Respect After Chess, Eager for a Contest

"Oh? Something interesting seems to be happening upstairs."

As soon as the group entered and saw the scene in the hall, someone spoke up. The person who spoke was Xi Muyuan, who had met Qiu Yan once before.

This group of people, besides Zhen Zhizuo and Xi Muyuan, also included Zheng Yi from the Spring and Autumn Academy and An Jin from the Nine Abyss Academy, who had met Qiu Yan before.

The remaining few were also extraordinary; a single glance or expression could captivate others. Each of them possessed a profound and Qi Nurturing aura, and upon entering the building, they immediately spread out an aura that caused the surrounding scholars to instinctively step aside.

Those who recognized the group fell silent, offering only polite greetings.

These people are the backbone and true core figures of the major academies in Eastern Capital. Each of them can be called a flag bearer. In terms of status, they are no less than Gao Song of the Ritual Reverence Academy, and may even be more so.

The time they chose to enter the building was also extraordinary. Although the Literary Pavilion Appraisal had no strict rules or clear procedures, and on the surface it was just a gathering of literati, similar things had happened before, so they could roughly estimate the time. Many people understood that soon, after the great Grand Confucian and teachers finished their annotations and ranked the participants, they would appear, and at that time, the appreciation would officially begin.

Considering the timeframe, it's actually quite urgent. Those who arrive at this crucial moment can be considered the final figures, or as the saying goes, "Arriving late." By striking the right balance, they can demonstrate a different status and position from others.

This was a situation deliberately created by Xi Muyuan. On his journey, he first encountered Gao Song, debated with him, and gained a slight advantage. Then he met his friends from other academies, and after their conversation, he met Zhen Zhizuo and Zheng Yi, exchanging pleasantries. Finally, there were unexpected guests, and he greeted everyone one by one.

The time wasted in the back and forth was all within Xi Muyuan's calculations, and by the time they arrived at the Literary Pavilion, this situation of arriving last had occurred.

However, according to Xi Muyuan's expectations, when they entered the building, they would definitely be met with pairs of eyes filled with surprise and awe. But right now, although they were also greeted with eyes filled with awe, their number was far too small.

Turning his gaze, Xi Muyuan noticed that most people were gathered in a corner of the hall, looking at something. The scholars on the outermost edge were even standing on tiptoe, craning their necks and straining to see inside. Some people were even standing on the nearby stairs, looking down at the scene and nodding occasionally.

"Gentlemen, you haven't ranked the articles yet, and they haven't been circulated to everyone. Why are you all gathered in one place?" Xi Muyuan suppressed his displeasure, glanced over, and said casually.

No sooner had these words been spoken than a loud, booming voice came from outside the door—

"Since Mr. Xi is curious, why don't we go and take a look? We'll then know the answer."

As the voice faded, a burly man walked in. He was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, wearing a dark-sleeved robe that was taut by his bulging muscles, giving him a strong and powerful appearance.

After the man came in, he touched his hair. His hair was tied up with a headscarf, crooked and messy, clearly hastily tied up. It was a chaotic Dali, neither here nor there.

His skin was slightly dark, and his appearance and demeanor were quite different from those of people from the Central Plains, giving him a fierce feeling. When he spoke, although his tone was accurate, there was a slight trailing tone, which made him seem a bit strange.

However, this fierce man was now wearing a friendly smile, expressing respect and admiration for Xi Muyuan, Zhen Zhizuo and others. His manners were impeccable, even more so than those of ordinary people from the Central Plains.

"Brother Duolu is right, let's go take a look." Xi Muyuan smiled slightly, was very friendly to the burly man, and called him by name.

This man was Duolu, who had once accompanied Prince Yan.

It was clear that the scholarly atmosphere in the Duolu Building was suppressing his true nature. As Xi Muyuan spoke, he glanced around and made no attempt to hide his envy. "As expected of the Central Lands Celestial Dynasty, even the layout of the building is meticulous. I am just a rough man and cannot see the exquisite details, but I can still feel the extraordinary meaning in the subtle details, as if it can calm the mind and soothe the soul."

Zhen Zhizuo then said, "The Literary Pavilion is an extraordinary person. The reason he agreed to include this pavilion in the evaluation is because of the gentlemen."

"I see." Duolu quickly thanked Zhen Zhizuo, his posture very humble. However, as he bowed, a glint of greed flashed in his eyes, revealing a desire to seize everything around him. But when he looked up, the strange look in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by a look of respect.

Because of the angle of view, no one around noticed anything unusual.

As they spoke, the group ascended the stairs. Along the way, the scholars recognized them and bowed before departing.

Duolu added, " In the Celestial Dynasty, True Person courteous and there is a proper order between superiors and inferiors. If our Grasslands could be like that, that would be wonderful. I hope you gentlemen will do me the honor of accompanying me on my return journey, so that we, the people of the Grasslands, may be inspired by the Literary Thought the Celestial Dynasty."

Xi Muyuan laughed and said, "Brother Duolu, you really know how to seize an opportunity."

Duolu shook his head and said, "Isn't there a saying in the Central Plains, 'Sincerity can move even mountains'? I believe that as long as we persevere, we can definitely move you gentlemen." As he spoke, his gaze swept over Zhen Zhizuo and the others, his face full of sincerity, but he received no response.

Despite being given the cold shoulder, Duolu showed no sign of discouragement and continued to smile.

"Alright, let's not mention this matter for now. If you really want to..." Xi Muyuan was speaking, but his words suddenly stopped, his smile froze on his face, and his pupils contracted sharply, reflecting a figure—

That was Qiu Yan, who was playing chess.

They walked up the stairs, looking down over the crowd and getting a clear view of Qiu Yan playing chess with someone.

"Huh? Isn't this Qiu Yan? He's here too." Zhen Zhizuo exclaimed upon seeing him.

"That's not all. In my opinion, Young Master Qiu's purpose in coming here is far from small," Zheng Yi from the Spring and Autumn Academy commented, a smile always on his face.

"Huh?" Duolu followed the gazes of the group, his eyes sweeping over the two people playing chess before finally settling on Qiu Yan. "Isn't this an old friend of Prince Yan?"

He recognized Qiu Yan immediately, and a thought struck him.

A few days ago, he met with Prince Yan and happened to run into Qiu Yan. After listening to Yang Ying's words, Duolu realized Qiu Yan's extraordinary nature and wanted to befriend him, but Prince Yan stopped him, and the matter was eventually dropped.

Looking back, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, never expecting to meet him here again.

"This time, we can't let them get away so easily..."

While Doru was Duolu, the game was already decided. The man opposite Qiu Yan sighed, then resigned, stood up, bowed to Qiu Yan, and spoke politely and respectfully.

Not only this person, but also three or four people stood around the table. From the subtle expressions of these people, one could see their respect. When Qiu Yan stood up, they all took two steps back, which was a kind of disciple's salute.

The man surnamed Hu was among them.

In fact, five games had passed since Gao Song conceded defeat and the man surnamed Hu stepped in. In these five games, only one person actually finished a game; the others all conceded defeat in the middle game.

"Even Jiang Han conceded defeat before the mid-game."

"Is Qiu Yan really that amazing?"

"I wonder if it's just my imagination, but the aura of those who have played chess seems to have changed slightly..."

"That shouldn't be the case. Chess is a contest of mind and will, and there are no fixed patterns. Qiu Yan's chess skills are not exceptionally high, so there's no reason why he could force so many people to resign in the middle game, especially since many of them were still in a winning position."

"In any case, Qiu Yan is about to rise to fame."

"This person already had a reputation, and after this, his fame will inevitably soar even higher."

The murmurs grew louder, making Xi Muyuan's expression even more unpleasant, while Na Duolu's eyes shone as he listened to Zhen Zhizuo and the others' conversation, gradually learning about Qiu Yan's background.

When Duolu heard about the debate that defeated He Shuchang and stirred up Junior Chen, his eyes flashed with intense emotion. He wished he could go down and befriend Qiu Yan immediately, but he knew the gravity of the situation and that leaving at this time would offend everyone present, so he held back.

"Let's be patient for now. Going down now wouldn't give me any advantage. Qiu Yan has a past with Prince Yan, and I've done Prince Yan a great favor. Using this favor to get Prince Yan's recommendation shouldn't be a problem. If we can bring this person back to the Grasslands..."

His mind raced with thoughts, and he made up his mind.

"This Qiu Yan has gained some fame these days, so his appearance here is not surprising. However, the appraisal has not yet begun, and he is already playing chess there, which seems a bit unrefined." Xi Muyuan shook his head. He noticed the change in Duolu's expression and also noticed the attitude of the people around Qiu Yan him. He felt displeased and wanted to suppress Qiu Yan's arrogance.

"Gao Song is also joining in the fun..." After glancing at him again, Xi Muyuan turned to the Human Path around him and said, "Never mind that for now. I told my teacher the other day that I wanted to hear your teachings. He allowed me to enter the room and observe quietly, saying that it was a rare opportunity. If you are interested, you might as well come along."

As he spoke, he gave Duolu an apologetic smile, "Brother Duolu, please forgive me, this..."

"Mr. Xi, there's no need for further explanation. I understand." Duolu waved his hand. "I come from the Grasslands, and it's not convenient for me to visit you gentlemen right now. I'll just go up and meet the Prince." Although he said this, he couldn't help but show a hint of regret, and his feelings for Qiu Yan had also faded considerably.

"It's a pity that the people in that room are among the most outstanding scholars Literary Dao the Eastern Capital. They are probably among the best in the world. If I could pay them a visit and leave an impression, perhaps..."

Seeing the regret on Duolu's face, Xi Muyuan felt smug, thinking he had won back a round. He glanced at Qiu Yan again, said nothing more, and then led the group upstairs.

"Even if you cause a huge uproar here and become famous in the literary world of Eastern Capital, you are still just a scholar seeking knowledge, while I can share a room with you gentlemen and listen to your eloquent words. In this way, the difference in our abilities will be immediately apparent."

ps:

Thank you to "Amitabha Buddha - Good Man" for the monthly vote!