106: Spiraling to Heaven and Nonsense

106: Rekindled Embers

It is said: Men enjoy dice games, women play cuju, they drink mare’s milk to get drunk, singing and calling to one another... Although Mingtian had never seen these dice, nor did he have any idea what they actually were—in fact, he didn’t even know how to pronounce the characters for them.

Theoretically, the best way to comfort Zhaoyu would be to play cuju with her, but Mingtian could not play ball. As a child, he had stepped on a ball and fallen, breaking his jaw and losing control of his bladder from the pain, so he had vowed never to play again.

Playing Go, however, was an option.

Mingtian didn’t even know how he had learned to play Go; he just played it often in the Penguin Gaming Lobby, so he considered it a hobby. In any case, he was quite confident in his skills. After all, in his past life, he had reached the level of a professional 6-dan player in the gaming lobby.

Zhaoyu said she didn’t know how to play, so he would just go easy on her...

Then, two hours later...

What... what kind of sorcery is this?

You call this not knowing how to play? You are practically bullying me, Big Tiger—no, wait, Mingtian!

Looking at the "great dragon" on the board that had been completely devoured, Mingtian saw that half of the white pieces in Zhaoyu’s bowl were gone. Looking at his own, his bowl was still full, and the entire board was a snowy white, covered in Zhaoyu’s pieces.

He had lost... lost so miserably!

It was so miserable that there was nowhere left to place a piece; Zhaoyu had even played the final move just to consume all of Mingtian’s remaining stones.

How brutal! You had already choked off the life of my great dragon, did you really have to finish it off with a move? This is Go, not Othello! Didn’t you say you didn’t know how to play?! You left me with only three black stones on the entire board! What is this madness?!

Watching Zhaoyu, who seemed distracted, resting her chin on her hand while toying with a white piece, Mingtian broke out in a cold sweat. He felt not just a high-level mockery, but the sheer malice of destiny itself.

Oh, right, I was supposed to comfort her and help her let go of her heartache. Yes, I can use this to my advantage.

Mingtian’s competitive spirit made him forget his original intention. Now, his mind was filled with nothing but the desire to save face, so he shamelessly came up with a trick.

"Well, not bad. It looks like you’ve won. Don’t move—let’s swap the black and white pieces. From now on, I am white and you are black. Let’s keep playing."

Mingtian made this demand with utter shamelessness.

Zhaoyu didn't react much; she just glanced at Mingtian’s righteous face for a moment before pushing her white bowl toward him with a look of utter boredom.

I am such a genius! After the swap, I have eighty-four white pieces on the board and you have three black ones. The white pieces have 125 liberties, while your black ones have none. Tell me, how can I possibly lose? Even a blind man could win this!

Hahahaha!

Once I crush her, I’ll spout some nonsense to justify it. That way, I’ll save face and maintain my reputation as a Go master. Yes, I am truly impressed by my own slick maneuvers!

Then, another half-hour passed...

The board, which had been snowy white, was now covered in an ink-black sea of stones.

Zhaoyu was still resting her chin on her hand, looking bored as she toyed with a piece.

"Uh... um... I..."

I was crushed... No, crushed is an understatement; I was spun around and launched into the heavens!

Mingtian’s eyes and mouth were frozen in three circular O’s.

I lost even with this setup?!!!!

I should just bow down to this lady master!

For some reason, Mingtian had the sudden urge to kneel before Zhaoyu.

I was beaten to a pulp. What is going on? You... didn’t you say you didn’t know how to play? Is this not the level of a national champion?!

Where is the most basic trust between people?!

"Lord Consort, shall we stop? Is there any point in losing to me on purpose?" Zhaoyu asked, looking utterly bored.

*Biu!*

He felt his heart get pierced.

It wasn't mockery; Mingtian could tell that Zhaoyu was simply impatient and truly believed he was letting her win...

This made Mingtian feel as if he were being slapped across the face repeatedly; the psychological damage instantly expanded to the size of a small mansion.

"Ahem." Clearing his throat, Mingtian quickly put on the mask of a worldly expert to save his face. "Zhaoyu, what do you think of this game?"

"What do I think?"

Zhaoyu glanced at the board, pondered for a moment, and simply shook her head.

Mingtian smiled faintly, remaining composed. He scrambled to organize his thoughts and began talking absolute nonsense with a straight face.

"Look, in the beginning, your white pieces were Deyi Ao, and my black pieces were you. The white pieces devoured the black ones completely, just like how Deyi Ao used you until you were worthless and then tossed you aside like a dirty rag."

"Indeed, it is unfair to you. I understand your grief and despair, but you must learn to look at things from a different perspective."

Mingtian paused and continued, "Think about it from another angle. Just like when we swapped the pieces, the black stones ended up devouring the white ones completely. In other words, while it looks like you were used by Deyi Ao until you were worthless, if you change your perspective, he lost you—the one who loved him most. Hasn't he, in turn, ended up with nothing?"

Oh, my god, what kind of nonsense am I spouting?

As he spoke, Mingtian felt his own heart ache; he couldn't keep going.

But Zhaoyu sat there, staring blankly at the board, lost in thought. A moment later, her eyes widened as if she had suddenly realized something.

"Lord Consort, are you telling me not to obsess over the heartless man before me, but to look toward the future, because there is someone better waiting for me?"

Uh, no, that’s not what I meant. I was just spewing nonsense. Your ability to interpret things is quite bizarre.

"Uh~~~" Mingtian drew out the sound, then brazenly nodded. "Yes, exactly. That pimping idiot isn't worth your sorrow. Remember, you are a good woman, and you deserve a better man."

"A better... man?"

Zhaoyu was dazed for a moment, then pursed her lips and asked, "A man like you, Lord Consort, who loves the Princess so dearly?"

I’ve already lost all my dignity today anyway, so I might as well throw caution to the wind.

"That’s right, a man like me."

As he spoke, Mingtian hurriedly drank his tea, pretending to be calm to hide his reddening face, which was flushed from all the lying.

Upon hearing this, Zhaoyu seemed to snap out of her thoughts. She looked at a jade bracelet on her wrist.

Mingtian knew that bracelet; it was a gift from Deyi Ao, and she had worn it for three years.

At this moment, her beautiful face filled with anger, and Zhaoyu slammed her wrist onto the table.

"Go to hell, Deyi Ao!"

As if severing her past, Zhaoyu resolutely smashed the bracelet.

Ah... Big sister, you’re so wasteful. That bracelet could have sold for two taels of silver. The Princess and I are almost broke; if you don’t want it, give it to me!

Mingtian felt a pang of heartache, but he couldn't say anything.

In any case, it seemed the young girl’s heart was unburdened, and Mingtian felt he had accomplished his mission.

Feeling slightly more relaxed, Mingtian poured himself another cup of tea.

Just then, Zhaoyu, having smashed the bracelet, seemed to have vented the malice from her heart; her hollow eyes regained their luster.

She let out a long sigh and looked at Mingtian. "But, a man as good as you, Lord Consort, is hard to find in this world. How about this, Lord Consort? I will go and discuss it with Sister Xinzhu. She should agree. How about I become your concubine?"

*Pfft!!!!!!*

Mingtian sprayed the entire mouthful of tea onto Zhaoyu’s face.

Looking at the girl, whose face was covered in tea but didn't seem to mind the mess—she didn't even wipe it off, just kept smiling at him.

She... she... she... she can’t be serious, can she?!!