Chapter 001 Fetching Water

  February in Jiangnan, spring chill is sharp.

  Wang County is a small county town on the east side of Liangzhe Road, adjacent to Ningbo Prefecture, with a long history, quiet and prosperous, and its people live in peace and happiness.

  In the suburbs of Wangxian City, there is a narrow river called Yuyuan River, which leads directly to the East China Sea. Along both banks of the river, willows are planted in full bloom. The willow branches hang down halfway, swaying gently with the wind. As the willows begin to sprout new buds, their light yellow tender leaves resemble a thin mist.

  The dawn was faintly lit, and a layer of cold air shrouded the Jade Garden River.

  In the hazy dawn light, diligent people have already started going out. Along the river, there are sparse voices of people, some washing clothes and others fetching water, as the riverbank gradually becomes lively.

  Chen Jiong carried two buckets of water and fetched water in the Jade Garden River.

  Wang County is a water town in Jiangnan, where it's not common to dig wells. The locals all fetch water from the river. Half a year ago, Chen Jiong crossed over and saw this scene, feeling distressed: This river, used for washing vegetables, clothes, toilets, and drinking water, how unsanitary is that!

  People of this era did not have the concept of hygiene.

  Half a year later, Chen Jing had become indifferent and accepted this way of life.

  He fetched two pails of water, and the sky gradually brightened up.

  The morning sun peeked out from the willow branches, its rosy glow spreading across the rippling river surface, instantly covering it with a layer of brocade, shimmering and alluring.

  "Good morning, sir." Chen Xuan put down the water and ran into this old man again, so he stopped and greeted him.

  For half a month now, this old gentleman has been taking a walk by the river every morning with a young servant.

  Chen Jiong also fetches water every day.

  They meet every day. Sometimes it's very early, or the weather is bad, and the whole river embankment is just the two of them. Chen Yun gives a polite smile to this old man. He has two buckets of water in his hands and doesn't have the energy to stop and say anything else, afraid that if he does, he won't be able to lift them anymore. Every time, they just exchange smiles and pass each other by.

  Today, Chen Jun's sister-in-law is taking the child to her maternal home, so there is no need for so much water at home, and this trip can be ended. Therefore, when Chen Jun saw the old man coming over, he put down the bucket of his own accord and greeted him.

  The old man was taken aback for a moment.

  He then smiled warmly: "Young master, good morning."

  Old Mr. Yang Zhi Zhou had just returned to his hometown of Wangxian in the first month from Beijing. The Jade Garden River was not like this before. Fifty years ago, there were several houses near the river, including the ancestral home of Yang Zhi Zhou.

  Fifty years ago, the Yuanyuan River flooded due to continuous heavy rainfall, submerging nearby houses and triggering an epidemic. Since then, the government has built high river embankments, and there have been no more houses.

  This riverbank carried Yang Zhi's childhood. When he was young, he would also wake up before dawn to watch his mother washing clothes, rice and fetching water by the river. As people grow older, memories of their childhood are like overflowing river water.

  So Yang Zhi Zhou had to come to the riverbank every day, searching for his former shadow.

  For half a month, he met this water-carrying young man every day.

  The young man carrying water, about sixteen or seventeen years old, was slightly tall and slender, but thin and weak. He wore a silk robe, although it was half old, it could be seen that he was not a servant.

  This young man has the air of a bookworm.

  In this era, people who read books are tasteful.

  Fetching water and such chores should be done by a young servant in the household. If the family is slightly less well-off and doesn't have a young servant, it should be done by a maid, or if all else fails, a female family member.

  Reading is an expensive thing, truly poor families can't afford to read books. To be a reader, you need at least some family wealth.

  A scholar with a decent family background would not be without a wife and servants, so why would he need to fetch water himself?

  Yang Zhi Zhou was somewhat perplexed.

  The young man smiled at Yang Zhiou every time, and at first, Yang Zhiou was also stunned: what does this mean? If you want to make friends intentionally, stop and bow to greet each other; if you are a stranger, why smile at someone's home?

  Yang Zhi Zhou also gradually became too lazy to scold him.

  He has grown old and experienced the vicissitudes of life, seeing through the world of men, unencumbered by trivialities.

  "Late-born Chen Jing. I've seen the old man walking by the river many times, isn't he cold?" Chen Jing asked with a smile. On the riverbank in early spring, the wind was chilly, blowing under his sleeves and making them feel cool.

  Aren't you cold?

  Who asks for leave first and starts with this?

  Yang Zhi Zhou felt a bit helpless in his heart, thinking that this young man was not playing by the usual rules, but still smiled warmly and said: "It's not cold." Polite and courteous, yet distant.

  "You go ahead, take a stroll, I'll head back." Chen Jing saw that the old man was slightly on guard and knew that if he continued to talk, people would think he had ulterior motives, so he picked up the water bucket again and passed by.

  Yang Zhi Zhou was slightly surprised.

  He gazed at Chen Jing's receding back, silent for a moment. Compared to the shaky half-month ago, Chen Jing's posture of carrying water was much more stable now.

  Yang Zhi Zhou shook his head and smiled slightly.

  In the following days, he continued to take a walk by the river and would still run into Chen Jing who got up early to fetch water.

  Chen Jing had to carry water ten times a day. Those two thin arms could steadily lift two large buckets of water, which was really not easy.

  "Good morning, sir." Chen Jiong smiled and said every time, then carried the water bucket and quickly brushed past Yang Zhi Zhou's side.

  Yang Zhi Zhou lost his smile.

  The young servant following behind couldn't help but speak in a low voice, saying: "Master, that young gentleman is truly impolite."

  "It's alright..." Yang Zhi Zhou said, "Young people should be a bit more carefree, that young master is quite good."

  Several days passed and it was March already, the weather gradually warmed up.

  Yang Zhi Zhou went for a walk again, bringing a young servant with him. The servant carried the chessboard and pieces, and they set up a game on the stone table and chairs by the riverbank.

  Passersby would sometimes play a game with him.

  Chen Jing would stop and look around when he fetched the last bucket of water. Sometimes, when there was no one else around, Chen Jing would also play chess with Yang Zhiou, playing three games before returning.

  "...I lost my parents at the age of six. Our family was not prosperous. Under my elder brother, five children died young, and I was the seventh one who was barely raised. My elder brother is twelve years older than me, like a father teaching and raising me."

  He was a promising young man. Two years ago, he went to the capital to take part in the spring examination and failed to pass, so he didn't come back, and nobody knows where he is now. For these two years, there has been no news of him at all." When playing chess, Yang Zhi asked about Chen Jie's family background, such as whose family he was from and who else was in his family, just some ordinary small talk.

  Chen Jiong told the truth.

  After being together for more than a month, Yang Zhi Zhou felt that Chen Jing was a very down-to-earth kid, who said what he meant and never put on airs.

  "There's my sister-in-law at home, an eight-year-old nephew, a six-year-old niece, and a servant girl. I'm the only man in the house, so naturally I do the heavy work." Yang Zhi Zhou asked Chen Jing why he was carrying water, and Chen Jing told him the truth.

  Yang Zhi Zhou smiled again.

  Manual labor is what I do...

  Chen Jie said it was only natural.

  Although Chen Jing's behavior is not like that of a scholar, and lacks the elegance of a scholar. However, Chen Jing's attitude makes Yang Zhi Zhou very fond of him. There is no resentment in Chen Jing's words. At such a young age, he has experienced so much hardship, yet remains calm and composed, which is truly rare.

  This is even more difficult than the posture of a bookworm.

  "Your brother will come back," Yang Zhi Chou comforted Chen Jing.

  "Yes, I also told my sister-in-law so." Chen Jing said, "No news is good news."

  Yang Zhi Zhou smiled again.

  "Although these words are rough and unrefined, they are not unreasonable." Yang Zhi Zhou praised.

  Chen Jiong smiled.

  After finishing a game, Yang Zhi Zhou won by five points. Chen Jing carried the water bucket back home. Just like that, one morning passed.

  After Chen Jing left, Yang Zhi Zhou stared at the chessboard and suddenly became dazed.

  That's not right.

  Chen Jiong played chess every day, only three games. The first two games, he always lost, but not much. By the third game, he would inevitably win back the number of goals he had lost in the previous two games.

  It's always like this!

  It's been several days already, it can't all be a coincidence.

  Yang Zhi Zhou gazed at the chessboard, furrowing his brow for a long time.

  Yang Zizhou was not a master of Go. In his youth, he pursued fame and read books diligently, passing the imperial examination at the age of 20, but failing in the spring exam three times, until he passed as a jinshi at the age of 32.

  In the first half of his life, God was tormenting him, making him go through all sorts of hardships. Fortunately, he did not disappoint him. He passed the imperial examination and his official career was smooth and easy afterwards. Several times when there were intrigues in the court, he chose the right master, which was his good fortune.

  So he spent his whole life reading books, being an official, and becoming a high-ranking official, with goals and pursuits.

  Go, as one of the four arts of qin, qi, shu and hua, was naturally mastered by scholars. However, Yang Zhiou didn't have time to delve deeper into this elegant pastime, nor did he particularly like it.

  Now retired and back in his hometown, Yang Zhi Chou plays chess to pass the time. Every time he plays chess, it's not that he's playing chess, but rather observing the people who play chess with him. Even when facing ordinary opponents, Yang Zhi Chou likes to ponder their thoughts.

  Yang Zhihou is more interested in people.

  It wasn't until today that he felt something was off about Chen Jing's chess skills, having always neglected the actual board and relied on his own clever mind and quick calculations to handle ordinary people with ease.

  Chen Yun's chess style is stable and strong, his offense is not fierce, like a gentle stream that flows for a long time, making it difficult for people to be amazed by his chess style. Moreover, he lost from the beginning, which also conforms to people's understanding of young people.

  When others realized something was wrong, Chen Yun had already won...

  With this doubt in mind, when Yang Zhi Zhou met Chen Jing again the next day, he specially paid attention to his layout and movement.

  They are playing a game of weiqi (Go), Yang Zhiyou is playing with the white pieces and makes the first move, this is also one of the most common opening moves in the world.

  Halfway through the game, Yang Zhiyou discovered that the entire chessboard was under Chen Jing's control.

  He summoned up his spirit and responded with all his heart, finally winning Chen Jing by two and a half points. When it was time to settle the score, Yang Zhi Chou discovered that something was still not right, this was not the victory he had wanted, but rather the one Chen Jing had allowed him to have.

  In Go, no matter how hard Yang Zhi Chou tried to be fierce, by the time he got to the endgame, he found himself completely powerless, entirely under his opponent's control.

  Yang Zhi Zhou smiled and said, "It's over. The difference in strength is too great, it's really not interesting."

  "Bravo!" Chen Jiong laughed and said, "But having won two and a half games from me, you say the strength is vastly different? Old man, you're being unreasonable."

  Yang Zhi Zhou burst out laughing and said: "I'm saying that you, young friend, are deeply hidden and not revealing your true skills, your chess skills are extremely high, I willingly admit defeat."

  Chen Jiong suddenly realized that he had already been seen through by the other party.

  He smiled and didn't explain anything.

  He didn't plan to hide for long. This Mr. Yang had a pair of particularly bright eyes, as if they could see through people's hearts, and it was only a matter of time before he saw through the cracks.

  The two of them have been playing chess from a single "good morning" to now, for over a month. Mr. Yang's way of addressing Chen Jing has risen from the initial "young master" to "young friend".

  "Whose disciple is this young friend in terms of chess skills?" Yang Zhi asked Chen Jing.

  Chen Jiong stood up and smiled, "I have chess manuals at home that I've studied myself. Old sir, I'm going to head back." After a pause, Chen Jiong added, "You call me 'young friend', I shouldn't be hiding it from you either. Not only do I study chess manuals, but also medical books.

  Your arm pain has been going on for some time now. Previously, I didn't know if it was a taboo topic, so I didn't dare to mention it. Now that I look at your complexion again, dragging it out won't do any good. It's better to find a doctor and take some medicine carefully. It's just a minor illness, you don't have to be shy about seeing a doctor.

  Having said that, Chen Jing picked up the water bucket and hurried home with quick steps.

  For example, two months ago he was staggering, but now he can easily lift two buckets of water.

  Yang Zhi Zhou stood there in a daze.

  His eyes, for a moment, were dim and unclear, his hands involuntarily grasped his arms. The morning glow was resplendent, as if on Chen Jing's body, it had traversed the golden border, making his slender and weak back appear tall and sturdy.

  Yang Zhi Zhou's lips curled up, and a few strands of smile emerged.

  "Ha, it's been many years since I've met a young man like you..."