Chapter 340: The Xiao Piece

In a quiet hall filled with excellent natural light, upon a chessboard crafted from fine apricot wood, there were twelve chess paths, and twelve chess pieces divided into black and white sets, arrayed to the left and right — one large Xiao piece, and five smaller San pieces.

This was the game of Liubo, popular throughout the land: six white and six black, twelve pieces in all, the two sides contending over a single board. So captivated were they by winning counters that they forgot sleep and food, still addicted to the game.

Yan Le, a junior clerk of Xianyang County, picked up the Bo counters, which functioned much like dice, and cast them lightly. Depending on whether the counters landed face up or down, different numbers of chips appeared, and according to these numbers, he began to move his pieces.

The black Xiao piece, surrounded by its San pieces, advanced forward, pressing close to the white side's "Fish" on the chess path. So long as it devoured the "Fish," the white side would gain one Bo counter; once six were accumulated, victory was declared. This was the origin of the saying "one counter ahead."

Yet, watching Yan Le's moves, the Prefect of the Office of Palace Coaches, Zhao Gao, seated across from him, merely smiled.

He tossed the Bo counters with a backhand flick and picked up the white Xiao piece as well, but instead of rescuing the "Fish," he struck at the San pieces surrounding the black Xiao, and in no time at all, devoured them completely...

The outcome was decided. As Zhao Gao gathered the Bo counters, he said, "My son-in-law, when conducting oneself and handling affairs, whenever you see profit to be gained, you must remember to deliberate carefully. Your move just now was like a dead fish catching sight of fragrant bait!"

Pinching the captured black Xiao piece between his fingers, Zhao Gao narrowed his eyes and spoke with profound meaning: "On this point, you truly must learn well from that Heifu. He is a slippery loach who, even when the bait is delivered to his very lips, refuses to swallow it!"

Yan Le hurriedly lowered his head: "Your son-in-law will remember this firmly!"

Zhao Gao was Yan Le's "maternal uncle," that is, his father-in-law. A year ago, when Zhao Gao's daughter came of age, he ignored the throng of Senior Officials and royal grandsons who came to propose marriage, and instead wed his daughter to Yan Le, a petty clerk in Xianyang who drew a meager salary — an act that truly shocked everyone.

Yan Le himself was stunned speechless. This marriage was the turning point of his life. Within a year, not only had his official rank risen by two grades, but within the Xianyang County office, no one dared show him any disrespect.

He knew that all of this was thanks to the shelter of his father-in-law, and he could not help but feel overwhelming gratitude. Zhao Gao, claiming he was nearing forty yet still had no son, treated Yan Le as half a son, and Yan Le in turn served him as his own father, wholeheartedly devoted to working for Zhao Gao.

One task Zhao Gao had recently assigned him was to use a colleague to goad Mai Hui, a Left Senior Official serving in the same Xianyang County office, into making a move against the newly opened brown sugar shop in the South Market!

A series of incidents began from this.

Zhao Gao's original plan was simply to entangle Heifu in this lawsuit, making him contend with Mai Hui for profit. Once the matter escalated, it would surely disappoint the Emperor.

It was nothing for officials to secretly have their family members engage in trade; the Emperor understood the principle that water too pure holds no fish. Sometimes, a greedy minister was easier to control than one with no vices at all. That was precisely why Wang Jian, during the campaign against Chu, desperately requested houses and ponds for his family — to set the Emperor's mind at ease.

But openly contending for profit marked one as a shortsighted man who disregarded laws and decrees, and such a person would inevitably be cast aside.

Unexpectedly, at that time, Heifu happened to be attending a banquet at Ba Zhong's residence — this was an unexpected delight.

Zhao Gao was adept at gauging the Emperor's heart, and because of his excellent calligraphy and familiarity with laws and decrees, he often drafted imperial edicts, giving him a thorough understanding of the policies the empire was about to implement. He knew that the Widow Ba Qing might soon decline from her peak of favor and be forcibly relocated, and that Ba Zhong, like a startled bird, was desperate to make friends widely in Xianyang. Even if he could not keep his family in Ba Commandery, he could at least establish a foothold here.

Heifu, a recently red-hot close minister of the Son of Heaven, thus became the primary target of the Ba clan's investment.

Zhao Gao watched all this silently from the shadows. If Heifu relied on the Ba clan's power to resolve this matter, and the two sides developed entangled interests, or if Heifu even foolishly pleaded with the Emperor on behalf of the Ba clan, that would be truly marvelous...

Regrettably, Heifu was very adept at using his own "momentum." Relying solely on a letter written to Sima Xin, he resolved the matter perfectly, leaving no handle to be grasped.

Zhao Gao could only pin his hopes on the possibility that Heifu, due to his lowly origins, could not resist the temptation of enormous profit and would accept the Ba clan's bribes, whether overt or covert.

The Chamberlain for Dependencies, one of the Nine Ministers, was responsible for managing relations with barbarian tribes and frontier clan affairs, and the Ba clan fell under his jurisdiction. The Emperor both favored and guarded against the Widow Ba Qing's family. The Ushers under the Chamberlain were constantly monitoring Ba Zhong's every move in secret, reporting back to the Emperor at any time.

Thus, Zhao Gao knew that this matter would sooner or later reach the Emperor's ears. When that time came, he would see how Heifu explained himself.

The Emperor detested nothing more than close ministers forming ties with the rich and powerful! Just imagine — if the palace guards by his side could be easily corrupted by money, used by others, and made to speak on their behalf, what difference would there be between them and internal agents like Guo Kai of Zhao or Hou Sheng of Qi?

But what baffled Zhao Gao was that the following morning, when the Chamberlain's Usher reported this matter to the Emperor, the Emperor merely replied indifferently with three words.

"We are aware!"

Zhao Gao had driven the Emperor's chariot for twenty years and knew his verbal habits like the back of his hand. The meaning of these three words was: everything remains as usual; no action for now.

At this, Zhao Gao understood the Emperor's intention. Heifu had not pleaded on behalf of the Ba clan and had passed the test smoothly.

This was what led to Zhao Gao's incessant praise of Heifu in front of his son-in-law.

"Though Heifu was born a commoner, he is clever and steady, knows how to use momentum, and understands the principle that beneath fragrant bait, there are bound to be dead fish. Even if it were me, I might not necessarily do better than him!"

Zhao Gao was full of admiration, but Yan Le felt a chill run down his spine. Zhao Gao was a man of deep and profound thoughts; the more he praised someone, the deeper his wariness and hatred.

And at this moment, the degree to which Heifu was praised and esteemed by Zhao Gao was second only to Meng Yi, who had once sentenced Zhao Gao to death!

Why was this so? As Zhao Gao recalled, he realized that his wariness of Heifu originated from that inexplicable killing intent outside the royal tent in Chen County...

He was certain that in that instant, the light flashing in Heifu's eyes, the suddenly quickened breathing, the lightly clenched fist — it was the stirring of murderous intent! Though it lasted only a moment, it was detected by the sensitive Zhao Gao.

At the time, Zhao Gao had thought it was a coincidence. This Heifu was meeting him for the first time, with no grievance or enmity between them — why would there be killing intent?

It was not until last month, when the Emperor ordered the ministers to deliberate on an honorific title, that he realized. He had thought he would stand out alone, but unexpectedly, Heifu had charged out halfway! And his proposal was almost identical to his own!

When he received the imperial edict promoting his noble rank, what Zhao Gao felt was not honor or pride, but an inexplicable rage.

And a deep sense of crisis!

"If that memorial had been submitted by the Commandant of Justice, Li Si, so be it. But a southern barbarian brat, able to fathom His Majesty's thoughts as well?!"

And so, Zhao Gao began to trip Heifu up. He did not expect to make him lose the Emperor's favor in one go, but at the very least, he wanted to test the depth of this man...

Among the twelve winding paths on the Liubo board, there existed "evil paths" unfavorable for moving pieces, yet Heifu, whether by intuition or instinct, walked the "good path" without deviation.

Zhao Gao's probe had come to naught.

He lowered his head, gazing at the black and white Xiao pieces clutched tightly in his hand, and sank into deep thought.

On the Liubo divination board, there were also concepts of the Life Gate, the Death Gate, mutual generation, and mutual overcoming, which likewise influenced the game.

Zhao Gao considered himself a white Xiao piece that had slowly metamorphosed from a San piece. A mother who suffered punishment and hardship, an origin in the lowly and humble Hidden Officials' quarter — he had gritted his teeth, earned military merit to regain his freedom, and through relentless civil and martial cultivation, transformed from an illiterate commoner into one of the top three calligraphy masters in the land, entering His Majesty's field of vision.

Twenty years of official career, eight thousand days and nights of diligence and dedication — he had not slacked off for a single day. Even in the details of choosing a son-in-law through marriage, he deliberately selected Yan Le, a capable but low-status petty clerk, to give the Emperor the impression that Zhao Gao never formed cliques to secure his own position.

His efforts had been rewarded. If Li Si was the minister the Emperor relied on most heavily, then Zhao Gao was the close minister the Emperor trusted most.

Yet now, facing Heifu, only four words remained in Zhao Gao's heart.

"The younger generation commands respect!"

Seeing Zhao Gao silent, Yan Le cautiously said, "Father-in-law, that Heifu merely escaped censure by luck. If once is not enough, then a second time. How about letting me..."

"No need!"

Zhao Gao, however, said decisively, "This matter ends here. This lad possesses both wisdom and strategy. If we act rashly and make him vigilant, it would be counterproductive."

A light move that yielded no effect? No matter, no matter. Zhao Gao was in no hurry. A masterful hunter always waits for the optimal opportunity.

"Though I feel wary of this lad, I am not worried that he can surpass me! The closeness and distance of a favored minister — how can victory or defeat be decided in a single morning or evening?"

As he spoke these words with an air of indifference, Zhao Gao walked over to the quietly burning charcoal brazier and cast the black Xiao piece, crushed and peeling in his grip, into the flames!

As the flames devoured the black piece and the light flickered in his eyes, Zhao Gao revealed a trace of a ferocious grin.

"You are in the light! I am in the dark!"

(End of chapter)