Jianfeng Chess Hall
In the lounge, Su Ziji was reading with his head lowered. After a while, he narrowed his eyes and gazed out at the rain-shrouded courtyard. A chess hall servant came in, saw that his tea had gone cold, and intended to replace it with a hot cup.
"No need. Tell me, how is the chess match going?" Su Ziji looked up and asked.
The servant answered respectfully, "Duke, they are still playing over there. The Duchess has already won two matches."
Learning that they were still playing, Su Ziji waved the man out and continued reading.
Before long, another set of footsteps sounded. Su Ziji frowned and looked up again, displeased, only to see an acquaintance enter.
"Young Marquis Fang?"
The newcomer was none other than Fang Zhen.
"I dare not accept that form of address. Just call me Fang Zhen," Fang Zhen said hurriedly.
His appearance here truly was no chance encounter. Not long ago, he had been drinking with Su Ziji when, midway through, Su Ziji had asked him to help find an expert to teach martial arts to the people in his household—a private instructor, of sorts. Such a matter was nothing much, so Fang Zhen had immediately agreed.
I never expected to run into him here at the chess hall. No—or perhaps he learned I was at the chess hall and deliberately came to find me now, Su Ziji thought.
His intelligence, aptitude, and charm were all at 20. For the moment, Su Ziji himself had not changed too noticeably, but since the arts had reached their peak, the next thing to improve would be martial arts.
Naturally, he could not casually recruit martial men himself, so he used the excuse of teaching martial arts to his household and asked Fang Zhen for