine Princesses. The Xiang Emperor thought it was inauspicious to kill him, so the Qintian Division followed the King's order, changed to foot amputation, and imprisoned Qi Shi in a deep prison, but he escaped from prison not long after and disappeared.

In the following years, the Ying Nu under Shang Rong and the elders of the Witch Clan had successively hunted Qi Shi, but he escaped frequently, until the Phoenix Queen launched a palace coup, the Di Du was in chaos, and the two clans suffered, so this matter was left unsettled.

Qi Shi's hatred for the royal family did not stem from the destruction of the Witch Clan, but had existed for a long time, and this person was cold-blooded, cruel and murderous by nature. Although his medical skills were extremely high, he never regarded himself as a healer. Rivers and mountains are easy to change, but nature is hard to change. No matter why Qi Shi gave Zi Rao a promise, he would never have good intentions. This was the reason why Zi Rao had scruples, one of the purposes for Qi Shi to finally agree to detoxify, and the deep calculation of Huang Fei behind him to promote this matter.

Qi Shi wanted to take the opportunity to take revenge on the royal family, but Huang Fei wanted to find out the truth through this, to finally decide his attitude toward the Di Du. People in the game have different thoughts, and all human hearts can be used. He would not refuse anyone's intention, just because the foundation of the overall situation can start from this and be achieved from this.

The light smile in front of him converged in the moment of lowering his eyes, the spring water rolled away the fallen flowers, and the residual moon slanted on the quiet courtyard. The tenderness in a corner of the heart lake that had not been seen was vaguely confused by inexplicable melancholy. Han Xi suddenly wanted to reach out and keep the smile in front of her, but didn't dare to disturb. After waiting for a long time, she said softly: "I used to lose to him when playing chess with Huang Fei. Your chess skills are so brilliant, can you teach me a few games? It's better than playing by myself."

Zi Hao's slender fingers retracted, the chess piece was warm and cool like jade, and the heart lake that had ripples calmed down instantly. He smiled faintly, and picked up the black chess piece and dropped it casually, right in the center of the chessboard, the Tianyuan position. Han Xi was stunned instantly: "What is the reason for this?"

Zi Hao lifted his sleeves and raised them: "The game of the chessboard is based on heaven and earth, combined with the principles of Yin and Yang, symbolizing the number of the Zhou sky, living in the middle of heaven and earth to observe the four domains, and moving after viewing the overall situation."

"Mm..." Han Xi's eyes wandered around the black piece, hesitant, and finally chose to touch him.

Zi Hao raised his hand to respond. Han Xi hesitated for a while, and also dropped a piece nearby. After walking more than ten steps in a row, Zi Hao suddenly stopped with a smile: "If it goes on like this, you can't win Huang Fei."

Han Xi held a chess piece in one hand and supported her cheek with the other. Her pretty eyebrows were slightly locked, only feeling that the black pieces dotted on the board were deep and translucent, like stars, with a kingly domineering aura suppressing the four directions, just making people at a loss, and couldn't help but mutter to herself: "But Huang Fei's chess path is not like this. At the beginning, he is always easy to deal with."

"Huang Fei has strategies in his chest, and strange plans are supreme. Even if the layout is loose on the surface, he must be step-by-step in his heart. If you are deceived by his appearance, you will suffer before the middle game." Zi Hao smiled, the girl's beautiful figure reflected in his dark eyes, swaying lightly with the deep eyes, appearing and disappearing.

Han Xi pouted: "Yes, I always lose to him in the middle game..."

Zi Hao raised his eyes leisurely: "Calculating victory before the battle is the common principle of military strategy. In fact, Huang Fei knows where you will lose in the first step as soon as the game starts."

Han Xi opened her eyes wide when she heard this, thought about it, and couldn't help but get angry: "Humph! Sometimes Longyue, Zhuyan and I think of ways together and can't help him, it's really annoying!"

Seeing the scene of playing chess in the Shangyang Palace, Zi Hao couldn't help shaking his head and laughing: "You are exactly in his calculation, so naturally you can't win."

Han Xi wondered: "Why?"

Zi Hao said: "The reason is very simple. Think about it, if there are three or five commanders in the army, and the orders are not unified, how can this battle be fought? The more people you have, the more scattered your thoughts will be. You say a word and I say a word, each following its own path, the chess situation is difficult to connect, how can you not give people an opportunity?"

Han Xi thought about it, and felt quite enlightened. At this time, Zi Hao raised his hand to point to her previous move, and patiently pointed out: "When playing chess with a master like Huang Fei, you must be calm. A calm heart makes a firm will, and a firm will makes a plan. Only in this way will you not easily fall into his game and be controlled by him. Just like now, these pieces of yours echo each other, the layout is stable, and it was originally very advantageous, but because of one of my moves, you lost your square, which is the same reason."

Han Xi said: "But your offensive is like a mountain and sea, if I don't stop it first, I will be wiped out immediately."

Zi Hao's moves were aggressive, and his sharpness was not let go. It was deliberate, but he didn't say it clearly, just withdrew a few white pieces and made slight adjustments: "Those who seek victory with impatience often lose. If you dismantle two more pieces here, I will also have to deal with it to avoid being stabilized by you, then the dangerous situation above you will naturally be solved."

"It turns out there is such a mystery, advancing by retreating, it has become a counter-offensive situation." Han Xi looked at the chess situation he made, but suddenly shook her head again: "Looking at it, it is still better to occupy Tianyuan at the beginning. Ha, next time I will use this to deal with Huang Fei, he will definitely be caught off guard!"

"With your current chess strength, you can't control such a layout." Zi Hao raised his lips and smiled, looking at her intentionally or unintentionally: "If you play chess with Huang Fei, I will teach you another way." As he spoke, he brushed away the chess game, re-occupied the three-three with white pieces, then occupied the star position, and the third step fell on the center Tianyuan, and then explained in a slightly detailed manner, while adding black pieces to the chessboard.

The square chessboard changes between reality and emptiness, and in an instant, there are several worlds, deducing all kinds of exquisiteness. Han Xi listened attentively, almost lost in it, nodding constantly, and occasionally fiddling with chess pieces, asking questions. Zi Hao was patient and answered every question. Han Xi remembered half of the chess path, and suddenly said: "Oh! What if Huang Fei doesn't respond to our game as you said, what should I do?"

Zi Hao looked at the chessboard and smiled with special meaning: "Rest assured, if it is Huang Fei, he will definitely respond like this within three steps. After three steps, if he hasn't admitted defeat and still plays this game with you, then you are not his opponent."

Hearing that Huang Fei had to admit defeat within three steps, Han Xi was skeptical, thought about it for a while, and repeated the chess game. She was originally intelligent and had high comprehension. With Zi Hao's patient guidance, she soon learned a few layouts, and was very proud in her heart.

One taught leisurely, one learned happily, and the two spent half a day by the white stone like this. A ray of sunset light slanted into the bamboo forest, and the flowing spring in the mountains was also dyed with light warm colors. Before she knew it, it was dusk.

After playing a game half-taught and half-let, Han Xi suddenly remembered that she couldn't return to the palace too late, got up to say goodbye helplessly, and asked Zi Hao with some reluctance: "Can I come to find you to play next time?"

Xuezhan jumped back to his side from Han Xi's knee, sleepy-eyed. Zi Hao patted it and smiled: "Of course you can."

Han Xi was very happy: "That's great, it's a deal!" She walked a few steps, but stopped again, thinking of the Nine-Turn Exquisite Array in the forest, not knowing if she could get out, and looked back at Zi Hao hesitantly. Zi Hao beckoned her to come over, took the chess piece and set up a Nine Palaces diagram according to the Mysterious Gate Hidden Technique orientation, and then turned the chessboard to the left: "Taiyi Divine Number reverses the acquired orientation, one palace Gan Heaven, two palace Li Fire, three palace Gen Ghost, four palace Zhen Sun, six palace Dui Moon, seven palace Kun Human, eight palace Kan Water, nine palace Xun Wind, middle five palaces rotate in all directions, Taiyi examines and governs without residing, can you remember?"

Han Xi looked at him, looking enlightened: "It turns out to be like this, no wonder I couldn't get out. Ah, by the way, can you teach me more fun things when I come in the future?"

The brilliance in her bright eyes was crystal clear, flashing with green joy. Zi Hao watched her for a while, a faint smile bloomed at his lips, and he promised warmly: "Okay, when you come next time, I will teach you something else."

Han Xi bent her eyes happily: "Then I'll go first, otherwise I'll be scolded by the royal brother when I go back!" She waved and disappeared into the forest, and the silver-bell-like laughter drifted away.

Zi Hao didn't get up, watched her leave, sat alone, and slowly closed his eyes.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 52 =====

Han Xi was immediately overjoyed. "That's great, then it's a deal!" She walked a few steps, but then stopped, remembering the Nine-Turn Exquisite Array in the forest and wondering if she could get out. She hesitated and looked back at Zi Hao. Zi Hao beckoned her over, took some chess pieces, and arranged a Nine-Palace diagram according to the positions of the Mysterious Gate and Hidden Stem, then rotated the chessboard to the left. "After the Great Six Ren reverses the postnatal positions, the first palace is Gan Heaven, the second is Li Fire, the third is Gen Ghost, the fourth is Zhen Sun, the sixth is Dui Moon, the seventh is Kun Human, the eighth is Kan Water, and the ninth is Xun Wind. The middle fifth palace governs the eight directions; the Great Unity performs its examination and governance without dwelling in one place. Have you remembered it?"

Han Xi looked at him, her face full of sudden realization. "So that's how it is, no wonder I couldn't walk out. Oh, right, when I come in the future, can you teach me more fun things?"

A crystalline luster shone in her bright eyes, flashing with naive joy. Zi Hao watched her for a moment, a faint smile spreading across his lips, and he answered gently, "Alright, next time you come, I will teach you something else."

Han Xi happily curved her eyes. "Then I'll be going first, otherwise I'll be scolded by my royal brother when I get back!" She waved her hand and disappeared into the forest, her silver-bell-like laughter drifting away into the distance.

Zi Hao did not stand up. After watching her leave, he sat quietly alone and slowly closed his eyes.

(End of Chapter)