Chapter 65 Setting a Go Board at the Phoenix Terrace

Jiang Han boarded Qin Yunmian’s carriage and headed toward the Phoenix Terrace in Luoyang.

Today, the imperial princesses and the daughters of dukes were holding a gathering, and the chosen venue was none other than the Phoenix Terrace.

The Phoenix Terrace stood beside a river, with towering mountains in the distance and a small sandbar in the middle of the river where egrets played in the water, presenting a picturesque landscape.

The weather today was bright and clear, with warm sunlight—truly a perfect day for a spring outing.

The Phoenix Terrace was a two-story pavilion. On the second floor, tables and desks were arranged, laden with the Four Treasures of the Study and delicious delicacies.

Following Qin Yunmian off the carriage, Jiang Han was met with a sea of fluttering garments and the vibrant presence of young, beautiful maidens. A wave of surprise washed over him—why were there only girls here?

These young women were dressed in lavish attire, adorned with exquisite and peerless hair ornaments. Any casual hairpin plucked from their heads would be worth a thousand gold pieces.

"Young Master Jiang!" a sweet, melodious voice suddenly called out.

Jiang Han raised his head and saw a petite young girl waving enthusiastically at him as she trotted over. Though petite in stature, her bounding chest was astonishingly magnificent, heaving with a rhythmic bounce with every step she took.

"She is the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhong's estate, seems to be called Su Mei... She's well-suited for Confucianism!" Jiang Han could not help comparing this young girl to his martial aunt in his mind.

Ultimately, he concluded: they were a match, six of one and half a dozen of the other.

Su Mei of the Duke of Zhong's estate approached, cast a glance at Qin Yunmian, and curved her lips into a smile. "Young Master Jiang, I went to your house several times looking for you, but never managed to catch you. I even sent you invitations for tea, to which you never replied. Yet the moment Sister Yunmian extends an invitation, you come running."

What was the point of drinking tea, unless someone was offering him milk tea... Jiang Han smiled lightly and said, "I've been rather busy lately."

"Young Master Jiang, let's go inside. Many of the sisters are eager to see you!" Su Mei radiated warmth as she invited Jiang Han into the Phoenix Terrace.

"Alright," Jiang Han replied, then turned to look at Qin Yunmian, only to find her eyes lowered, her spirits seeming somewhat low.

"What's wrong?"

Qin Yunmian shook her head. She only suddenly felt that she perhaps shouldn't have brought Jiang Han along today, as Su Mei was altogether too enthusiastic toward him.

Following Qin Yunmian into the Phoenix Terrace, Jiang Han saw that the first floor was also set with numerous tables, upon which rested various pastries, wines, and writing materials.

Amidst the banquet, fluttering skirts and silvery laughter filled the air. Young maidens gathered in groups of twos and threes to chat and laugh, while maidservants moved between the tables bearing cups of tea.

Jiang Han silently guessed their identities: if the little wealthy benefactress was a princess, then these girls must either be princesses themselves, daughters of dukes, or scions of nobility...

By now, based on Qin Yunmian's surname and the authority she displayed, he had naturally guessed that she was a princess, though he still had no idea which specific princess she might be.

***

"Greetings, Young Master Jiang."

"Are you the proprietor of Dark Fragrance Dew? I've been to Dark Fragrance Dew several times, but could never buy any. You must sell me a bottle today."

Several young girls stepped forward to greet him, looking both shy and daring, while others cast curious glances at Jiang Han.

Naturally, Jiang Han did not feel stage fright; he smiled and responded to each of them.

Qin Yunmian furrowed her brow slightly. Watching these girls swarm around Jiang Han, an inexplicable feeling of displeasure rose within her.

By the window, two young girls sat opposite each other playing a game of Go, with three other girls watching the match.

"Sigh, I've lost again..." the girl holding the white pieces suddenly dropped her stone and conceded defeat.

"Sister Jinyu played three games against Grandmaster Lu Guan last year, winning two and losing one, and even Grandmaster Lu Guan praised her exceptional Go skills. It's only natural that you can't beat her; winning against her would be the abnormal thing," a round-faced girl watching from the side said with a smile.

"That's true. I won't play anymore... Oh? Jiang Han is here?"

"Jiang Han? The Jiang Han who wrote 'My robes grow looser by the day, yet I never regret; for her, I waste away in haggard grief'?" The young girl named Jinyu raised her gaze, lifting her delicate eyebrows as she asked.

"That's right, it's him. I heard Sister Su Mei call his name."

Jinyu stood up, scanned her surroundings, and finally let her gaze land on Jiang Han. "You are Young Master Jiang Han?"

Hearing someone calling him, Jiang Han followed the sound and looked over, his eyes lighting up instantly. What a gorgeous girl, her beauty was truly top-tier...

After sweeping a glance across her chest, however, Jiang Han calmed down. Flat as a board, pass.

"I am he," Jiang Han replied. "Does the young lady have any instruction for me?"

A spark of eagerness flickered in the girl's eyes. "I've heard you are brimming with talent. Would you care to have a match with me?"

A puzzled look crossed Jiang Han's face. A match?

Qin Yunmian softly explained, "Her name is Wen Jinyu. She's a renowned talented maiden of Luoyang City, and she plays an exceptional game of Go."

Ah, she wants to play Go with me... Jiang Han smiled, shook his head, and said, "Jiang has never studied Go and is utterly clueless about the game. I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint the young lady."

"Is that so..." Wen Jinyu's brows furrowed, and she let out a disappointed sigh. She had been playing Go since childhood, and even the Grandmaster Lu Guan had once been defeated by her. She had assumed that since Jiang Han was so talented and capable of writing such poetry, his proficiency in Go would naturally not be low either. Who could have expected that he didn't even know how to play Go?

Many of the other young girls were also somewhat disappointed. Recently, those few poems had spread like wildfire through Luoyang, and everyone had been guessing that the author must be a peerless, extraordinarily gifted scholar proficient in all the scholarly arts—the zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting. To think Jiang Han couldn't even play Go... This shattered the romantic illusions the maidens had held in their hearts.

***

Beside Wen Jinyu, a round-faced girl looked at Jiang Han with a mocking expression and smiled. "Using that as an excuse just because you know playing against Sister Jinyu will result in a crushing defeat. After all, Sister Jinyu's Go skills are peerless, and she has even defeated Grandmaster Lu Guan. Yet to lack even the courage to play—this man is hardly worth much... You must know that not long ago, Hua Ruyi, one of the Four Talents, played seven consecutive games with Sister Jinyu. Though he lost six in a row, he fought on despite repeated defeats, and managed a draw in the final game. At least he showed commendable courage."

The girl did not lower her voice as she spoke.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Han merely smiled faintly and ignored the remark. Surely he couldn't stoop to arguing with a young girl?

Seeing that Jiang Han remained completely unphased by the round-faced girl's provocation, Wen Jinyu shook her head, feeling a deep sense of disappointment. The so-called talented scholar turned out to be all fame and no substance.

At that moment, Princess Ningning, Qin Yuhua, who was acting as the banquet director, stood up and smiled to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Lady Wen's Go skills are superb, making her practically a female Go saint—naturally beyond the reach of ordinary people... Since today is such a fine day with lovely scenery, why don't we play a drinking game?"

Attracted by the Princess, the flock of maidens gradually shifted their attention away from Jiang Han.

The tightly furrowed brow of Qin Yunmian finally relaxed.

Seeing that the girls had turned to playing drinking games and were no longer paying attention to him, Jiang Han was more than happy to be free. He walked straight over to the Go board by the window and lowered his head to inspect it.

On the board, the black and white pieces were locked in a fierce, bloody battle.

"That Wen Jinyu actually has some skill..."

Jiang Han knew a thing or two about Go. Though his own proficiency was not high, he could still tell from this game that Wen Jinyu's playing style was fierce and aggressive, with danger lurking in every move.

An idea suddenly popped into his head, and he grinned.

Able to defeat a grandmaster?
A female Go saint?
How impressive!

I just wonder if you'd be able to break a Go puzzle set up by me.

On a whim, he picked up a few pieces and began rearranging them right there on the board.

"What are you doing?" Qin Yunmian blinked her eyes, stepped closer to take a look, and was instantly captivated by the configuration of the board.