Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Household expenses? What household expenses? Lian Cheng muttered a couple of times, then put the box away, figuring it was his payment for selling himself—free money, so why not take it.

Then Lian Cheng also sat down on the arhat bed. "Let's play chess."

Lian Xiusheng, sitting across from him, asked what happens if you win, and what happens if you lose.

Lian Cheng hadn't even thought about it. "Today's a rest day, chess is just for fun, winning or losing doesn't matter."

"The balsam flowers in the courtyard are blooming beautifully, I want to paint a picture today." Lian Xiusheng looked at the lush red balsam in the corner by the window, battered by the rain.

Lian Cheng grabbed a handful of fried melon seeds that Huqiu had brought over, not giving a damn. "If you want to paint, then paint, it's not like I'd stop you."

"Not on paper—on Third Brother's body." Lian Xiusheng said.

Lian Cheng nearly stabbed himself in the skull with a melon seed in shock. He coughed, took a drink of tea, and stammered "you-you-you" without getting a full sentence out, his face going red, then white, then red again, before finally gritting his teeth and asking: "Why don't you just threaten me outright? I'd have no choice but to agree."

Lian Xiusheng lowered his eyes, not wanting to see reluctance in his third brother's eyes. "Third Brother, let's not talk about those things."

"..." Lian Cheng couldn't be bothered to keep arguing with him—if they kept going back and forth, he'd start thinking the Traitor Minister was someone else entirely, not him who'd transmigrated into a book. He slapped the table and asked: "Since it's not a threat, then let's settle this fair and square, brother to brother. If you win, I'll even let you paint a turtle on my back. But if you lose, what then?"

"What does Third Brother want?"

Lian Cheng immediately broke into a gleeful grin. "You can't threaten me with the whole family anymore."

Lian Xiusheng said: "Then I'm not playing anymore."

"..." Lian Cheng was genuinely a bit angry now. "We've been talking for ages, and all you want is for everyone to play by your rules, but you can't handle it when the game's against you."

Lian Xiusheng said: "Third Brother is always playing possum, grabbing everything for himself. Others need three to five years just to scratch the surface, but Third Brother only needs three to five months. How am I supposed to win?"

Lian Cheng thought about it and figured that was true, so he backed down a step and proactively said: "Then let's play three games. If you can beat me once, then I'll let you paint on me. If you can't win a single round, then you can't ever threaten me again."

So the chess table was set up on the arhat bed, with a side table for tea and snacks, and servants waiting on them from all sides.

Lian Cheng took the white pieces. His chess style always changed depending on who he was playing—if the opponent attacked, he defended; if they defended, he went on the offensive; if they tried to play mind games, he'd play even more. To regular chess players, this was the most annoying style—unpredictable and always shifting. Lian Xiusheng lost the first round without much trouble. He glanced at his third brother, wiped his hands on a damp handkerchief, and gathered the pieces to prepare for the second round.

As he set down the handkerchief, Lian Xiusheng suddenly asked: "Third Brother, that sash I gave you—do you keep it on you?"

Huh? What sash? Lian Cheng was stunned for a moment, then it took him a while to remember—he was talking about the handkerchief he'd shoved at him in the lotus pond. Why the hell would he carry that thing around? Even if it were a love token, there was no need to carry it every day. He had plenty of nice handkerchiefs with fancy patterns.

And besides, it wasn't even that—Lian Cheng grumbled inwardly—it was proof of a serious moral crime!

But of course, he wasn't about to shout that out all righteous and indignant. He mumbled: "It got dirty, so Tong Xue took it to wash. Besides, it's a rest day and I'm home—I didn't bring anything with me."

Lian Xiusheng didn't push it—asking more would just make things awkward.

The two continued playing chess. Man Cai swapped out the incense in the burner and came over to refill the tea. When he finally sat down, it was right next to Lian Cheng, holding a red-handled, gold-speckled Sichuan fan to fan him. His voice was soft and sweet, like he was singing a little tune: "Third Brother plays chess so well—I'm no good at it."

Lian Cheng placed a piece, then replied, saying he could teach him chess sometime when he was free.

"Jin Cai is teaching me," Man Cai said.

Lian Cheng glanced at him. "Then why are you telling me? Just stick with him, then."

"I like Third Brother, I just want to talk more with you," Man Cai said.

Huqiu watched from the side with furious eyes—a proper man, a servant boy, putting on airs like some vixen, truly disgusting!

Then he thought again, and figured Man Cai was a spy sent by Sixth Brother, deliberately trying to distract his master and mess up his chess game so he'd lose. With that thought, Huqiu made his move—he grabbed Man Cai like a little chick and hauled him off the arhat bed. "Come on, let's go practice martial arts!"

Man Cai yelped a few times, saying it was raining heavily outside, but Huqiu said they could train indoors. Man Cai shouted that he didn't want to train, that he'd work up a sweat and stink. The two of them bickered noisily as they walked out of the room, disappearing to who knows where, leaving only the two brothers by the window in the room, both silent, deep in thought like hunters stalking prey.

When Lian Tao and Lian Xiao came from the distant corridor, through several turns of eaves with rain falling like curtains, they spotted the two older brothers focused on their chess game through the open window. Lian Xiao, being the more steady-tempered of the two, saw the serious expressions on both brothers and grabbed Lian Tao. "Tao Geer, Third Brother and Sixth Brother seem to be discussing something. Let's not disturb them."

Lian Tao stood on his tiptoes, straining to look, then said: "They're playing chess! Come on, let's go take a look!" He grabbed Lian Xiao and ran through the corridor.

When they arrived, panting, they each plastered themselves against the window, poking their heads in. "The two brothers are playing chess!" Lian Tao said.

Lian Xiusheng swept a glance at him. "Didn't you already see that from over there? Why ask again?"

"Can the two brothers play a round with me and Xiao Geer too? Test us out," Lian Tao said again.

Lian Cheng thought for a long time, placed his piece, and looked at Lian Tao. "Your fifth sister and cousin both play chess well. Go defeat them first, then come challenge me and Sixth Brother."

"What's the point of playing chess with women?" Lian Tao curled his lips.

Lian Cheng said: "Since you look down on your two sisters, you should go beat them even more. If you can defeat them, I'll believe your words. If you can't, then you're worse than a woman."

Lian Tao was stuck between a rock and a hard place, rubbing his left foot against his right. Lian Xiao beside him quickly clasped his hands and bowed respectfully: "Third Brother, in a few days is Sixth Madam's birthday. I and Tao Geer have followed your orders these past few months and haven't seen Sixth Madam, but on her birthday, since we are her sons, we should pay our respects. Will Third Brother permit us to see Sixth Madam?"

Lian Cheng held his piece and looked at Lian Xiao. "You're smarter than Tao Geer."

Lian Xiao also began to grow nervous and tense, lowering his head and standing with feet together, rubbing his left foot against his right.

After a long moment, Lian Cheng finally lowered his gaze and said: "For Sixth Madam's birthday, the household should by custom hold a banquet. On that day she's the birthday star—there's no reason not to let her see her sons."

Lian Xiao immediately bowed deeply in gratitude to Lian Cheng. "Third Brother is truly righteous and understanding. I and Lian Tao thank Third Brother. In the future, we will study twice as hard and no longer bring shame or cause trouble for the family!"

The two brothers ran off hand in hand, and only then did Lian Cheng drop his stern elder brother facade, letting out a sigh of relief before leaning over to ask Lian Xiusheng if he'd looked imposing just now.

"The beautiful one is fair as jade," Lian Xiusheng said.

Lian Cheng wasn't impressed, and returned his focus to the chess game.

Perhaps heaven was watching over him—Lian Cheng could see he was about to win another round. He rubbed his hands together eagerly and kept sending subtle provocative looks at Lian Xiusheng. What powerful minister, what traitor, what vice minister or Chief Grand Secretary—mere defeated opponents!

So Lian Cheng leaned out the window, checked that no one was around, and called out: "Is anyone out there? Come, a good sister, bring me some cold wine to drink!"

Several maidservants were gathered in the room nearby working on shoe soles. Hearing Third Brother's voice, one of the sweeping maids said: "Isn't Huqiu attending to the young master in his room?" The one beside her replied: "No, just now I saw Huqiu dragging Man Cai off to find Uncle Li San—he's probably long gone from the young master's room."

"Those two worthless servants, all they do is eat and never work," Qiong Hua put down her shoe sole and took off her thimble. "You all keep busy with your work, I'll go look after the young master."

Qiong Hua arrived with the cold wine, cautioning him not to drink too much, just a couple of sips would do. Lian Cheng mumbled in agreement but immediately downed three cups in a row, exclaiming how refreshing it was. Then he urged Lian Xiusheng to hurry up and start the third round with him. Lian Xiusheng laughed at him: "Third Brother, drink less wine. If you get too tipsy, you might lose to me."

Lian Cheng paid it no mind, and even warned Lian Xiusheng not to try reverse psychology on him—he wasn't falling for that.

The final round that would decide everything began amidst the gradually intensifying rain. Lian Cheng had drunk cold wine, but his stomach remained hot. He didn't mean that a man shouldn't submit beneath another, but he refused to be coerced. If he truly beat Lian Xiusheng this time, he wouldn't have to sell himself anymore.

Perhaps it was the cold wine clouding his head, or too much tension throwing off his rhythm—playing chess was like commanding troops, and Lian Cheng was no fool without courage or strategy, but he'd always had a frivolous style. Once his mind was disturbed, he tended to respond without thinking, charging in recklessly.

They sat across from each other in silence, the sound of pieces falling occasionally filling the air. Seeing Lian Xiusheng take the advantage, leaving Lian Cheng on the defensive, he nearly cried. Lian Xiusheng saw his state, and his hand paused slightly as he placed his piece, but he still set it down—only hesitating briefly in the process.

Then the black pieces declared victory, and the white territory was reduced to a mere inch of ground. Lian Cheng spat out a mouthful of cold wine, collapsing in despair, then resting his head on the railing, the world spinning around him. In utter disbelief, he pointed at Lian Xiusheng: "You, you, I'll kill you!"

Lian Xiusheng watched his third brother's dramatic performance, slowly picking up the pieces one by one, and said in a low voice: "Third Brother, we are brothers after all—there's no harm in being a little closer."

Lian Cheng rolled over and kicked Lian Xiusheng twice from under the chess table. When he went for a third kick, the other grabbed his ankle firmly. Lian Xiusheng's hand was very cold, so Lian Cheng propped himself up and said: "I've heard that people with cold bodies lack yang energy. And lacking yang energy—do you know what deficiency that causes in a man?"

Lian Xiusheng was intent on removing Third Brother's white silk socks, holding his jade-white foot in his hands as if it were a golden lotus.

"Whether my yang energy is sufficient or not, Third Brother should know best."

Lian Cheng had shot himself in the foot and was too furious to speak.

-

That evening, at lamplighting time, Lian Cheng ran to Lian Xiusheng's study to look for more storybooks. On the way, he met Qiu Mama, who grabbed him and said, "I was watching those maids and servants eat out back, and saw a full spread of delicacies. I was about to give them a good scolding when Huqiu stood up and said it was you who raised them up. Is that true?"

Lian Cheng said yes.

"Brother, honestly! You only need to give your servants a little treat now and then, not fine food and drink every single day. Before you know it, they'll be walking all over you." Qiu Mama clasped her hands and said, "I've heard from other courtyards before that you treat your servants well, and now it's gone overboard. Don't you think the others will be like crickets in a jar, scrambling tooth and nail to get into your courtyard?"

Lian Cheng quickly said, "Mama is right."

Then he added, "But Mama, you must not tell anyone, and make sure they don't tell anyone either."

Qiu Mama huffed at him a couple more times, but it went in one ear and out the other. Then Qiu Mama asked how his calligraphy practice was coming along. Seeing there was no escape, Lian Cheng bowed and said, "Already fit for a prince."

This time Qiu Mama was so angry she made a grab for his ear, but Lian Cheng ran off, calling back over his shoulder, "Qiu Mama, wait for me to come back before checking my homework! I'll save my ear for you!"

Lian Cheng had completely forgotten the afternoon's bet. The moment he entered Lian Xiusheng's study, he rummaged through boxes and cabinets with practiced ease. "Sixth Brother, find me some more good storybooks. You have more connections than I do, and better taste. Whatever you pick, I'll enjoy reading."

After a long silence with no response, Lian Cheng continued searching through several cabinets on his own, pulling out seven or eight books he hadn't read before. Just as he was about to leave, Lian Xiusheng called out to him, telling him to come to the desk.

There, under Lian Xiusheng's hands, were several inkstones in different colors—vivid red like pomegranates and crabapple blossoms, a verdant green like ripe fruit and moss, and a brilliant yellow like jade pots and golden cups. Lian Cheng had never seen such novel things before. He immediately put down the storybooks and went over to pick them up and examine them. "Where did these come from?"

"Back when I studied with Huaiyun and the others at the academy, the teacher gave them to me. I never used them. Today I searched for half a day before finding them." Lian Xiusheng walked around behind Third Brother and brought over two lamps to set down.

Lian Cheng noticed the surroundings suddenly brightened considerably. He looked left and right, puzzled. "So why did you dig them out today?"

Lian Xiusheng said he wanted to paint—specifically, garden balsam flowers.